Comments on: Shanghai and Tokyo: I wanted some comparisons, but could only come up with contrasts http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/ Photos, Stories and articles on East Asia Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:23:01 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Egi http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-433682 Egi Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:43:32 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-433682 Your comments about Japan at the end is....quite superficial and incorrect. It's difficult to really understand the Japanese society unless you become part of it, but clearly, you are not, at least not at the moment. Your comments about Japan at the end is….quite superficial and incorrect. It’s difficult to really understand the Japanese society unless you become part of it, but clearly, you are not, at least not at the moment.

]]> By: Aceface http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-371288 Aceface Wed, 06 May 2009 01:36:18 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-371288 I'm thinking about watching Steven Spielberg's 1987 film"The Empire of the Sun"again during GW to commemorate J.G Ballard who had recently passed away and also to confirm how things had changed over two decades in the outlook of Shanghai and Christian Bale. I’m thinking about watching Steven Spielberg’s 1987 film”The Empire of the Sun”again during GW to commemorate J.G Ballard who had recently passed away and also to confirm how things had changed over two decades in the outlook of Shanghai and Christian Bale.

]]> By: Joe Jones http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-371277 Joe Jones Wed, 06 May 2009 01:25:38 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-371277 Of course, a lot (most? all?) of those cars are actually made in China. A friend of mine in Beijing once got into an argument with a Chinese guy who insisted that his Chinese Toyota was not a Japanese car (they use a "Shanghai" brand in China, but the logo and body styling are the same). Of course, a lot (most? all?) of those cars are actually made in China.

A friend of mine in Beijing once got into an argument with a Chinese guy who insisted that his Chinese Toyota was not a Japanese car (they use a “Shanghai” brand in China, but the logo and body styling are the same).

]]> By: Aceface http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-371273 Aceface Wed, 06 May 2009 01:20:28 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-371273 Having recently watched "Gran Torino" I too want 70's big American gas-guzzler. But the Chevys and Buicks that I saw in Shanghai looks like...Like Korean car. Ofcourse there must be some localization to fit the needs,but that's no Buick I had in mind.Anyway the street is filled with cars from all nationality that is imaginable. Kia,Hyundai,Citroen,Skoda,Fiat,Volvo,you name it.And that too can be a difference between Tokyo where the streets are dominated with Japanese cars. Having recently watched “Gran Torino” I too want 70’s big American gas-guzzler.
But the Chevys and Buicks that I saw in Shanghai looks like…Like Korean car.
Ofcourse there must be some localization to fit the needs,but that’s no Buick I had in mind.Anyway the street is filled with cars from all nationality that is imaginable.
Kia,Hyundai,Citroen,Skoda,Fiat,Volvo,you name it.And that too can be a difference between Tokyo where the streets are dominated with Japanese cars.

]]> By: Joe Jones http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-371264 Joe Jones Wed, 06 May 2009 01:07:04 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-371264 Totally coincidental, but on Monday at the park by my house, a guy pulled up in a pimped-out 60s-vintage Impala with rapper-style hydraulic lifts. He was instantly popular with all the picnicking kids. Totally coincidental, but on Monday at the park by my house, a guy pulled up in a pimped-out 60s-vintage Impala with rapper-style hydraulic lifts. He was instantly popular with all the picnicking kids.

]]> By: Aceface http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-371125 Aceface Tue, 05 May 2009 12:49:27 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-371125 Just came back from Shanghai.And the whole trip was a deja-vu thanks to this post. One thing I've noticed as the huge difference is the amount of American cars(or the localized version of)running the city.Lots of Buick and Chevy.Even wonders why Detroit big three is in the brink of bunkruptcy Just came back from Shanghai.And the whole trip was a deja-vu thanks to this post.

One thing I’ve noticed as the huge difference is the amount of American cars(or the localized version of)running the city.Lots of Buick and Chevy.Even wonders why Detroit big three is in the brink of bunkruptcy

]]> By: Roy Berman http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-331787 Roy Berman Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:52:49 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-331787 I haven't been to China since 2004, which was shortly before I started learning Chinese, and about a year and a half before I went to Taiwan to really study Chinese. I'm very much looking forward to going back some time both to see what's changed, and to see how different it feels to me when I can actually converse (to a much more limited degree than I can in Japan) with random people. Hopefully I can make it this year. I haven’t been to China since 2004, which was shortly before I started learning Chinese, and about a year and a half before I went to Taiwan to really study Chinese. I’m very much looking forward to going back some time both to see what’s changed, and to see how different it feels to me when I can actually converse (to a much more limited degree than I can in Japan) with random people. Hopefully I can make it this year.

