Yesterday, I mentioned that I was interested in Caring for China because I wanted to help the nation become a better place for the people of China. That is partly because I have many friends from China and want to help them, but it is also because I have been interested in East Asia since I was very young and always wanted to be one of those people of China, or one of the smaller nations nearby, one day. China and its neighbors are growing fast and the region is the new land of opportunity.
Some people have claimed that the growth rate is unsustainable and that China will eventually choke under the iron grip of socialism. That might be true if nothing changed, but everything is changing. China is now more capitalistic than most western nations, and a fast-growing church in China is creating a culture of responsibility, honesty, trust, character, courage, and justice that will change government, business, industry, education, and every other aspect of life. The internet in China is very closely monitored by the government but it is still making some things easy that were not possible before. Continued growth is not guaranteed but the possibilities are amazing.
As I said yesterday, China is changing, changing dramatically, changing fast, changing in ways that could make China ones of the best places on earth.
But, is all this change a good thing?
First, let me say that there are many parts of Chinese culture that are worth preserving – most parts actually. I was very disappointed as I read about the United States discarding a very rich European heritage and destroying an amazing native American culture. Sure, both cultures had serious problems, but America lost a lot by destroying them. The Chinese’ 5,000 year history of invention and innovation, their languages and writing system, their traditions, and their love for peace are all worth keeping, but some things do need to change.
You have to be very careful at this point, though. If you are not from China, you may have responded to the previous paragraph in one of two very different but very dangerous ways.
Response 1: If China will just do “this”, all their problems will be solved.
As you were reading, some of you saw the solution to all of China’s problems as clear as day. Something has got to change, and you know exactly what. If only the Chinese could just see it as clearly, all their problems would go away. Great! Now go learn Chinese, start a media empire in China, and tell them all they need to know. Or you could go straight to the government and tell them what’s what.
Well, you could try that but you are not going to get very far. The government controls the media in China. If you are not perfectly in alignment, you will be harmonized. And, the government already knows what needs to be done and they are working on it. They do not need advice from some crazy, imperialist, foreigner. No, for change to happen, it must come from within. The good news is that thousands of Chinese people are making a positive change right now. They just need a little help.
Response 2: It is their culture let them worry about it, or… who are we to decide what is right for China.
Some of you rightly point out that it is not our right or responsibility to decide what form of government or cultural the people of another nation choose. We do, however, have a responsibility to other fellow humans to help them in times of need. I will not wax philosophical at this point, because I believe the majority of you, my readers, agree on this. So the question that is left is whether the people of China are in need. The answer to this is a resounding, Yes!
Thousands of Chinese citizens are calling out for your help. They are being thrown in jail for simply asking the government not to take their house, or for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, or for having a meeting at their house, or for doing anything else that a government official decided not to allow on that particular day. They are not asking you to take political action. What they do ask is for you to help individuals in and from China who are spreading positive cultural change across China. Yes, this does involve politics at times, but that is because you cannot do anything in China without the government’s involvement, but the best way to help is on an individual level.
The truth lies somewhere in between
Sometimes the idea of balance itself has to balanced with a bit of extremism and absolutes, but in general truth is surrounded on all side by error, and most errors make themselves appealing by including a little bit of truth with them. So we find the truth in the middle. To find it, though, requires a humble and diligent pursuit.
Would you join Caring for China as we discover the best ways to help the people of China in their pursuit of a better China? We will be launching a community site soon. For now, please contact me directly to join.
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I do have many friends in China too. But I think it is very difficult for outsiders to provide any help except probably in the areas of creating jobs or enabling the rural areas folks with some technical skills so they can make a living.
.-= Col´s last blog ..Probiotic Advantage and The Benefit of Lactobacillus Acidophilus =-.
You have a commendable intent. China with its 5000 yrs of rich history, it diverse with cultures. Their recent action to control the web with the filtering s/w is hard to comprehend. But then again, it is China…
.-= Scho´s last blog ..Home Schools vs Public Schools =-.
I have friends who are living in China for several years, some are working in China, some are full time Chinese learners, to truly know what’s going on in China, experiencing of living and studying in China would be very helpful.