Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The Need for Reason in Taiwan/ foriegn influence

just so you'll know, Ran is NOT a Taiwan hater. there's lots to love about this place, but lots that needs to change too.
a lot of things here are "just that way", never questioned, but it doesn't mean they can't be looked at another way.
For instance, the presence of foriegners in taiwan. do we take jobs from taiwanese? in the english teaching field, probably. taiwan bushibans use foriegners as their selling point, though there are many taiwanese teachers who may not speak perfect english, but speak it well enough, and have gone thru the probelms of learnign english so the know how to help natives learn.
also taiwanese teachers are routinely paid HALF of what foreign teachers get, which i think is a shame and a travesty. two people doing the same job should get the same pay. simple as that.
but are we taking jobs in other fields? not at 7-11. not at Carrefour. in fact, all of those are examples of FORIEGN INVESTMENT creating jobs for local taiwanese.
and also MOST foriengers here are brought here by FORIEGN COMPANIES. you never see them because they're AT WORK! taiwanese people only see english teachers on the street because they generally have TIME to be out and about. this needs to be known by locals, but the media is only interested in making them beleive that all foriegners are job stealing, pot smoking english teachers (and most english teachers don't even smok pot either).
let's look at taiwan under foriegn influence: the taiwanese young people growing up are the HEALTHIEST, and PRETTIEST of ANY GENERATION on taiwanese before them. why?
because they eat a more varied diet thanks to westernization. look at pictures of taiwanese people about 50 years ago, or better yet compare the height and appearance of someone 50 years old raised in the countryside to the young people today. shocking difference, thanks to a western diet.
how about equal pay/rights for women? some bunch of tai ke gangsters at the Ma dzu temple didn't think that up! it's a WESTERN idea, that taiwan accepted. same for anti sex harrassment laws, maturnity leave, etc. all WESTERN IDEAS.
how about electric power, hospitals, clothing manufacturing, food processing, refrigerators, and a host of other things that are 99% of the taiwan people's daily life? these things were invented in the WEST while the taiwanese were busy burning incense in temples and trying to figure out which day is a lucky one.
taiwan people need to own up to the contibutions of the West. without the west, they would be stuck in the ching dynasty.
foriegner go home? why not "taiwan friend, join us? throw off your chains of darkness and join us in the light of reason and truth." we welcome you.