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Q: Why do you come on this website?
I haven't been around that long, but I see a lot of criticism of this website on the comment sections on all of the different articles, or even in the question section, and a lot of complaining. Surely if you aren't interested in the articles, or comment on them saying that they are bad, or don't like the news or feel that the news isn't real news, why don't you get your information from a different source? There must be something good about this website that you do like, or that keeps you coming back?
Clearly this isn't all users. Maybe the people who like the articles and news just stay very quiet...
Anyway, I was just wondering, why do you all come on this website?
"If you don't like it then go back to your country blah blah"
Thanks to foreigners complaining Chinese don't bind their women's foot anymore, thanks to foreign powers and leaders complaining China opened its economy and Chinese don't starve anymore.
Scandinavian:
I think you will find there are still people staring in China. I will start bitching about that soon, just need to get people to f#/&#( treat their kids/cars/pets properly first.
I like to see people complain about things. Sometimes it opens my eyes and makes me think deeper about things. Most times it makes for humorous reading to make the day go by.
Lots of the comments here make me laugh. It is also an interesting source of information.
I like the community. The backgrounds are varied, and people are interesting and knowledgeable.
All the other websites I have found in the past were composed 1/3 your stereotypical ESL party drunk, 1/3 fake accounts advertising stuff and 1/3 gold diggers. Which gets old very fast.
It's the only expat website that loads fast. There are much better ones if you're willing to wait 30-120 seconds loading time per page.
Although there is alot of misinformation and a whole lot of " the sky is falling" attitude, you can still learn stuff here.
I like the continuity of the users here.
I like to stir the pot sometimes.
mike695ca:
oh, and I like to see new users come and complain that everyone only complains and then wait 6 months later for the same user to inevitably start complaining about the same exact things.
Robk:
Yeah lol... seen it more times than I can count... green thumb comes to China..
"My god you guys complain a lot, this is like paradise... I can do whatever I want and make money.... just leave if you don't like it!"
Next year...
"My boss screwed me over and won't pay my return fare home! Some Chinese guy stared at me for five hours and I punched him in the head. How can you guys stay here this long? I am out of here!"
mike695ca:
Its like death and taxes. A certainty. Although i am still waiting on this Hadley fellow. He will come around eventually. Unless hes walking around on meth all day. No one likes China that much without a little help.
dongbeiren:
I wonder why Hadley has disappeared for so long... maybe he has come to realize it isn't all unicorns and fairies but he's too ashamed to post this realization
The forum reminds me that all I see and live here is not a wicked dream... it's real and I'm not dreaming it. I feel I live in a warped reality where things are rarely what they are supposed to be. Is it me having some cultural adjustment problem ? Am I sick in the head ? Was my life before China just a dream that years away have turned into a fantasy ? Am I supposed to accept what used to be unacceptable ? Am I supposed to refuse what I used to accept ? And then there's this little island that helps me to stay sane. A bit like China Expat Anonymous.
I don't know other foreigners except one friend who is as isolated as I am. I'm alone, anything that is normal for is not for everybody around me, and all that in a culture not quite open to the outside.
dsf:
Well, as weird as China can be, you are still in Suzhou - SIP, right? From all the weird places in China, that one is not particularly "weird"... I've spent a long time there - and in other places around Suzhou - and I must say that SIP is the only place where I didn't feel like I was in another planet.
DrMonkey:
Yes, the SIP district is special in a good way. But I still feel dipped in WTF.
I often walk to work, because no city bikes are available near my home (bad maintenance of the bikes + poorly thought sizing of the bike stations). Half of the two-wheel traffic goes counter way on the road, when there's a perfect dedicated lane on the correct way for two wheels. So I see cars and bikes avoiding each other for nothing...
Pm2.5 levels of 150 are the norm since two months, and it climbed to 200 since a week. No reports, no explanations, nothing, even if a million people are breathing this ?!
