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Posts: 189

Governor

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Q: Who can differentiate culture versus sterotype? Without looking at the dictionary, please.

We always comment about the good and the bad things about the Chinese. So, I feel we need to which is the right labeling for our opinions. I have read some of the threads here, and it looks they were mixed up. SOS

11 years 10 weeks ago in  General  - China

 
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Posts: 189

Governor

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We always comment about the good and the bad things about the Chinese. So, I feel we need to know which is the right label for our opinions. I have read some of the threads here, and it looks they were mixed up. SOS

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1838

Emperor

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Culture is something that exists within a group of people or a race that is deeply ingrained and is often used as a distinguishing feature of that group.

 

A stereotype is other people's perception, rightly or wrong, of some distinguishing element of a group.

 

One is a reality and the other is a perception.

 

I guess??crying

harryjohn:

Thanks for trying. But why most of the times they were mixed up? and others cant find the demarcation line?

11 years 10 weeks ago
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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Culture is what Australians have, which the rest of the world only wishes they could match.

 

Stereotype is Crocodile Dundee.

Shining_brow:

Yeah! We're not the 'arts end of the world'!!!!

11 years 10 weeks ago
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DaqingDevil:

Oi! Oi! Oi! (That's our cultural cry.....awesome.)

11 years 10 weeks ago
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Traveler:

My friend in Waikiki, Hawaii, an Elvis impersonator ,used to call that out to me every time he drove past me in the street. It turned a few heads, hearing Elvis do the Aussie battle cry

11 years 10 weeks ago
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djgiesbrecht:

Australians are arrogant. Hmm, is this culture or stereotype?

11 years 8 weeks ago
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Traveler:

Fallacy.

11 years 8 weeks ago
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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1076

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Culture is the traditions, knowledge, and identity of a group of people. It usually contains things like art, language and literature, ways of thinking, stuff like that.

 

Examples of Chinese culture:

Decorations and traditions dealing with Spring Festival (Chinese new year)

Famous types of Chinese food

Art work and written language characters

Filial Piety

 

Stereotypes are perceptions of common traits which are not always (but sometimes!) true.

Examples of Chinese stereotypes:

 

Chinese people eat dogs.

Chinese people are good at math.

Etc.

 

Now, "Chinese people peeing in the street" is neither culture nor a stereotype, but an observation, and a bothersome one at that.

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1989

Peasant

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Hi harryjohn. This is a fair enough question, but to be honest with you, I'm kind of tired of reading threads about culture and stereotypes on this board. I try to avoid participating in them.

 

...Fine, I'll bite: Stereotypes are the knee-jerk explanations we come up with while we try to make sense of a culture different from ours. The trouble with ever trying to talk about "culture" in general is that it's entirely subjective and it's impossible to come up with an explanation that properly accounts for the whole of any society. Are stereotypes ill-intended. Most of the time by most people, no. Am I guilty of stereotyping? Every day. Laughing out loud

 

 

philbravery:

so glad to know Im not alone

however I would like to add there are types of personalities

that you can pigeon hole also 

example

Type A personalities can be  people who pay their phone bill straight away

They are usually  ( not always ) very clever

it is just their brain works ten times quicker that their body can work

now combine personality and culture and you have this forum angry

 

11 years 10 weeks ago
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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Yes. The culture questions are getting a little tiresome, considering there is no such thing as one individual Chinese culture. I would not even try to guess how many cultures there are in China.

 

Apart from the Han Chinese, there are 55 different ethnic minority groups in China. Amongst the Han, and the ethnic minorities, there are vastly different languages, dialects, cuisines and social customs.

 

The idea of a single Chinese culture seems to be something of a myth.

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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I have to completely agree that culture is totally subjective. Who says what defines a country's culture? Sure there are some cultural aspects that we can associate with China, though each family practices/interprets those in their own different way. It's what makes people special, and to define a country by it's culture is in my eyes the same as stereotyping and does an injustice to the people of that country. There are people here and back home who live their lives taking aspects from many cultures and this is due to globalisation, and can only help in further integration of human socieites (which is a good thing) If were segregating each other with cultural/stereotypical labels that's were misunderstandings happen!

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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I love the "we" in your explanation underneath your question.  Perhaps you meant it as a Royal "we." Take five, regroup, and think about this one again as you have just stereo-typed everyone here. Is that part of your culture?

harryjohn:

Ooops, I must use the right pronoun. fine, delete "we", change to "some".

11 years 10 weeks ago
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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Oh no I'm sorry but I don't need to look at the dictionary to know the difference and the question is garbage. 

What exactly are you implying?

 

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Ok, read through the other posts, and agree with some, but not with others.

 

Firstly, 'culture' isn't merely subjective - it's what is inherent in a group of people. It's a description of accepted practices, styles, preferences - and the industry and habits that go to continue those practices, styles and preferences. Classical Chinese painting IS a part of the "Chinese culture". So is some of their music (what hasn't been imported). So, yes, some things can definitely be objectively seen as part of a 'culture' of a people.

