Instrument of Change . . .?

I wonder why did you unblock me in the first place. Will you tell this in your additional details or should I put it as a separate question like isotope2007 did? ;))

Anyway, coming to your question, I first thought, "What the heck? How can I be the instrument of Change? This is not a question for me but directed at Chinese people". Then I saw your additional details and I immediately thought of Thomas Friedman, the well known author and his book "The World is Flat". Whatever goes in one country does not stay there, the world is too much interlinked economically, socially and culturally as has been demonstrated countless times. When Nazis were killing Jews others thought that it was none of their concern and that thinking brought the whole world to bloody world war that saw millions killed. It took two great wars for the world to realize that one could not remain immune to human rights violations in other countries. Human Rights did not simply stop at the borders of a country, everyone needed to support everyone's human right.

The questions that I raise here many a time may be deemed provocative, but they are not entirely insignificant even in a travel section. Tourism has an enormous influence all around the modern world. Many countries are primarily funded by the tourism industry; for many peoples, tourists are virtually the only foreigners they actually meet, the only direct contact with the free world for many people in living under authoritarian regimes; the tourism industry itself forms a great part of the picture we actually get of foreign cultures (many Western tourists think every Chinese is as pushy as the sellers in the tourist areas ...); tourism has a profound impact on the environment; and so on.

This means, tourism and travelling puts a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the tourists themselves. Every responsible traveller should ask a number of questions before they make their exotic leisure trips, like:

a) Who benefits economically from my travelling? Poor locals? Oppressive regimes? Large-scale international tourism enterprises?

b) How does it affect the local population, for example in minority areas? Do they benefit? Does it give them a rare chance to meet foreigners, and in that case, do you have a good or a bad influence on them? Are they marginalized in the tourism industry by the majority population even in minority areas? Are they forcibly displaced to give way for hotels, tourism facilities, airports, showpiece monuments or highways, etc? Are the sellers, hotel owners and restaurant workers in exotic minority dress really minority nationals or just rigged out majority nationals?

c) How does it affect the environment? How much environmental damage is caused by the building of my hotel, my airplane trip, the economic and life-style change in the region caused by tourism, management (or dismanagement) of waste, the production of food and products for the tourist (pollution, endangered species, endangered habitats)?

As a tourist and as a consumer I affect China, even though in a small way. Though I don't close my eyes to the miracle that China has achieved, I refuse to close my eyes to human rights violations in the name of maintaining harmony. I refuse to be taken for ride by 50 centers wearing western names who try to project a "holier than thou" image of China and attack other nations at every possible opportunity.

I may not do enough, but in my small way I can educate people about the things where people close their eyes. I may refuse to buy some of the things that I feel have been prepared in sweat shops by bonded labor or child labors. Every small effort counts, and so will be mine.

And no, don't for a moment think that I'm trying to impose myself, for its my firm belief that the change will have to come from within, the people of China will have to work together to bring about the change. The voices that we hear too often are not representative of all the people of China. I know there is a significant population with saner thoughts and saner ideas. I know there are a host of people in China who risk their personal freedom and lives to bring about the change that China desperately needs. I know about the lawyers, the authors, the farmers and Charter '08 as well. My well wishes with them.

I think its quiet logical to ask peoples options on how they would effect China and essentially put their cash where their month. I recall a question on here about an essay from a Chinese governmental department about splitting India into smaller states. It was concluded by Chinese members on here that it was just an essay and the author was merely commenting and albeit aloud to do so. It would therefore be concluded that this question is of the same nature and that simply saying that non-Chinese people can't answer or you should not be answering it on the bias of your nationality is talking horse****.

As a person without an army, money or power their is little or nothing I can do to change China.

All I can do is tell others about my experiences in China and let them decide for themselves to judge if its needs changing or not. Which is not really an answer to your question. All I can do is observe and analyse how things happen and if the call arises to the point that I must do something then I would take action to do so, ie protesting, letter writing calling for boycotts etc and so forth. As for yet I don't see the need to. In the meant time I have I can only help my friends in China by keeping in contract and helping them out, sometimes financially.

Edit: Reply to P and A

It is obvious that you are the same person or working together due to your uncanny answering of this question and others at the same time, not to mention the pesuo style of writing. For your information, I do not agree with the war in Iraq either. I was out here on the first day of invasion outside Haymarket, Newcastle UK 8:30 am with 1000-2000 other protesters. Maybe if you ask a question in say the UK or the politics section about it and then politely email me a link to it I would answer it.

