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Q: Why do chinese are crazy about money?
I have been in china many years and I still can't understand why chinese are so crazy about money. For chinese money is even more more important than family, I have heard some chinese saying these words. I think it is really scary. Yesterday talking to some African friends, I was even more shocked when they told me that Africa is full of chinese exploiting All natural resources, and some times you can see people in Africa helping locals and chinese trying to do business.
Because their hearts are as black as a witch's tit.
Hulk:
You made me laugh my ass off, but I'm still downvoting you because of the way you said it. Still, LMAO!
coineineagh:
I wanted to upvote you, but then I realized the colloquial expression is "colder than a witch's teat." As a teacher, I have to deduct 2 points for incorrect use of an expression.
mike168229:
Black as sin or witches cauldron? Would that have been more accurate? Still, you get a thumbs up from me 'cos I am having a bad day.
Because their leaders told them to do so after years of misery and starvation.
Indeed it wouldn't cross their mind a second to wonder whether this all actually make any sense.
Errrr... Yes, money is today's God here. You see a population that went from dirty poor, hungry to ... far less poor, within *ONE* generation. Not saying they are rich now, but well, it's quite a jump. And all that within a culture with a bias for financial wealth as a mark of success. Also, the idea of "enjoying your life" is relatively new, for many people, it's a fairly unknown concept. So the joys they know is working and getting the fruits of it, a family, and for a minority, video games. Things like traveling, spending time learning a new skill, can be seen as a waste of time, in this concept.
Again, a cultural bias for conformism, "doing like the other" reinforce this aspect: one might get the concept, but don't go for it, because of what others will say. When my wife traveled with me outside of China, she got a wider concept of "enjoying life", she saw many things that she could hardly imagine, even if she read/heard about it. It inspired her. Now, she enjoy a glass of wine here and then, even pushing me to buy a bottle of wine once in a while. She took that habit to go running with me. She considers unpaid free time as valuable as paid work time. She considers a meaningful lesser paid job better than a dreadful well paid job.
So yup, money is God. It's a mix of historical circumstances, cultural factors, and ignorance. "They are just evil twisted minds" (ie BlightyMatt), c'mmon, meet people and open up a bit.
As we all know that the welfare system in China really sucks,If you don't have money which means you can hardly survive like you can not get food to eat,you are not able to see a doctor when you are sick and others,You will eventually die. some people will just look down on you if you are poor which makes me really sad,human should be equal no matter if you are rich or poor. unfortunately ,the reality in China makes people go crazy for money,we have no choice but to work hard ,so that we can take care of our family and are able to afford whatever we want to buy.it's really sad but do we have anther choice? I am confused.
I am glad my family and myself are not crazy about Money ,but since I was a child,My parents taught me to work hard ,so I could afford things that I want to buy.
As I am living in a western country now,The welfare system here is way better than China,like it's for free to see a doctor here,In China,it's impossible. and other things here you can get for free,I am not going to give more examples.
To be honest,now I have a better understanding of Chinese people why they are crazy about money.
xinyuren:
Thanks for this answer. There are so few Chinese on this forum who are qualified to answer this question, I am grateful to hear from one. Keep sharing your views, Maggs.
One of the reasons why I don't care about money is that I come from a society that takes care of its weak, where when you hit rock bottom, you will still have a home and food. In China, many of the older population have witnessed people droping dead from hunger, and since that happened, the country has done nothing to improve on securing people with their basic needs.
Visco8:
I agree with you, Scandinavian.
It just seems to me that the Govt. will only help the Chinese citizen (s) if they are on the world stage i.e. in some kinda trouble, then they will go all out to help. Simply as a facade to show the world how much they 'care' about it's people.
However, we know how pecious little they actually do for the locals & esp. the disadvantaged (when was the last time you saw wheel chair bound person in public??) if the Govt. spent just a small % of their Space Prog and/or Military Spending on the people, what a huge benefit it would be.
Alas..the world image is much more important to them! Running around beating their chests like gorillas, trying to convince the world that 'we have arrived'. Meanwhile so many suffer in pain & silence...
I dont know how to answer this question.. But one day I met a mature Chinese Business man.. He told me: Whenever you foreigner go to another country .. the first thing you try to find out or want to establish a Church or Temple or Mosque..
