Awkward thing happened in China

[J Tyran]

Never been to China but a number of years back a bunch of us EVE players invaded the Chinese EVE server, its completely separate and up to that point only Chinese people played on it because it was walled off behind the Great Firewall of China.

The players where great fun to hang out with and fight with but there was one thing you never talked about, politics. Chinese people get fed up of other people judging them because of their government and the ones that dislike it dont want to talk about it because it can get them into trouble with the authorities, getting badged as a dissident in China is not a good thing.

 

[balladbird]

One thing you have to be careful about in many asian nations is sarcasm. Sarcasm as a device for humor is a fairly western concept, and while it exists on some level in a variety of eastern cultures, for the most part it doesn't register with them, as it's not a commonly used device, not to mention even if you are talking to someone with a good grasp on it, sarcasm is second only to puns when it comes to jokes that don't translate very well.

that particular mis-communication is so well known that some countries use "American-style joke" as a roundabout way of saying "a lie." (since, if you take the satire away from it, all sarcasm really is is saying something without meaning it)

All that aside... I'm not even sure sarcasm is what you were going for... I can't say for sure WHAT you were going for. XD It just came across as a tactless, jingoist faux pas to me. You know your intents better than I do, naturally, but you definitely should have put more thought into that one.

and what IS so wrong with communism? Not saying you're wrong, but if you can't think of any downsides to it off the top of your head, you probably shouldn't go using it as an insult. McCarthy's been dead for decades now.

 

[Olas]

You know if someone had come to the United States and said that they liked it here except for being capitalist I would have laughed it off. Sometimes I think people are a bit too sensitive, especially when it comes to these vague political ideas.

 

[Feedmeketamine]

Chinas weird, dont they have a kind of free market with stocks and shares but communism as well?

 

[PromethianSpark]

I really feel for you here. I am Irish, and we joke like this all the time, often bordering on the inappropriate (think everyone in the British isles is like that in fact). This is ofc fine amongst ourselves, but it can seldom lead to problems when dealing with other nationalities, particularly none westerners. I'd just put it down to a cultural misunderstanding and stop beating yourself up about it.

 

[Flutterguy]

I would apologize. Not directly though. Say so in a conversation, but don't start a conversation by saying it.

Small fuckups like that people will not hold against you after a short time (generally 3 months max). As long as nobody got hurt or deeply offended all will be fine.

That being said, don't mock communism. All political systems have their flaws. Don't think yours superior, if you do have plenty of evidence thats not opinion based ready, politics can be fight'n words.

 

[Bloodstain]

1. There's nothing with wrong being a communist

2. Lol at calling the Chinese communist. Possibly one of the most capitalist peoples on the planet, if we're gonna generalise populations. As a government it certainly is.

Both points are absolutely correct. OP, I am sorry, but if you think that China is a communist state then you really have little idea about what communism is.
Anyway, try to avoid the topics of politics and religion in the future.

 

[CaptainMarvelous]

Yeah, just imagine you took her to your country and the reaction was

"Yeah, it's a nice place, people are friendly, good food, it's a shame you're all capitalists"

It comes out of freakin' nowhere, I mean if you want a closer to home one "It's a shame you're all republicans"

 

[OneCatch]

However, in the last day there she asked me what do I think of the city, and my response was "I like the city. There's lots of beautiful temples, the food is good, and the people are nice. It's just too bad you are all communists".

That last sentence is where I fucked up. She then got a straight face and asked me "What's wrong with being a communist?" And I didn't know what to say.

If you can't justify an assertion then you probably shouldn't say it!
Just because a nation has a particular system it doesn't mean everyone is an adherent. They aren't 'all communists'. Most people (no matter where you go) aren't that politically involved and are just trying to live and let live. And dismissing their entire civil system out of hand is a bit rude.

But we all say stupid crap from time to time, so don't worry about it. Perhaps read up on Communism (as other posters have mentioned, you'd be surprised by how little China's political system resembles the stereotypical Soviet behemoth), and then if it comes up in conversation again you'll understand more and can be a little more diplomatic. And broadening your horizons is good in itself.

I wouldn't dredge it all up again though - she's probably forgotten it or dismissed it as actually being a joke. Just try to make up for it in future conversation!

 

[Multi-Hobbyist]

You know if someone had come to the United States and said that they liked it here except for being capitalist I would have laughed it off. Sometimes I think people are a bit too sensitive, especially when it comes to these vague political ideas.

^This, exactly this. This, the whole this, nothing but the this. Actually, sensitive is the wrong word for it. There's a difference between being sensitive, and being a dildos whinesbaby.

I'd say they've found the mix between capitalism and communism that makes the most money. For the rich, that is. The poor stay poor, ofcourse.

So, exactly what the United States has been building to achieve for the past couple decades now.

 

[Piorn]

I have yet to see a form of Communism that didn't devolve into a Monarchy in a matter of years.
You'd think Communism would make for the purest form of Democracy, but somehow it never seems to work.

 

[NearLifeExperience]

How can anyone be so tactless? I'd like to see OP go to America;
"What a beautiful country, too bad you're all fat capitalists"

Honestly man, what were you thinking?

 

[RJ 17]

Wow...that facepalm damn near broke my glasses...

I'm just curious what possessed you to make you feel like saying such a thing would be perfectly fine. >.>

But yeah, I'm...pretty sure you likely offended her when you said that. You pretty much just insulted a big part of her society's way of life.

 

[Lord Garnaat]

I wouldn't dwell on it too much, at least from what you've written here. It seems like she accepted your explanation that it was a joke and hasn't thought much about it since, so there doesn't seem to be much point in bringing it up again. It was probably a little tactless to criticize communism while visiting China (as awful as a political and economic system as it is), considering that they're still communist in name at least (though not in practice at all), but I don't think you have much to worry about. Hopefully the rest of your trip was nice: I've heard China is a beautiful country if you visit the right parts of it. I'd love to see the Forbidden Palace sometime in my life.

 

[cikame]

There's nothing wrong with communism, there is no end of great people who happen to live in communist countries. Some decisions they make regarding the care of their civilians can be questionable but that's a political issue, and it's fine to bring up issues with government, "you're all communists" is incorrect and just sounds judgemental.