Most Americans are nice guys and think with reasons but there's always exceptions like the 1-2 fellows constantly up on here. Firstly, there've been enough arrogance, invasions, going to wars with the US, wonder how MR H ever tells his own country to stop killing other nationals once and for all. Secondly, I travel to the US and many other places always on an annual basis, if I were to analyse how much invasions/wars/killings the US has done, I might as well lock myself up not going to anywhere. The US has invaded/fought over 30 wars since the cold war ended. Lastly which country has brought the whole world stagnant by exporting bad and devastated credits/loans causing millions losing their jobs/homes/food etc etc. Daddy cool, your country has done far too much harm to the entire world.

I must repeat most Americans are nice and intelligent like the Asker of this question. When I point out US mistake, I still think of the country as a great nation and certainly many things that China/Chinese should learn of but being the world's superpower and to keep sticking his nose on others are total barbarian and evilish.

In China CHANGE mechanism follows a "top down" approach. Our thoughtful leaders decide what is best for China and we all pitch in our effort to work towards that common goal. There cannot be any other way.

Personally myself and my fellow colleagues are doing our bit. We are committed to make the Internet experience in China harmonious enough.

I request all Chinese Netizens to support this effort of ours and in doing so they would have done something for the motherland.

Thank you for your concern for China and I apologize on behalf of BSherman. He does not seem to know you enough to rebuff you this way.

Yours is a serious question with lot of non serious responses. I have doubts if you got the answer you were looking for. At best this is a verbal charade where most are ranting with their own narrow agendas rather than addressing the real question at hand.

I too take this opportunity to write my thoughts even at the cost of earning your ire and maybe your blocking me once again.

I don't have any misconception that I will decide the fate of the country that is China. Change comes from within, but many people become too arrogant to believe that nothing that goes outside can affect them. They fail to realize that external as well as internal factors affect the course of any person, or organization or for that matter a country.

I take pity on this old man, who lives in constant denial of the realities. There are numerous people like him in China that are popularly known as wai mao. Wearing a western name they pretend to be an American and try to mock western countries, and while the same is done to them they cry farce.

What response do you think I will get if I ask "Which country is better than China?"

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Arjl3...

Did China sent any military to Afghanistan? What arrogance do Chinese have to ask such a question?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlGOx...

Inciting anti-Obama sentiments on US forums pretending to be an American.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnCoA...

What arrogance would Chinese like BSherman have to think that they will decide the fate of US?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArUmx...

And even though this answer is in extreme, I quite like the voted Best Answer

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkL_5...

I have number of examples to show, but his answer to this question really lifts the veil from his unscrupulous ways.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlLF4...

While he himself keeps accusing Americans of having hopelessly inaccurate ideas about China, his ideas of other cultures are no better.

I don't intend to be the instrument of change, but I surely wish to expose 50 cents party operating in the garb of western names. I am exposing their lies for what they stand for, SHEER LIES, full of communist propaganda. You might get an example here

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Arfn8...

People like you may be too big in height to intervene in such questions with your brand of well researched answers devoid of propaganda, but I suffer from no moral laryngitis. I frequently mail people I know can best answer such questions, requesting them to come and answer such questions. Exposing these lies takes a lot of courage and many a time in order to fight swines one has to stoop as low as those swines.

Good Luck with your venture. Maybe some day you get rid of your moral laryngitis.

Hi Teacher!

One thing I like about your questions is that most of time they are very thought provoking and force people to stretch themselves to limit. This too is no simple question.

Long ago I read some thoughts somewhere. I could not remember the name of the author but that thought has been indelibly printed in my memory. May I reproduce it here:

"The only guide to a man is his conscience, the only shield to his memory is the rectitude and sincerity of his actions. Too often in life, we are mocked by the failure of our hopes and upsettings of our calculations. But with this shield on, the fates may play, but we continue to march in the higher ranks of honor."

If you know the name of the person who wrote the quote, I request you to tell me please. I have always made it a point to be guided by my conscience. Lot of ultra nationalists here have accused me of being a fake China Man, but I don't care because in my heart I know that I am speaking for the teeming masses of China's villages, who have no way to let their voices heard on such forums. For them nationalism and patriotism does not matter, because they are too preoccupied with getting two score meals daily.

My persona on Yahoo Answers is insignificant for the change that you talk about, but my vision of China has a stark difference with the ultra nationalists that you see here too often who are in constant denial of China's shortcomings and engage in "Tu quoque" Fallacy to justify the wrongs of China. My firm belief is that change can occur iff and only if we accept what is wrong with us. Change starts with the recognition of shortcomings. I try to take any criticism in a constructive way and try to improve.

There is no stopping the thought process when one starts thinking, but molding the thoughts into words is really challenging and time consuming. Well English is not my native language, but I try to teach myself the language to know more about the world out of China and appreciate other cultures and other point of views. Long ago one of my teachers used to tell the story of the frog in the well who thought that nothing could be as great as the well. I am determined to not to be that frog come what may.

I keep my mind open to diverse ideas from all quarters to give me new insights. I could not have talked any better about the change that I want to see than this guy juexue

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Akm_f...

EDIT

Your question has been on the back of my mind whole night.

I finally get the message you want to convey

Yahoo Answers provided me an opportunity to brush up my English skills and I'm greateful for that.

I'm greatful that I got to know an excellent Teacher like you who believes in constantly motivating her pupils to put their thoughts into actions, and not just talk.

So I'm off to be an action oriented person now onwards and try my best to "be the change I want to see"

Good Bye Teacher!

If one is sincere for the genuine good of China, write to the top leaders, send them an email or a letter, writing down what you see in your day-to-day which you sincerely believe that it's not right and even giving your suggestion that may change the effect if handle differently etc, of course not with any sacarsticisms nor personal attacks. I've done that before and I've seen some results forthcoming which may or may not be too imminent, with an ancient, conservative country of its size, one cannot expect immediate result on everything. I've also mentioned recently some of my sincere observations on the forum here and dont know whether it's a coincident or what, TV and media immediately heavily promote the suggestion I mentioned. It makes me feel that somebody from "higher up" is monitoring our exchanges in an open and welcoming fashion, if true then is indeed a clear good sign showing that China is indeed becoming more and more open to "suggestions" (vs criticisms) day-by-day. On the other hand I can fully understand the perceptions of westerners on China and am not going to talk about what's right or what's wrong, I dont think it's the aim of this question to debate on the differences of the characteristics, cultures nor behaviours between westerners and orientals/Chinese either. IFF and only IFF people can distinquish such differences they'ld then know why China is unable to be converted into the western form of governing overnight. I'm sure most Mainland Chinese always want better/improved governing as any nationals would on earth even given a democratic country as the US or UK. A Chinese proverb, "One never reaches the destination if given too much over-speeding." I'm confident that China will gradually be changing its govt system which infact little by little it is presently undergoing. For those that have been living in China (inclu in Hong Kong) long enough, say over 15 years like Steve, it's not difficult to tell that China is copying a lot of Hong Kong's govt system including the judiciary which fundamentally is from England's. I first visited China back in 1985, 7 years after its door opened, I had in my lugguage a people's magazine of actors/actresses, nothing obsene nor nudity and was detained in immigration for an hour, the officer pulling long her face, flipping the pages one by one finally finding nothing inside the magazine, lectured me "to come visit the great country more often"! What we see in front of China's immigration counters nowadays are friendly smiles and nodds, often more friendlier than the US' and Canada's. My guess is China will eventually following closely Li Kwun Yew's system on how Singapore is run. 99% of my insignts proved to be correct and pretty sure including this one.

Why would a non-Chinese foreigner think they know what is best for China? Furthermore, what arrogance would they possess to believe they have a right to, "affect China"?

The Chinese people will set and steer their own course for the future. The Chinese appreciate sincere good wishes from others, but do not appreciate foreign interference in internal Chinese affairs.

I am curious, does the U.S. Constitution or British Magna Carta give non-Americans and non-British citizens the right to be, "an instrument of change", within those countries? Or do American and British citizens prefer to look after their own affairs without foreign agitators?

By posting this question on an English language website, primarily used by westerners, you are clearly directing this inquiry toward foreigners, not Chinese.

Dont lie, the 1-2 China bashers on the forum arent giving analysis, rather his conclusions ie "China invaded so and so because of blah blah blah"!!! Do you call such unfound conclusion of yours an analysis, mr hel

as a foreigner in China i'm trying to change the foreigners' image here...

mostly it's about giving advice on how not to be idiots for the euphoric newcomers and breaking the myth of "Chinese language is hard"...

i think i can only change foreign people in China...

as for China -- well, Chinese will deal with it by themselves...

it's their country anyway...