In the evening, I go to Hanlin plaza, to the vegetable market, where I can spot kids peeing on the floor despite toilets just in the plaza. The sellers will keep talking about me as "that alien", even if I'm a regular for a couple of years.
And I stop there, there's a myriad of things like that I see right in front of my eyes... Those things are minor individually, the few firsts months, almost invisible. Then I started to see them, to find explanations for them, and having a picture piecing together all those things I took in isolation before.
I will tell you the BIG REASONS why people come here and complain and you should take this in to consideration:
1) So you don't run in to the same situations. Some stories are truly nightmares and not a good experience at all.
2) So foreigners don't go insane. You need to vent and find others that see things they way you do.
3) Because Chinese will constantly tell you that you are wrong or just plainly ignore your advice. Yet, they will steal all your ideas, copy whatever they can and claim it for their own.
Like in any country, people vent about things. It is what humans do and it is actually progressive. If enough people complain about something, it usually changes for the better.
I've been following the site for over a year and started posting recently. I enjoy the site for various reasons including but not limited to:
1) an interesting and diverse group of people who post, love em or hate em a lot people have interesting perspectives and opinions
2) a chance to vent and complain about things that I have to shut up about most of the time
3) boredom when work is slow
4) Mike695ca, who despite being a dick is definitely one of my favorite posters
mike695ca:
Thanks??? I am kinda happy but not impressed with being only #4. My mom sais im always number one!
I showed up to the picture section just to see if there were any new picture collections of unaware fashionable girls walking in the street. I found a collection I had never seen before, but overall left unimpressed and slightly disappointed seeing that the section hasn't been updated as much as it should be.
Oh yeah, I also like checking out to see if there is any new nasty scheme going on that I could learn about and avoid.
the information
the laughter
the tears and tantrums
the insights
the drama (queens) - you are missed Vicky and Braveheart
the fact that you are not alone in trying to understand 
the challenges
the scams
the silliness
the satire
the bitching
the frustration
and the entertainment
Because here there are a lot of people going through the same crazy daily emotions,realizations and frustrations I go through, or have been through.
Who hasn't sat down with friends and just vented?
Also, it's just really entertaining sometimes and every time you are on a bus or wherever and you have your phone there is almost guaranteed to be a new episode in your favorite soap opera drama.
I complain a fair bit but I'd be happy not to. It's just that my day to day life in China is dictated by laziness and ineptitude. And then there's the Chinese influence...
This place is but another little expat watering hole where weary foreigners go to let off steam and tell their tales. We help diagnose and cure each other's shaken realities that we suffer from living in China. We keep each other entertained. And, believe it or not, we learn more about ourselves and China in the process. There is a place like this in every country, whether it's an expat bar or if its in cyberspace but wherever there are humans with common experiences, you will find places like eChinacities.
DrMonkey:
There's a "Chinese students/expats living in Europe" forum ^^ Mother-in-laws seems to be quite a popular topic there too :D
I don't know, well, it's like family, I've got my wife Sorrel who I haven't even met on here. My Dr Monkey, very good doctor by the way, I have a real Scan, I hope he can scan, I've got my Marvel comics matchup "me" Ironman vs Hulk. I've got Mike that has a cool car, maybe a new one now, Rob Rocks in Shenzhen join his party, We got a real expat member that names himself expat. It's the whole package here, it's family, we agree, we disagree, we argue. we fight and love again, its a good world to be a apart of. Need I say more?
Countries or people who try to copy 'being human' can never understand what it is to be human.
I have asked many students, 'why do you like that song?' their answer was simply 'it's popular.' Or if I ask what does the song mean to you, they have no answer or try to search for an answer online.
Music connects to your soul and your personal experiences.
If you have to ask why people come to this site then you do not understand what it is to be human. China has it wrong life was never meant to be all harmonious. It is the lows that make the highs worthwhile and interesting.
