From @UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU:owner-china-nt@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Wed Jan 26 10:40:46 1994 Date: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 23:56:55 -0600 Reply-To: UOYAN@ttacs1.ttu.edu Sender: China-Net From: UOYAN@ttacs1.ttu.edu Subject: CCF #9403 Comments: To: CHINA-NT%UGA.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU To: Multiple recipients of list CHINA-NT ==+==+==+== C h i n e s e C o m m u n i t y F o r u m ==+==+==+=== Wednesday, January 26, 1994 (Issue No. 9403) +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Chinese Community Forum (CCF) is a journal published on China-Net. CCF is dedicated to the discussion and debate on the issues related to the Chinese community. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the Editorial Board of CCF. Contributions to the discussions and suggestions of new topics are very much appreciated. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Table of Contents Author | # of Lines ============================================================================ The theme of this issue: Chinese Community & Society 1. The Costs of "Free" Networking..............................Luo Ning 90 2. CSS's Adaptation in the United States...................... .Bai Yan 130 3. The Eye of the Long Nose (Part One) ........................Sinorama 180 ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== From The Editor +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The prospect of living in the United States as a Chinese community is vital to everyone of us. Internally, network communication among us has become a new phase in our life. We are brought together by these invisible "highways." A major concern, however, must be addressed with respect to the cost of networking. Luo Ning, in his article below, defines the cost from a different approach. Netters will find what seems free incurs intangible costs. Externally, the definition of the Chinese Community exceeds its contents of population and location. Community is a state of mind, and a way of thinking about a particular collectivity of people. Bai Yan's article sketches a simple framework of looking into our adaptation process in the United States. Sinorama, a well known French photographer, talked about his personal experiences with Chinese people. His account of history and reflection of ordinary Chineses is so helpful for us to understand our ancestors and ourselvesl. Chinese community in the society of foreign countries will recur as a main theme throughout CCF's publications. We sincerely welcome your contributions to this theme. ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== 1. The Costs of "Free" Networking..............................Luo Ning 90 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ It has been said that overseas Chinese students and scholars (CSS) have revolutionalized the way of doing political campaigns --- through the colossal electronic network which connects tens of thousands of computers around the globe. In fact, politics is not the only successful story of CSS in the Netland. They have built many channels and bridges across the land and ocean through the e-net. In the foreign places, Netland offers a particular warmth place for talking to each other and to other peoples, and learning the ways through the new world for tens of thousands of CSS. Despite the rewarding history, the growth has not been without pains. Even after four years, those major Chinese "highways" in the Netland such as the news groups "soc.culture.china" (SCC) and "talk.politics.china" (TPC) have not shown their maturity yet. Anyone who spends an afternoon in the weekend reading the net messages from these channels will find that it is painstaking to dig out some pearls from the large piles of junks. Careless responses, irrelevant inquiries, unnecessary extended quotations (facilitated unfortunately by technological convenience), low quality of compositions (e.g. pervasive spelling errors), even personal attacks, still fill a large portion of the landscape. There have been repeated appeals from the participants of the nets that one should be more strict when post to the nets and be considerate and show courtesy to other readers. However, these calls have apparently talked into deaf ears. One important reason is that deep in the hearts of many Chinese netters they feel that "THE NET IS FREE". It is perfectly understandably that, coming from a more closed society, any sign of control over their newly found freedom will provoke strong reactions among CSS. Not only this over-protective attitude, but also some hyperactive behaviors (hyperactivity in terms of both quantity and quality --- some netters seems even to enjoy inciting massive attacks from other netters) could be partially rationalized by blaming on the past suppression or with psychoanalysis of early experiences. However, we have to ask ourselves: "When are we going to pass through the `unleashing phase' and grow up in this Netland?" In fact, the Netland is not free not only because that the access to the e-net is still a privilege, not a right, but also that networking costs A LOT. The network costs the government millions if not billions of tax dollars. In addition to the huge tangible costs of the government and the institutions which connect their computers to the net in order to maintain the net in good service condition to its users, the traffic of net communication also costs each individual user of their time. Whenever one posts a message to the net, he or she should ponder over the question that how much useful is this particular message to the general users sharing the same environment. Not only the content of message, but also the composition is important. A well-written will help to convey the message effectively, which in turn saves bandwidth from further explanations or even disputes. Besides readers' of self-discipline, there have been also efforts to explore the moderated networks. China News Digest (CND) has been one of the most successful stories of CSS. It is a network managed by a group of volunteers, mostly CSS, to provide China or Chinese related news. In spite of complaints from time to time about its selection of materials or "censorship", the