Things the West could learn from China

One of our bloggers, MichaelM, shares some of the things he learned during his two years in China and explains why the West would do well to study them.

1. A huge majority of Chinese people are incredibly tolerant and patient.

I think that there are several reasons why Chinese are so tolerant and patient. First, they have to share their space with a lot of other people. Second, I think it’s part of the Chinese culture to live more harmoniously with others. It seems to me that tolerance for others and patience is part of the mindset of Chinese people.

2. Chinese people are more open and accepting to people regardless of their social or economic status.

When I came to China, one thing that I was quite surprised about is that people are very open to asking each other how much money they earn and what they pay for things that they buy. This is something that you wouldn't do in the West. I pondered as to 'why' this is so different than in the West. I think that people in the West are far more 'status minded'. When pared down to a personal character trait, people in the West have a lot of pride when it comes to having the appearance of being of a higher social status than others.

3. Chinese people value education to a higher extent.

I'm amazed and truly impressed with the emphasis that Chinese parents put on their child's education. They will do whatever that they need to do and sacrifice whatever they need to sacrifice so that their child can get the best education. I truly admire this about Chinese parents.

4. The government appears to do a great job in managing the economy of China.

I realize that there are still millions of people who are still living in poverty in China. I'm sure someone will be quick to point that out in the comments. And, it must be acknowledged and never minimized in importance. However, as a nation, China is prospering. The quality of life is improving for tens of millions of people in China. It is certainly no utopia. But, it is working better than in the West during the global economic problems that we've seen these past few years.