Shanghaiist: Storm in a coffee cup brewing in the Forbidden City?

xiaofei

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:11:39 +0800

Interesting how Chinese consistently and bitterly defend their culture to the point of absurdity. But the funny thing is that in so doing, they frequently invoke the equally absurd liberal western idea that all cultures are fundamentally equal. While every culture might have something valuable to contribute to humanity, this idea of a priori equality is simply false. IMHO, the idea from on-high is to artificially create a sense of shared identity, culture, and history for the Chinese and Chinese diaspora and attempt to leverage that for other purposes.

Kenneth

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:02:28 +0800

aw: 1. CCTV9 happens to be China's only English language TV station. Its main goal is to help the world understand China (other than giving CNN and BBC a run for their money). The average Chinese person does not watch CCTV9 and Rui has an international audience. And oh, he reads the news in English too. 2. I could go on and on about how stupid American (and French, German, etc) nationalism equally is but really that is not the point here and I don't have unlimited airtime. 3. Would a journalist anywhere else in the world be able to keep his/her job if they used racist language like "Chinese trash", "Western trash" and other similar incendiary terms? Even the great Oriana Fallaci had to wait till very late in her career (like when she was terminally ill and about to die) before she started using the term "Muslim pigs". 4. And oh, I happen to be Singaporean, and ethnic Chinese. And nobody said anything about expecting the whole world to speak in English. Enuff said.

aw

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:43:49 +0800

Are you kidding me?? "Easy to appeal to nationalistic pride?" How is this different from Americans waving Old Glory and insisting on only "buying American"? The best critical comment you can come up with, is that he writes in Chinese and not in English?? Why the hell can't he write in Chinese. Ohhhh right, everyone in the world must speak in English. You hypocritical piece of trash. I've just lost a huge chunk respect for you.

Alec

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 03:52:46 +0800

The authorities in the FC approached Starbucks to open the shop, not the other way around. And what multinational would turn down such an offer? Maybe Rui should be more concerned about the whoring of his culture by his government?

Lee9511

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:18:19 +0800

I wouldn't say Rui's comments are exactly eloquent, but even if they were eloquent (and in English) the foreigners-- namely Westerners-- would be missing something. Sexual inadequacy is not the issue, it's the idea of cultural supremacy. At some level Chinese pride in their history and culture reeks of foolishness, but many westerns cultures can be just as proud and even more foolish.

hdp

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:08:49 +0800

mainland chinese men are really lacking in something

yu888

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:57:34 +0800

I must agree that many I ave talked to, mostly expats, mind you, think that the presence of a Starbucks in the Forbidden city was definitely pretty tacky. You can call it nationalistic when Rui leads thecahrge, but keep in mind he works for Chinese Central Television...its his job, and anyone famiiar with the rules of media in China understands this. The other issues (who approved the location, how much backroom bribes happened etc) brought up surely are important too, but the media's coverage in this case directed at Starbucks, a major retailer with deep pockets, is not much different than how the media acts in other countries where they use the most "sellable" story to promote themselves. (and in this case wave the flag around a bit too) (and yeah, the American Express sponsorship signs are hilarious, especially in this context. ;) )

David S.

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 08:12:48 +0800

Doesn't he know that, according to the signs posted nearby, the Forbidden City is sponsored by American Express?

art

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 04:23:09 +0800

That's world.fellows@yale.edu

art

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 04:21:41 +0800

I don't see how the foreigners who Rui rants against are any worse than many locals. I've never been to a place where whoring and womanising is so well accepted, but these foreigners serve useful purpose in China and if they are not braking the law, then I do not understand the problem. I think that the real taboo here is Rui's own feelings of sexual inadequacy, but of course, that's not his alone. Anyway, virtually everywhere in the world, Chinatown is a slum, yet you would never hears a western journalist writing about Chinese "trash." Any western journalist would certainly lose his job over this. I hope he does. Write to opa@yale.edu to petition for him to lose his Yale fellowship! As for Starbucks I just love coffee!

Ronnie

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 03:25:08 +0800

This guy sounds like a toubaozi with no place on television.

nanheyangrouchuan

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:38:31 +0800

Payoffs taken by Forbidden City officials is not the issue, bad westerners and their evil culture are.

Di

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 00:55:19 +0800

Shouldn't the real problem be: WHO AUTHORIZED STARBUCKS TO OPEN A STORE IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY?