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Posts: 4397

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Q: Are Chinese people less self-conscious than westerners?

  I'm sure i've asked something like this before, but i've been instructed that if I don't ask at least one question of this sort a week, I won't get my five mao. But anyway, I was in the park yesterday afternoon with my young'n and I saw; 1. a woman dancing and singing opera in a secluded spot and I thought, 'In England she'd be seen as nuts'; and then 2. a guy walking at about 1 mile an hour, slowwwly waving his hands from left to right (he continued this practice for the whole time I was there), and I thought, 'In England he'd be seen as nuts'; and then 3. a woman standing beside a tree quietly, but every 30 seconds or so giving a strange chanting cry towards the lake, and I thought, 'In England she'd be seen as nuts'. And this was just Monday. In my time here i've seen a mass of things of this nature, where people have been willing to exhibit behaviour farrr farr outside the realms of what is generally considered 'normal' behaviour, and yet in none of these instances did they show an ounce of self-consciousness, and in none of these instances have I found myself thinking, 'This person's nuts'. 

10 years 17 weeks ago in  General  - China

 
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Posts: 9631

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I think at first glance it seems there is no self-conscience. But then you have to remember that 5000 years of uncivilization means that what is normal here seems strange to us from elsewhere. 

 

Clearly, to me, many people here are nuts. That being said, just this morning I went out for a walk, wet hair (yes, I shower in the morning) only a tshirt and jeans, no socks, and after having walked a while I realized that the zipper was open. I am sure some people would group me with the loons. 

 

But you can tell the way people do certain things, that they know it's wrong and they are aware of it. Many people when they throw trash on the street, they do it so discretely that it can only be spotted by an eagle-eyed laowei. 

And what about all the face crap. The phone must look like, or even be, an iPhone, otherwise people will think less of me. 

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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1198

Shifu

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people are just nuts here

walking backwards to revert the time or what?

most of these things are proven wrong and someone with a half decent brain would know that so yeah people are just nuts.

Know what? they are dancing on the street weirdo dances, singing like a dying at but if you go in a club no one dares to go on the dancefloor and dance

mArtiAn:

  So you're suggesting I don't have a decent brain? Well f**k you in the ear very much:)

10 years 17 weeks ago
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dom87:

if you think walking backwards makes you younger and if you do it long enough you go back to the 18th century, then indeed i would say you are nuts too.

 

otherwise no

 

no offense^^

10 years 17 weeks ago
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mArtiAn:

  I think the walking backwards thing is just to exercise the calf muscles. 

10 years 17 weeks ago
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dom87:

some people here actually believes it makes them younger...

10 years 17 weeks ago
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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
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I think people in China are as self-conscious as people in Western countries, they are just self-conscious in very different ways Tongue

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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
Posts: 791

Shifu

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Well the kids in the classes are pretty self conscious and hate making an ass of themselves whether it be in pronunciation or spelling or losing a simple game.

I think some aspects of being self-conscious resides in the adults as well and you mix that with the 'manzi' and I am sure some individuals then internally battle their own demons.

Overall, the complete disregard for their fellow human being means that Chinese can go out and do almost whatever they like and seriously, nobody takes any notice! When you can take a piss on the street, spit everywhere and drive like there's no tomorrow then who's going to take notice of an old guy walking backwards on the sidewalk clapping his hands? Me.......! Just me.

Paulberger:

no, i notice it too...

10 years 17 weeks ago
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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
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It's cute how you would see inconsiderate behavior and chalk it up to being less self-conscious. Public spaces in China are for "me". In western cultures, public spaces are for everyone. Singing loudly, playing your old radio loudly is just plain rude. It disturbs the peace of others. 

mArtiAn:

  You think it's cute? Cute? Thank God that wasn't patronizing, I might have gotten quite offended.

10 years 17 weeks ago
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Paulberger:

i think this pretty much sums the problem up.  they aren't self conscious, they are just selfish and don't care about who are what is around them.. 

10 years 17 weeks ago
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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
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With that tendency to buy luxury products at all costs just to show some wealth, I wouldn't say they are less self-conscious.

Shameless, on the other hand...

Rin:

Definitely shameless.

10 years 17 weeks ago
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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
Posts: 421

Governor

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Yes and no, I guess.  They are so worried about "face" yet they defecate in public.  Actually, quite a tough question.  Now, if you said unconscious the answer would be a resounding "Yes!"

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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
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I was having a few beers in the restaurant under my building on Monday and the lady gave me a small plate of peanuts, as she sometimes does.  I thanked her, as I do.

So I'm drinking my beer while passing the time of day and she grabs the now empty plate and walks away.  I think this is strange because they never take things away from the table (the empty beer cans just pile up so that when other customers rock up they see, and comment on, the drunken laowei), so I think she must be going to get me some more peanuts.  I don't want any more (as they're not really very nice and way too oily) so I say "Stop! Please don't get my any more peanuts."  But she goes and fills up the plate anyway.  I tell her thanks, but I don't want them, please take them away (lest I get tempted to eat them and I don't want that to happen).  But she won't take them away, instead gesticulating that if she does she'll lose face.  What a bloody joke.

cesar81:

In China, the way of saying I don't want to drink anymore is leaving your glass full. Maybe that's applied to peanuts too.

10 years 17 weeks ago
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