Taboo Observations and Truths About Taiwan
That No One Would Dare Say
By
Winston
Wu
A
Taiwanese
American Freethinker
(an oxymoron I know, but I’m a rare kind)
“The
only thing
that counts for these people is food and making money...” - A
Swiss woman
who lived in
Chinese
version here (computer
translated, not completely accurate)
Warning:
These
observations
and truths are
taboo and politically incorrect which may be
offensive. Since this list was added to at different points in time,
some of it may be redundant.
Intro and Disclaimer:
For
some reason, every article and website out there about
Why is that? Why am I the only one with guts? Why do people fear the truth? Why are they so programmed to be like the Travel Channel and say only polite noncontroversial things such as "Oh everything was so wonderful! The culture is amazing. The people were so friendly. The food was so good!" Etc. etc. Blah blah blah.
Why is truth often taboo, even when it's obviously?! What an insane world. Am I the only sane person left? No one has the courage to be honest anymore, cause the mainstream world is all about censorship. You are only allowed to say and think what you are programmed to, not the way things actually are. How sad.
Anyhow, here it is. One of the few (or only) articles about Taiwan that is truthful and accurate. These are the patterns and tendencies I've consistently observed in Taiwanese people in general. They do not apply to every Taiwanese individual of course, since there are always individual variations in any group. But they are consistent patterns I've seen in Taiwanese people. If you've ever wondered why many Chinese and Taiwanese you see are timid, shy, inhibited, robotic, unsmiling, and look very stern, serious and solemn, this will help explain why.
Note: Please do not accuse me of generalizing. Over 99 percent of Taiwanese people are pure conformists and followers who strive to be alike, not different. Therefore, it is logical and accurate to generalize them since they already “generalize themselves” by conforming to set societal standards. Also, since this list was added to at different points in time, some of it may be redundant.
The Observations (sorted in ascending order,
newest on top)
- This might be personal and subjective, but Taiwan seems to have some kind of negative energy vortex. I sense a vibe of misery and repression everywhere I go in Taiwan, which is draining and undermines my self-confidence and self-esteem. I do not like it at all. It's feels horrible and draining, like some kind of toxic radiation. It's like there are hungry ghosts sucking your soul or something (in addition to the sterile environment). I feel like something is trying to choke me in Taiwan. Perhaps it's because I don't fit in or share the narrow repressiveness of the Taiwan vibe, so it has this effect on me? I guess if you are narrow and repressed yourself, then you won't notice anything it, but if you aren't, you will?
- Taiwanese are unnaturally closed, cold, repressed and narrow, which makes them seem almost inhuman. It's very weird. The thing is, I don't know how to act around people like that, especially when they expect me to be the same way as them. I guess if you are like them, you may not notice anything strange, but if you are not like them, then you will. This might sound bad, but in Taiwan, I feel like I'm the only one that's "normal". I know that sounds terrible, but I don't know how else to put it.
- Publicly, everyone says that "Taiwanese are very friendly". But they NEVER differentiate or specify what they mean, not even in blogs or websites. The term "friendly" is loosely used, even by people who don't mean it, just to appear nice. But in reality, the fact is, people do not generally smile or make eye contact with strangers in Taiwan. The only people that do are elderly or older folks, and customer service people (who are paid to be friendly and helpful). But definitely not young adults, especially females (since females are more guarded toward strangers than males are of course), who are more closed and excessively shy. If they don't know you, they will not acknowledge your existence or talk to you, unless you are introduced to them by a mutual friend.
This pattern is virtually 100 percent consistent throughout Taiwan. It's an obvious and consistent pattern that anyone can see, but no one talks about - probably because by bringing it up, you will appear to be saying that "Taiwanese are cold and unfriendly" which is negative and taboo/forbidden. This is true of multi-cultural social groups consisting of foreigners in Taiwan as well.
Yet I seem to be the only one who verbally differentiates and specifies such patterns and differences. No one else does, at least not publicly. So it's like telling the truth in Taiwan makes me a misfit. Weird. I guess most people are programmed to never say anything taboo or politically correct. They desperately want to fit in and be accepted by others, which is more important to them than telling the truth or being honest and aware. But as an intellectual and introvert, I am more apt to remain true to my "inner self/inner life" and tell the truth honestly and accurately, rather than be fake to follow the norm, which I see as inauthentic.
