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Tsunami Aid by Nations a Game of 'Face'

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posted on Jan, 7 2005 @ 02:35 AM
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Are you familiar with the concept of 'face'. To be embarrased is to lose one's face in a sense. Face is a concept if Japanese and Chinese cultures that is very old and embedded in the culture while still present and an active tool today.

Giving face is something done daily. It can come in simple ways such as a toast or the offering of gifts or even cigarettes, but the point is that it is given. Face is also something recieved by doing things that seem great. The rich man who helps the poor man has much 'face'.

Which leads me to my point. Last night I was eating CuanCuan wich is like Hot Pot with some friends. They said the Chinese government was stupid because they give over three million US dollars worth of aid and money to the victims of the tsunami but wouldn't ever give that much to their own poor people in need because it doesn't give them face. It gives them face in the international arena to donate large sums of money like that. they also talked about how after the world war Japan was supposed to give China a lot of money but the Premier said no, we are a strong country and don't need it. In fact they could have used the money but they denied it all for face.

so...this is what my Chinese friends said. Do you agree? Do you disagree and think all Countries have the responsibility to assist other countries in need??



posted on Jan, 7 2005 @ 02:45 AM
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I think in some sense it is indeed as your friends say.

Of course it was a terrible thing and it�s a shame that so many lives have been lost ... BUT.... Aid Organisations allready said they have enough... that it�s better to donate for Africa. People seem to forgot that there is still hunger for a majority of people.

And then there seems a Donating War going on, I know on some European sites, people from different nationalities are arguiging like "My country is better because we gave 1million euro more"... which is kind of stupid IMO.

It is also true that Gouvernements give faster when it is in an International spotlight. Good for their ego I guess...



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