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文化差異(Culture Difference):種族 National race
The whole question of the changing role of Blacks in American society as been the subject of newspaper articles around the world so frequently that visitors to the United States do not know what to expect when they arrive. They may be surprised when they see that Blacks and Whites work side by side in offices , factories , and schools across the country . The majority of Blacks in the United States, however, live in and around only a small number of American cities.
Many dark-skinned visitors arrive in the United States fearing personal attack or expecting various degrees of racial prejudice. Some forms of discrimination [1] still exist ,unfortunately, especially in the areas of the housing , schools , and jobs . The school equality is still more a dream than a reality. There are still too many areas of the country where Black Americans do not enjoy the same full opportunities as White Americans . However, the vast majority of American s are working , studying , and sharing public places together. This was not true even a few years ago in some parts of the country , but progress is steadily being made . You will be able to observe the improvement in race relations as soon as your plane lands . You will see it in the airport, in public buses and trains , in theaters , restaurants , rest room, in sops and libraries , in offices and factories . Close personal friendships between Blacks and Whites , full trust and social relationships are still not common , except in certain areas, However, even in this - the slowest area of progress-there has been change , especially among young people.
[1] discrimination n. 辨別, 區別, 識別力, 辨別力, 歧視
Excerpted from " A Guide to U.S.A. ", edited by Li Yang, Li Yi, published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
Culture Difference
發表日期：2005-04-22 10:58:52 作者：洪恩在線
It is not a novel knowledge that culture difference exists between eastern and w
estern countries. But not until I heard the lecture given by a Chinese scholar,
who has been lived in Australia for several years, did I came to understand that
how different it is.
The scholar summarized that we, as Chinese, prefer to think in a spiral, casual
way, while western people, more often than not, are fond of a linear, business-i
s-business way. Supporting the idea, he named out examples he himself experience
d while staying in Australia. Here are some excerpts.
Firstly, line up matter. If you are in China, it is not rare to see that a crowd
of people throng in the supermarket, trying to get service first. People in Ch
ina do line up, the scholar said in a humorous tone, but they prefer to line up
at a horizontal way.
In contrast, in western countries, say, in Australia, people always line up, no
matter in a big bank or a small grocery store. And they take it for granted. Lin
ing up has long since become part of their life that they scarcely doubt it or g
row impatient while doing it.
Secondly, first come, first served. Though in words it is a normal principle her
e in China, it’s mostly not the case in reality. Take an example of what usuall
y happens in a bank. Here when we are in a middle-sized bank, and suppose we are
talking with the cashier, it always tends to have someone butt in, claiming tha
t his or her request takes only one second.
And it seems that we have already been accustomed to it. So has the cashier. But
in western countries, it never applies. It is always rude that you butt in whil
e the cashier is serving his customer. No matter how little time your request co
sts, the cashier, more often than not, is likely to turn you down. Only one cust
omer at a time is his principle.
Thirdly, change stuff. Suppose I am in a shopping mall and the stuff I purchase
cost me 142 RMB. While lining up at the casher’s and happening to check my wall
et, I find I have 200 RMB and two one-yuan coins. What will I do? To give the ca
shier 200 RMB, or give him 200 RMB and the two one-yuan coins so that he could r
eturn me 60 RMB, which is more convenient for both of us.
I think when the Chinese were in this situation, they would mostly choose the la
tter one. But the scholar said, in Australia, they won’t do so. He then told th
at he himself did try it once, and he thought it was self-evident to do so. But
the cashier did not understand.
So the scholar latter on summarized that western people are prone to lack of fle
xibility while doing their work. Then how about us in their eyes? They think we
Chinese have a tendency to make things complicate. What an interesting contrast!
Here I don’t intend to tell which is better and which is worse. What I try to s
ay is just that we might well be in conformity with the customs and be aware of
the culture differences while being abroad. Like the saying goes—while you are
in Rome, do as Romans do. If you don’t want to put yourself in the public, bear
ing all this in mind is perhaps the best policy.
Caroline
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Replied Articles
Title Author Size Post Time Grade
Re：Culture Difference tdeanxx(Tim) 1K 05.04.20 01:19
Dear Caroline,
I think your scholar friend spent several years in Australia and completely miss
ed the most important value represented in his examples. That value is egalitar
ianism. The principle that people should be treated equally.
When the bank teller insists on attending one customer at a time the principle i
s not "only one customer at a time" it is "this customer waited in line and so w
ill you, no matter how tall, how well dressed or how loud your voice." And you
can be sure if the customer is a poor working man and the impatient man is a wel
l dressed business man, the customer will very bruskly insist on his rights not
to be interrupted. A well run bank will have a customer service person who can
answer questions, but people doing transactions must wait their turn. My impres
sion of a business or a nation where people are not treated equally in the marke
tplace and a bully can obtain service without waiting is a place where there is
a class oriented culture and/or where one can bribe one …………[文章太長，沒有全部顯示，點擊本文標題閱讀全文]
Re：Culture Difference caroline.(caroline) 2K 05.04.20 12:25
Dear Tim,
The lecture given by the scholar is mainly on English learning. That's for he na
med such examples. He just aimed to tell the audience how important to understan
d a culture is, which is different from our motherland.
What you said is indeed right. And I am with you on this. The corruption in Chi
na is rampant these years, you relate it with class. Well, I haven't thought abo
ut it. But I do agree that the idea of class roots in many people's mind.
Like the example you took in the article, I almost could be sure that here the c
ashier would definitely turn to the well dressed business man. You say that the
poor working man will insist on his rigts not to be interrupted. But here I gues
s he would just pretend not to mind it and let it be.
I myself experienced this once, in fact. Once I was in a post office to have a p
ackage posted. You know, it was crowded inside and the people lined up in a wayw
ard way. So when it was my turn, and when I was just about to tell the man my re
quest, one guy …………[文章太長，沒有全部顯示，點擊本文標題閱讀全文]
Re：Culture Difference panpanpan 210 05.04.20 08:32
You've got a sharp eye for the human conditions, Tim.
--
Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back.
Learning is like sailing a boat against the current; it either advances or retre
ats.
Re：Culture Difference tdeanxx(Tim) 351 05.04.20 12:47
Dear Panpanpan,
I wouldn't have written in such a non-diplomatic fashion except that I wanted to
see what people thought, and that sort of behavior is particularly irritating t
o me. I will try not to lose my temper when I am in China. I don't want to get
"kung fu'd". Great to hear from you, friend. I want to hear more of your thou
ghts.
Tim
Re：Culture Difference smdyfc(Dont happy) 263 05.04.20 18:05
English is so good!Do you announce some articles more again?Did you graduate?Wor
ker, should have of, all of you * have brains!Can come to our company to
work?
--
Power is everything!!Falling behind would be beaten!!
I'm never,never,never,never give up!!!
Re：Culture Difference spoilme(maple) 804 05.04.22 06:02
"Thirdly, change stuff. Suppose I am in a shopping mall and the stuff I purchase
cost me 142 RMB. While lining up at the casher’s and happening to check my wal
let, I find I have 200 RMB and two one-yuan coins. What will I do? To give the c
ashier 200 RMB, or give him 200 RMB and the two one-yuan coins so that he could
return me 60 RMB, which is more convenient for both of us.
I think when the Chinese were in this situation, they would mostly choose the la
tter one. But the scholar said, in Australia, they won’t do so. He then told th
at he himself did try it once, and he thought it was self-evident to do so. But
the cashier did not understand. "
It won't happen in New York. Maybe the cashers in NY are smarter. :)
--
Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
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