I guess that makes me different from others. But then again, if being honest and authentic makes me different from the crowd, and if telling the truth makes me a misfit, then that speaks volumes about what a dysfunctional society and social culture this is. And I am not afraid to say that. Where I come from, being brave, confident and courageous enough to follow your heart and tell the truth is encouraged and valued, and if that makes me a misfit in a repressed insular culture like Taiwan, then so be it. Many of the greatest writers, intellectuals and freethinkers throughout world history agree with me on this. To understand what I mean, see their quotes here: https://www.happierabroad.com/Quotes_Insanity.htm
- Although Taiwanese girls are comparable with the most beautiful females in the world, there are many major problems with them:
1) Taiwanese girls are extremely COLD and CLOSED. They are extremely stuck up and project an extreme cold wall around them that is very unnatural and inhuman. This is an inherent Taiwanese trait that makes them unapproachable, uptight and unwelcoming. They are not open or relaxed with strangers, like females in most countries are. Compared to Taiwanese women, even reptiles are warm-blooded.
2) The mentality of Taiwanese girls is very narrow, simple and primitive. Thus it's hard to connect or vibe with them. They are on a different wavelength, one that is far more insular than ours. They are the least capable of having intelligent deep conversations. The weird thing is, they expect me to be the same, but I'm not, so they don't know how to process that. This makes everything doubly difficult when combined with #1.
3) Taiwanese girls are very picky, shallow, superficial and judgmental. They have narrow standards and are very particular. It's hard to get them to respond on dating sites. They don't like guys who think for themselves or who are nonconformist in any way. In their mind, nonconformists are losers and intellectualism is weird and uncool. In my experience, as soon as I say something intelligent or deep, or show off that I am nonconformist in any way, many Taiwanese girls drop me and treat me as though I no longer exist to them. So much for being appreciated for being yourself. Add this to the above 2 problems, and the problems and obstacles to dating triple!
4) Taiwanese girls are extremely prudish and view flirtation as taboo and bad. Coming from a very prudish sterile culture, Taiwan girls are themselves very prudish. They won't let guys kiss their hand (like European girls would) and view flirting as a taboo, bad and negative. Taiwan is so prudish in fact, that movies made in Taiwan usually never show any kissing, whereas they do if they are made in mainland China. Thus it can be said that Taiwan is the most prudish country in Asia, and its women are indicative of that especially since women tend to conform to the culture. A culture where you can't even flirt simply SUCKS.
5) Taiwanese girls are very flaky and act like divas. Taiwanese females under 35 are anything but down to earth, and can flake out at any time for any reason, or even no reason. It's hard enough getting them to respond on dating sites. But even when they do, they can flake out suddenly. When they do, they disappear, forget you and ignore your emails/calls for trivial reasons or sometimes no reason.
6) Taiwanese girls tend to have this fake innocence and cheesy corny gay a** "hello kitty" expression. It's hard to explain what I mean. You have to be around them to see what I'm talking about. It's very unnatural, strange and inhuman. I have no idea how to jive with it. And I definitely wouldn't want to try to emulate it. Ewww! Ick! Weird!
7) In social groups and nightclubs in Taiwan, guys tend to outnumber girls, which creates scarcity. The guys who are in the group that the girls are in, are usually either dating the girls, or if not, then they are shielding the girls from being approached by other guys. Total cockblock. Again, this totally sucks, and when combined with the above, make the dating scene terrible beyond words and not even worth the effort.
So you see, all the above compounds to make Taiwan the WORST dating scene I've ever seen, as well as the most BORING uneventful place. It's like everything is against you. All Taiwan offers you is food and work. But for dating, love, romance and sex, it sucks and is very depriving. Terrible beyond words. In fact, no negative words in English that I can think of, can describe how terrible it is and how badly it sucks. Thus all I can say is that it is "terrible beyond words".
What's worse, you aren't allowed to say anything negative in Taiwan. The social culture is very politically correct. You are only allowed to say nice positive things about Taiwan. So you can't even tell the truth or express how you really feel without violating this social rule! Geez. At least let a guy have his free speech and honesty for crying out loud.
- Taiwan has a very politically correct
social culture that is
superficial, practical, conformist, insular, cliquish, repressed and
non-intellectual. There is an unspoken but obvious social rule that
around others, you are always expected to act positive and cheerful,
and only talk about superficial things. Anything to the contrary will
weird people out, especially young adults, and may ostracize you from
social groups. So you can't be negative (no matter how justified) or
talk about deep things in Taiwan without looking like a misfit.
What this means is that if you are unhappy or don't like something in Taiwan (and there is a lot to dislike in Taiwan, that's for sure) then no one wants to hear about it, unless you have a close and understanding friend. For example, even though it's obvious that Taiwanese are generally closed, repressed and narrow, you are not allowed to SAY that they are. It's like the Emperor's New Clothes syndrome. In that sense, you are not allowed to tell the truth in Taiwan.