YinYang, remember that Japanese concept.
gouxiong:
I am not sure that song lyrics content is a good example. In my country we liked to listen to English songs. When I was young I liked Pink Floyds a lot. One day I got shocked when one of my American friends commented on the deeper meaning of one of their songs. For me their voices were just another musical instrument as I grew up with their (and many other interpreters) music without understanding a word in English. As the second point I would like to ask you why do you think Yin Yang principle is Japanese? As far as I know so Yin Yang principle was introduced into China culture by taoism which came into existence sometimes 5-6 centrury BC. The first written referencec about Japan is coming from China and dates to the 1st century AD. Generally even Japanese do not deny that their culture and religion was heavily influenced by China.
Englteachted:
Can people on this site read? Who said anything about song lyrics? Who said anything about English songs?
Englteachted:
I'm sorry, you're probably Chinese and lack proper English comprehension skills. Notice Japanese was in italics because it is not correct.
Englteachted:
And everyone knows Japanese are actually Chinese (settled there from China).
gouxiong:
No. I am not Chinese. But yes - English is not my mother language and therefore quite obviously I lack its full comprehension in comparison to majority ( ;) ) of native English speakers. I probably misunderstood your point about 'what the music content means to you' (and in previous line you talked about 'what that song means to you'). Song usually consists of music and lyrics. And I just pointed out that song may not be the right example. One of them I stated above and the other one can be for instance the simple fact that many people have different approach towards music. They may listen to the music just for the very practical reason that listening to it makes them feel happy - and they do not need to know why :). By the way Japanese are the most probably not resettled Chinese :) Even as a joke it probably does not fit much ;)
Englteachted:
Once again I apologize for being a boob. Let me make my point clearer.
Regards to music, I've shared in English and Chinese music with my friends and students. You actually made my point for me when you talked about the English songs you liked and why you liked them. The why is what many Chinese have trouble with when it comes to personal tastes. I could explain why I like / dislike a particular Chinese song what a the songs I like mean to me, personally (language doesn't matter).
YinYang, comes out of China but I said Japanese as a way to emphasize the idea that harmonious society is silly.
gouxiong:
No offence taken. I actually frequently make jokes about 'harmonious society'. But when thinking about it a bit more, the way how many here people look to act - highly superficialy - can be a consequence of two main reasons. One is that those people really are so superficial and then it probably does not need any further comment. The other one can be that they use it as kind of defence towards the outside society. China does not prefer individualistic approach in the sense how we know it in the West and even though their history is full of such remarkable individuals ( :) ) so they are taught from childhood that individualism is wrong. In my country the small children do not want to differ from the rest of their friends. I assume that in China this, probably all human very natural, behaviour is emphasized and therefore last much longer than in the west. On top of that this is further strengthen by the amount of people in China. The economy of scales realy works. Take for instance the example when you search for the new employee. In my country, depending on the company and position you advertise, you probably get couple of tens replies. In here you get virtually thousands. Every company then must struggle with even reading all the CVs and applications and they do not do that - no blame - it's physically impossible. But the result is that to the big extent the future of individual person in China does not depend on the personal abilities and skills but on the pure luck. It's of course a simplification but I just want to illustrate that there are quite logical reasons behind certain fatalism of many Chinese people. Another point is that no society (irrespective of the fact what the leaders of such society are publicly saying) does not need a nation of super smart, super educated and super capable individuals. What would such a country do and what would all these people do? Every country also needs the people who will drive busses, clean the toilets etc. etc. Who would do such jobs? Therefore more or less everywhere exists society diversification - just in the West it's diversified on different principles than in the East (due to many reasons). Nevertheless I do not find Chinese system bad. To the smart, ready individuals in the right environment (if you want I may call them lucky) China offers huge opportunities of personal development with accompanied social ad well as professional success. It's more than majority of Western countries are now able to offer to their citizens. On top of that the system is currently provably functioning while the European one is, unfortunatelly again provably, bankrupting. But all this can function only with huge level of tollerance to each other within the set society mantinels. In such a system 'harmonious society' is certainly the key to the majority of the people happiness. The longer I stay in China the more i like the 'harmonious society' principle even though I will probably not stop making jokes about it as I still believe that the way for individual success in China (as the long history clearly shows) is to understand the system and find your own role within it.
