bannie wrote: Keep it civil and on topic. No need for personal attacks here.
In response to your post,
I wonder who votes for the government?
Regardless, unless you live in a third world country where there is no access to information (and you would probably also not know the existence of China or Taiwan for that matter) then of course, the individual is not ignorant.
If this has come up in discussion, and opinions have not been rectified, then this is a clear case of ignorance.
The OP at the very minimum talked about Chinese, and Singapore/Taiwan with his friends.
And yet, it does not seem that they have changed their opinion.
Is this ignorance? Yes? No?
Not sure why you brought up the issue about a person busy battling a life threatening disease.
This is nothing close to what we are discussing, clearly not the best example.
At least now that you know the differences between the countries you will be better placed to inform your peers about it, I trust?
I already had a fairly good idea on the difference between countries . And I brought up that example to show that your argument that it was just plain ignorance is invalid. Still on topic here. Would you call that person ignorant? Also, just because a country is a "first world country" does not mean they do not struggle with the same problems of lack of access to information. I would know since I myself have struggled just to put food on the table. I went through a period of time when I was so far down the hole, I ended up on the streets. All countries have people that struggle with poverty. In fact, the area I live in is a poor area and there is very little funding for education.
To take up your comment about the voting issue. Many people vote for those that take a stand and say they will improve the education system, then never deliver. Politicians can be corrupt and many of them will say something just to gain a vote, no guarantee that they will follow through.
Raventhedark wrote: Nope I'm from the US. Most people here don't care about anything outside their little daily bubble. Most people in this country couldn't even tell you when the war of 1812 took place let alone pin point China or Taiwan on a map -_-
That's why I responded like I did.
Because I'm stuck in the US too =(
And I know exactly what you were suggesting.
They cant get my chinese name right... I've given up.
Canada isnt that bad, maybe you could consider moving up North =p
At least they got my name right...
Raventhedark wrote: Nope I'm from the US. Most people here don't care about anything outside their little daily bubble. Most people in this country couldn't even tell you when the war of 1812 took place let alone pin point China or Taiwan on a map -_-
True, but I hear if I dig a deep enough hole I can find it :)
Sleepninja wrote: I already had a fairly good idea on the difference between countries were. And I brought up that example to show that your argument that it was just plain ignorance is invalid. Still on topic here. Would you call that person ignorant? Also, just because a country is a "first world country" does not mean they do not struggle with the same problems of lack of access to information. I would know since I myself have struggled just to put food on the table. I went through a period of time when I was so far down the hole, I ended up on the streets. All countries have people that struggle with poverty. In fact, the area I live in is a poor area and there is very little funding for education.
To take up your comment about the voting issue. Many people vote for those that take a stand and say they will improve the education system, then never deliver. Politicians can be corrupt and many of them will say something just to gain a vote, no guarantee that they will follow through.
He also mentioned his friends arent in that SES that you just suggested.
I empathize with the lack of funding in your area, and I would like to emphasize that I am not targeting that specific population.
Let's think a little more mainstream here.
Perhaps I was too hasty initially with suggesting that his friends were ignorant, but in a more average middle-class area, you would find that that line of thought is more prevalent than not.
bannie wrote: That's why I responded like I did.
Because I'm stuck in the US too =(
And I know exactly what you were suggesting.
They cant get my chinese name right... I've given up.
Canada isnt that bad, maybe you could consider moving up North =p
At least they got my name right...
It irritates me when people mispronounce names. (one of my pet peeves lol) I know some people just have trouble due to difficulty in pronunciation, but some people refuse to try or mispronounce it on purpose. Which is rude. A person's name is very important and personal. I usually try to pronounce names as accurately as possible, but sometimes my accent gets in the way lol Also, I struggle with rolling r's. No matter how hard I try, it never works. =___= Which makes it hard to pronounce some Spanish names.
bannie wrote: That's why I responded like I did.