This means that you often can't be yourself in Taiwan. You see, in truth, no one can be positive all the time, human nature doesn't work that way since everything is made up of a union of opposites, as the Chinese Ying Yang symbol signifies. What this means is that at least half the time, you will not be able to be yourself in Taiwan around other people - who expect you to only say positive and superficial things. What this also means is that if you are an honest truthful intellectual in Taiwan, you may find a few friends, but you will not fit into social groups or cliques, because they are strict about these social rules and political correctness.
However, I do not agree with this social rule mandating political correctness in Taiwan. You see, I don't believe that just because something is negative, that it should be denied simply because it is politically incorrect. You must understand that political correctness is about control, NOT truth. And control = loss of freedom to say and think what you want. So, since I'm a "freedom junkie" I do not believe in such control and censorship, especially when it conflicts with reality. But sadly, most people are the opposite. They prefer political correctness, control and censorship over the truth.
Even blogs and website about Taiwan follow this social rule. They only say superficial positive things about Taiwan, and give some tourist information, but nothing deeper. I would venture to guess that it's because either the authors of these blogs/sites are on a superficial wavelength themselves, or they've been to Taiwan and know the social rule there, and follow it even online for some reason. Or, of course, they genuinely like Taiwan and want to say only positive things about it. (But I honestly can't see why, since I see more negatives than positives about Taiwan)
Now you may be asking, "But isn't it like that everywhere?" The answer is a resounding NO! And if you are asking this, then you've probably never spent much time outside of Taiwan, Japan or North America. The world outside of these areas is very different. In most of Europe, young adults are intellectual, open minded and passionate, and so is the culture (in comparison to Taiwan and America at least). In Russia for example, young adults commonly speak 3 or 4 languages (German and English are usually among them) and enjoy history as a hobby, not just as a school subject. (I know because I've spent a lot of time there)
And in Italy, Greece and Spain, art and history are part of the culture and passion of the people. It is not something that they "have to study in school", rather it is something they love naturally. Love of philosophy and intellectual subjects is common even in young adults (in total contrast to Taiwan), so it is not something that only "misfits and weirdos" like (as it is in Taiwan). People are also more open and relaxed, even toward strangers, as opposed to the repressed, uptight, insular nature of the Taiwanese and its extremely shy youth.
In contrast, in Taiwan the culture and people revolve around basic practicality - such as food, making money and raising a family - and conversation revolves around light superficial topics. People are also more repressed, uptight and insular. And young adults and teens are overly shy to the extreme. Obviously, what this means is that if you are an intellectual and/or passionate type, then European countries are a much better fit for you than Taiwan. (Keep in mind though, that being a misfit somewhere will gradually decrease your level of happiness and well-being if you stay there long term)
If you are on a deep wavelength, like writers and intellectuals are, you won't find many people in Taiwan who you can talk to on your level, since everyone acts like they are on a superficial wavelength. (Even if they aren't, they will still act like it in order to fit in) Some people may be open minded enough to listen to you, but they will not be able to contribute anything back. Taiwan is not a place to find deep intellectual conversation, that's for sure. Not to brag, but as far as I know, I seem to be the only Taiwanese freethinker. I honestly don't know any others. I guess that makes me really unique, but uniqueness comes with loneliness too.
- The biggest problem in
Taiwan is that the women are very closed, stuck up and antisocial. They
have a "cold wall" around them and are
anything but open and engaging with strangers. Wherever they go, they
carry
that "don't bother me look" on their face, which makes them very
unapproachable.
Yuck. It's very sad and depressing to see that everyday.
I hate it. Taiwan has got to be one of the hardest places to approach
and
engage women. Their body language is cold, stuck up and cliquish.
Alongside Japan and Korea,
Taiwan girls are among the least open and engaging of females in the
200+
countries of the world. Even in retail sales and customer service
occupations,
Taiwanese girls are cold and business-like, devoid of warmth. I don't
know how
they got that way, but their cold demeanor seems very inhuman.
Everywhere I go in Taiwan,
the only people who will socialize with me are elderly Taiwanese and
foreign
travelers. That sucks, but that's how Taiwan is. The only way a
stranger can
get some attention from Taiwanese girls is to look like an Asian pop
star, or
be a foreign White guy. Otherwise, you'll have to meet women through
organized
activities, school, work, or through mutual friends. Taiwan is one of
the few
countries in the world where women are not open for casually chatting
up,
flirting, or "love at first sight" stares. That's the biggest downside
of Taiwan. Other than that, Taiwan is a nice place overall,
but
there's nothing unique or special about it.
