Comments on: Hukou: A License to Abort

By: outcast

outcast — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:26:34 +0000

“To Dean: I imagine that if you are in China and are so adamant of following the law (even the controversial ones) you must not even use VPN to see banned sites or to overrun any other weird legislation we have to suffer in China. We should promote you to the level of National model. Imitate Dean,”

There’s a huge difference between not following one child policy and using internet proxies. The one child policy is needed to curb explosive and out of control population growth that was putting enormous pressure on national development and resources. Eventually when industrialization is complete the policy will no longer be needed, but because that wont happen for quite some time it is important for it to be retained.

By: Dean

Dean — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:08:25 +0000

Kailing,

I admit that I am not the most law-abiding Expat living here in China, being that I do use VPN/Proxies to view websites that citizens in other countries can freely visit. I hope that does not categorize me as “stealing state secrets”, as we know that has been a hot topic these past few days.

The point I was trying to make is the inherent nature of the Chinese culture to disregard rules for the sake of personal interest. Point blank, no political correctness. Of course I should not generalize this statement without adding “for the sake of money” as a precursor. This concept is most prevalent if you deal with local Chinese businessmen, where I don’t even bother anymore to think long term. Of course I could be corrected by another’s experience, which I welcome.

Dean

By: This is China!

This is China! — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:47:46 +0000

Hi, Kailing;
I guess what you mean is that by David accepting the law he is a model citizen that others should follow like Lei Feng? I actually haven’t seen David for some time, but I do not know if he would think after that incident he was such a good citizen. But I’ll never know for sure…

By: KAILING

KAILING — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:48:46 +0000

To Dean: I imagine that if you are in China and are so adamant of following the law (even the controversial ones) you must not even use VPN to see banned sites or to overrun any other weird legislation we have to suffer in China. We should promote you to the level of National model. Imitate Dean,

By: outcast

outcast — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:45:42 +0000

“When I ask them about their own managing their own population pressures, most of them say, “Keep the immigrants out.” ”

Haha, right. Actually a good case study for when happens when exploding populations in relatively small(er) countries are not taken care of with drastic measures is sitting right over the border in India. 1/3 the land area of China, yet the population is expected to pass China’s by 2030. I believe that is a devlopment disaster waiting to happen, though that feeling might be a bit exagerated.

By: This is China!

This is China! — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:28:44 +0000

Dean and Outcast;
Thanks both for your comments. Living inside the reality of a country’s social issues and living outside them are very different experiences and implying different perceptions of a society’s obligations. I always tell Americans at presentations I deliver that the fundamental differences shaping Chinese and American societies are:

China: too many people; too few natural resources; too little space.
America: too few people in too much space with an embarrassment of natural resources.

China, Japan and other Asian countries are at the forefront of global issues countries in the West will have to deal with in more than just a political manner very soon. They too one day may have to legislate away individual indulgences that many may even consider freedoms – if not just entitlements – so that the society at large may survive; just as China has with its One Child Policy.

When I ask Westerners what intelligent alternatives they have to managing China’s population pressure, they go silent. When I ask them about their own managing their own population pressures, most of them say, “Keep the immigrants out.” Which sounds as draconian as the One Child Policy.

All for the good of the group, when said and done.

By: outcast

outcast — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:59:00 +0000

It is unfortunate certain families keep putting feudal thinking ahead of the good of the nation. Some western people criticize it, mainly because western countries don’t have this kind of massive population pressure.

Btw, I notice there aren’t any comments on this site anymore, how come?

By: Dean

Dean — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:38:17 +0000

Sorry Mr. David (not his real name) but you knew the governing rules and still tried to get away with it. There’s little grey area to negotiate your wants and there definitely won’t be much “sympathy” on your brother after he loses his cush job, hmmmm. . . or maybe you can raise both the second child and your brother for a lifetime? That’s always a possibility, one that your brother would love to have you sign on the red dotted line.

That’s right, run to Canada and be free to indulge your own personal outlook! The problem only exists here in China and for no apparent communal logic.

“Think of myself, think of myself, think of myself and my wife, now think about holding a grudge against my own brother for not solely considering me and my wife” – I’m with you there on your thought process.

Of course, you can always blame me for not getting the whole story. If that’s the case, I already apologized.