转天涯 热帖：美国年轻人对中国以及奥运的看法 系列 天涯热帖，原帖地址:http://cache.tianya.cn/publicforum/content/sport/1/103714.shtml 作者博客：http://blog.sina.com.cn/shiqispace 访问及编写by 师淇 最近，西方传媒的各种不实报道我们都已经领教过了。这些报道足以引发一件令人担忧的事情，那就是，在西方传媒固有价值观的"培养"下，美国普通民众，尤其是年轻人群体，是怎样看待中国的呢？当然，除了传媒的熏陶，信息沟以及文化差异的存在也会对人们的观念产生影响。这些因素合在一起，毫无疑问，便会催生出五花八门的误解，误读与隔阂。这误解，隔阂有多深？在与美国年轻人面对面的交流中我着着实实领教到了。 最近，我随机访问了一些周围的美国年轻人，大多数是大学生，请他们谈谈对中国文化，社会，和人的看法，得到了形形色色反馈。在这些想法当中，有的让人大跌眼镜，有的让人咬牙，也有的让人哭笑不得，更多的是让人感觉到加强文化交流和理解的重要，可能奥运会就是这样一个千载难逢的机会。现在，我把这些访谈整理出来发表，希望更多的朋友能够认识到，奥运会不仅仅是体育盛会，也是一次向全世界展示中国的机会。希望在奥运来临之际，我们每个人都能为消除国外普通民众对中国的误解做出自己的贡献，借奥运的机会，让全世界的人看到一个真实的中国，可爱的中国。 英文部分由我进行了整理和编辑，因为访问往往是闲聊时随机问几个问题，答案也时常是断续的。整理后的英文文档已经由当事人进行了确认和编辑。
受访人NO.3: 小G （应当事人请求，姓名隐去） 编者注：小G是一个很内敛的人，在人群中大多数时候都很沉默。即使是两个人面对面，他也不像一半美国男生会主动找话题，所以有时和他对话是个挑战；然而从他的背景就可以看出，他绝对是个有故事的人，我也尝试问他在军中的见闻，然而他每次总是说"等咱们再熟一些再告诉你吧。军队里的经历通常我是不会主动提及的。" 在这个全球化，或者说西方式的价值观横扫全球的时代，我们看着和地球另一端同样的美国电影，用着同样的法国化妆品，在同样拥挤高度商业化的城市中过着漂泊的生活，即使生在华夏，我们同样也要为自己的身份做出选择。而作为中国人如何确认自己的身份，如何在日益统一的全球话语体系中找到自己的独特位置，也是一个重要的议题吧。 访谈正文： Q: What are the things cross your mind when think of China/Chinese? (such as things you most exposed to in daily life) 问：想到中国的时候你一般会想到什么？比如说你在生活中常常见到的东西。 答（认真想了一分钟，忽然开始闷笑）：I am really sorry. I know it was not right, I tried to dig deep into my memory so I recalled a representation of Chinese culture in a old cartoon. Well, now people don't do that as often as the old days. 真对不住，我知道想到这个不好。我试着往记忆深处仔细挖掘所以我想起了一个老动画片里对中国文化的展现。不过，现在做这样的事情越来越少了。（其实不是，看看绝望主妇里的小梅这个角色，我觉得比汤姆和杰瑞老卡通在脸谱化中国人方面还要严重。） http://youtube.com/watch?v=MiyAZA_aLdY） Ok, let's forget about the Chinese dance. First I will think of communism, because china now is the one of the few communist country in the world yet with highly capitalized economy and great diplomatic influence. Its relationship with Russia and North Korea make US and other western countries necessary to find ways to communicate with china in political terms. OK, 忘掉那个中国舞蹈。首先我会想起共产主义，因为中国现在是少数的共产主义国家，却拥有高度资本化的经济和强大的外交影响力。在政治上，它和俄国与北韩的关系使得美国和其它的西方国家必须找到和中国沟通的方法。 I would be curious to know what characteristic is actually communist in china. 我很好奇，想知道在中国，什么事情有真正的共产主义特征？ Q：Can you name a few channels you get information on China? (Movie, Newspaper, etc.) 问：能不能举出几个你获取关于中国信息的渠道呢？报纸啦，电影啦 答： For general information I would go to New York Times, BBC, and Washington post. If I wanted to understand an issue more thoroughly and more objectively I would go find foreign policies journals such as the< Political Science Quarterly>. Because to understand the inside and out of a certain issue you have to be informed of its history and current state from every aspects. 日常的消息我会去看纽约时报，BBC， 和华盛顿邮报。如果我想深入和不受偏见地了解某个问题，我会去看关于国际政策的期刊，比如《政治学季刊》。因为要从里到外地了解某一个议题，必须要全面了解它的历史和现状。 