The recent spate of articles with titles such as “Almost nobody in Hong Kong under 30 identifies as “Chinese” , “Are Singaporeans Too Westernised To Appreciate Chinese Culture?” and ‘You don’t want to be Chinese any more' have left me pondering the questions: Why do some people hate being Chinese nowadays?
Though I cannot know for sure nor read the minds of the subjects, I can certainly speculate some possible reasons why they feel that way.
These views came from individuals with low self esteem
Chinese culture has been greatly influenced by the Western cultures, especially their values and social norms. Just take a look at one of the magazines, or the advertisements on billboards, newspapers or any other form of media. There was a great chance that these products are from foreign countries.
The individuals with low self esteem and self worth is due to the negative image that they had created for themselves. Many Chinese have been brought up with expectations for their kids to be smart and respectful, but many failed to do so as they were simply not good enough as their peers. It's almost like a self fulfilling prophecy where they actually fulfill what others expected of them.
Chinese culture is too judgmental
One of the reasons why some people hate being Chinese nowadays is because of the judgmental culture within the community.
The Chinese culture favors people who are successful, those who have money and power, over the goodness of heart. It emphasizes more on the appearance, than on the actual worth of the person. This is not only evident in China but also in other parts of Asia where Chinese migrants have settled and gone on to become successful.
A classic example of this phenomenon is that a wealthy and successful businessman in China would be better accepted by society than a kind hearted philanthropist who has no money. In fact, if you are poor but have an excellent moral character, many would rather shun you for your inability to provide for them.
They want to be recognised and accepted by the west
Self-hate, hatred of the clan or race and a desire to adopt the identity of their former colonial overlords is certainly possible. For example, in Singapore it is often taken for granted that Chinese-educated Singaporeans would automatically be respectful of their elders and value filial piety as part of Chinese culture.
The negative perceptions are a result of colonialism and imperialism. The influx of foreign cultures and values from the western world tended to be much more intolerant to those that were outside their influence. This led us to believe that we’re less developed, backwards, and barbaric. These views tend to be very ethnocentric, which are historical biases. Anyone who is familiar with the principles of anthropology knows that values throughout history don’t change as easily as one would think.
Chinese culture has too many obligations
One reason could lie in the fact that we have too many obligations. We have to do well in school so that we can get into a good university and then find a good job. We have to be married by a certain age, or at least be in a stable relationship. We need to buy an apartment and make sure our parents are okay. And so on. There are always things that we need to do, and sometimes we don't even know what they are!
Today's young generation is different from their parents' generation, as they have grown up in an environment where western values are increasingly popular. The younger generations are more independent and self-centered. They don't mind if others think negatively about them or if they lose some respect from others because of what they do. Many young people simply want to enjoy life and have fun without being bothered by other people's opinions about them.
Chinese culture has too many obligations for the younger generation, which is why they try to avoid it at all costs.
So, is Chinese culture all bad? Of course not. The close knit family values, the communal spirit and the traditions that are passed down from generations are things that every human should aspire to. At the same time, we shouldn’t be so quick to demonize Chinese culture or to shun it in favour of western capitalism, as if one cannot co-exist with the other.