I know the problem is not
me
though, because women in the other 200 countries of the world (except
for Japan
and Korea) are not like that toward me. They are far more "normal",
not like deer that spook easily as Taiwanese women do. So, if the
problem were
me, then all women would be antisocial and closed toward me, but they
aren't
(fortunately). Thus Taiwanese women are an abnormal quirk. This majorly
sucks
because it means that in general, Taiwanese women are "all look but no
touch". So what's the point of them being hot then? All that does is
exemplify the irony of Murphy's Law.
Moreover, even if you are
lucky enough to get acquainted with a slippery standoff-ish
modern Taiwanese girl, you will find that they usually have very
difficult and
complicated personalities. They are not simple, straightforward and
direct like
their counterparts in mainland China. Instead, they like to play games,
give
mixed messages, and flake out. They are selfish and narcissistic - and
rotten
and spoiled to the core. In short, all they are good for is "eye
candy", nothing else. That's sad, but that's the truth, as politically
incorrect as it may be.
Now, please don't flame me
for saying all this. I didn't make Taiwanese girls the way they are,
I'm just
the only one brave enough to tell the politically incorrect truth about
them.
Therefore, by attacking me, you would not be doing so because I am
wrong, but
because I am the only one telling the truth. Thus, you would in effect
be
advocating the suppression of truth, and upholding the facade of
political
correctness. Is that what you want? Think about it.
- Taiwanese have a
repressed look
on their face, and a cold, strict, stuck up expression.
They
appear very
closed in personality and social attitude,
and act overly serious and inhibited. If you look in their eyes, you
see a
miserable repressed inner state of anxiety. This is apparent all over
- Being in
- Taiwanese are completely
driven by fear and guilt. It's in their vibes and face to the nth
degree, and
will rub off on you if you are around them long. They are conditioned
to be
weak and insecure. Inside they are empty and miserable. These are the
traits
that drive them to be conformists and workaholics. Living in fear,
weakness and
having no identity, they badly need something to conform to and a
structure in
their lives for security and safety.
This is why so many of
them
are workaholics and often work 7 days a week. It's not just because
they like
to make money. That is just their excuse, for even wealthy retired
Taiwanese
are still workaholics. It's because working all the time gives their
fearful
empty selves some structure to conform to, which brings them a sense of
safety
and security. That's what makes them such willing slaves, and those who
run the
country love it. That's what drives Taiwanese to seek fixed structures
and
routines, as well as bondage and servitude. Their minds are not free at
all,
and neither are their lives. They don't want to be free. Freedom brings
insecurity and loss of identity to the Taiwanese. Eric Fromm's "Escape
from Freedom" treatise describes the Taiwanese psyche very well.
- On the surface,
Taiwanese
appear very shy, especially young women. But that shyness is just a
symptom,
not the root cause of people being difficult to meet in
And
that's why Taiwanese girls in particular, are like deer and spook
easily. They
are the most frightened creatures on Earth, and have a fearful closed
body
language which is easily observable. They have no social skills, no
confidence,
and are the exact opposite of open and direct. They cannot deal with
anything
outside of their realm of familiarity and routine. These words may
sound unkind
or judgmental, but that is the obvious truth.
-
In
- Ironically, though the young generation of Taiwan considers itself to be more open, progressive and educated than the older generation, the reality is that young people in Taiwan do NOT smile or talk to strangers much, while the elderly/senior citizens of Taiwan are much more likely to smile and talk to strangers. It's a classic discrepancy between image/pride vs. reality.
- If
you've never been outside
-
There is NO social energy at all in
-
In
- Taiwanese have a very cold exterior. They may be good, kind and caring on the inside, true, but their exterior is definitely cold, stoic, stern, grim. They do not make eye contact with strangers, or smile or say hi, especially the females. Elderly people sometimes smile at strangers, but young women, no way! This is a very obvious fact. But most do not dare admit it publicly because it is not politically correct to acknowledge this fact.
