The culture of China that I like and admire the most is “Action speaks louder than words”
Chinese people love a cheery talk but when they judge someone, they tend to believe what he or she does, instead of what he or she says. You can say one thing, but if your action is against what you claim, then your word loses its credibility. Also, if you say something but never takes actions, Chinese people will think you are just a bluff. This judgement criteria is the same for everyone, including the government.
If a politician says, I want to eradicate poverty in China by x year, Chinese people will think, ok that’s a good idea, but let’s wait and see if he or she can deliver. If he or she actually delivers what was said, then real praise will be given to him or her.
This following video will explain how Chinese look at politicians.
http://n.miaopai.com/media/JxxUdKUMCFQf1AV-8FdJkcoA7XiAWv85
I think this culture comes from the pragmatism that is deeply rooted in Chinese people through its long history. People have witness rises and falls of empires and dynasties, and have come to the conclusion that only things that actually happen that matters. Ideologies and this -ism that -ism all sound good, but if they don’t result in actual benefits for the people, they are just fancy words.
That’s also why there is not real sense of “politically correctness” among Chinese people’s day-to-day life. I will give you an example of my mum to illustrate this.
I have a very good American friend who has been living in China for a long time. When my mum met him, without blinking an eye, she was refering him as “the little fatty”. Now, imagine calling somebody a little fatty in some western countries, it is almost impossible for the person being called such not to feel offended. But in my mum’s case, she was simply using some visible characteristic to describe my friend. She has been nothing but kind, nice and hospitable towards him through her interactions with him. In other words, her actions don’t discriminate him, so she doesn’t think calling him “the little fatty” is discrimination. After all, little fatty in Chinese does sound a less offensive, it is more of a endearing and loving way of calling someone because in the old days when China was poor and the people not fed, being “fat” means you come from a good family that is able to feed you well.
Another example surfaced recently after the Swedish girl Greta Thunberg became internationally famous. To me, there was no surprise that the majority of Chinese people see her with a shrug of the shoulder and possibly a roll of the eyes. Why is that? Because Chinese people think there are people that are more deserving of international attention and praise in the realm of environmental protection than a 16 year old who comes from a well-off society, does nothing but chanting fancy emotional slogans, staring at politicians, striking school to go on a trip on a yacht in the name of zero emission then have a crew fly to New York to sail the yacht back. At the mean time, tens of thousands of school children joined her on the strike under the name of environmental protection. Chinese people will look at them and think, what do they say? To protect the environment. What do they do? Not going to school. Hmm, that doesn’t sound right.
So who deserve more praises and attentions in terms of environmental protections?
The people who have been planting trees, fighting desertification and really doing something to protect the environment.
Why? They have done this and never really bragged about it.
