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主题: 洋海龟闯荡神州系列:为什么不愿回美国?
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作者 洋海龟闯荡神州系列:为什么不愿回美国?   
wanderer
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加入时间: 2004/02/20
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文章标题: 洋海龟闯荡神州系列:为什么不愿回美国? (3654 reads)      时间: 2004-4-25 周日, 14:28   

作者:wanderer海归商务 发贴, 来自【海归网】 http://www.haiguinet.com


26岁的潘吉的美国大名叫 John Pasden。他在2000年拿了亚洲语言和文学的学士学位后就来到杭州在浙江大学做外教,2004年起又来到上海在一家台湾人开的幼儿英语教育图书公司工作。最近他的好朋友 Wilson 和他谈起在回到美国后所感到的失望,他也颇有同感。但为什么美国 expat 们会有这样的感觉?下面这篇他写的短文以及后面其它人的有关讨论都在试图寻找答案、、、

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When Culture Lets Go
By John Pasden
April 21, 2004

For this month of April, Wilson has been visiting me, staying at my place. As with any close friend, he's more than just fun to hang out with; he provides me with new ideas to think over. He inspires me. Our conversations cover a broad range of topics, but they usually center on China. On us, and why we're here. And on where all this is going.

After staying in Hangzhou, China for a year and a half, Wilson returned to an America he has discovered he's pretty unsatisfied with. There's one sentence he keeps repeating. America is culturally bankrupt.

In our many discussions, when Wilson refers to characteristics of life in the States, I can't help but think that what he really means is life in California. California has a distinct subculture of its own, one that I associate especially closely with materialism and narcissism. But then, I've never really spent any time in California, and to be honest, I haven't spent enough time in the United States in the past four years to be any real authority on current cultural trends. Regardless, one thing is clear: the lives we imagine ourselves living back in the United States right now are unfulfilling.

If it's merely materialism we're shunning, however, you'd think that Shanghai would be the last place either of us would want to settle. The scramble for wealth in all its forms here is nauseatingly apparent. But we don't feel such a steely grip on our souls here. Why?

You could say that living in China has been sort of an "out of culture experience." We have left our cultural bodies back home to float over here for a look. The result is that not only do we gain an outsider's perspective on what's going on in China, but we can view much more objectively what's going on back home, and how we're enveloped in it.

Change is unavoidable in any society. In China, it's coming in a raging torrent, but we actually feel like we can be part of what's directing the flow. That's exciting. In the United States, the change feels much more sluggish, but it nevertheless seems to sweep us all away along with it, like drowning rats.

Living outside of one's home culture just feels empowering to us. We feel much more capable of rejecting the values with which we disagree, both those from back home as well as those from China.

In spite of all these feelings, we can't deny that it is American culture that shaped us. And we're grateful for that. But there comes a time when you have to gather what you've gained and spread your wings. I like where I've come to rest. Like I said, the view is great.


跟贴:
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The United States is not culturally bankrupt, but it is culturally splintered. Faced with an endless array of distractions, many choose the least demanding & end up living a odd lives of consumption and superficiality. But others are here living thoughtfully & attempting to influence the broader society. I'll be sorry if the thousands of young expats don't come back & shake us up.

Posted by Margaret at April 21, 2004 11:08 PM


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I think Margaret makes a very good point. There are plenty of people who are living fulfilling lives here in America. I completed a year of service in AmeriCorps last year, and I was able to observe as well as compare and contrast the varied perspectives of people living in incredibly small towns and people living in a large city. I think that while John and Wilson might have valid perceptions re: their US vs. China experiences, they should keep in mind how limited their US experiences have been in relation to how varied the US is on a whole. I'm not arguing against what John said though. I felt some of what he talked about in my travels abroad too, which is why I feel so compelled to do more travelling abroad and hopefully live abroad at some point.

Posted by Grace at April 21, 2004 11:43 PM


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OK. I've been listening to this same rhetoric for months. Here are my two cents.

America is NOT culturally bankrupt. I don't believe we can say that. Just open your eyes and look around. California, especially, is one of the most culturally diverse places in the United States. We need to look beyond the tract houses that are all lined up in neat little rows, the shiny SUVs parked in the driveways and the cookie cutter families that live in those homes. Even then, suburban America offers its own culture. I can't help but think of all those housing development projects cropping up all over southern China where one "villa" looks identical to the one next to it.

Let's look more specifically at the Bay Area in California. We're surrounded by ethnic diversity. Let's not forget that America was founded on immigration. Hyphen communities offer a culture that one would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. The abundant array of foods, music, literature, and lifestyles cannot be overlooked.

Now let's turn to politics. Where else in the world would you find an ex-bodybuilder, action movie hero as a prominent political leader? Let's not forget the whole circus surrounding the California recall. I admit, crazy politics can be found the world over. Just look at the current situation in Taiwan. But I can't help but wonder if the 2000 election debacle and the California recall had some influence on how the world thinks a democracy should be run.

