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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Favourable treatment of white foreigners AKA 'white worship' - really?
I often come across the concept both online and in conversation of the concept of 'white worship', in other words white foreigners being treated favourably in China chiefly based on the colour of their skin.
I'm not entirely certain I've witnessed this AT ALL. Rather, I just witness numerous daily acts of subtle or indeed overt racism from the Chinese
I concede that perhaps:
1) English teachers are paid a high relative wage in China (but I attribute this purely to supply and demand)
2) Foreigners as a whole can live a pretty free and easy life in China (but I attribute this to us being eternally outside of the social dynamic of the country)
Echina People, enlighten me if I'm either stupid or ignorant in missing this 'white worship' concept here!
I've never heard the term myself, but I have found people at work and otherwise to often be helpful to the extreme, like they themselves are 'the host of China' which i'm sure is just how many see it. The novelty of foreigners and what they represent to many people, be it a new or exotic freedom, more money, or simply a change from the all too familiar, may also cause many Chinese to treat them specially, but i've never come across anything i'd describe as 'white worship'.
Yeah, nothing like being told 'can't use this internet bar, you have no chinese id card' BUT I'M FOREIGN, I CAN'T GET ONE!
Or how you go to eat with friends and the ENTIRE restaurant stares at you.
OR how you play any sport and they are like 'wow, the white guy can play pool!' or swim etc.
Or how if you complain about anything they say 'go home!' or 'this is china!'.
And our salaries are nothing, in the middle and high schools we don't get to offer and FORCE students into expensive weekend classes that let them buy a new AUDI in a few weeks, etc.
In my experience the favorable treatment comes from shops,gym, places of business. Every time I go to the gym the manager goes out of his way to make sure I do not stand in line, much to my surprise. This is where my favorable treatment begins and ends, it is nice, but a little strange at the same time. other than it is just like back in the states.
favorable treatment ? often.
WW ? nope
I was placed at the front of the line @ M's Mausoleum ; I was embarrassed, but I also thought it was pretty cool. After all, in the West we are told to treat a visitor with honor and respect (which translates to them being treated better than we treat our own) but how often do we really follow through on this idea ?
well, here in the MK, most follow thru on the idea.
good or bad ? an individual call...
White worship?
Is this the dream where you are standing on top of the pyramid in your sun god robes with a 1,000 naked women all bowing at your feet. Then they all start yelling and throwing tiny pickles at you?
Aw come on, I can't be the only one who had that dream.
White worship? Are you kidding? They worship money, so if you're white and have money then maybe they treat you better but I have not experienced or even heard of any acts of white worship or admiration.