# Do The Chinese Think We Are Idiots? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614 "2010-07-30T19:07:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/21 "2010-08-02T05:31:41Z")
The Chinese look down on everybody, not just the US. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/22 "2010-08-02T05:38:28Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > So your complaint is that the average Chinese on the street isn’t able to carry on a detailed debate with you on the merits of the Iraq Invasion? Those poor simpletons. I bet you really showed them, Ms. Coulter. I believe she’s simply reporting the fact that there is a lot of uninformed chauvanism to be found among ordinary Chinese. If you don’t like it or don’t believe it, go live there a couple of years and then get back to us. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/23 "2010-08-02T06:59:26Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > > [@even\_sven](#): > > > > Maybe I said that poorly. There are plenty of reasonable arguments that America is aggressive, but those are not what I was hearing. I got a lot of quick’n’easy stock phrases without a deeper understanding of the issues to back them up. In general, I found people’s criticism of America to be rather inarticulate. > > So your complaint is that the average Chinese on the street isn’t able to carry on a detailed debate with you on the merits of the Iraq Invasion? Those poor simpletons. I bet you really showed them, Ms. Coulter. That was pretty uncalled for. **even sven** neither said nor implied any such thing, nor is she remotely similar to Ann Coulter. You don’t have the vaguest idea what you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/24 "2010-08-02T07:40:53Z")
I’ve never understood the viciousness that’s directed at even sven from some quarters when she shares her firsthand experiences in China. There must be some kind of sore point for them that she’s inadvertently bumping against, but I’ll be f\*\*ked if I can figure out what it is. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/25 "2010-08-02T07:51:45Z")
Heh, whatever. I’ve never been compared to Ann Coulter, though! ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/26 "2010-08-02T12:35:42Z")
My point is that the US government seems to be doing everything in its power to benefit China, as we are-we import their stuff and give them access to markets. So why are we complaining about the massive deficit? It is a totally predictable conclusion. Or maybe, the Chinese are amazed by how cheaply American politicians can be bought-and how loyal they are to their owners? As the Chinese general who conveyed a paper bag full of cash to VP Al Gore once said :“we like your president”:o ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/27 "2010-08-02T13:46:02Z")
If this two part [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmANxHJ6s9M) is any indication, some of the Chinese people think Americans are idiots. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/28 "2010-08-02T13:53:53Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Or maybe, the Chinese are amazed by how cheaply American politicians can be bought-and how loyal they are to their owners? As the Chinese general who conveyed a paper bag full of cash to VP Al Gore once said :“we like your president”:o Don’t you ever want to make up any _new_ bullshit? ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/29 "2010-08-02T18:27:28Z")
The purpose of an economy is consumption, not production. So if we are sending them money and they are sending us goods, then we are getting the better end of the deal. I would like to think that the Chinese have found a way to make money investing in Africa, but the history of such endeavors would merit skepticism. Being jealous of the economy of China seriously overlooks how poor China was before Mao died. It is like looking at a prisoner who makes 2 dollars a day making license plates, got released and is making 7$ dollars an hour busing tables and being impressed at the huge raise he got. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/30 "2010-08-02T18:28:56Z")
I called the China yesterday and asked. They said “yes.” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/31 "2010-08-02T18:30:47Z")
Not to mention how poor average Chinese are. China’s per capita income is $3,700. Americans’ per capita income is $46,000. Even “the other Chinese” (ie., Taiwanese) earn nearly five times as much. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/32 "2010-08-02T20:20:50Z")
If I was Chinese and I was involved in making all the junk that Americans sell in dollar stores or as souveniers, yeah I’d think Americans are idiots. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/33 "2010-08-02T20:23:40Z")
Ask and ye shall receive… [Chinese Factory Worker can’t believe the shit he makes for America](http://www.theonion.com/articles/chinese-factory-worker-cant-believe-the-shit-he-ma,1343/). > [@](#): > > “Sometimes, an item the factory produces resembles nothing I’ve ever seen,” Chen said. “One time, we made something that looked like a ladle, but it had holes in its cup and a handle that bent down 90 degrees. The foreman told us that it was a soda-can holder for an automobile. If you are lucky enough to own a car, sit back and enjoy the journey. Save the soda beverage for later.” > > Chen added: “A cup holder is not a necessary thing to own.” > > Chen expressed similar confusion over the tens of thousands of pineapple corers, plastic eyeshades, toothpick dispensers, and dog pull-toys that he has helped manufacture. > > “Why the demand for so many kitchen gadgets?” Chen said. “I can understand having a good wok, a rice cooker, a tea kettle, a hot plate, some utensils, good china, a teapot with a strainer, and maybe a thermos. But all these extra things—where do the Americans put them? How many times will you use a taco-shell holder? ‘Oh, I really need this silverware-drawer sorter or I will have fits.’ Shut up, stupid American.” ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/34 "2010-08-02T23:15:54Z")
When I was in China, everyone was very friendly and wanted to meet Americans. The fact that you would choose to vacation in their country and had the means to get there was foreign to many of them at the time. I might describe the feeling I had as minor resentment more than “thinking we were idiots”. I think we as Americans are viewed as being very wasteful and worrying about problems that don’t exist in their world. But at the same time, I think they recognize that being able to worry about “non-problems” is a result of the achievements our country has made and the lifestyle we lead. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614/35 "2010-08-03T01:15:26Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > I’ve never understood the viciousness that’s directed at even sven from some quarters when she shares her firsthand experiences in China. There must be some kind of sore point for them that she’s inadvertently bumping against, but I’ll be f\*\*ked if I can figure out what it is. 😕 It surprises me as well. As far as I can tell, she is the only poster here with any personal knowledge of the topic or any significant qualifications to have an opinion on the subject. Anyway, I am glad she chooses to contribute to threads about China. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-chinese-think-we-are-idiots/548614.md?page=1)