Image Conscious

Problems with reporting from Chinese publications and journalists within the country is the overly sensitive concern for its image abroad. This could be a symptom of a nation not used to being put under the microscope. China has been the dominant economic force in Asia since the mid 2000’s, edging just past Japan in overall growth. Too many articles are defensive in nature and designed to combat negative stereotypes. Many people will NEVER understand the intricacies of culture and language, legal norms and public policy. This is true for most countries so why the fuss?

Americans are thought of as obese and gun-loving in much of the world. The truth is…well kind of, yeah...guilty as charged. It is also far from the whole truth. I don’t expect Germans or Indians to understand how critically we view the right to own guns and property; enough Americans believe without it, no other right survives. Socialist countries with newly formed market economies can’t understand the rich legal traditions our laws are based on. We take a beating on the international stage for our love of guns, I get it. The truth is far more complex but we get over it and load another magazine of ammo into the Glock. 

The obesity epidemic in the US is slowly changing with better food choices and weight loss options. The loosely defined ‘fitness’ model of business is booming and worth billions from wearable tech to clothing fabrics and organic food. America as the center of entrepreneurship and innovation gets much of the credit for developing new trends. So yeah ok we’re hefty, (prefer big boned) but we make money baby! China has seen a major upswing in obesity in recent years also due to availability of KFC and McDonalds franchises. This ‘opening up’ of the market is great for consumers (chicken fingers, French fries) and great for developers (more foreigners shop there). It makes for a more rubenesque population with slightly more heart problems but also a rich one--You’re Welcome!

Being big and powerful comes with some hard realities for nations climbing from 3^rd world status to 1^st. Other countries criticize you for everything from the pace of development to the air pollution and the ‘official’ corruption. Think of it as a phase, assuming you want to get better, until reforms are introduced and the populace demands better roads, schools, air quality and legal rights. In China's case it may be a while.

The communist government isn’t helping by shutting out media critical of it. They are parents who throw away the C and D papers from the teacher before their kids can know how they really did. How should a kid who only had glowing reviews of his work be expected to behave when someone trashes his efforts? Internet censorship is antithetical to free society and because many Chinese can’t access the full range of the international online world their growth is stunted.

Take this article. Even the title (Looking Past the Mirror: Embrace difference and empathy to understand China) is whiny beyond belief. It smacks of ‘If only you knew how sweet my boy is you would agree his dinosaur sketches are the best!’ Wanting to defend family, country, religion and political persuasion are all understandable impulses but expecting stereotypes to melt under the heat of your passion is asking too much. Focus instead on the new, the different, the weird and the successful if progress is your ‘bag’. An inspirational life or story will give international readers a positive image to replace a negative one. Jack Ma is such a person. China has a few of these entrepreneurial types with vision and experience in business. Play offense instead of defense and let the haters complain.