When the Chinese come and visit the United States, they are often spellbound in shock and amazement. They find that they LOVE, absolutely L-O-V-E the United States. I have many friends who have told me this. Another thing that they have told me is that it was not what they expected.
Here are some of the misconceptions that Chinese have of America…
1. Donald Trump is despised and is going to prison if not executed outright.
Well, this is what you would expect if all you watched was CNN and MSNBC.
In fact, most “Western media” that the Chinese see is the main-steam American media. While most Americans, not all, understand that the American media has a fatally liberal bias, the Chinese are unaware of this. Thus, the impression that they get is that the American media represents the hearts and minds of the American people.
As such, they are astounded that Donald Trump is able to get away with so much!
“1. Donald Trump is despised and is going to prison if not executed outright.” A few months ago I had a chance to talk with an engineering student from India who was visiting the US, and she had much the same impression. She asked me why the American people hadn’t risen up and removed Trump from office since he was so universally despised. She was genuinely surprised when I told her that Trump was probably the most popular American president since Reagan and would surely be re-elected in 2020. I realized from this conversation how much the Mainstream media’s endless propaganda war on Trump is diminishing America’s prestige globally. People in other countries mistakenly think of America’s news media as being legitimate, and believe what they hear. (Even far-left Americans realize that most of CNN’s reporting is bullsh*t.) We look like a third-rate banana Republic on the verge of collapse to the rest of the world. I doubt the current Supreme court confirmation hearings are helping matters. - Junk Silver
They are amazed that he is not being hung from scaffolding or being lynched. They, thus believe that he must be a most capable politician and a supreme businessman; a man not to be trifled with. The reactions that I see from my fellow Chinese friends is a mixture of awe, admiration, and fear.
Just WHO is this man, they muse.
The Chinese believe the main-stream media and are impressed with President Trump for his ability to avoid hanging from a noose.
2. Everything is Free!
After nearly a decade of President Obama being televised giving away free things, most Chinese have the impression that that is what America represents. Free cars. Free cell-phones. Free citizenship. Free meals. Free housing. They do not realize that nothing is free, and ultimately someone must pay a price for it.
Today, when I mention that America used to be the “Land of the Free”, they respond with “What, you no longer get free healthcare, free education, free cell-phones and free housing?” They think that the current President is changing America away from a “Free” nation and moving towards something more practical.
Somehow, and I really do not know how, they believe that the government has an endless supply of money to spend. As such, they think that it was quite magnanimous of President Obama to spend that money on the American people. Now, they are afraid that the money will be spent elsewhere, like on wars.
The way the American government works is a mystery to the Chinese. But, that is ok. It is a mystery to most Americans as well.
3. Americans are Rich.
It goes to think, don’t you agree, that if all Americans are driving nice cars and living in nice houses that Americans MUST be rich. What the Chinese do not realize is that in America everything is rented. Very few people pay in cash to buy a car or a house.
Oh, certainly there are those who are driving older cars that we paid off years ago. That there are those who paid off their thirty year mortgages ten years ago, however, they are a minority. Most Americans pay both a mortgage and a car payment, with a sizable number now paying school loans.
In China, most people pay in cash. They save like crazy, sort of like the Amish, and then spend the money where necessary. While credit is available to the citizens, most maintain a traditional attitude towards frugality and savings. Thus they think that Americans must be the same.
Which is why many Chinese believe that Americans are quite wealthy.
The Chinese believe Americans are very wealthy, because by Chinese standards, you need to be a millionaire to be able to live like an American does.
4. All Americans carry guns and are Armed.
I chuckle at this one.
Nope, not at all true. But if all you watch is the American main-stream media, of course you would have this impression. From the “debates” on CNN, to the discussions on the Huffington Post, everyone talks about the free access to firearms. Of course, if that is all you have access to, the impression would be of an overly and unfairly armed American populace.
This puzzles the Chinese to no end. “Why does Americans need so many guns?” they ask. “The police will protect you”. Well, in China the role of the police is quite sedentary. Most of China consists of hard-working nerds. The police are there to deal with an occasional victim or crime. However, they never police behavior. Not like in America.
Anyways, when asked, I tell them how I miss my P99 and S3. They always ask me about the big caliber Smith and Wesson handguns, and ask if I ever owned a Glock.
I have to disappoint them, but I do tell them that I really enjoyed my old AK-47 clone (that I bought in California before they were banned). And I would get started on a conversation about the joys of black-powder (think Dixie Gun Works) and compound bows. It’s a world that really interests them. I’ll tell you what.
The Chinese are often surprised that Americans don't carry guns everywhere.
5. America is Full of Excitement and Happiness.
By watching shows such as “Friends” the Chinese have come to consider Americans as nice friend and family oriented folk; people who have come to believe that life should be lived to it’s fullest. It’s a nice illusion.