phenomenal readership growth (now exceeding 20,000) shows that the most netters are willing to accept the editorship of CND in exchange of an efficient flow of information. More networks of CSS are following the foot-steps of CND. Among them, China-Net is singular since it was an unmoderated net from its birth in Spring of 1989 to August of 1993. Therefore, it faces a tougher tasks to alter the custom of its readers toward the most difficult direction. The steady growth of these moderated networks shows that they have edged into a niche of readership of those who only have very limited time to spend in reading the net communications and therefore want to put their time into the most efficient use. The benefits of the greatly improved signal-noise ratios in these nets do not come without costs either. In addition to the time and effort of the editors, who are all volunteers, the readers have to offer something in exchange of a cleaner environment, that is their patience to a slower flow the traffic. One can no longer expect the "post and see" speed. However, this is not an unreasonable request. In many academic areas, one has to wait for as long as half year to get a paper published. Some friends and I wrote a letter about some current issue to New York Times. We waited for two-weeks before we received some reply. Why do we have much better patience toward other media? I think one of the major reasons is the misconception that "networking is free". Though the cost of waiting cannot be eliminated entirely, it can be reduced significantly if there are more readers contributing ideas, criticisms and suggestions to improve the editing and moderating, in addition to contributing articles, or better, join them! More volunteers actively participating in the editorial work means a faster processing speed and more resources for a better environment. For those who are really not able to bend back their spoiled habit of "post and see", there are still, fortunately, SCC and TPC around for them to enjoy the "free" speech. ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== 2. CSS's Adaptation in the United States...................... .Bai Yan 130 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Two opposing perspectives of adaptation in a foreign land animates the writing of this article: assimilation and pluralism. The assimilation theory argues that there is a dominant group (ingroup) culture in the society, and over time the incoming groups (outgroups) have to accept the mainstream way of life and discard their own ethnic social and cultural ties. The pluralism theory contends that, regardless of length of residence in the foreign countries, the incoming groups should retain their identities and resist the influence of naturalization. Like any other ethnic groups, the group of the mainland Chinese students and scholars (CSS) are exposed to two sociocultural systems in the United States: the system of their own ethnic group and that of their host society. Such a multiple exposure complicates the process of their adaptation in the new society and generates frustrations when these two systems seem mutually exclusive. How do CSS react to this cross pressure and adapt to the new environment? A glance of the general pattern of CSS's behaviors will reveal something worthy of discussing. Though lack of quantitative studies, the CSS group is seen greatly pulled toward the American way of life, and much more so in a conservative manner, as compared with other racial and ethnic groups. Following the path of social upward mobility, CSS have made a good use of education as a great equalizer to be more or less on a par with the middle class here. As such, they tend to favor the American individualism or even Social Darwinism--the survival of the fittest. They tend to perceive the affirmative actions through the view of meritocracy--less preferential treatments to African and Hispanic Americans; they tend to show less concerns to the poor and homeless--immoral individuals: blame yourself, if you are given opportunity but fail; they stress maintaining social order and prohibiting gay rights, and they agree that traditional values should be preserved at the expense of some freedoms. Nevertheless, the tendency of Americanization manifests itself primarily to be ideological and policy preferential, if not superficial. After all, the American way of life embodies some positive senses such as communal feeling, public regarding, and law abiding. A closer examination of its societal interactions shows that CSS have hard time to come to terms with these virtues. For instance, it is always rare to see CSS volunteer themselves for social justice, political rally, and public services, or donate for the collective courses. Furthermore, ever since CSS stepped on this land since the "opening to the outside world" in 1978, CSS have not yet organized to vigorously advocate for pluralism. For example, the ongoing controversy over multiculturalism or "political correctness" witnesses almost no participation of CSS. Interestingly, while numerous minority groups have argued that universities should be aggressive in rooting out any influences that would reinforce the superiority of the dominant group, CSS feel reluctant to spend time using race as symbols and symbols as a substitute for their pursuit of careers. As compared to race-conscious African and Hispanic Americans, CSS are not that sensitive of making themselves distinct ethnically or culturally. They just don't want to make racial issue out of their daily lives. Rather, they try to make sense of getting ahead financially and economically. However, when CSS are being "assimilated" into middle class, they are not identified or recognized as a group on the equal footing. The dominant group cynically constructs racism and prejudice in order to defend their social advantages. This painful reality compels middle-class CSS (those graduated and are employed with degree) to stress their more highly regarded class status rather than their less highly regarded race. Believe it or not, in the psyche of the dominant group, consciousness of color interacts with a tradition of secondary class. Whereas, in the minds of CSS, a praise of their work ethic wins back a send of national pride. What makes CSS the way they are, i.e., assimilated but not thoroughly, pluralistic but not quite? A few answers are tried, with reference to other racial or ethnic groups, in a hope of sheding some lights on the difficulties of CSS's adaptation in the United States. 