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In fact, people in big cities always blame workers and poor people from other places. People in Shanghai are famous for their regional discrimination, and they have derogatory terms for immigrants from many places; but such phenomenon is really found in every city in China. For example, my cousin had to break up with her boyfriend because he is from a province being looked down upon by locals (among other reasons).
Of course, the situation in Hong Kong and Macau is much more complicated, but to some extent it is an extension of regional discrimination. (People dislike those who don't speak Cantonese, for example)
In fact, people in big cities always blame workers and poor people from other places. People in Shanghai are famous for their regional discrimination, and they have derogatory terms for immigrants from many places; but such phenomenon is really found in every city in China. For example, my cousin had to break up with her boyfriend because he is from a province being looked down upon by locals (among other reasons).
Of course, the situation in Hong Kong and Macau is much more complicated, but to some extent it is an extension of regional discrimination. (People dislike those who don't speak Cantonese, for example)
I think it runs WAY DEEPER than that.
I mean, 1) many mainlanders in HK are Cantonese-speakers from right across the border.
The real problem is the significant cultural differences. While I'm sure Shanghai is culturally different from another town in China, just the same. Both of those places still have all of the exact same lack of transparency, the same lack of access to facebook, the same lack of access to many websites the rest of the world takes for granted, the same guys walking around with their shirts pulled up scratching their bellies, the same people hacking up spit loudly, the same people pushing and shoving to get on buses, the same people trying to cut in line in front of you, the same people yelling loudly heard throughout the bus while they are sitting right next to each other, etc.
It's just when you cross into Hong Kong, none of those behaviors are acceptable at all. Like ZERO, ZERO.
When I'm in Shanghai or Guangzhou, I see all of those above things I'm mentioned all the time. When I'm in HK, I ONLY see them being done by Mainlanders. That's the main difference.
I mean, here in Macau, NO ONE who lives in Macau would STAND and SQUAT on a western toilet. But, most bathrooms in the tourist sites will have footprints ON the toilet seats RIGHT NEXT to a big sign in Chinese telling them NOT to stand on western toilet seats.
It's also VERY common when I go to tourist areas (casinos, certain parts of town) with a high Mainlander percentage. As soon as I enter into those areas, I have to fight to keep my space in line. Macau people are great though, and they ALWAYS tell them to go back and stand in line. But I feel for Macau people having to routinely tell new mainlanders that same basic principle all day long.
I mean, 1) many mainlanders in HK are Cantonese-speakers from right across the border.
The real problem is the significant cultural differences. While I'm sure Shanghai is culturally different from another town in China, just the same. Both of those places still have all of the exact same lack of transparency, the same lack of access to facebook, the same lack of access to many websites the rest of the world takes for granted, the same guys walking around with their shirts pulled up scratching their bellies, the same people hacking up spit loudly, the same people pushing and shoving to get on buses, the same people trying to cut in line in front of you, the same people yelling loudly heard throughout the bus while they are sitting right next to each other, etc.
It's just when you cross into Hong Kong, none of those behaviors are acceptable at all. Like ZERO, ZERO.
When I'm in Shanghai or Guangzhou, I see all of those above things I'm mentioned all the time. When I'm in HK, I ONLY see them being done by Mainlanders. That's the main difference.
I mean, here in Macau, NO ONE who lives in Macau would STAND and SQUAT on a western toilet. But, most bathrooms in the tourist sites will have footprints ON the toilet seats RIGHT NEXT to a big sign in Chinese telling them NOT to stand on western toilet seats.
It's also VERY common when I go to tourist areas (casinos, certain parts of town) with a high Mainlander percentage. As soon as I enter into those areas, I have to fight to keep my space in line. Macau people are great though, and they ALWAYS tell them to go back and stand in line. But I feel for Macau people having to routinely tell new mainlanders that same basic principle all day long.
So it still can be regional discrimination, but just based on more things (outsiders' bad habits etc.). Very common phenomena in human societies.
So it still can be regional discrimination, but just based on more things (outsiders' bad habits etc.). Very common phenomena in human societies.
Yeah it's all Hong Kongers' fault, not Mainlanders'.
Mainlanders(not all, of course) ****ing earned their bad reputation for their obnoxious, uncivilized, disrespectful, and nouveau riche behaviors. Just deal with it.
