I have been here for about a year, and I am amazed at how unscrupulous many of them can be. Lying just doesn't seem so difficult to them for some reason. Perhaps it is because they are without a judeo-christian ethic: thou shalt not lie. I'm agnostic, but telling the truth just seems the right thing to do.
2006-09-13 06:15:43 · 12 answers · asked by monkeyplanet 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
they know you're a westerner
2006-09-13 06:17:40 · answer #1 · answered by melanie 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The concept of politeness and authority is different in China than it is in the United States. Teachers, for example, are considered to have ultimate authority in the classroom. If a student asks a question to which the teacher doesn't know the answer, the teacher will often make up an answer. If the teacher said something like, "I don't know; let me check on that and get back to you," he/she would be considered a bad teacher because he/she didn't have an answer in the situation. Many ESL students who come to the United States for the first time are surprised when their American teachers admit they don't know the answers to questions. Chinese students know that their teachers don't know the answers sometimes and that they are making up stuff, but this is more desirable in Chinese culture than interrupting the social hierarchy.
So it sounds like you're experiencing culture shock. I agree with you that I prefer to tell the truth, but Chinese culture just doesn't see it that way.
2006-09-15 01:46:37 · answer #2 · answered by drshorty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe chinese people lie any more than people of other races. Now, possibly people in China lie more, maybe because of family structure in certain environments. All parents of all nationalities have a responsibility to teach their children about right and wrong. Clearly, the people that you are associating with in that part of China have not taught their children that lying is wrong. I will not have a relationship with anyone who is not truthful with me, so If I were you, I'd move to a place where good truthful people reside, and when you find that place let me know so I can come too.Ha Ha.There are good people everywhere, you just have to look a little harder.
2006-09-13 16:26:49 · answer #3 · answered by Cynthia 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here's another of those numb nuts questions. If you've been in China for a year and haven't absorbed enough of their culture to know the answer to this, you must have been walking around with your head in a bag.
There is a great deal of 'face' in China. Not only their own, but that of those with whom they are dealing as well. Sometimes the 'lie', as you call it, is simply an exaggeration, such as telling you how wonderful you are, or side-stepping a difficult question.
To you, telling the truth may seem the right thing to do, but you have not been brought up in their culture. To them, it is often more important not to hurt someone's feelings.
And if you are going to quote scripture, how about the one that goes: Judge not, lest thou be judged....
2006-09-13 13:26:24 · answer #4 · answered by old lady 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Chinese are atheist or most are. It's the larges atheist country in the world. But I think you are in a different culture of which you know little still. All Chuinese don't lie and most are honorable people. When you ask a chinese something he/she can answer in a way you think is lieing, but to them it's avoiding th eissue and it's a result of "no space " for on long. They may say one thing and you interpet it another. or they may really meanit and the meaning is different from what you think it is. many people speak in general terms(arabs do), and these terms can mean several things.
2006-09-13 13:21:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I realize that your saying this specifically because you're currently residing in China, but people lie everywhere. No matter where you live, there are liars around you. It's just the way it is.
If you make a conscious effort not to lie, then cudos to you, but not everyone is like you and many will lie to get what they want or simply to not hurt someone else's feelings.
2006-09-13 13:40:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I find your statement to be quite insulting. How "unscrupulous many of them can be." Well, it is time for a reality check.
Hmm, so President Bush was open about the security threat from Iraq. Was he right about weapons of mass destruction (WMD)? He went to war with Iraq with the presumption of WMD. Yet, to this day, there is no evidence to back it up. So, Bush never edited intelligence reports to validate his war against Iraq?
How about the hundreds of suspected terrorist incarcerated in Guantanamo? You know the ones whose civil liberates are being suspended and the federal government denies their existence.
The New York Times (NYT), early last year, reported that the National Security Agency (NSA) had conducted secret and illegal wiretapping on Americans. When the news broke, President Bush emphatically denied the charges and chastise the NYT. In point of fact, he chastised the NYT and other news agency for fabricating lies. Well, the next week, it was confirmed that the NSA did indeed conduct illegal wiretapping on Americans and President Bush authorized the wiretapping. Such wiretapping is expressly forbidden by federal laws. Hmm, that sounds very unscruplous to me. To this day, Bush refuses to answer questions regarding the issue due to national security concerns.
How about money? So, Martha Steward and the executives at Enron were honest hardworking executives who firmly obeyed the law. Hmm, well Martha Steward was convicted of insider trading and incarcerated. As for Enron's executives, who managed to swindle more than a billion dollars from stockholders, I guess they are the pristine examples of good businessmen.
In technology, the largest number of hackers, spammers, software pirates and illegal file sharing originate in the United States. In point of fact, eMule, Kazzar, Napster, Bearshare...etc. all originated from the US. And, I don't want to even get in to the topic about illegal audio and video piracy.
In academics, ever year in the US, there is always a band of hackers who manage to get a copy of the SAT's before the exam is given for the sole purpose of cheating. How about for professional school, such as medicine, business and law? Students hire people to take the tests for them.
I suggest you stop pointing fingers at any nationality or ethnicity because all people are capable of deceit.
2006-09-13 13:55:51 · answer #7 · answered by What the...?!? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
perhaps it's just ur bad karma having meet so many chinese liars. but most of the mainland chinese i know are pretty nice and sincere.
here's a chinese saying: do not use the bamboo stick and hit all the ppl on the boat off into the water. meaning do not generalise and sterotype. cheers.
2006-09-13 13:20:36 · answer #8 · answered by phy19050 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are sterotyping. Its just too bad that the people you meet happen to lie more. Im sure there are nice chinese who doesn't lie.
2006-09-13 15:23:05 · answer #9 · answered by Jean 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is seen as being a show off if you accept praise in china. so little white lies (fibs) from the recipiant to play it down are acceptable.
2006-09-13 14:01:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great question!! I agree with you 100% As a matter of fact theres one here in yahoo anwsers that is racist against Mexicans and all he does is just lie and make things up about Mexicans. He never shows proof of anything like links to support his lies but I guess is just all in their genes. They are gross too!! Check this guys questions and anwsers
http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=AkfLXu2vCv5PRetWzBAIKCcezKIX?show=5e0b5b19d4c8257303384b3471a2999caa
2006-09-13 13:20:26 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