Culture is not static. It's ever-evolving. How we feel about culture depends on our perspective. As human beings, we tend to always look at what we don't have and spend little time appreciating the things around us that we do have. If something is truly missing, I say create it!

You say it yourself, "the lives we imagine ourselves living back in the United States right now are unfulfilling." The lives you IMAGINE living. I wonder if you would feel the same way if you gave it a chance and LIVED it. I mean really give it a chance. Apply the same energy and enthusiasm you've applied to life in China to life in the US. I think we may all be pleasantly surprised.

I've stopped thinking of myself as a citizen of one country or another. I grew up in both Asia and the midwestern United States, always spending parts of the year in both regions, so I never thought of myself as belonging only to one area of the world. I've never been a "foreigner" in either place so I wouldn't know, but I'm sure being a "laowai" has a lot to do with one's views and how one is treated anywhere in the world.

The concept of being a "global citizen" has always been part of my identity, regardless of what my passport says. As a kid growing up in two such very different cultures, I was always asked which place I preferred to live in. I could never answer that question. Now, I think I've finally found the perfect answer: Why choose if we don't have to?

Posted by Heidi at April 22, 2004 03:24 AM


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John, Wilson, I love you guys, but all your talk about American "cultural bankruptcy," "values" and "spread[ing] your wings" is straight out of a bad self-help book.

Far from being bankrupt, America is the MOST culturally strong country in the world. There is more cultural diversity and ingenuity within America than ANYWHERE ELSE in the world. Within 60 miles of where I live, I can probably meet just about ANY nationality on the face of the world. Within the past month, I've had Thai, Persian, Chinese, and Japanese food. America pop culture rules the world; everyone else, including the Chinese, is just imitating. America has the biggest bookstores in the world, and the Library of Congress is the biggest library in the world. Many, if not most, of the major cultural advances within the past century have been American: movies, jazz, rock, etc. In fact, everything you think is "Western" is really AMERICAN: supermarkets, fast food, the internet, etc. So no, I don't think America is culturally bankrupt; it's the direct OPPOSITE. If you WANT culture, America's the place to be.

However, I do feel unfulfilled since being back in America. But it has nothing to do with America's supposed cultural bankruptcy. The source of unhappiness of (male) Americans who return to the US could be summed up simply in 4 parts (from most important to least important):

1. In America, you're just another schmuck; abroad, you're an "AMERICAN," therefore an important person. (This artificially elevated self-esteem is the most important reason why most expats live abroad.)
2. Because of your special status, you don't have to work as hard abroad as you do in America.
3. Also because of this special status, it's easier to get laid abroad. (If you're a woman, skip this reason.)
4. You get to experience another culture.

I may be cynical, but I truly believe these are the real reasons why most (though, of course, not all) Western guys stay abroad. Learning a new culture and language are just icing on the cake, but they are NOT the main reasons.

Posted by Da Xiangchang at April 22, 2004 09:03 AM


----------------

I was surprised to view the piece by John and would like to applaud him. John loves living in China. Unrooting and making a home abroad is inspirational to witness.

Living abroad is of great controversy and interest. To some it's a reality that can be chosen and made. To others, it's a glorified escape from reality. It's only with the latter when you understand your time abroad is temporary and you must return 'home'.

I have been saying "America is culturally bankrupt" for months on end. When I say "America is culturally bankrupt," what am I implying?

Culture, depending on your definition, abounds aplenty in America. It's on TV, it's on the Internet. Yes, there are yellow, white, black, brown, green people in America - what ethnic diversity! Straight, bi and transgender sexuality. Marriage and Gay Marriage. Hungry? You can eat Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Mexican food, all on one street. Across America, you can find culture in your local Chinatown, Japantown, _____town, ____ghetto. But is all this cultural richness? Do we actually embrace the multitudes of culture. Do we conveniently package, label and consume culture? Do we care?

Is there a real understanding of culture when you're eating fast-food buffet Japanese sashimi made by Mexicans in a franchise restaurant in a suburban sprawl shopping mall? Is that culture and if so, is it a culture you can believe in?

I suppose what interests and inspires me is a society and culture with history, with purpose, with direction - something I can believe in.

Posted by Wilson at April 22, 2004 11:17 AM


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Wilson,

Interesting post. I like your analogy of the sushi place in an American shopping mall, and shudder at the image. There are MANY such places in southern California, and they're ghastly.

But in my opinion--and anyone can disagree, of course--culture is not only "high" culture. Anything that a lot of people painstakingly put together deserves the title of art. Thus, Disneyland, in my eyes, is just as valid a cultural artifact as the Summer Palace.

And I was being half-facetious when I mention Westerners only want to go abroad to not work hard and get laid. I think there's another element: people want to live multiple lives. Living in a foreign country is the closest thing we have to interstellar travel. You're like Captain Kirk and the nearest Boeing the Starship Enterprise. You teleport from place to place, meeting new people, seeing new things. Of course, once your ship docks back on planet Earth (i.e., your home country be it America or Germany or wherever), you'll be bored because you're seeing the same shit you've been seeing all your life! You're back to being yourself. I guess the appeal of living abroad is like reading a novel or watching a movie: you get to live a fantasy of sorts.