]]> By: N Japan http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-331759 N Japan Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:16:35 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-331759 Nice post - I had a similar feeling the first time I went from Tokyo to Shanghai. Even though it's a bit dirty, there is something freeing about the relative lack of manners compared to Tokyo. I also wonder how things are changing in Shanghai in the last year since the Chinese economy has been having trouble. Nice post – I had a similar feeling the first time I went from Tokyo to Shanghai. Even though it’s a bit dirty, there is something freeing about the relative lack of manners compared to Tokyo. I also wonder how things are changing in Shanghai in the last year since the Chinese economy has been having trouble.

]]> By: Mutantfrog Travelogue » Blog Archive » Guangzhou to Hong Kong by rail http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-256331 Mutantfrog Travelogue » Blog Archive » Guangzhou to Hong Kong by rail Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:00:37 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-256331 [...] general flame-baiting conclusions: My opinions about China haven’t changed much since Shanghai two Novembers ago. As for Hong Kong (which I personally do not consider to be part of China; it’s in its own [...] [...] general flame-baiting conclusions: My opinions about China haven’t changed much since Shanghai two Novembers ago. As for Hong Kong (which I personally do not consider to be part of China; it’s in its own [...]

]]> By: roundeyes http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/comment-page-1/#comment-252604 roundeyes Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:10:48 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/11/13/shanghai-and-tokyo-i-wanted-some-comparisons-but-could-only-come-up-with-contrasts/#comment-252604 While I think this is an OK perspective in that first-time-in-China kinda way, you missed out on the best thing about Shanghai - the Shanghainese. Before you laugh spend a few years living here and get to know the people, and learn some Chinese (Shanghainese+1). Once you look past the spitting, hawking, loud speech (most of these people are not Shanghainese I assure you) and rampant materialism, you'll come to appreciate their dynamism, openness, and enthusiasm. I, for one, will take uncouth but friendly Chinese over Japanese any day....and the traits attributed to Chinese could easily be used to describe the average American. (Ignorance about other cultures, thinking we are the center of the world, expecting everybody to speak Americ...whoops I mean English). Hell yeah it's a developing country. It's clear that the problem is more about your expectations before you came here (you wanted a Chinese Tokyo, wrong place my friend, try Taipei or HK) than with Sh itself. Pollution is a no-brainer. Some of the fog you observe is man made pollution, some of it is, well, fog. The climate here is humid/damp, fog happens. China is a country of 1.3 billion, Japan 127 million. China began industrializing in the 1980s. Japan began in the 1880s. China is still 80% rural with an agrarian economy. For anybody who has traveled in Africa, India, or other developing parts of the world, nothing in China is shocking, except for the sheer scale of things. Are some people out to scam you? Sure. As with anywhere that has poverty. Are the majority of Chinese honest and helpful. You bet. Are the majority of foreigners in Shanghai arrogant douchebags or degenerate buggers? Yup. While I think this is an OK perspective in that first-time-in-China kinda way, you missed out on the best thing about Shanghai – the Shanghainese. Before you laugh spend a few years living here and get to know the people, and learn some Chinese (Shanghainese+1). Once you look past the spitting, hawking, loud speech (most of these people are not Shanghainese I assure you) and rampant materialism, you’ll come to appreciate their dynamism, openness, and enthusiasm.

I, for one, will take uncouth but friendly Chinese over Japanese any day….and the traits attributed to Chinese could easily be used to describe the average American. (Ignorance about other cultures, thinking we are the center of the world, expecting everybody to speak Americ…whoops I mean English). Hell yeah it’s a developing country. It’s clear that the problem is more about your expectations before you came here (you wanted a Chinese Tokyo, wrong place my friend, try Taipei or HK) than with Sh itself. Pollution is a no-brainer. Some of the fog you observe is man made pollution, some of it is, well, fog. The climate here is humid/damp, fog happens.

China is a country of 1.3 billion, Japan 127 million. China began industrializing in the 1980s. Japan began in the 1880s. China is still 80% rural with an agrarian economy.

For anybody who has traveled in Africa, India, or other developing parts of the world, nothing in China is shocking, except for the sheer scale of things. Are some people out to scam you? Sure. As with anywhere that has poverty. Are the majority of Chinese honest and helpful. You bet. Are the majority of foreigners in Shanghai arrogant douchebags or degenerate buggers? Yup.

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