1. Lack of religious bond. Religious minorities such as Catholics and Jew in the United States take stronger pluralistic position against Protestant influence as a way to maintain their separate identities. Jews distinguish themselves by the basic tenets of their religion, including various dietary codes--for example, no mixing of milk and meat. These codes made it simpler for Jews to avoid eating with non-Jews and thus cut off one common avenue of social interchange. It can be also examplified in India in the 1830s when a new rifle was introduced by England to the British-Indian army. It was later found out that the cartridge for this new weapon was greased with cow or pork fat. Because cow is taboo to Hindus and pork is unclean for Muslims, this incident led to the so-called "First Indian War of Independence" in 1857. Like it or not, the majority of CSS are atheists in substance, though it sounds frightening to the Americans. The absence of their own religion in a foreign territory dilutes the permanent core of bondage and facilitates the assimilation of CSS into the American mainstream or Caucasian conformity, including their churches. 2. Lack of contact with the primary Chinese communities. It was after a long discontinuation of academic and cultural exchanges that CSS reappeared on this country. At the early stage of the "studying abroad" wave, many were scholars on public funds and contracts with fewer family ties in the states. Although now the self-sponsored students have increased, their relations with their relatives of immigration and initial settlement in the United States are disproportionally weak, if any. The frequency with which they contact their relatives tend to decrease. Living totally outside the realm of the homogeneous reinforcement and peer pressure, be it family influence or the "Chinatown Culture," their perception of self-identification as measured against a typical Chinese are encroached tremendously. 3. Lack of communal coherence. CSS like to live closely but they are so uneasy to communicate intimately. For some reasons, they are tempted to shy away from fellow Chinese. They are unwilling to confide with each other on personal matters for fear of insecurity, embarrasment, and inferiority, thus shuting the gateway to mutual understanding and information sharing, when they indeed need exchange of help. An golden maxim applies perfectly: Sweep the snow in front of your own dwelling, but don't bother about the frost on the roof of other homes. Chinese residence within the walking distance is originally sought for the sake of mutual dependence and sociocultural satisfaction. But a lack of centricity in the form of mutual commitment in daily life defeats the purpose. This makes CSS detached from the source where they would otherwise derive comfort of homogeneity. At the same time, CSS are rejected by the dominant group in the manner of aversive racism, which is expressed in simple racial avoidance. 4. Lack of aggressiveness. The dominant group values are used as a yardstick to differentiate and evaluate incoming groups in the process of self-definition. This process of differentiation entails a rank-ordering and fosters negative stereotypes. On the basis of stereotypes, incoming groups are ranker lower in ethnic hierarchies. In face of this, CSS are generally passive, submissive and more likely to take it for granted with the least resistance. Perhaps, we can remember Goethe's lament on the German people: "I have often felt a bitter sorrow at the thought of the German people, which is so estimable in the individual and so wretched in the generality ..." Imagine, if Goethe lived now with CSS, he might say same thing about CSS in America. The bottom line is that CSS as individuals are ambitious and admirable, but as a collective, CSS are not so much alike. CSS need more of what it takes to advance pluralism. Only by so doing, can CSS be assimilated in the society. The adaptation to the United States is no easy job for CSS. As the 20th century winds down and the debate of multiculturalism heats up, it is time to sit back and examine our conceptions of CSS community and the role it should play in the United States. ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== 3. The Eye of the Long Nose (Part One) ........................Sinorama 180 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ In 1990 the French photographer Patrick Zachmann published a collection of photographs in the press about the life of the overseas Chinese communities under the title L'Oeil du Long Nez (The Eye of the Long Nose). A French Jew, Zachmann has an intense interest in ethnic minorities and has also produced a photo-series on the Jews in France. At the beginning of November he took up an invitation from the Taipei Fine Arts Museum to come to Taiwan and take part in the "In Our Time" exhibition of the Magnum photoagency. Sinorama used the occasion as an opportunity to conduct this special interview. Q: Wha timage did you have of the Chinese before shooting your series ontheir overseas communities? Were you influenced by such stereotypes as the Hollywood images of Charlies Chan and Fu Manchu? A: I had not seen those films but I had seen Shanghai films from the 1920s and 1930s an dI liked their feeling very much. I had always been interested in places where cultures meet and come into conflict; Shanghai is such a place, as are th eJewish and overseas CHiense communities. I really wanted to know how th epeople inthese communities handle culture conflict and build a future for themselves. Who is the "foreigner?" My earliest impression of the Chiense came from Paris's Chinatown in the Thirteenth District, which seemed to be a completely closed world that excited people's curiosity. The inhabitants were so far away from China, yet they had their own organizations, spoke their own language, had their own stores, supermarkets, banking system and set of rules to live by -- completelt self-sufficient. They paid no attention to "foreigners" and would not pay attention