Posted by Da Xiangchang at April 22, 2004 11:53 AM


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I agree with most of Wilson's statements. To those speaking to the contrary, yes, America is vast and the differences are great, so culture exists in many different forms. But lately, no matter where you look, these cultures are converging, homogenizing, into one blanket "it better make money" culture. Britney looks hot in a skirt; McDonalds can be a real life-saver sometimes; and "The Last Action Hero" starred a future governor, but is this positive evolution of our culture. America's uniqueness, it's diversity, isn't being preserved, it's being exploited and shipped off to make money abroad. If I eat at Taco Bell or watch a Christina Aguillera video (both not often!) I don't feel like I'm experiencing the cultures of Mexico and South America. That's not to say I don't have the option of finding an authentic experience, but, give me a break, how many Americans venture into the unknown. Only around 10% of us even have passports. Go ask the guy pumping gas for you which countries border Iraq, or where Iraq is for that matter.
But this isn't just our problem, talk to Europeans, they're going through the same crisis of identity. They are also choosing ignorance over substance, but they just have a lot farther to go than us Americans.
And now I feel spoiled, because I live in China, a place that lets me reject the parts of American culture that I increasingly feel contempt for, as well as not having to participate in the parts of Chinese culture I disagree with. Being an outsider has its advantages, but eventually we all must find our home.
...lastly, in my opinion, if Bush wins, pack your bags there's no turning back.
Good post John and Wilson

Posted by matt at April 22, 2004 12:21 PM


------------------

I would echo some of the comments from Wilson and Matt about cultural bankruptcy. I don't think the availability of mostly Americanized (insert ethnic food group here) food really signifies the vibrancy of American culture. On the other hand, after spending a lot of time in Europe, I came to realize that the US doesn't have a monopoly on shallowness and superficiality. Maybe it is just unrealistic to expect to find personal meaning and satisfaction from a "culture"; familiarity tends to breed contempt and boredom, so people start to drift in search of something new. Also, I think after you live abroad and return home, you feel like a foreigner in your own country. Many of my Chinese friends have commented on this as well.

Finally, it is true that California is not "America." It is like a foriegn country compared to where I am in the Midwest. (You think you have it bad.. Wink

Posted by 托的 at April 22, 2004 01:26 PM


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Although much of what Wilson and Matt have to say rings true I find that he is ignoring the more noble aspects of American culture and focusing on the shallow. Cultural richness or the lack thereof isn’t just about embracing or homogenizing different the ethnicities and foods that exist in America but also about cultural values that make America unique. One of the main reasons that such ethnic diversity exists in the states is a cultural acceptance of different kinds of people be it their sexuality or race, something you won’t find in China. Our political institutions, respect for the public good, tolerance of cultural differences and our diverse, even fragmented history our all part of our culture. Hopefully it’s not just materialism but also the better aspects of our history and culture that influence all Americans.

Wilson, are you implying that China is a “society and culture with history, with purpose, with direction - something I can believe in?”

While China certainly has a long history, modern China hardly has a deeper understanding of their past than the US. Tacky made for TV remakes of the Three Kingdoms hardly amounts to cultural richness, try finding a Chinese person outside of the educated elite who have read the book. As for the evils of capitalism, I’ve often seen a much greater excess of materialism and disrespect of the public good in China than I’ve ever seen in the states. (Although the US certainly went through similar periods)

“Purpose, direction” Are extreme and often blind nationalism, and a strong desire to become a world superpower the type of purpose and direction you speak of? Hardly better than the US, at least many educated Americans are wary of extreme patriotism and its dangers.

I certainly understand the feeling of being dissatisfied after returning to the States after being in China but after several trips I’ve become certain that in many ways the US possesses far greater cultural wealth than China does.

Posted by donald at April 22, 2004 01:50 PM


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Wow, so many comments to reply to.

Let me first say that my original post was based on feelings, not on what I believe to be fact. I was talking about how I personally feel toward the two cultures right now. I didn't mean to imply that living in the USA is meaningless. I would have written all that out, but I preferred to be brief.

I agree with Da Xiangchang's second comment: "Living in a foreign country is the closest thing we have to interstellar travel." Like I said, it's exciting.

Living within American culture is boring to me right now because of its familiarity. I know I wouldn't feel this way if I weren't American.

Lastly, when we look at culture, I think we need to look at the big picture and acknowledge that culture is dynamic. American culture has a beautiful foundation and includes so many ideals I will always hold dear, but in too many ways, it feels like it's on the way down. On the other hand, in many ways (not all) Chinese culture feels like it's on the way up. Slowly, people really are looking outward and discovering the outside world for the first time. I can be a part of that, and I believe it's going to have positive consequences for China as well as the whole world.

I wish I could say the same for the USA. I really wish I could.

Posted by John at April 22, 2004 02:09 PM



作者:wanderer海归商务 发贴, 来自【海归网】 http://www.haiguinet.com









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