Something happened between 1975 and today. Americans have become less of what they once were. It’s kind of sad. We lost something.
Maybe it’s all the restrictions at the workplace, or the over-reliance on portable media for enjoyment. I don’t know why, but many Americans look forward to mowing the grass and playing on the computer instead of fishing with an ice cold six pack of beer and being with friends. I lament that.
Yet when they come to America, their first impression is quite different. “It is so, so, so very quiet” a friend told me. Businesses close before 9 pm, and residential streets seem abandoned like a post apocalyptic ghost-town.
The Chinese visitor often finds that America is a very quiet and peaceful place. It's a bit of a surprise.
6. Everyone is your Friend.
Just because someone smiles, does not mean that they like you and are your friend. In America, smiling is just a polite way of interaction with strangers. In China, however, smiles are something that is reserved for special people. People, mind you, who have earned their place in your heart.
When a Chinese person visits the United States, they are overwhelmed at how friendly everyone seems. Everyone smiles, opens up the doors for you, stands out of the way and is helpful. That being said, they are shaken to the core when they try to get into a conversation and practice their English. Aside from a polite minor conversation, most Americans just want to be left alone.
To a Chinese person this is like a best friend turning their back on you.
In America, a smile does not mean someone is your friend. It just means that the person who smiles is polite. In China, people normally do NOT smile. If they do, you know that they are a friend. Smiles are reserved for people who have a place in your heart.
The Chinese are often very comfortable in the United States, but find that making "real" friends is often very difficult to do.
7. Everything is Fair and Just.
Well, isn’t that what America stands for?
Ah, yes. The rule of law. But hey, when there are two standards of law; one for the super rich, and one for the rest of us, it isn’t fair. In fact, it is more than that. It is not a rule of law. It is a rule by favoritism, and there isn’t any real laws.
The Chinese understand this instinctively.
However, they are surprised that it exists in America. As they have been taught, and under the impression, that America was immune from this kind of judicial corruption. As a Chinese friend once told me, a nation that has two sets of laws; one for the powerful and one for the rest of us, is not a nation of law. It is a dictatorship.
The Chinese are often surprised that America works the same way as China often does. It's the "golden rule"; the one with all the gold makes all the rules.
8. The Government works for the People.
America was set up as a place where the government serves the people. This is part of American history. As such, it is taught that way. Even in China.
Now it does not work that way. Now, in America it is not taught that way in schools either. However, it is still taught that way in China.
A casual visitor to the United States thinks nothing of this. It is until they are pulled over by a police car for a minor infraction, stopped at a check point for “inspection”, or told to hand over their cell phone for scanning. These things are unheard of in China. And, thus, are a real big shock to a Chinese citizen.
Other shocks include;
- Open container laws
- Paying for internet access
- Taxes on everything
- Money that is always complicated ($9.98 instead of $10)
- Huge portions of food
- Lack of public transportation (or insufficiency of)
In China the police are used in much the same way as they are used in America. However there is a great divergence in philosophy behind their use. In China, the police are used to go after criminals who create victims. In the Untied States, the police are used to enforce behavior.
By the way, here is an unobstructed view of the police cars used in the arrest above. Pretty cool huh? Quite different from the military-grade hardware used by the American police…
The Chinese are surprised that America has such a large police and military presence.
9. There is Crime Everywhere.
While the militarized police is a bit of a surprise, the fact that they exist are not. Everyone in China “knows” that America is a land full of crime and corruption.
They know this, of course, from Hollywood. It doesn’t matter if it is white-collar crime like “The Wolf of Wall-street”, or street gangs from any one of a thousand movies. The Chinese tend to believe that America is a dangerous place.
Thus their surprise that they don’t see any crime.
Or course, if they were to visit Chicago, Detroit or Baltimore, their opinion might be quite different. When the Chinese visit, they see how beautiful and clean America is. They see police patrolling in nice new squad cars, and Americans behaving in polite and ordered ways.
They tend to be a little surprised that America is much safer than what they have been led to believe.
10. Everyone Speaks English.
I always get a big laugh out of this. Yet, it is a common misconception.
No, I am not talking about people speaking Spanish in Texas or California. Rather I am talking about what happens when a Chinese person goes into a area where people speak a heavily accented English. Like, for instance Arkansas, Louisiana, or Mississippi.
"My grandmother said things like, “over yonder,” “rightchere,” (right here), “likeyat,” (like that), and “haint” (spook). Any non-sleeping dog had a “wild hare up its ass,” and if Grandma was angry, she was “some kinda burnt up.” She was prone to redundant modal verbs (“I done told you before”) and a big fan of the circumfix “a-in”–such as an owl “ahootin’ and ahollerin’.” Similar to Barry Hannah and Singleton’s backwoods characters (consider Hannah’s use of “sumbitch” or “You’re all wore out from being nice,” -Trying to write in a Southern Accent
My favorite story is when some Chinese stopped and asked for directions in Kentucky. The instructions went something like this…
“Yall done drive past wheer dat old tree used to be, hang a left. You’ll recon Auntie Suzie’s house dere. Cruze a few miles til you see the spot whare da town had dat fair last spring, and then swing a right. Be mindful now. There’s that old viaduct. You should be fixin’ to gander it around ten minutes or so later.”
