Jun

10

Beijing skylineBeijing is a wonderfully surprising modern city defying expectations. The people seem less stressed, happier, more in tune with each other, and better socialized than in US cities. Prices are amazing. Breakfast for 5 $2.50; Lunch $3 for 5 people, dinner with drinks for five $17. Fancy dinner in fanciest part of town, $100 for five with drinks. Beer $2 at fancy restaurant. Rice liquor at Wu-Mart is under a dollar for a liter of 120 proof tasty liquor. Beer is good German style lager and 50 cents. Juice at street convenience stores in 20 oz bottles is 80 cents.

The Metro is beautiful, clean , fast, modern and the fare is a quarter US and same for the electric modern buses and trolleys. The highways are big, fast, and there are no pot holes. There a very few European and almost no American tourists. 99.8% of tourists are Chinese. Cars are new Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai. I sense less anger and less friction between people even in crowded cities. There are no bums, no litter, no antisocial behaviors. No one has tatoos. There is no "attitude" even among the young. People are less self conscious compared to say LA. The Chinese are spending on infrastructure and frankly are surpassing the US. The airport was huge, clean, and modern. The US cities are really falling behind China. Contrary to expectation, the police and government presence is almost non existent. There are many attractive well dressed women about in the city. There are many bicycles in separate bike lanes on the boulevards. I really like China. Look out for Chinese business to grow.

There are 57 cultural minority groups in China. In western regions China has absorbed many different cultures as different as cowboys and Indians. There are numerous languages and enough difference in dialects in China such that people between provinces cannot understand each other. The cultural gap between older and younger generations is complete. In Beijing they are dancing and singing Tibetan hip hop.

Craig Mee writes:

Even after 6 months living in Bali full time and its surrounding countries, having spent my life in Australia and the UK,  I still especially when driving am always waiting for the "rage". It just doesn't come. I've seen potential fatal near misses and quickly looked at the expressions of those involved, and it never ceases to amaze me…. NOTHING! It's astounding. All's cool. Whether it's religion, social framework, or combination of many things, why everyone holds it together I'm not sure, but it's a pleasant change. 

Jim Sogi replies:

Craig's note on Bali is true for China. After much discussion, I believe it is an intrinsic sense of cooperative society resulting in less friction. Driving is life and death, and even when passing on blind curves the other drivers all back down and let the guy pass or cut in, no rage. Horns blare constantly, but not in anger. This is instinctual behavior at this speed. In the US, it would be fisticuffs or profanity at the least. And there would be no backing down to let the other guy in. It is not just the fear of being noticed by the authorities, though that is a big factor. The Eastern society is more cooperative. Western/European/Judeo/Christian ethos is more confrontational and adversarial. Whether it is based on perceived self rights or not, the net result across society is profound and very very different. 


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