By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: Are you afraid something bad will happen?
In this forum, some posts (I will chose to be non-specific) will mention that, through interaction with Chinese people, foreigners are educated that certain actions will have potentially bad outcomes. E.g. "if you drink cold water you will have a stomach ache", or maybe it is unqualified such as "if you drink cold water you can have problems later"
I think a lot of Chinese behavior is governed by fear of bad things happening rather than wanting to explore and learn. And a lot of this is based on misinformation or lack of information. E.g. the rumor that you will die if you go to Tibet because you cannot breathe there.
Do Chinese parents use fear to tell kids what to do as in "if you don't eat your broccoli you will die" as opposed to "eat your broccoli it will make you strong"
It is the right of every parent to torment their Children before the children do it to us
the if you ..... this will happen to you thing has been around since the dawn of time
If Stevie Wonder had eaten his Carrots do you think he would have been blind?
If Matty's Parents had tied a bone around his neck I am sure the Dog would have thought about pissing on his leg
but still would not play with him
As parents we must mold our children into the fine upstanding people that will run our Country's and stamp our Visa's
I believe that negative reinforcement/punishment is the way the parents here are taught to be parents themselves. Pointing out their kids positive actions is indeed rare as far as I can tell.
Another sad commentary I guess.
In China.........
The Chinese books advise Chinese women not to have sex while pregnant (i read it for myself) because it will "hurt" the baby.
Cold water makes you sick / isn't good during a period.
There are countless pieces of idiotic advice in these Chinese books. They all recommend TCM.
People take all their weird superstitions and other unfounded beliefs, and compile them for all to read, and suffer from. I've encountered so many stupid things in Chinese books that I can't even remember them now.
Some things just leave me completely bewildered.
EDIT: MIL is an expert at this: "Don't eat that, it's too salty; you'll have a heart attack," "Don't eat that, it's sour," "Don't buy anything on taobao, the quality is not good (everything else breaks down, taobao hasn't failed me yet)," etc. and on and on.
:
...And that's why China won't become a superpower neither economically, nor politically nor scientifically or Culturally. China cannot pretend that the whole world be duped to consider it of such high level of appreciation. Locked in their less than mediocrity they won't be able to able to convince us of a high esteem unless through serious changes of their ... mentality. That won't happen, I know, but that won't make them the authority on anything at all either. And we know that too.
Rin:
Don't take a shower or wash your hair or leave the house for one month after having a baby... wtf.
Scan,
Yes, it's VERY MUCH with the Chinese ABOUT PLAYING THE VICTIM!!!!!! In every conceivable way that you can imagine!!!!!!! Also, it's about pointing the finger and blaming the DREADED FOREIGNERS!!!!!! :( OMG!!! :(
I think the worst kind of negative training for children is the following;
"Be a good boy or girl and do what the bible tells you or you'll burn in hell for all eternity."
Talk about instilling fear, burn for eternity with no end to the pain, EVER.
Scandinavian:
yes, that is equally questionable parenting. And it is also based on superstition.
agj:
Completely agree with you Mr. Rection
there are many fear aspects used in the west to achieve compliance from peoples offspring.
As far as cold water, well there would be some truth in that on a few different levels.
In times when water had to be boiled before consumption then at least if it was warm you had an idea it was clean
also on a digestive level, cold drinks are not healthy, there is a good reason why pre dinner cocktails should be stirred and not shaken