- One
interesting difference between
- To
those who argue that
-
Taiwanese are workaholics and work 6 or 7 days a week,
often with long hours til
late evening. To them, this
is normal and an honor. But in reality, they are giving away 80 to 90
percent
of their lives in slavery rather than freedom or fulfilling rich
meaningful
experiences. But to them, the money they make justifies the complete
loss of
freedom and the priceless 80 to 90 percent of their lives. To me, it is
sick
and shallow, but that is their culture. That being said, you will not
fit in
That
is why you find many Taiwanese immigrants and workers
in
- Deep down, the Taiwanese mind and soul does not believe that life should be enjoyed, but should be suffered and toiled. Hence they lack an inability to truly enjoy life. This is why they seem so inhibited. It’s both in their genes and culture, and probably some of Confucius’ teachings had something to do with it too. Enjoying life and having fun makes them feel guilty. When they rest or go on vacation, they make sure that it is only for short and brief periods, cause too long causes guilt and anxiety.
This is why even wealthy Taiwanese people prefer to continue to work, even when they don’t have to, rather than enjoying their life or traveling the world. They simply can’t enjoy anything else and feel empty without laboring and toiling. And this is why on Christmas Day you will still find most Chinese restaurants to still be open.
- In
Taiwanese culture, only two things are important –
MAKING MONEY and FOOD. Now there's nothing wrong with those
things since
they are a part of life, but if all your interests are limited to ONLY
those
two things, then you become narrow, one dimensional, and no fun to be
with. And unfortunately, that’s how many Taiwanese
people are.
That's why the Night Market
in Taiwan is
mostly composed of FOOD, cause when they go out at night, it's to look
for
food, not fun (as if there were nothing to do at night except look for
food,
what about fun, sex, adventure, and social interaction?)
Sheesh. It's
a narrow
one-dimensional existence, especially if you are coming from a more
open broad
minded existence.
In a Swiss
article, a Swiss woman who lived
in
- In
- Though Taiwanese are good natured people, caring and sensitive deep down beneath their closed narrow exterior, unfortunately they can be a negative influence. This is because they are extremely fearful and weak deep down (conditioned to be that way by their culture and family), lacking any true confidence, and so if you hang around them too much it can rub off on you, making you weak and fearful as well. In the big picture that is not a good thing, because that is how the elite controls the population, by segregating the population and conditioning them to live in fear.
- Taiwanese are an odd blend of traits. Deep down, their
basic nature is
gentle, kind, generous, sensitive, caring, good natured, humble and
moralistic.
But they are also cold, strict, controlling, tense, high strung, quick
to anger, narrow, closed-minded, non-expressive,
uptight, strict, stern, solemn, rigid, fearful, and introverted.
- Beneath their closed exterior, Taiwanese and Chinese women deep down have a caring sensitive nature, as well as a delicacy in their touch that females of other races, especially white, do NOT have.
- Taiwanese use NEGATIVE reinforcement to condition people, usually by instilling FEAR, GUILT and WEAKNESS in them. This is how Taiwanese parents usually are with their children. They use fear, guilt and scorn to motivate you. They actually believe that making you feel SMALL, WEAK and GUILTY helps improve you and makes you perform better! No kidding! It’s kind of demented, sick and twisted, of course, but that’s their philosophy, method and style. It's not deliberate, but a part of their inner personality, probably instinctual on some level. They themselves are weak and fearful deep down and were raised that way, so they try to transfer it to others.
- Taiwanese parents teach their offspring to FEAR their enemies rather than be strong and stand up to them. In other words, they teach that one should yield rather than fight or stand their ground. They instill the fear of consequences in you, and warn you of terrible things that will happen to you if you fight your adversaries, so you best yield or compromise to them. Simply put, they teach weakness rather than strength, and fear rather than courage. That's not good for many reasons, but that's what they do. Not only do they do that with your enemies, but with ANYONE you come into conflict with, even when you are in the RIGHT! It's like they always take the other side and side AGAINST their own! That's crazy and simply wrong and makes no logical sense!
-
Taiwanese people, like most in
- In public, Taiwanese people are extremely prudish, at least on the surface, so much in fact that they are proud of it. Even the friendly people there have a prudish vibe, body language and demeanor. So much in fact, that anyone who is NOT prudish is a strange misfit there. That is just really bizarre and creepy, that being “ice cold” is the norm. Ick.
-
Taiwanese people live in FEAR, are controlled by FEAR, and transfer the
FEAR in them to their children as well. It's in their facial
expressions,
body language and personal vibes. People who are controlled
and motivated
by fear exude a certain type of vibes that you can sense if you're
sensitive to
energies and auras. I sense it all the time and it makes me
uncomfortable
because I refuse to live in fear. But be around it long enough,
and it rubs off on you.
Next time you're out in public or around Taiwanese people, watch their
facial
expressions and body language carefully. Or watch Taiwanese
actors or
news commentators on YouTube or TV. You will notice in their
expressions
that these people were raised, shaped and conditioned by
FEAR. It becomes
painfully obvious after some observation.
