This column comes to you from Shanghai because I’m still on vacation. I am embedded deep in the pearl-encrusted, dragon-swarming mists of the Far East. Of course, while old Western beliefs about the yellow horde no longer hold, new peculiarities have taken their place. “How backward a nation to attempt merging communism with capitalism?” you might think, especially if your knowledge of the land is gleaned from kung fu epics and Cultural Revolution documentaries.
How backwards are they? Well, nobody wears Mao suits anymore, and the men debate all the typical guy things like sports and cars-but not politics of course, because everybody presumably thinks the same, so discussion is meaningless. No, business and growth are the new mantra. Moreover, much of China’s magnificence arises from the abundance of its labourers and their willingness to work: almost everything, from soy milk to skyscrapers, is done by hand. In this is found some sort of virtue I’m sure, although the patience to perform mind-numbingly menial tasks ad infinitum is not one I seek to cultivate.
This ability to follow instructions to a T also breeds a certain ignorance that I’m convinced develops after a long history of unquestioning obeisance (five millennia here). When doing business, none of the merchants use common sense. Having purchased a few satisfying dresses made at the South Bund Fabric Market, my mother had measurements taken for her friends with the instructions to make the clothes of a quality just like hers. As a result, all of the dresses were made to one size: my mother’s. When argument was raised, the tailor’s concern was not whether we were content with the results, but that he had “done what we told him.” Moreover, many Shanghai businessmen still hold to the strategy of over-promising and under-delivering, maintaining that once they have reached an agreement-and a hefty down-payment-the buyer is bound by it.
For a country trying to become wealthy and affluent like the service-oriented developed economies, manners sure need improving. Salespeople are lazy lugs, telling you to look harder when asked to locate items, rather than helping you themselves. Salesmen never tell you they don’t have something, choosing instead to lead you around the store in the hopes you’ll buy any number of somewhat similar items that are clearly not what you’re looking for. If you need alterations or a tailor, always expect things to be a day late at least, and they’re going to be delivered by Vespa.
It’s clear the old adage of “you get what you pay for” doesn’t apply here, but in some cases it’s a good thing. A made-to-measure worsted wool suit costs $100 and a two-hour massage is $15, so it’s not all bad. It’s especially good for a starving university student who-for less than $3 a meal-has managed to put on ten pounds since arriving.
What does this say about China’s future, the growth of its economy or the voice of its democracy? Well, civilization starts with the basics; it begins with two people having mutual regard for each other’s satisfaction and comfort. It means rather than viewing payment as an exchange for services rendered, one should take responsibility and see it instead as an earned reward for proudly demonstrating one’s skills. It means reconciling the ability to do something with the ability to think about and improve upon what one is doing. Only when this is accomplished can every member of the billion-strong wave obtain a face and some sense of direction.
