一个老外眼中的中西方文化差异

icelemontea

这是我的加拿大同事在回答他的中国学生问题写下的。他在亚洲国家生活了数年，经历了很多cultural shock.可能正如我们去西方要经历cultural shock 一样。

他眼中的中国人和加拿大人的差别：
1. Attitude toward wealth/prosperity

China: poverty a 'recent memory' for many
       strongly oriented toward accumulation of wealth
       disiplined savers
Canada: poverty a 'distant memory' for many
        only slightly oriented toward accumulation of wealth, since government
        provides basic needs to all
        liberal use of credit; many Candadians are in heavy debt despite wealth

2. Leisure
China: Leisure 'optional' after basic needs are taken care of  and large
       savings are accumulated.
Canada: Leisure a 'human right' the goal of earning money is to spend it on
        leisure (travel, sports, vacation, house, etc)

3. Food
China: 'live to eat': food is a central disucssion topic and meal times are
        religiously adhered to
        standard greeting: have you eaten lately
Canada: "eat to live" food is seldom talked about
        standard greeting:'nice day, eh?" or "cold enough" (meaning: how will
        the weather affect leisure?"

4. Cultural identity
China: cultural identity rooted in China's long history and beautiful written
       language
       pround of history + language
Canada: cultural identity rooted in georgraphy(short 100 year history);
        obsessed with what Big Brother thinks of us
        proud of geography

5. Future
China: Strongly oriented to the future: willing to sacrifice now for tomorrow
Canada: strongly oriented to the now: unwilling to sacrifice today for tomorrow


6. Class structure
China: visible class divisions
       deference to authority and leadership
       success achieved by paying respect + giving 'face' to leaders.

Canada:few visible class divisions; critical of outward signs of wealth
       suspicious and critical of authority and leadership
       success achieved by 'going your own way' against leaders

7. Relationsip(guan xi)
China: being 'well-connected' is vital for success
        merit not as important as relationship
       it is not what you know, it is who you know
Canada: people admire the 'self made man'who succeeds on his own
        success more related to merit than being 'well-connected'
        it is not who you know, it is what you know.

另外我推荐一本
Chinese Business Etiquette
by Scott D. Seligaman
我的学生在上海的书店买到的。看看西方人眼里的中国人情世故，蛮有意思的。

[ Last edited by horseanddragon on 2005-1-2 at 07:18 PM ]

Nature

好!
很好!

wanderer

As regards to relationship/networking,according to my experience, success is dependant on who you know in western countries, at least in Australia, don't you feel the same way?

sail

好看，改天我也问问我的洋人同事，他们在中国工作多年，好多娶了中国太太，看他们怎么看这些问题，一定蛮好玩的。

faithwell

interesting stuff!

zuozuo

LZ说的真的很实际。可是回过头来还是更认可中国的一些东西，除了第6、7点以外。我觉得不考虑明天是不可能的，也做不到；不积累点财富就会觉得恐慌；汉语和古典文化的确太美了，放弃了太可惜了；民以食为天啊，美食是一种享受。

喜欢西方人的平等意识，在公司里，老板不大会有官架子，也没有必要费尽心思讨好他们，做好工作自然就得到应该得到的。

2bnot2b

挺客观的。

Mombeauty

中国人累啊。

Fernando

有几点不能算是文化差异，是经济差异

poorjacky

基本认同，但是在西方国家，success也是看你是不是well-connected。只不过西方比较会推广平民英雄。
当然这不是绝对。但是一般来说，不管你在什么国家，不认识你，谁鸟你。

nis

说白了，就是他认为中国人还处于活着时为了吃饭，而他们西方人吃饭是为了活着。

william.wangzy

知己知彼，有意思的话题

easybreezy

有意思

yaol

加拿大人吃什么 跟美国一样？

咗偲

民以食为天嘛