Chinese people are so serious!

[woodcutter]

My wife told me that she thinks Chinese people are very serious, on the whole, and cannot easily make friends with Americans.

I hadn't heard an opinion like that before, but I suppose I agree that Chinese people are frequently fairly earnest, serious types. And it's OK by me by the way.

Do you agree?

(my apologies for yet another stereotype/over generalization question)

[ThePhatGentleman]

I disagree. I went to Xian university for a little while. I made so many lively and cool friends that I had a great time. So were very lively and others were serious.

[kaylene]

well i don't know about americans but as an australian i don't seem to have any trouble making friends with chinese people. can't say those i meet are overly serious either.

[pazu]

Being a CHinese, I'll seriously think about your opinion on Chinese. hehe.

[liuzhou]

I am British and have lived in China for 8 years. I find Chinese people to be outgoing, fun loving and friendly. Much more so than westerners. (On the whole. There are always exceptions. But very few.)

[Alleluia]

I've only been in China for six weeks, but I don't find the Chinese people very serious, quite the opposite actually. I'm a bit sad about that, because being fairly serious myself, I find it easier to make friends with other serious people.

[Quest]

I hadn't heard an opinion like that before, but I suppose I agree that Chinese people are frequently fairly earnest, serious types. And it's OK by me by the way.

In america, you often find Chinese, Japanese, or Korean people hard to approach. It seems that they only talk to you on serious subjects and topics or only when they have to. I think it's just a cultural gap or language gap. When they are around themselves, they can be very wild.

[benotnobody]

Surely people have their own personalities, regardless of their ethnicity and/or nationality.

[Rylie]

The cultural gap between chinese/american is insane. I've tried my entire life(or my entire childhood) to be easy-going and relaxed around americans and it's seriously difficult........ It is possible though somewhat. But you have to be an adult and you have to be successful probably.

[Rylie]

i still think most asian people just want to kill americans and that's about it..... which makes this discussion completely meaningless.

so yes, asian people are serious.... mostly.

[woodcutter]

Aw, come on Benotnobody, don't be tiresome. Our culture has a big impact on our personalities and behaviour. Take a walk round Saudi Arabia, and see if you find as many unpretentious, happy-go-lucky, sport and drink loving individuals there as in your current location.

[Rylie]

it's got something to do with the asian concept of time and how everything should just be light, skinny and almost invisible. Probably something to do with space.

I remember living in china felt like living in just darkness or something. Everyone was so skinny too. But the activities were fun though. Although the people really were somewhat scary but only if you stopped and looked at them and thought about them. Which I think was considered a bad thing........ ............. < turns and runs far away, I did not say that ! ! !

[SassybutSweet]

Rylie why was it like living in darkness?!

[Quest]

i still think most asian people just want to kill americans and that's about it..... which makes this discussion completely meaningless.

so yes, asian people are serious.... mostly.

Let's assume they all want to kill americans, how does that make this discussion completely meaningless? how does that then lead to the answer that "asian" people are serious? strange logics.....

it's got something to do with the asian concept of time and how everything should just be light, skinny and almost invisible. Probably something to do with space.

I remember living in china felt like living in just darkness or something.

Sure you weren't in the 4th dimension?