The Chinese visitors are often surprised that many Americans speak differently than what they have been taught, and what is shown on television.
Other Posts
This is the second of two part post. You can visit the other post; ” The Top Ten Misconceptions Americans have about China”. It can be found HERE.
Conclusions
The Chinese, when they visit America, come back with tales of adventure and great stories that they tell to their friends. Their overall opinion and picture of America is a positive one. They tell glowing stories of how absolutely beautiful America is and how friendly Americans are.
They come back to China saying “America wasn’t at all what I expected. It was better.”
“America wasn’t at all what I expected. It was better.”
Take Aways
- The Chinese believe the main-stream media and are impressed with President Trump for his ability to avoid hanging from a noose.
- The way the American government works is a mystery to the Chinese. But, that is ok. It is a mystery to most Americans as well.
- The Chinese believe Americans are very wealthy, because by Chinese standards, you need to be a millionaire to be able to live like an American does.
- The Chinese are often surprised that Americans don’t carry guns everywhere.
- The Chinese visitor often finds that America is a very quiet and peaceful place. It’s a bit of a surprise.
- The Chinese are often very comfortable in the United States, but find that making “real” friends is often very difficult to do.
- The Chinese are often surprised that America works the same way as China often does. It’s the “golden rule”; the one with all the gold makes all the rules.
- The Chinese are surprised that America has such a large police and military presence.
- They tend to be a little surprised that America is much safer than what they have been led to believe.
- The Chinese visitors are often surprised that many Americans speak differently than what they have been taught, and what is shown on television.
FAQ
Q: What do most Chinese think of America?
A: Most Chinese, that I know of, think favorably of America. The ones that have visited the big cities such as New York, and San Francisco absolutely love it. The ones that have toured America in cars, and have visited the United States rave about how great America is. Their biggest complaint is that their trip wasn’t long enough.
Q: What areas should a Chinese person visit?
A: There are so many places to choose from. But, were I to make a travel plan, I would suggest a trip to the deep south like New Iberia, LA and a visit to the French Quarter in New Orleans. I would suggest a trip to Savanna, GA. I would advise a visit to Boston in the middle of October when all the leaves change. I would suggest a visit to some civil war battlefields.
Q: What can I do to entertain some visitors from China?
A: I would suggest a BBQ with some ice cold beer. Cook chicken and hamburgers and American hot dogs. The Chinese LOVE American hot dogs. It would be a real treat for them. Take them out and shoot some guns. Go swimming and if you have a boat go out and ride about in it. Go fishing, they would absolutely love it. If you have a compound bow, let them try their skill shooting it.
Q: Would the Chinese eat my dog or cat?
A: Heavens! No! Most Chinese love animals, and both dogs and cats have a special place in the hearts of most Chinese. The problem is that if you introduce your dog or cat to them, they might end up spending all the time with them instead of with you. If you dog can play frizbe, then show the Chinese visitor how to throw it and everyone will have a great time.
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Notes
- Drafted 20AUG18.
- Completed 7SEP18.
- SEO review 7SEP18.
- Published 7SEP18.
Red China does not police behavior? So they do not remove crosses from church buildings there, or throw millions into concentration camps, eh? OK. Now I see what kind of opinions drive this blog.
Unless you have First-hand information, all you are doing is parroting the news media. The news media is a propaganda machine designed to manipulate.
[1] Crosses removed from Churches. I’ve been in China or some time now. I have not seen any crosses removed from the Churches. In fact, the crosses are still on the buildings here in ZH, HK and Macao. Maybe you are correct, and they are removing them somewhere in China. But that is not part of my reality. I have NEVER seen it done. I have only read about it in the American media. Specifically, St. Joseph the Worker Church still has a cross on the outside, as does St. Francis Xavier Church, St. Paul’s Church, and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church all still have crosses.
[2] Throw millions into concentration camps? Really? I know that twenty years ago, when there was the SJW uprising, hundreds were jailed for subversion. But, aside from that, it’s not part of the reality here. They just don’t have the infrastructure to imprison huge numbers of felons. Where do you get your information? Not first hand, obviously. Probably from the American media. Right? Remember, if you do not see it happen, or experience it directly, then you are just parroting propaganda.
