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Q: What ever you do Don't mention the war
We all know there are some questions you just don't ask
like anything about Tiawan . Tibet or WW2
but how about a seamily inisent Question only to be given a 2 hour sermon on the subject.
What about cultural sensitivity? Remember -- this is their country and we are all guests in it. The old thing about when in Rome, do as the Romans. When I arrived here in the old days, I was bluntly told which five topics to avoid at all times and since then, I simply avoid them. I feel that I am a teacher and not a political scientist and surely I have no training to be a political scientist. Discretion is the better part of virtue as the saying goes. There is plenty that the Chinese could lecture us on concerning our respective histories and past historical inadequacies, but most of the time, out of a sense of Chinese politeness, they simply don't do it.
Look for what brings you closer to them and not what alienates you from them.
kchur:
Yeah, but in the war, almost all of the countries represented on the site were ALLIES WITH THE CHINESE. And there's just something so accusing when they scream at me about the Japanese, like I'm personally responsible.
DaBen:
"There is plenty that the Chinese could lecture us on concerning our respective histories and past historical inadequacies" I would welcome open minded discussion about my countries history. But the little information that they can provide is so sterotypical and filled with flaws, and then get hostile defensive if you reasonably provide evidence to show them the fallacy.
kchur:
Ps to clear any confusion, I'm not Japanese. I had family fighting the fascists at both fronts, and a lot of them died. I don't think it is reasonable to blame me, personally for the Nanjing massacre, bicycle woman.
If I recall correctly, Germany and Italy went on partnership to conquer Europe first, then Africa and later invaded Russia. Japan also got on the bandwagon and decided to expand its territory seeking more natural resources, so proceed to invade China, and many other SE Asia countries, allied themselves wth the Third Reih and Facism, attacked Pearl Harbour and awoke a sleeping giant, eventally all getting defeated.
Japan committed many attrocities while in China, and Chinese people fought hard for their freedom with the help of many Allies at the time. And now some claim they single handle defeated Japan ? So what ?, it does not bother me because I know better. A coalition defeated Germany, Japan and Italy, no country did it by itself.
But as someone well said above me, I am a guest here, and there are some topics wich I will not discuss. Wars, religion, government, which country is better, econimic policies, etc are tabu as far as I am concern. I will not gain one iota by talking about any of those, because opinions are made and I will not change them. So, why get involved and waste my time ? If I am in a group and they start on one of my tabu topics, I simply move to another group, and if none is available, I remain silent, and if asked a direct question, I decline to express my opinion.
So far, it has worked for me.
Maybe I need to make my Questions more clear
i was refering to other topics like why do they use the color white for the dead or where do all the dogs from the resturant come from
or I could just retitle the question to
And Thats how the Fight Started