They also TRANSFER this fear and guilt within them to their
children.
Next time you see a parent scolding his/her child, watch both their
faces and
tone of voice. You will notice that during the scolding,
there is a
TRANSFERENCE of fear from the
parent to the child.
With a hypnotic gaze and voice, the parent INJECTS the child with the
FEAR
inside them, along with GUILT for misbehaving or being out of
line. That
is classic Chinese style conditioning. You can feel and sense
this in the
parent's voice as he/she is scolding or lecturing their
child. FEAR is
their primary motivator and GUILT is the consequence.
Taiwanese parents do not consciously choose to do this or rationally
think it
out.
It’s mostly
unconscious, like an
instinctual habit that was passed on to them by their
parents. It may
even be genetic since it's so inherent and widespread among the Chinese
population. Sadly though, they will even do this over trivial
things, and
you have to remember that the Chinese nature is highly picky and
judgmental
about little things.
I too was raised with fear/guilt instilling tactics like this, but I
saw it for
what it was and diffused it. Through traveling and spiritual
exploration,
my natural self came out as my mind became liberated. I
learned to assert
myself, be confident, have faith in the universe, and live in optimism,
not
fear or guilt. In effect, I've transcended this outdated and
primitive
form of mind control by the Taiwanese, the Christian Church and the
Military.
Psychologically, they FEAR that if they aren't disciplined, organized
and
controlled, then chaos and evil will erupt, leading to the downfall of
society
as well as life itself. FEAR keeps them in line, and so it's
useful, and
they then in turn use FEAR to control their own children as well.
To make things worse, they also tend to be WORRYWARTS as
well. Their
parents constantly worry about every little thing and are very
apprehensive. That of course, reinforces the FEAR that they
already live
under, since worry and fear perpetuates each other in a vicious cycle.
- In Taiwanese and classic Chinese conditioning, CONFIDENCE and
ASSERTIVENESS
are NOT valued or encouraged at all. People who are confident
are harder
to control, for they do not live in fear, and fear as you know, is the
best
control mechanism of a population. And assertiveness is a
threat to
authority, and therefore not good for orderly control and
hierarchy.
Instead, the primary traits instilled in classic Chinese conditioning
are
weakness, humility, obedience, practicality and filial piety.
- They also have no inner confidence or faith, but are weak and fearful deep down, thus they get offended and annoyed easily. When mad or insulted, they can erupt in a rage of fury. Watch the news, and you will see that their political commentators yell in a rage of fury all the time, as though it were their standard way of talking. It seems that there is a mixture of gentleness and intensity within them.
- Generally, Taiwanese are practical, narrow and emotional, but not
logical or
rational. They think only in terms of PRACTICAL
things. That's why conversations
with them are not very broad or intellectual in scope. They
are not used
to intellectualizing over concepts and thus if you try that with them,
you run
into a dead wall, especially with the younger crowd. The older crowd have
a better chance of being philosophical than the
younger crowd does. In fact, the young crowd in
Taiwan do
not even use the word “spiritual” in their
vocabulary, I’m told.
- They
aren't knowledgeable about many topics and can't hold
conversations beyond practical things. To them, only practical things
matter,
like work, money, shelter, food, etc. Deep subjects like
Buddhism,
Taoism, Eastern Philosophy, the Analects of Confucius, etc. are for
monks,
philosophers, and old retired people contemplating the meaning of their
lives
and where they will go next. Young people should only be
concerned with
practical things and necessities.
- Since they see only surface practicalities, and their minds are
designed to
conform and follow, they cannot think for themselves, or analyze and
critique a
system, idea or philosophy. For example, they like telling
you whether
they think you're more fat or skinny than before. But they
can't open up
the Bible or Communist Manifesto or read Sigmund Freud's theories and
find
contradictions, flaws or fallacies in them. Nor can they
critique a
theory or argument point by point, or analyze something
deeply. This is
because such things
requires thinking outside the
box
and critical examination. But they are trained (and perhaps
genetically
inclined) to be followers who conform and think within a narrow
spectrum.
Plus they find intellectual, abstract or philosophical things to be
useless and
idle, and of no use in a practical world. If you attempt to
discuss such
things with them, they can only say "Oh ok" or "Oh really"
or even "That's useless, why think about it?".
- If you tell a typical Taiwanese person something that is outside the
box,
unconventional, or critiques the system, they can only say "oh ok" or
"oh really" and not much else because their brains can't really
process something that's outside the box. All they can do is
be polite at
your attempt to share your ideas with them even though it's beyond them.