Because I'm stuck in the US too =(
And I know exactly what you were suggesting.
They cant get my chinese name right... I've given up.
Canada isnt that bad, maybe you could consider moving up North =p
At least they got my name right...
Oh I'm going abroad asap. Hopefully by January of next year. If another war breaks out before then and stifles my chances of going abroad then to hell with everything else. I'll stow away on a plane or ship if I have to, but I refuse to be stuck here :)
Sleepninja wrote: It irritates me when people mispronounce names. (one of my pet peeves lol) I know some people just have trouble due to difficulty in pronunciation, but some people refuse to try or mispronounce it on purpose. Which is rude. A person's name is very important and personal. I usually try to pronounce names as accurately as possible, but sometimes my accent gets in the way lol Also, I struggle with rolling r's. No matter how hard I try, it never works. =___= Which makes it hard to pronounce some Spanish names.
Lol no. It isnt even with mispronunciation.
I wouldnt mind that.
But for example. Yang Cheng Lin
Her name is Cheng Lin.
You dont call her Cheng.
It is just preposterous if you just called her Cheng.
Or say Jay Chou, and you call him Jie.
Or JJ Lin, and you call him Jun.
They dont learn though. So I've given up. But I never had that problem in Canada, #1 multicultural country ;)
It's more of a waste of breath trying to explain that you dont just drop half my name away...
NinaJade82 wrote: You all calling people ignorant because they say people of Taiwan are Chinese need to go and do a little bit of research on Chinese history to not look like ignorant yourself when making accusations.
First of all… all Taiwanese, Main Land, and China are Chinese. They all come from one big country, which was China before the war that took over China by the communist. The Democrats in China left China and went to a small Island which is now Taiwan. That is the reason why Taiwan is its own country, but the people of Taiwan are, and all have been Chinese because they came from China. Also in Hong Kong, the British took it from China and governed there for 100 years only…. Now it was given back to China communist, and China communist is letting Hong Kong be a Democratic republic for 50 years.
The language you speak in China it is NOT Chinese…. The main language of China is Madarin, then Cantonese, and then there are like 30 something or more dialects all over China. In Taiwan you DO NOT speak Taiwanese mainly, you speak MANDARIN, and in some regions they have Taiwanese Hokkien, but mainly is Taiwanese. The reason why it sounds different from Hong Kong and Taiwan is because the Hong Kong main dialect is Cantonese.
It is not IGNORANT at all to say a Taiwanese is Chinese, and in fact China is claiming Taiwan to be part of China as a country, and Taiwan which is Democratic China is claiming to be a separate Country. The only ones to take offence from that would be the actual Taiwanese because they don't follow a communist regiment, it was the reason why they separated into two different countries in the first place. But the people are actually of Chinese decent.
Before claiming to be all above everybody else who calls Taiwanese Chinese, watch the movie The Last Emperor and learn some history of China.
I'm not interested in derailing this thread into whether Taiwan belongs to China.
But I'll let you know, I'm glad that Taiwan does not belong to China, because if it did, we would never have gotten to experience the beautiful culture of Taiwan.
Although to be honest with you, I am quite sad, because I'm not sure if the freedom of Taiwan will last forever.
I hope to get to visit it before anything happens!
bannie wrote: Lol no. It isnt even with mispronunciation.
I wouldnt mind that.
But for example. Yang Cheng Lin
Her name is Cheng Lin.
You dont call her Cheng.
It is just preposterous if you just called her Cheng.
Or say Jay Chou, and you call him Jie.
Or JJ Lin, and you call him Jun.
They dont learn though. So I've given up. But I never had that problem in Canada, #1 multicultural country ;)
It's more of a waste of breath trying to explain that you dont just drop half my name away...
Ahh Yes, I am guilty of doing that sometimes as well. I will forget and think of it with Western mind. Then I mentally kick myself and hope they aren't offended. But usually I use the full name.
