summercomfort (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
summercomfort) wrote2008-07-28 07:04 am
summercomfort) wrote2008-07-28 07:04 am
talking politics with uncle's stock buddies
Hi guys! I said I wouldn't be posting much because of the Great Chinese Firewall, and I've been enjoying writing the emails to a smaller audience, but yesterday's email had some politics stuff in it that Ben wanted to discuss in LJ comment-thread, so here's a little snippet... Any comments welcome!
I drank 3 liters of beer yesterday, so please recognize that the following was written while inebriated.
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Anyway, from 6pm-11pm: I drank 3 Guinness with my uncle's stock buddies. This is something else altogether. It was exciting to see so much political debate in what I always supposed to be a politically apathetic/cautious country. It's interesting, because apparently the social rule here is that you can only be open to a complete stranger or long-time friend, but not to normal friends. So I listened to my uncle bitch about the government to the cabbie, and then to friends. They claim to be talking about economics, but there were so many underlying assumptions about government and society. I tried to challenge them, but it was hard, and it has left me full of mind-boggling thoughts. The lot of them agreed that the current increase in global oil price is something that the American and European government is letting slide because even though it damages their own countries, the damage dealt to the Tiger countries is even greater. Numbers were cited re: % of Service industry in America vs. % of Hard Industry in China. About how increase in gas prices connects to the investment of Chinese foreign deposit in American bonds. These people were very bitter that *they* have to suffer doubly for America's housing market crash and weakened dollar. I tried to counter by challenging their assumptions about the cushiness of the average American life (re: wages, health insurance, etc) and their expectations from the government (they can complain about the dictatorial nature of the CCP, but then expect to be saved in the stock market by the same party), but it still left me sort of depressed -- they planted a seed of doubt in my mind re:goals of American government and how much control we, the people, actually have. You guys are all politically better versed in this -- Has the Democratic congress actually done anything worthwhile? How much change will Obama actually bring? (In a national/internation level, instead of in a simple juxtaposition with McCain). We're having another drink-up (at a teashop, of all places. We're bringing mini-kegs) on Saturday, and I want to feel more prepared.
Throughout the conversation they kept remarking on my difference in age (24 instead of 54), and culture (they dubbed me American). It made me kind of sad to be reminded that I'm always going to appear "American" to them and "Chinese" to Americans, and acceptance of my message of "Hey, quit your assumptions and actually understand each other" is a hard fight on both sides. (They were saying that America is the place for college, but China is the place for getting things done, and I was like, "y'know, if China ever says, 'Sushu, come and help me get things done,', I would, but they wouldn't actually listen to someone like me.")
I drank 3 liters of beer yesterday, so please recognize that the following was written while inebriated.
>>>
Anyway, from 6pm-11pm: I drank 3 Guinness with my uncle's stock buddies. This is something else altogether. It was exciting to see so much political debate in what I always supposed to be a politically apathetic/cautious country. It's interesting, because apparently the social rule here is that you can only be open to a complete stranger or long-time friend, but not to normal friends. So I listened to my uncle bitch about the government to the cabbie, and then to friends. They claim to be talking about economics, but there were so many underlying assumptions about government and society. I tried to challenge them, but it was hard, and it has left me full of mind-boggling thoughts. The lot of them agreed that the current increase in global oil price is something that the American and European government is letting slide because even though it damages their own countries, the damage dealt to the Tiger countries is even greater. Numbers were cited re: % of Service industry in America vs. % of Hard Industry in China. About how increase in gas prices connects to the investment of Chinese foreign deposit in American bonds. These people were very bitter that *they* have to suffer doubly for America's housing market crash and weakened dollar. I tried to counter by challenging their assumptions about the cushiness of the average American life (re: wages, health insurance, etc) and their expectations from the government (they can complain about the dictatorial nature of the CCP, but then expect to be saved in the stock market by the same party), but it still left me sort of depressed -- they planted a seed of doubt in my mind re:goals of American government and how much control we, the people, actually have. You guys are all politically better versed in this -- Has the Democratic congress actually done anything worthwhile? How much change will Obama actually bring? (In a national/internation level, instead of in a simple juxtaposition with McCain). We're having another drink-up (at a teashop, of all places. We're bringing mini-kegs) on Saturday, and I want to feel more prepared.
Throughout the conversation they kept remarking on my difference in age (24 instead of 54), and culture (they dubbed me American). It made me kind of sad to be reminded that I'm always going to appear "American" to them and "Chinese" to Americans, and acceptance of my message of "Hey, quit your assumptions and actually understand each other" is a hard fight on both sides. (They were saying that America is the place for college, but China is the place for getting things done, and I was like, "y'know, if China ever says, 'Sushu, come and help me get things done,', I would, but they wouldn't actually listen to someone like me.")
Not that I know anything about economics, but
Plus not spending $600 billion on a wasted war could help toono subject
To be fair to them, I'm not sure what they could do about the recession. High gas prices suck, but they're largely out of our hands, and more offshore drilling won't really even solve the problem in the short term, much less the long term. In any case, I don't think they're sitting in the Capitol saying "HOW CAN WE SCREW CHINA AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE???" We owe you guys a few trillion dollars, after all. We don't want you calling in your debts.
As for Obama, I want to like the guy, and I sure do like him better than McCain, but I'll believe he will actually make a difference on the foreign policy front when I see it.