Q: And what impression you have on China/Chinese culture based on these information? 问：那你从这些信息里对中国得出了什么印象呢？ 答：Basically people are the same. In different cultures, there are maybe differences like how people eat, wear and talk, but people are all driven by the same causes to live every day. To love, to be loved, to avoid death, and to find happiness. 其实从根本上来说，人都是一样的。在不同的文化中，也许有一些像衣，食，言谈方面的差异，但是人从根本上都是被同样的理由驱使而或者。爱，被爱，逃避死亡，寻找幸福。 每一个文化肯定都有背后深厚的根基。即使我们从新闻上看到关于中国负面的一面，那又怎样呢？每个文化都有它好和不好的一面。对别的国家或者文化指指点点很容易，因为事情没有发生在我们身上，但是我宁愿这样想：如果我们在他们的处境，会做得更好吗？我会试着去想象这些人们有怎样的难处使他们不能解决那些问题，而不是仅仅要求他们去做那样那样或者停止这样这样。这不公平。
Q：What you think of the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing? 对于即将到来的2008北京奥运会你有什么看法？ 答： Things are getting very controversial these days and I think it is the biggest challenge the Chinese and the government had in years. In the old times China had been more focused on its own development than pleasing the outside world, however the past ten years China's economical success had gradually turned around the world's attention, the people had been more interactive with the world, the culture especially the film industry had also attempted to let the outside world to experience the fast evolving Chinese society together. All of these efforts are highlighted by the host of Beijing Olympic Games. The media here always describe the 2008 Olympics as "China's come out party", indicating that by opening up to the world and letting outside world stepping inside, China's potential as the world's major player would be recognized. 最近事情变得很有争议，我认为这对中国人和政府来说是近年来遇到的最大的考验。在从前中国把注意力集中在自己的发展而非取悦外部世界，而过去的十年里，中国的经济成就逐渐的引起了世界的关注，中国的人民和世界的交流也越来越双向，而文化特别是电影工业也在尝试让外面的世界一起经历快速演变的中国的社会。而这些努力的高潮就是北京取得奥运申办权。这边的（西方）媒体总是把2008奥运会描述成"中国的成年舞会"（类似少女成年进入社交场合的正式介绍身份的舞会），喻为通过向世界敞开自己，让外面的世界走进来，中国的成为世界主要力量的潜力当被正式地承认。 However things may not be as what Chinese people expected, it is not necessary to be disappointed yet because some people are trying to attempt to destroy the party. I mean, we are more into parties, and from my experiences, despite the chaos before the party, you never judge whether you are going to have fun during the party. When something is too big and the more you wanted it to be smooth and the more you care about it, the more likely you would be likely to experience some little disasters at the fore night. But hey, you never know, plenty of parties are fun no matter how many disasters had occurred, let's just see what is going to happen on August. 虽然事情不像中国人想象的那样，但是现在也没有必要感到失望仅仅因为某些人正试图破坏这个舞会。我的意思是，我们（美国人）更热衷舞会吧，而根据我的经验，不管舞会开始前有多混乱，你永远不能判断你会不会在舞会上享受到乐趣。有时候，当事情过于重要，你越希望它顺利，你越在乎它，你就越有可能在舞会前夜经历一些小灾难。但是，嘿，你猜不到的，不管多少个小灾难发生过，许多舞会是很有趣的。让我们拭目以待八月份会发生些什么吧。 