Yeah it's all Hong Kongers' fault, not Mainlanders'.
Mainlanders(not all, of course) ****ing earned their bad reputation for their obnoxious, uncivilized, disrespectful, and nouveau riche behaviors. Just deal with it.
People in the West especially in big cities such as New York City exhibit so-called “civilized” behaviors because of the laws and regulations. Here in NYC we have laws and regulations against spitting, urinating, loud noises, defecating (even for dogs), loitering and almost all other kinds of behaviors deemed “uncivilized” in the public. If you are caught urinating in the public by police, you can be arrested and fined up to $100 in the courts here. In Boston, they even have Good Samaritan laws. You have to help those people in peril in public places. Otherwise, you can be arrested as a criminal.
Also people here can sue you for all kind of reasons. My friend is living in a very expensive place in NYC. He said the only reason why people in his place are so well mannered to each others in his places because they are afraid of getting lawsuits from their neighbors on the streets.
In China, it seems very chaotic. People do whatever they please. I don’t think they have heavy laws and regulations against “uncivilized behaviors”. When I was traveling in a small city in China, I was trying to cross the streets. There was no traffic light. It took me 15 minutes just to cross just one street corner. Drivers there seemed to be very aggressive and selfish and they don’t stop and yield to pedestrians crossing streets.
I know some locals in Taiwan. They said 30 to 40 years ago, a lot of people in Taiwan were exactly like those people in China showing the same “uncivilized” behaviors. The government there has imposed laws and regulations carried out by police to correct those people “bad” manners. Since then, they said they all have learned and they are all refined now.
The outrage towards mainlanders and its prevalence are blown out of proportion. A few groups of college radicals going to malls to target mainlanders is no more "normal" than a group of animal rights activists in the US hanging outside a Burger King mooing at people eating cheeseburgers.
My gf and a group of her mainlander friends went last weekend and were treated totally normally the entire tine they were there.
The outrage towards mainlanders and its prevalence are blown out of proportion. A few groups of college radicals going to malls to target mainlanders is no more "normal" than a group of animal rights activists in the US hanging outside a Burger King mooing at people eating cheeseburgers.
My gf and a group of her mainlander friends went last weekend and were treated totally normally the entire tine they were there.
It's only if you or your friends do incredibly inappropriate things, that people don't like. Just being a Mainlander isn't a problem.
But, if your friends were to go into the store, push some people around as they went through the store, put all the powdered milk in the store in their shopping cart, and then cut to the front of the checkout line. Then, locals may feel irritated with your friends.
Speaking of which, I just picked up someone at the Macau Airport. I walked by the taxi stand, and saw a mother with two kids, along with all her bags. They were the ONLY ones waiting in the line. Three Mainland Chinese men bullied their way in front of her, and jumped in the next approaching cab. Sheesh, let the women with bags and kids, who are waiting patiently in line, into the taxi first! If I were in front of that line, I would have insisted the mother with kids go first, but I definitely wouldn't try to cut in line in front of them, if I were behind them!
Anyways, being a Mainlander isn't a problem, it's the inappropriate behaviors that are a problem.
It's only if you or your friends do incredibly inappropriate things, that people don't like. Just being a Mainlander isn't a problem.
But, if your friends were to go into the store, push some people around as they went through the store, put all the powdered milk in the store in their shopping cart, and then cut to the front of the checkout line. Then, locals may feel irritated with your friends.
Speaking of which, I just picked up someone at the Macau Airport. I walked by the taxi stand, and saw a mother with two kids, along with all her bags. They were the ONLY ones waiting in the line. Three Mainland Chinese men bullied their way in front of her, and jumped in the next approaching cab. Sheesh, let the women with bags and kids, who are waiting patiently in line, into the taxi first! If I were in front of that line, I would have insisted the mother with kids go first, but I definitely wouldn't try to cut in line in front of them, if I were behind them!
Anyways, being a Mainlander isn't a problem, it's the inappropriate behaviors that are a problem.
Yes, people in mainland are much more aggressive in those things.
Good manners are regarded as a symbol of weakness, and those who are rude are not punished, socially or legally. China has been a closed society for a very long time, and the higher class who had relatively good manners and could serve as models were destroyed by the revolution.
But the younger generation is much better. So I don't think the gap will be significant in 20 years.
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