Heated Discussion & Some Other Thoughts
I was just away for days and this comment thread has turned into an all too familiar old debate I have seen over and over again in many other newsgroups and BBS boards on China. That of course has to do with the way I presented the issue in the first place - a dichotomy between Chinese and western culture. This is not necessarily fair. But they are the two constrasting views I came across to this year. In particular the Chinese views I selected, they were kind of new to me and I want to listen more and deeper so that I can understand.
In hindsight, I realize I never wrote as clearly as I would have like all along. But this being a blog (my "notebook" which I so happen to leave it wide-open for anyone to read) and not a report or essay, often I just write whatever that is in the flow of my mind and document new findings.
I assume whoever that is reading and using this blog is aware that a blog may only contain partial views of the world.
Now that there are clearly more than a few people reading it (often people I don't know and who doesn't follow this blog on a regular basis since it first started), I probably should me more careful with what I write, so that it doesn't lead to more unnecessary misunderstandings of important issues.
I have a sense that we need to find and learn new ways to discuss those sensitive cultural and political topics. Otherwise it can easily lead to more tensions, hatred and misunderstandings - the very things I hate seeing.
Building trust and facilitating understanding across cultures is such a huge challenge.
I have more pressing concerns to deal with these days, so there may be minimal blogging. But I will add new del.icio.us bookmarks every now and then.
In hindsight, I realize I never wrote as clearly as I would have like all along. But this being a blog (my "notebook" which I so happen to leave it wide-open for anyone to read) and not a report or essay, often I just write whatever that is in the flow of my mind and document new findings.
I assume whoever that is reading and using this blog is aware that a blog may only contain partial views of the world.
Now that there are clearly more than a few people reading it (often people I don't know and who doesn't follow this blog on a regular basis since it first started), I probably should me more careful with what I write, so that it doesn't lead to more unnecessary misunderstandings of important issues.
I have a sense that we need to find and learn new ways to discuss those sensitive cultural and political topics. Otherwise it can easily lead to more tensions, hatred and misunderstandings - the very things I hate seeing.
Building trust and facilitating understanding across cultures is such a huge challenge.
I have more pressing concerns to deal with these days, so there may be minimal blogging. But I will add new del.icio.us bookmarks every now and then.
