Comments on: Where does China fit in the West’s global narrative? http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative A cross-cultural adventure with the personal side of China Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:38:48 -0800 hourly 1 By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative/comment-page-1#comment-2149 Joel Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:12:25 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative#comment-2149 Most common I've heard is one 'family' made of various ethnic groups. but I've never heard from a member or a minority group here though. Most common I’ve heard is one ‘family’ made of various ethnic groups. but I’ve never heard from a member or a minority group here though.

]]> By: Brian http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative/comment-page-1#comment-2148 Brian Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:28:44 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative#comment-2148 Howdy Joel, I often wonder about the terms "China" and "Chinese"? There are various tribes/clans and dialects in what is known as China. Do, the 'Chinese' usually think of themselfvs in terms of being one race, or various people who have been united but maintain their clan statues', histories, languages, and lands? As, for myself, I think I might be a true westerner! After all I am from Texas objectably the biggest and therefore the best state in the USA(a maybe the world). Texas, has western(country music), a dialect, cowboy hats, cowboy boots, tex-mex food, big ford trucks, and four dangerous snakes! Our Cows and horses are much more efficent than those found in New York city. See Ya'll later, Cowboy Brian Howdy Joel,

I often wonder about the terms “China” and “Chinese”? There are various tribes/clans and dialects in what is known as China. Do, the ‘Chinese’ usually think of themselfvs in terms of being one race, or various people who have been united but maintain their clan statues’, histories, languages, and lands?

As, for myself, I think I might be a true westerner! After all I am from Texas objectably the biggest and therefore the best state in the USA(a maybe the world). Texas, has western(country music), a dialect, cowboy hats, cowboy boots, tex-mex food, big ford trucks, and four dangerous snakes! Our Cows and horses are much more efficent than those found in New York city.

See Ya’ll later,
Cowboy Brian

]]> By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative/comment-page-1#comment-2140 Joel Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:14:23 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative#comment-2140 ha, people always take issue with that term "West." I realize it's <em>almost </em>too broad to be useful, but for this discussion I think it works (in China discussions it's unavoidable) - we're not in need of a perfect, exhaustive definition here. It's not primarily geographical, but referring to the societies that buy into the above narrative, mostly: modern, developed, liberal democratic nations that are mostly located in Western Europe and North America. A "Westerner" would be someone enculturated in such a place and who therefore operates within that general set of values (most of the native English speakers in the world). For Chinese responses, I'll let you sift <a href="http://blog.foolsmountain.com/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-understanding-of-the-world/#comment-8728" target="http://blog.foolsmountain.com/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-understanding-of-the-world/#comment-8728" rel="nofollow">the comments on the Fool's Mountain post</a>. Though there are few succinct descriptions of a Chinese public narrative in that thread, you'll find plenty of ingredients for one there. By "public narrative we've inherited" I mean according to the description of the author, which he summarizes in paragraphs 2 and 3. No doubt we absorb that in our textbooks and popular media. How that looks to various minority peoples in the US is important, I think, especially as those groups, along with their diversity, grow in prominence. ha, people always take issue with that term “West.” I realize it’s almost too broad to be useful, but for this discussion I think it works (in China discussions it’s unavoidable) – we’re not in need of a perfect, exhaustive definition here. It’s not primarily geographical, but referring to the societies that buy into the above narrative, mostly: modern, developed, liberal democratic nations that are mostly located in Western Europe and North America. A “Westerner” would be someone enculturated in such a place and who therefore operates within that general set of values (most of the native English speakers in the world).

For Chinese responses, I’ll let you sift the comments on the Fool’s Mountain post. Though there are few succinct descriptions of a Chinese public narrative in that thread, you’ll find plenty of ingredients for one there.

By “public narrative we’ve inherited” I mean according to the description of the author, which he summarizes in paragraphs 2 and 3. No doubt we absorb that in our textbooks and popular media. How that looks to various minority peoples in the US is important, I think, especially as those groups, along with their diversity, grow in prominence.

]]> By: Brian http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative/comment-page-1#comment-2135 Brian Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:12:17 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/07/27/where-does-china-fit-in-the-wests-global-narrative#comment-2135 What is a westerner? And, what is a western society? And, for that matter is everyone living in a so called western society western? In Japan the term west/westerner can even be used of countries that are east of Japan and even of people from India and Iran. How, would people you typically met define west? What term would Main landers use for the concept"public narrative"? Or, do they have a different line of logic and world view in which they use to understand life? "I'm curious what you other Westerners think about the public narrative we’ve inherited." If by public narrative you mean that which our primary school education tried to teach us and that the media tries to tell us then no I did not accept that. Usually, because I couldn't idenity with the people in the texts books. I think other miniorities in the states would have had simular experiances as well. For example would a native american buy into the happy thanksgiving story found in most primary school texts books? Would a Chinese American reading about the early Chinese imigrants who worked on the rail roads in the states for low wages buy into the concept of an equality in the west? How much time is devoted to salvery, african american history, in the texts books? I think many minorties in the west do not buy into the public narrative, but rather each minority group/and post minority group may have their own narratives. What is a westerner? And, what is a western society? And, for that matter is everyone living in a so called western society western? In Japan the term west/westerner can even be used of countries that are east of Japan and even of people from India and Iran. How, would people you typically met define west?

What term would Main landers use for the concept”public narrative”? Or, do they have a different line of logic and world view in which they use to understand life?

“I’m curious what you other Westerners think about the public narrative we’ve inherited.”
If by public narrative you mean that which our primary school education tried to teach us and that the media tries to tell us then no I did not accept that. Usually, because I couldn’t idenity with the people in the texts books.

I think other miniorities in the states would have had simular experiances as well. For example would a native american buy into the happy thanksgiving story found in most primary school texts books? Would a Chinese American reading about the early Chinese imigrants who worked on the rail roads in the states for low wages buy into the concept of an equality in the west? How much time is devoted to salvery, african american history, in the texts books?

I think many minorties in the west do not buy into the public narrative, but rather each minority group/and post minority group may have their own narratives.

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