Thursday, August 13, 2020

"Why do you hate China?"

short answer: I don't.

long, blow-hard answer:

 I dislike the Chinese government, I dislike that they subsidize old-school factories that are dumping poorly made goods on our shores.  (But there are other Chinese businesses which are awesome)

 I dislike the old guard crypto-Maoists (or maybe just plain greedy crooks) who think it's okay to cheat Americans just because we're Americans.  These exist at all levels.  I have worked with jerks like that at the multi-million-dollar level where the products and services were satellite ground stations and ITAR-controlled computer hardware.  And I have run into them at the $100 level on eBay.

 So why do I continue doing business with Chinese companies?  Because the ass-hats are in the minority, the same as everywhere else.  Most of the time, if I shop carefully, I have good experiences.

 I cannot possibly dislike Chinese people, any more than I could dislike any other racial identity... since I've tried my entire life to recognize the racism I was raised with, and eradicate it.

 I have worked with Chinese and Chinese-Americans who were considerably smarter - and in some cases, just all-around better people - than me.

 I briefly dated a very lovely, smart, and interesting Chinese American woman who was, quite frankly, way above my class, although bless her heart, she has not the slightest hint of classist in her.

 I have brand-name loyalty - something I don't even do, ordinarily - for a few Chinese-made products because those companies (like Fenix, who make excellent flashlights and bicycle lights and whose marketing people don't lie about their light output) are making great products at extremely competitive prices, and also providing excellent customer service.

 So, sorry, but I'm just as pleased or disappointed by "China" (which of course is not a homogeneous monolith) as I am by any other country - when taken as a whole, which is a pointless thing to do anyhow.

 There are plenty of countries whose people are in general good folks, who are being led by assholes and idiots.

 Not us Americans of course - only stable geniuses at the helm over here. >_>

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