if you wanted to take pictures of them. They were the hardest people I have ever photographed; in their world you were always just an absolute "foreigner." Q: With such a big communication barrier, how did you break through and shoot the things you wanted? A: I was introduced to a certain overseas Chinese man. We both grew up with the experience of cultural conflict in the face of French society and became good friends. It was through him that I established relationships with the Chinese community. Later we went to China together to travel and take photographs. We also quarreled a lot because he had so many taboos and was sometimes very defensive, not wanting me to take pictures of what he thought was the "bad" side of things. Often when he was translating he was not willing to tell me the whole truth. The more things went this way, the more I wanted to get to the hidden story, being a photographer who wants to convey the truth. I learned a lot from my friend and I even went to his home twon. It was then that I found out just what a difficult affair it is for overseas Chinese to return home. His feeling were very up and down and he did not want me to shoot certain things; he was like Santa Claus giving out Christmas presents but it was certainly not all happiness. On the contrary, there was a side that was vert hard to accept. Know thyself The second time I went to Hongkong and found a German reporter who lived there to accompany me, thinking I might be able to communicate somewhat better this way. I never thought that on our first meeting in Hongkong I would discover he knew absolutely nothing about Chinese society. When we went to take pictures together I felt he always seems to be very angry and demanding and I suddenly realized tha tour role had changed --he was the Western and I had become Chinese. I kept asking him to be a bit more patient, telling him that you could not say certain things and that other things were best left not done. It was a very special experience for me. Q: Using intermediaries, how can you be sure that what you ocnvey through your lens is the true picture? A: I always thought that if you want to understand a different culture you must first carefully observe and understand your own culture, so I spent a lot of time photographing Jewish people. Of course, I kno wmy limits. A lot of people ask me the same question: "looking at the Chinese community through Western eyes, will you not just come up with stereotypes?" The name of my book will be "The Eye of the Long Nose," which is important because it explains that the impressions inside are purely individual and very subjective. Q: In your experiences of photographing Jewish and overseas Chinese communities, can you say what areas they have in common or where they are markedly different? A: They have many common points: Due to certain historical factors both communities have been scattered throughout the world and most of their members have had to take certains jobs, such as doctors, tailers or businessmen. They also have a common respect for the family, numerous taboos and a respect for tradition. Jewish people understand what I am doing Of course, I realize there are also big differences. I usually felt that when I was photographing Jewish people we were speaking the same language and that they understood what I wa sdoing. No matter whether they were in government or business, they had a high artistic and cultural sensitivity, which is part of our Jewish culture.... Q: Well, I would say it is part of CHinese culture as well. A: I would not say so with the overseas Chinese. It seems to me that overseas Chinese artists are a minority separated from others, who are mostly involved in business ans therefore have more to hide. We were not speaking the same language. I was on an artistic or journalistic level; they were on a business basis only. If you took at my diary then you will know how frustrated I got and how many setback I had. They gave me a very hard time. I wanted to go beyond the stereotypes and the traditional image given to Westerns of the Chinese, but it was so difficult. Some people were just thinking of their own "advantages" and would only let me shoot in return for some kind of exchange, such as publicity. Maybe it is part of their culture of Taoism which teaches the Chinese not to make trouble and to hide thier emotions and have little contact with people outside. This is very different from the Jewish people since my parents' generation who, due to historical factors, especially World War II, want to be rid of painful experiencea and avoid a repetition of history by actively letting their children integrate into society and not to be cut off. A thousand varieties from the same grain. Q: Do you think your choice of subjects such as the overseas Chinese, Jews or Thai prostitutes, might by the very nature of such categories actually be putting people into stereotypes? A: I have nothing against stereotypes as soon as they correspond to a reality, but I am against wrong stereotypes. For example, many people say the the Jews always think money; in some areas the Jews are really like that, although I know plenty who are not. It is the same with the impression most of Parisians have of the Chinese, that they are all hard working, smiling, clean, polite people who do not make trouble. Their image is no better than that of Arabs or black people, but I know a lot of French people who have this impression then go to China and are shocked when they see that the people there are not polite at all! I am prepared to accept some stereotypes, then go beyond them to investgate. If you completely deny stereotypes, that is also dangerous, because some people could really be true to them. It is a very delicate situation. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=++ + Executive Editor: Bai Yan Executive Moderator: Yaxin Wang + +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + For subscription: mail "SUB CHINA-NT Your-First-Name Your-Last-Name" + + to LISTSERV@UGA (bitnet) or listserv@uga.cc.uga.edu (internet) + + For back issues of CCF: + + anonymous ftp to cnd.org[132.249.229.100]:pub/community/CCF + + For contribution and inquiry: mail to ccf-editor@ifcss.org + +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=++