Heads up Shanghai based B & T readers: ever met a strange Norwegian?
While a significant number of citizens in Islamic or Muslim countries are directly hostile to Europeans, Chinese are usually just after your money. It is unbearable to live the rest of your life in a country where there is a constant and an overwhelming danger of being ³Shanghaied². My stepmother was the Norwegian Vice Counsul in Shanghai and I know several Europeans working there. They are willing to ³cope² for the duration of their company term, as the pay is good, but they would never settle there permanently with their families. I remember when I was in Shanghai a few years ago. During my three week stay I had more than 10 people asking me to take a photograph with them. Apparently, the Nordic appearance is a relatively rare sight, especially for rural Chinese visiting the big cities during their vacation. While this can be a charming and even a flattering experience, having a mob of people constantly glaring at you all day long is a psychological burden. An example is when I went to Mc Donalds with my friend, Xun. He is a Norwegian Chinese btw and he was my partner at one point, in Oslo, when I day traded actively. He taught me advanced Chinese candlestick/MACD strategies in relation to stock analysis. Anyway, at Mc Donalds as with anywhere, it is not likely that you will enjoy your meal when you have 50 Chinese constantly glaring at you. During my stay in Shanghai there were 5 attempts to Shanghai me (they target Europeans), one was unfortunately successful (30 Euro demanded for a simple 1 Euro dish).
As for China on a state level, they actively use demographical warfare against Tibet and areas populated by Muslim Uyghurs. China is a monocultural country, just like African nations and a majority of countries in the Islamic world.
Thanks to Chris Brooke for mining the monstrosity. Obviously, I don’t think he was actually there and I don’t believe his stepmother was Vice Consul: it’s just grist to his 'all countries in their natural states are monocultural, before the cultural Marxist multiculturalizers got hold of them' mill. It’s a racist tourist gripe elevated to the level of political philosophy.
and I don’t believe his stepmother was Vice Consul:
Actually, his father was in the Norwegian diplomatic service, so it's not intrinsically implausible. And, TBH, the quoted bit sounds remarkably like the 'jaded expat' routine I've heard from lots of people over the years. Perhaps this is one of the few bits in the thesis that wasn't C&Ped from elsewhere.
Posted by: Richard J | July 25, 2011 at 05:11 PM
More on monoculture versus multiculture, from an actual online argument with him, here.
Posted by: Ken MacLeod | July 25, 2011 at 05:37 PM
So the Chinese Communist Party aren't Marxists?
Posted by: Alex | July 25, 2011 at 06:20 PM
One neocon analysis of Chinese communism says that it's basically an updating of the traditonally totalitarian oriental mindset generated originally by forced communal labour in dynastic times.
Posted by: jamie | July 25, 2011 at 08:04 PM
Candlestick/MACD strategies?
Posted by: Cian | July 25, 2011 at 10:27 PM
New lighting system in McDonald's.
Posted by: Steve Williams | July 26, 2011 at 03:20 AM
A daytrader as well too?
Posted by: dsquared | July 26, 2011 at 07:25 AM
Ah, "oriental despotism" and water supply. Put to bed as a historical thesis long ago. Not that that's ever stopped neo-cons jumping on anything.
Posted by: JamesP | July 26, 2011 at 07:46 AM