But whenever we Chinese people go to another country .. first thing we want to do is to establish a bank..
I think you might have find your answer in this conversation..
Scandinavian:
Isn't that a bit prejudice towards foreigners ? I am sure the vast majority come to China to meet girls or do business of some sorts. Maybe in the past, but not now.
KimOnach:
LOL. This sounds more like a story about the Jews. They have the brains for that.
The first thing Chinese are more likely to do is rather establish petty businesses and scams, then grow into mafias, at best.
Scandinavian:
The first thing Chinese do is to establish a place serving Chinese food.
Partly to do with the lack of any social security provision, partly because there is very little to do here other than earn money, and lastly because they really do believe that the more you have the better person you are. Very sad on all levels.
Where I come from, there are about 300,000 Chinese nationals. 95% of them are in the flesh trade, disguised as students, retail workers and production workers. They will do anything for money, I mean ANYTHING! They just want to get the most in the shortest possible time. Their visas range from 2 months to 3 years. In that time, most of them would return with enough money to buy a house, car and start a small business. Even if neighbors knew how they got rich it doesn't bother them. While I understand the need to pursue a better life, I don't appreciate the way they do it. If they have such a low regard for personal respect, how can they even respect others? Money is king here, money talks and money walks. Without it, you will disappear into oblivion. This is not a welfare nation so don't expect the government to help. "To be rich is glorious!" - the words of Deng Xiaoping. I'd imagine that he didn't expect to see this manner of glorification. A country torn between the have and have nots. It's enough to make a dead man flip in his coffin!
RiriRiri:
What country allows this amount of bogus students in 2014?! This sounds a massive number !
louischuahm:
When you do get time off, take a trip down Singapore. Visit the KTVs, bars and red light district (yes, prostitution is legal in Singapore). You will see that most of the walkers are Chinese nationals. There's a building in the heart of the shopping district we called 7 floors of whores. Can you beat that? We also have mothers with kids studying there moonlighting on the streets. Man, you'll be spoilt for choice. I'm not saying that Singapore is filled with such trash but I suppose it adds color to a squeaky clean Singapore.
RiriRiri:
I was just curious, didn't know Singapore would allow this kind of stuff.
Does the city have any interest in having that going on? I mean, my thought is, it's not a big place, could probably be cleaned up overnight if there was a will to do so, right?...
louischuahm:
LOL! Our "caring" government knows that there is a need to have such activities so they allocated a certain district away from the city center. But you can pick up one easily in any of the bars, KTVs etc.
coineineagh:
Singapore borders on Malaysia, a country full of sanctimonious muslims. Just like Thailand, there's a booming trade with tourists who would rather get their rocks off abroad with a non-muslim woman. No big surprises.
louischuahm:
Coineineagh@ I can't speak for Malaysia but Singapore muslims aren't that radical.
coineineagh:
@louis: They told you that? If you know anything about traditionalist religious people, it should be that they don't advertise doing the deeds of which they outwardly disapprove. A woman who doesn't know you, doesn't know anyone in your home country/religion/culture/community, and won't/can't rat you out, is the perfect playmate for the evening.
mike168229:
Whooooo, Orchard Towers! I remember the Crazy Horse from my navy days!
louischuahm:
Mike@ Hahahaha....bet you had fun in Orchard Towers huh? Crazy Horse is gone and in it's place is......yes, you guessed it, it's another Chinese KTV, a high end one.
What Maggie says is the typical excuse of chinese, like everything is justified because of chinese culture or because before I didn't,t have money. I agree in part with some people when you say if before you didn't,t have money and, right now you have it, you really love it also if you don,t have you starve it. I have never been in the USA, but I have heard that there the social security is pretty caotic if you don,t have money a good health insurance or welfare you also starve it and I don,t think Americans have the same image about money. Please don,t justify everything with chinese culture
louischuahm:
frvioque@ What exactly is Chinese culture? Perhaps you would like to give a discourse on Chinese culture for the less informed?
DrMonkey:
Well, what she says is easy to verify. Indeed, not much safety nets in China,I think we can agree on this. Also, in China buying homes ASAP and stashing cash is a major preoccupation, which might be a sign of deep insecurity : "I can only rely on my family and myself". Having no safety nets, and never had one, that creates habits. It's easy to not think about money when a simple job give you access to good education, good healthcare and retirement. Compare the life of a plumber here or in a Western country ;)
louischuahm:
DrMonkey@ I agree that having enough to ensure a comfortable life is key in this country but it's developing into rampant materialism, which in turn becomes greed.