- From birth, they are taught that life is VERY serious. One
is not to
smile or be bubbly. One must be stern, solemn, reserved,
humble, modest
and work hard and diligently. That is how a
good citizen behaves. Your opinions don't count, so don't
bother
expressing them. Only your conformity and work ethic matter
and define
you as a person. A good person follows and conforms, a bad
person
doesn't.
- People don't smile much, unless they are joking with their friends,
paid to
smile (e.g. customer service), or want you to buy something.
The most
genuine smiles you will see in
- Even though Taiwanese students study many hours of the day, in both their primary school and after school private classes (bu shi ban), they don’t seem to know much. This is because they do not study for the love of learning, nor are they taught how to think. They study only to memorize data to pass tests, and then afterward flush the data out of memory. So their heart is not really in it. They are motivated by fear and the hope of raising their status through academic achievement.
- The
issue of whether Taiwanese people are generally
friendly or not is subjective, as each person has their own standards
of what
“friendliness” is. I
would say that
Taiwanese people are only friendly in their own way, in a
“closed, tight,
rigid” manner within their inhibitions.
But they are not friendly in
an open, carefree, free-flowing, expressive
way.
It’s not in their
nature.
This is difficult to explain
in words, as
you’d have to observe them on a regular basis to see what I
mean.
Most are polite and kind deep
down. But they
do not talk to strangers, only to people in their family, cliques and
those
they know at school or work. Strangers are basically ignored. One is
expected
not to pursue a social life, but only work, work and work.
- For people like me who are open, direct, assertive, open/broad
minded,
freethinking, intellectual, and confident,
- Like
Being a workaholic is virtuous to them. It's not uncommon for
Taiwanese
to work 7 days a week. Even if they can take days off, they
don't because
they see taking days off as losing money. Without a job you
are
nothing. They revel in the wage slave routine and do not
suffer in
it. In fact, they suffer more when they don't work than when
they
do. They feel that they were not born to be free, but to work
hard, obey
and conform. Once in a while, they take a vacation, but they
make sure it's
short, controlled and doesn't
get out of hand.
- When Taiwanese talk about freedom, they usually refer to political
and
nationalistic freedom from Mainland
-
Young girls in
- Since they are taught to be humble and quiet, not surprisingly they
are not
usually assertive. Thus, their communication skills are short
and abrupt,
not articulate or skillful at conveying meanings and details.
This can
lead to misunderstandings with people who prefer things to be well
defined and
specific, like me. This is why people in Asian commonly give
bad
directions. They can’t articulate well so they prefer to
point to a general
direction rather than give step by step directions with street names.
-
Typically, within families the older generation Taiwanese
act like are yelling and arguing as if it were a normal part of their
conversation.
It’s very odd, like
they
have deep anger and intensity that needs to be released in such a
manner.
So either they are quiet and
humble, or talk
like they are fighting in casual situations.
This style of interacting is
not logical, but instinctive and serves no
purpose. Of course they don’t see that because their nature
is to follow what
they’ve always done, not to seek ways to improve and change.
- They are also taught to FEAR strangers and be paranoid of them, which
is
ironic because
That is one reason why young adults in
- They are NOT taught to be self-confident, assertive, courageous, or
to have
faith in themselves or life. Instead, they are taught to be
weak, afraid,
timid, reserved and humble. They are made dependent on
guidance,
correction and control. To them, confidence and assertiveness
are not
virtues, but meekness and filial piety are. In addition, they
are often
ridiculed and verbally abused by their parents, just for the heck of
it.
And when that happens, they are to take it without resistance.
- If you are a guy who likes meeting beautiful women, there are many
stunning
lookers in
- Out
in public, most Taiwanese women wear this "don't
bother me" mask on their face, which is also in their body language and
vibe. Thus, even the bravest guy feels uncomfortable about
approaching
them cold. That's because doing so feels illegal and
creepy. So
far, every guy who has claimed that Taiwanese girls are open and
friendly to
strangers has FAILED and chickened out when I ask them to approach
Taiwanese
girls in public. Though they deny it verbally, deep down they
know it's
inappropriate and socially unacceptable in
-
- Taiwanese women are very commitment oriented. They do not date for
fun or
thrills, but purely for the goal of marriage. They thrive on
commitment
and rigid routine, NOT adventure, thrills, excitement, variety or
imagination. In short, they are extremely boring compared to
other
foreign women I've experienced. Also, with their purely
practical mindset,
don't expect much creativity, imagination or philosophical insights
from them.
