Most of the Asians I know don't totally fit the stereotypes I unfortunately carry around in my head about what people should be. The same applies to how other people view me -- my neighbors often wonder why an American expat (supposed to be rich) lives in what they consider to be a Vietnamese ghetto. Nevertheless, we laugh as we read the long lists of characteristics we ascribe to ourselves because there are often elements of truth in them.
Tim Johnson of the journalism blog China Rises recently posted a series of pictographs illustrating perceived differences in culture and outlook between Germans and Chinese. The following poster illustrates the differences in behavior at a party, with the German pattern in blue on the left, and the Chinese pattern in red:
This pattern is consistent with my own different experience at American vs. Vietnamese parties, and as documented by Duong Lam Anh in his blog about Vietnamese life. This particular pattern for Vietnam might have two or three circles instead of one.
These posters were designed by a Chinese designer named Yang Liu and were exhibited at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin this summer (photo from the yangliudesign.com website).
It is interesting that these perceived cultural differences have been given the imprimatur of a government agency. Although we politically-correct ones would like to think we shy away from such generalizations, I think there are differences and commonalities to be learned about each other as we view these pictographs and compare them with our own experiences.