DrMonkey:
@Louischuam Yes, agree, while insecurity might be the root of this greed, nowadays, it's not rational at all. This race for money is self-reinforcing, and education/culture makes (many, a majority, but not all) Mainlander unwilling to sit for a moment and question it. Why buying a car if you don't really need it, why you need all the latest Apple gadgets, why you have to show off with a fancy bag, etc. when you can spend this cultivate yourself, spend time with your partner & kids, travel, etc.
Visco8:
Dr ~ I agree with what you say, except for one issue, the 'buying of homes'?
They dont actualy BUY the apartments, as according technicaly to law, the Govt. if it so desires can re-claim that land + apart. after 70 yrs. I think that is correct, so, in fact, it's a leasehold.
Do you wonder why so many wealthy Chinese are buying overseas properties??! They get to keep the house & land forever. Plus, the quality of the building so far superior to the Chinese crap. Do you blame them??
DrMonkey:
@Visco8 About the quality of housing in China... I believe that the average Chinese who will never put the nose outside of China, simply don't know any better. Insulation, professional craftsmen, etc, for him/her, it's at best bedtime stories. Then come into play the lack of a training system for craftsmen : how people can have standard when they never existed and no effort is made to introduce them ? Finally, the people who takes advantage of this (ie. real estate investors) better keep things as they are, and go away when they are rich enough. If there's one thing that I blame, is the apathy, the cynism and the complicity of those who know, those who could talk but shut-up.
KimOnach:
Chinese don't buy properties because of their quality. Quality is just the cherry on top for them. They buy them because it's a better value for money, a real investment (as opposed to a long-term lease enforced by an untrustworthy government), and also (especially) because many countries will grant you residency if you own a property. That last part is a mistake, but maybe when London will have been cleaned up of Londoners and congested with Chinese/Russians/Saudis/Qataris' empty apartments will they understand that.
You can't go to Africa see people starving and chinese don,t care at all and just making as much as money as they can, that s not chinese culture that's s not care at all about human rights. When people told me about it, I couldn't,t believe it!!!
DrMonkey:
About Africa & China, I found those websites which give interesting insights
http://www.chinaafricaproject.com
http://www.chinaafricarealstory.com
Agree with much of the above. I'd like to add another thing. They have no alternative. Hobbies in China are almost non-existent. Have you ever seen a hobby store in China (Hong Kong doesn't count)? Children aren't allowed to have any unless you count piano lessons. Parents train their children very early with the goal of chasing money. Personal pursuits, dreams, hobbies, free time are out of the question.
expatlife26:
Now THAT is true. There is almost nothing fun to do here...just expensive activities to show off.
Because the banks are starting to stop lending, so they better get as much as they can before the crash come in the next 5 to 10 years.
RiriRiri:
Banks were never big lenders for individual clients in China, as compared to underground systems.
No matter what answers you got here or anywhere, you won't understand unless you are Chinese and poor.
DrMonkey:
Quite a few people here have been living in China for several years, married, with average Chinese as in-laws and a fair fluency in Mandarin ;)
expatlife26:
Agree with you Sokie.
I don't understand what it's like being poor and powerless like the vast majority of people here. I pray I never do.
It's why I feel contempt for expats bragging about how 'local' they live...as if poverty is cool.
That doesn't mean being overly materialistic is good either...but it's nice to find a happy medium of comfort, income and stability.
Because this is the first era in history where so many Chinese finally have a chance to pull themselves out of poverty. Besides how many people from ANY country do you know that want to earn less money than more?
bos we was2 poor before~everybody want a good life not just money family aslo important2 us2
louischuahm:
The problem is that parents know what their daughters are up to but turn a blind eye so long as they bring back money. How many of their daughters are working in Dongguan? When they've reached the marrying age, they simply match them to a village boy and their duty is done. Sometimes I wonder if daughters' duties include selling themselves to support their families. I'm not saying every woman is the same but there are enough to let people know such is the mentality. Sad, don't you think?