Q：And will you go to Beijing for the Olympic Games if situation (your schedule and budget) allows? Why and why not? 答：I wouldn't go to Olympics since I am not a big fan of big parties. But I do want to go to China just to see what is happening in China now. Maybe I will go to small towns to see how the ordinary people live and taste the real Chinese food there, and maybe I will have more fun than going to Olympics by which many people are trying mess up. 我不会去看奥运会因为我不是大型舞会的狂热粉丝。但是我绝对想要到中国去看看现在中国正发生着什么。也许我会去一些小城镇去看看平常的中国人的生活，品尝真正的中国食物，而这样，比起去看正被一些人搞复杂的奥运会，我也许会享受到更多的乐趣。 About going to China, to be honest with you, China is not a prior choice of country on the wish list for most people I know here. For them, if they get a chance to travel, they would first like to go back to Europe, their culture roots, to discover what they identify with. Just like every Jewish would like to go to Jerusalem, every Hispanic want to go to Spain. 关于造访中国，诚实的讲，对于很多人的旅行计划，中国并不是首选的国家。对他们来说，如果有机会旅行，他们首先想要重返他们文化的根基欧洲，来探索他们能共勉的文化。就像每个犹太人想要造访耶路撒冷，每个拉美人想要去西班牙一样。 Q：How do you imagine the life in China? 你想象在中国的生活是怎样的？ 答：I don't know, there are no images in my head. Again, since I haven't been there I would rather reserve my opinion. It should be me ask questions to you not the opposite on the matter. What it feels like to live in China? Is it stressful or peaceful? Is it happy? At this moment, It must be hard for you guys because of all the outside pressure. However you guys have survived for thousands of years, I am sure you guys can make this. 我不知道，在我的脑海里没有图像。再次的，因为我从来没有去过，我宁愿保留我对中国生活的意见。相反的，在这个问题上应该由我来问你问题：在中国生活是什么感觉？很有压力呢还是很平静？有幸福感吗？在这个时期，因为外部的压力你们一定觉得很辛苦吧。不过你们已经经历了几千年的起伏，相信这个坎也能过得去。
请给出几个词形容一下你对中国这个世界强势力量的看法。 答：It is natural and neutral for china to become the world power, unlike what many people say, I don't think China will mess up the situation. Currently, there are four world powers in the world: US, European Union, Russia and China. But I feel this judgment is mostly based on the economical and military power, I think China's status as a world power would be more solid if its culture and arts had matched up more. I mean if people in the west had been talking about Chinese literature, movies, or music, then everybody would truly admit that China is a respected world power because it is influencing everybody's daily life. Now, I haven't seen it happening. 中国成为世界强势力量是一件自然而且中性的事件，不像有的人说的，我不觉得中国会扰乱世界格局。目前，世界有四大强势力量：美国，欧盟，中国和俄罗斯。不过，这个判断主要建立在经济和军事力量的基础上，如果中国的文化和艺术能和之（经济和军事潜力）更相配的话，我觉得总过作为强势力量的地位将更加稳固。我的意思是，如果西方人一直谈论中国的文学，电影，音乐的话，那么这里的每个人都要承认中国是一个受尊重的世界强势力量了，因为它正影响着每个人的日常生活。目前来说，这个事情还没有在发生。 THE END 系列之三 完 |
| 美国年轻人对中国以及奥运的看法 系列之七