- They are taught that being "open minded" is not a good thing
either, for being too open can allow too many conflicting ideas to
enter your
head and confuse you, resulting in chaos, disorder and lack of
discipline and
control. So, one should be closed minded, and rigidly stick
to the set
ways that lead to success, like being practical, humble and working
diligently
to please others. It's a military style philosophy.
- Like the Christian fundamentalists, they believe that human nature is
inherently evil and idle, and thus needs to be strictly
controlled.
"With too much time on your hands, the devil causes you to do
mischief" so the saying goes. They believe that people need
to be
controlled and disciplined until they become hard working obedient
humble
people who are kept in line. And of course, they need to live
in
fear. Fear is seen as a good thing. It keeps people
righteous and
disciplined. Likewise, Christians also live in fear of divine
punishment
and hell. The church leaders see this as a good
thing. There's a
verse in the Book of Proverbs that says "The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9:10) That's why many
Taiwanese
people convert easily into Evangelical Christianity. It
contains all the
inherent facets they were raised and conditioned with - black and white
morality/thinking, strict control of human nature, fear as a
disciplinary tool,
strive for righteousness, condemnation of those who believe differently
than
you, a highly judgmental mentality, the inherent sinful nature of man,
negative
view of freedom and too much free time, puritannical
values, etc.
- Ironically, even though Buddhism is supposed to be an Eastern
religion,
Taiwanese people do not have a Buddhist mentality at all.
Most are
nothing like "Kwai
Chang Caine"
(David Carradine
in Kung Fu). They have a
highly materialistic mentality coupled with a strict black and white
Christian
style morality, rigid thinking, righteousness, judgmental mindset, and
live in
fear and are controlled by it. They also have short fuses and
get annoyed
or angry quite easily (remember how easily pissed and angry Bruce Lee
got in
his films, that's how he was in real life too) Plus, contrary
to the Buddhist
concept of being nonjudgmental and nonattached, they are highly
judgmental,
controlling and picky about little things.
- Chinese people are commonly very picky and judgmental about little
things,
"anal retentive" in other words. It seems to be in their
nature.
This can be good for quality control and is one reason why Chinese food
is so
delicious and among the best in the world. But it's bad for
human
relations. This is why Chinese people often argue with each
and sour
their relations, even with relatives and close friends. They
tend to make
a big deal out of nothing. Their controlling nature is
adamant about
getting their way, and they lack people skills as well as the ability
to
compromise. Being highly tense, they are not at peace or at
one with nature
or the universe. As a result, Chinese couples tend to argue
about little
things over and over again, often for years without end. It's
highly
irrational of course, but this is the behavior of those who are petty,
uptight
and anal retentive. People who are closed minded, anal, rigid
and
judgmental will have trouble getting along even with their own kind,
while open
minded nonjudgmental types are much better at getting along without
fussing
over trivial things. The latter are more tolerant and usually
have far
better people skills and communication skills.
- Most Taiwanese families are very rigid in their routines.
They go to
bed and rise at the same time each day, even on weekends, and eat at
the same
time each day. They will never eat dinner in front of the TV
like some
American families do. Everything is set in a highly
structured
routine. There is little or no variety in their
lives. But they
like it that way. They thrive on rigid routines, and are
squarer than a
table.
Conclusion:
Although there are individual variations and exceptions to the rule, in general Taiwanese people and culture in general is narrow, conservative, prudish and square. Only two things matter to them, food and making money, making them very one-dimensional and no fun. They do not live to enjoy life, but to be workaholics and are empty without work. They are also among the most prudish and square people I’ve ever met. And of course, they live in fear, weakness and have no self-confidence. Such traits are typical in societies where the elite need to keep people under control and servitude, in order to maintain their power and prevent any revolutions. Taiwanese need to wake up and realize that they are infinite consciousness at their root who can choose to live in love, oneness and spirituality, rather than remain subservient fearful drones who only live to produce and consume. As David Icke says, “Infinite Love is the only truth. All else is illusion.”
Leave a comment about this article here: https://blog.happierabroad.com/2010/06/taiwan-observations-truths.html
See also:
The Four Biggest Problems With Taiwan
10
Reasons Why
Taiwan is not good for social life, fun, happiness or romance
The Pros and Cons of Taiwan: A Taboo List
Critical
Observations
about East Asian Mentality and Culture
Missionary
confirms my observations about Taiwan
Swiss Journalist concurs with my observations about Taiwan
Comparison
Chart:
Winston Wu vs. Typical East Asians/Orientals - Differences and
Similarities
Taiwan vs. America: Differences and Similarities
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