Well it's an interesting question even though from the context of your question I assume it's not meant as a question 
.
Let me however also reply your not really asked question. I cannot talk on behalf of the others but I will give you my reason.
Around me there are basically no expatriots and therefore I decided to live pretty 'Chinese' style of life. As a matter of fact it's easier to say than do but it's a different story.
After a longer time interracting with purely Chinese environment I realized that China is very diversified society but one thing majority of the Chinese people in my neighbourhood have in common - they all believe foreigners are quite arrogant and tend to jump at conclusions without previous analysis and deeper understanding of the situation (well the second reason comes from my more 'philosophical' friends as the others are fine with the first one only...).
I found it weird as my opinion of myself and other foreigners who are already by definition not average people, as average people usually do not leave own country for 'China adventure', totally differs.
Therefore I registered to sevevral expat webpages and started to ocasionaly read them.
And I got shocked ...
I found many very aggressive people, many very intolerant people, many people with very strong opinions about the matters they clearly do not understand much (as apparently they did not find it worthy of their effort to study at least the basic facts and information available) and many people with clear superirority feeling (which in my opinion and based on reading of their contributions is frequently highly undeserved and they are just misleading themselves).
I must, with great sadness, admit that my Chiense friends are in many cases correct. I just guess that the reason can be the huge language and culture barrier for majority of expats as well as the simple fact that those expats who are enjoying their living in China simply do not go to expat sites (as I did not before and will not in the future 
).
DrMonkey:
one thing majority of the Chinese people in my neighbourhood have in common - they all believe foreigners are quite arrogant and tend to jump at conclusions without previous analysis and deeper understanding of the situation
I wish to hear them about an analysis and a deeper understanding of modern Chinese society and why it's the way it is. Because so far, the deepest analysis I had is "There are too many people" and "This is China". When I try to talk, it ends quickly because feelings are hurt, it's taken as a personal attack, or a variation of these. How did you even manage to have a conversation of more 5 minutes on that topic, without running in circle ?! Not a rhetorical question, I really wish that I'm doing it the wrong way, and there's a way that works to have those conversations.
gouxiong:
Dr.Monkyy, I think it has something to do with society diversification. Majority of the people around do not really understand the current world - it's valid for the whole globe and China is not different. As a consequence majority of people does not know why the things are happening in the current way and majority also does not care. But saying this it does not mean that all the people do not know or that all the people do not care. That you personally either did not find them (or may be did not search for them - I do not know :) ) does not necessarily mean they are not in your neighbourhood. I am of the opinon that Chinese model can be in the future the way how the world can successfully survive - but that is already different debate.
DrMonkey:
Yes, until I didn't meet the 1.3 billions people here, you can say I just need to meet the right people. Yet, that might have a little to do with a culture & education not very strong on debating things, digging answers by yourself, and censuring anything with any seed of controversy, no ? If there are such people, why this eary silence ? Why the people that actually visibly cares and try to bring discussion, end-up quickly in jails (ie. like the New Citizen Movement) ?
I follow the press and what are the popular books : where are the books asking questions and looking for answers on social issues ? The best I found was from people with Chinese parents who grew-up abroad, and then went to China, like 'Factory Girls : Voices From The Heart Of China" (which shows but carefully avoid to point fingers), or foreign websites about China like ChinaFile http://www.chinafile.com/
gouxiong:
DrMonkey, I find your argument pretty cheap. There are a lot of evidences stating and proving that in China has to exist the people who fully understand its current stage and also, so far relativelly successfully, plan and influence its future progress. And here I am not referring to the central government only as China looks to be despite of strict centralization quite decentralized and provinces and cities have quite a lot of freedom within the given frames.
