Posted by Sigismund on August 11, 2008, at 15:21:47
In reply to Re: Any thoughts about the Open Ceremony of the Oly » Jay_Bravest_Face, posted by Sigismund on August 11, 2008, at 15:06:21
Kevin Rudd acually handles them well.
He shows respect in the right places in ways that are important to them.
But at times he speaks to them about human rights. Partly because he speaks Mandarin, partly because he knows something of their intellectual history, they are prepared to listen. He did this to some young people at a top Chinese university. They didn't like it; they didn't agree; but they felt they had been treated with respect and were prepared to listen.
A people's sense of their own dignity is enormously important. When this is called prestige, it is a reason to fight wars. For the last many hundreds of years, the powers have all been European powers, of one sort or another(USA). You would be aware of the casual contempt that the Chinese were held in for the last century. I imagine they were very aware of it, and felt it themselves, and that this is the way they will overcome it.
It's not the part of China I like, certainly. Taoism, Buddhism and Traditional Chinese Medicine for me.
poster:Sigismund
thread:845465
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20080728/msgs/845536.html