I’ve got many opinions. Many of which will anger. The lesson here is a simple one. UNLESS you experience something directly, and personally, you are just repeating hearsay. I argue that what is repeated in the American media, whether it is a liberal bias or a conservative bias, is all propaganda. Which is my point exactly. Instead of being told how to think, I urge you and others to see for your self and experience it for your self.
I am just repeating what I know from personal experience. You are repeating what you have read from American media. There is a significant difference.
Donald Trump has comitted more crimes in office in total than all other presidents put together. It is not a MSM fabrication, it is simply the truth no matter what you think about CNN or some other ginned up target. He should be in jail, and no doubt will be tried if not convicted by the New York DAs once he is booted out of office in 2020. About that topic, China is well informed and rational.
You do realize that Trump was *already* impeached once for high crimes and misdemeanors (and easily could be impeached twice, if not for the obvious obstruction of the criminal stooges in the GOP owned Senate); you also must surely acknowlege that the Mueller report condemned his clearly unlawful behavior including obstruction of justice; it’s plain as day that he violates his oath of office, disregards the Constitution, and lies and spews ignorance so regularly it’s like a reflex, right? Right.
You get a lot right about the USA, but you also parrot easily falsifiable mistruths and misconceptions as well that mostly reguritate Fox News and Southern paranoia about the libs memes to your discredit.
Nonetheless, other than some of your southern-bred biases, you have some good insights. Nonetheless, don’t be naieve about China’s authoritarian state and pseudomilitary law enforcement attitudes either just because you can buy and drink beer easier some places. Just try and smoke some weed in the USA vs China (despite it being less harmful than alcohol and potentially even medicinally beneficial) and see how that goes. Hope your credit score doesn’t dip to the degree they impede your ability to hop a train, either.
Well, best of luck to you in China. I’m living in China right now too, so I see both the good and bad. I’m still not comforrable with the censorship and other 1984 aspects, aspects which are far worse than any in the USA where freedom of the press and information are still a thing (even if they are abused or biased or allow ONAN and Russia to misinform people, particularly conservative dupes), and the ability to vote out people who are not competent is still possible. Let me know when president for life She would ever let that be a possibility and we can talk. Heck, it almost makes me wonder if this blog is not just a soft power Wu Mao army front given how you overlook freedom of expression limits in China. Well, good luck!
Since I wrote this, my feelings have moderated substantially. I no longer give a rats ass about what happens in the USA other than to wait for it’s eventual collapse. I think that both parties are absolutely corrupt, and this Trump administration is absolutely, and positively evil. Oh, you can point to all sorts of facts and figures, but staffing with war-mongering neocons, and I am living inside the nation that they have painted a big “bullets eye” upon… No Thank You.
As I have said many times before. I just can’t wait until America sorts things out and get it’s house in order. But it probably will not happen in my lifetime. All I want, right now is to live my own life free of those shiny new shackles that America is constantly creating. You see, America has become “the land of the little hands.” Little tiny hands take, take, taking away from your wallet every single opportunity.
They have legalized bribes and kick-backs.
Like the Massachusetts turnpike tollbooths. The justification for collecting tolls was to “pay for the construction of the road”, but it was paid in full by 1992. Yet, the tollbooths still existed.
Name one tax that was repealed. Name one fee that was repealed. Once they get their grubby little hands on your wallet they never let go.
Now there is this clown Trump running things. Lordy! The amount of crime and corruption puts the Democrats to shame! Heck with them all.
I am in China, and no it’s not perfect. But it’s good enough, and people (!) good enough is good enough.
Since I am born of Chinese descent and nurtured up to my teen years in that culture, I have to let you on a trait that I am familar with. Chinese culture (in fact, most of Asia) does not tolerate all hallucinogenic substances. Period. Part of that, I believe, has to do with that part of sordid history of opium trade. Chinese then realized that it created immense social ill and tried to ban it. Chinese people are very serious. If we think certain problems result from certain actions we would work to stamp out those actions altogether. That is probably how westerners often view us as a culture that leans toward conservatism. We are born as a cautious breed.
Even though the attitude towards weed differs in many places around the world, this aspect probably would never change in most of Asia. When in Rome, do as the Romans. if that disgusts you go back to where you come from.
Thank you for that. Here in China I tell my interns absolutely do not do any recreational drugs. Especially weed. Some of the other interns somehow managed to smuggle small amounts in on their persons a few years ago. The crew of two guys and three girls went to a club, and they tired to smoke outside the building. Boy or boy! The club called the authorities, who quickly arrested them.
The four month internship resulted in a two year mandatory rehabilitation stint in a high security mental illness hospital (think of the movie “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)”), followed by prison time for smuggling illegal substances, and when they leave they will forever be banned from getting a visa to China. China does not play.
What is commonplace inside of America or the West is often considered mental derangement in China, in Russia, and inside Iran. The rest of the world ties of the adolescent antics of the juvenile American culture and society, and most wish for the nightmare to all end.