 

Stereotyping is merely a logical fallacy of Composition... some members of group A have demonstrated certain traits, therefore all members of Group A have that trait. It's also a form of racism.

 

Talking about a country's or people's culture is not a form of racism.

 

However... as was mentioned above, China has 55 or so different cultures within the country - to try to apply the concept of a 'Chinese culture' to all Chinese would be a form of stereotype (as I did above.... it should have been re-phrased to something like 'Han Chinese culture'... though that should also be further defined).

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
Posts: 360

Shifu

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All culture is plagiarism. I think it was Peter Seeger (or his father) who said that. So to me, alhough I do agree that it can define certain groups of people, everything is so interspersed these days that we're doing ourselves a dissaservice by pidgeon-holing people into certain cultures. 55 cutlures, that's an interesting number (I presume you're talking about the minorities), but I think I think the number is much higher in China. The Han who are all over teh country (and the world), are one of these cultures and differ vastly in their practices and prefernces depending on where you go and who you meet. 

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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The way I view it, (probably incorrectly) is that culture is the accumulation of all the abstract things that go with a certain race / section of society, the art, the history, the architecture, the food, the lifestyle etc. A stereotype, is a pre-conceived caricature (usually negative but not always) of what a 'typical' person of that race or section of society is, looks like, and does.

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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Thanks guys for your insights, it's very educating. However, I can't stop myself from asking why some members of this forum are always on the look for a prey? Can we not just have a safe ecology? The first time I joined here, I was already dismayed by the venomous words of some creatures here but I have learned not to spit back. I just want to practice my English and get some information, my friends. Don't be so harsh in commenting for you know that words are sharper than a sword. I may not have the power to make them vanish but I am calling the attention of echinacities administrators to do something about these cyber bulldogs or else I will have to give up my ambition of becoming an emperor. I can be a vigilante instead. (lol) 

Hugh.G.Rection:

harry, if I may call you that, you are starting to sound like one of a couple of previous posters we have had here.

You may want to be careful about 'reporting' people and before doing so ensure they are in breach of the published posting guidelines, it is not customary in 'western' culture to introduce oneself with threats and when such things happen almost invariably it is met with hostility.

Now, if you are one of the two people I suspect you are, you and I may have some philosophical agreements, but even if such is the case I won't tolerate any attempt to subvert other posters freedom to say what they think, in our western culture that is paramount, and any attempt to subvert it will ALWAYS be met with hostility, certainly by myself regardless of your  / our previous exchanges.

Take care.

11 years 10 weeks ago
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Traveler:

It works both ways, harryjohn.People could report you to admin for the threats you have made in your post. I also think you have exposed yourself as a previously banned member.

11 years 10 weeks ago
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harryjohn:

@ Hugh... I am no one. I am just a formulating some questions for discussions and earn points. I honestly enjoy the meaty answers of the most active users here and I am learning a lot. I just don't understand why some are so hotheaded and always ready for a fist fight? Is this really the culture from the west? I am a Filipino and somehow I know how to respect other culture. I just want to learn from you guys. Specially, you Mr. Hugh, I have high respect for your intelligence and fair comments. @ Traveler...threaths? Common man...the last sentence in my rant was definitely a joke. Now if joke, is seriously being taken here. So I would rater be banned. Who cares? I can just shrug my shoulders then.

11 years 10 weeks ago
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Nessquick:

the way he talk, is very very close to 981 style .. even the questions are formulated similar way. any clue ? 

11 years 10 weeks ago
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Traveler:

Both Hugh and myself saw the threats in your post. And insulting me by calling me a "common man" shows that you feel you are superior. You should learn lessons from 981, who quickly became a very disliked person on this forum by doing exactly what you are doing now.

11 years 10 weeks ago
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harryjohn:

@ traveler, sorry for the missing apostrophe but it must be a simple comm'on sense. I dont know what you are talking about, so please stop flexing your muscles. By the way, please just wait people to dislike me by themselves, don't blind and push others to the front while you are behind their skirts. let them, judge for themselves, baby.

11 years 10 weeks ago
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harryjohn:

@Traveler, referring to your first comment above, you think I am a banned member? Can you guess which musical instrument I play? ha ha ha .Maybe you can also ask nessquick for some oracle advice because he can't play hopscotch by himself. Now we have a communication problem here. But I hope you open your eyes and stop being negative,but you are certainly needed for any kind of ignition. Let us just be friends, I suggest. Case closed and I offer peace.

11 years 10 weeks ago
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Nessquick:

Harry, i can play by myself, but is a bit boring, don't you think so ? 

11 years 9 weeks ago
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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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You can belong to a culture, but that does not mean you are cultured.

harryjohn:

already

11 years 10 weeks ago
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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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Stereotype= Type of stereo

Culture= the largest cult

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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5 years 32 weeks ago
 
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