被访问人： Vasilios D##@@…… （认识他很久了我仍然不知道怎么念他的姓，连名都是勉强掌握，姑且尊称他小V好了） 年龄： 23 教育背景：大学物理系三年级。 成长背景：纽约本地长大的希腊裔。（博客有靓照登出：http://blog.sina.com.cn/shiqispace） 注：这位小V同学对中国的了解比前六位要高一个段位不止，原因是刚认识他时，他居然脱口问我知不知道”Faye Wong”(王菲)，让我大惊。后了解到他交往三年的前女友原来是中国人+王菲的死忠fans，在她的熏陶下，小V 同学不但知道天后菲，还掌握了不少有用的中文词组，在我们的奥运之行确定下来以后，我开玩笑说他要在北京和漂亮MM搭讪的话可以帮他翻译，他很自豪地表示，他其实已经学了不少中文表达方式了。我也兴奋地附耳过去，准备检验中国文化的传播成果；小V于是气沉丹田，字正腔圆地脱口而出： “放屁！” 天哪，不知什么样的MM会待见如此特别的搭讪方式。 后详细拷问之，原来是他的前女友同学采取了特殊的教学方式，将咱相对粗鄙的字眼重新赋予了优美意义。在小V的理解中，“放屁”= 你很漂亮。 于是，以此类推，“小猪”= “亲爱的”，“去死”=“喜欢你”，唯一一个正确的只有“再见”=“拜拜”。 也难怪，若是小V在搭讪的时候说完了以上的词组，漂亮MM也只有和他拜拜了。 言归正传，因为种种原因，小V一直都对中国非常非常有兴趣，这次的北京之行也是因为他的坚持才得以成行。在政治立场上，小V也绝对是属于挺华派，在和Brian同学关于XZ的争论中也一直站在我这边，并提供论据说DL和CIA有秘密联系，反问道“难道XZ原有宗教文化中强奸幼女的糟粕不该去掉么？”，联手将怀疑论者Brian打了个落花流水。 鉴于篇幅和网络和谐制度，本篇不再重述他对XZ问题的立场，将重点围绕CNN反华言论和奥运危机展开。 Q：So we have heard about the chaos that happened to the Olympic Torch recently, and the anger among Chinese young people is heading worse to worse, what you think of the situation right now? 淇：我们听说了发生在奥运huo ju传递过程中的骚乱，而年轻的中国人身上的愤怒也越来越加深，你怎么看这个局面的呢？ V: well, my information is limited, but I’ve seen and heard is that they were trying to distinguish the flame when it is traveling in Paris, England, and San Francisco. But there are other groups , not just people who are concerned with tibe**ns， that just don’t like China. Again, you have right wing republicans, for some reasons, look at China as an enemy and don’t like the fact it is rising. So they think, you know, they should put pressure on China for some reasons. So they are just using Tib**t as an excuse. 小V：这个嘛，我的信息有限，但是我听说，也在电视上看到他们在huo ju 来到英国，巴黎和旧金山的时候试图熄灭它。但是这些团体不一定是关注XZ问题的，而也包括了一些仅仅是不喜欢中国的团体。其中有右翼的共和党人，因为某些原因，把中国当作敌人，不喜中国正在崛起的事实。他们想，应该为了某些理由往中国身上施加压力。他们只是在利用XZ问题作为一个借口。 Q: Why do you think they don’t like China? I think the conflicts of values may caused the distrust. 淇：你觉得为什么他们不喜欢中国呢？我觉得可能价值观的冲突导致了不信任吧。 V: Why ? Competition. Conflicts of values could be part of the reasons, but again when it comes down to money, economic status, and military power, anything else such as human rights are just excuses to hide those two factors. That’s basically how I feel. 小V：为什么？竞争呗。价值观的冲突也许是原因之一，但是当涉及金钱方面的经济地位，以及军事力量时，所有其它的事情例如人////权只是来掩盖这两个原因的幌子。这基本就是我的想法。 Q: Then do you think it is fair for Chinese or China to be bullied by bunch of old powers? 淇：那你觉得中国被老派的势力这样欺负公平吗？ V: On the terms of competition, there is no fairness. I would not try to morally judge the situation because this is not how the system of competition works out. In competition, you win or you lose. As I said above, some Americans and politicians from other countries don’t like the rising power of China, consequently they will figure out ways to oppress the rise and fight their own ways to success. The only thing China should keep on mind at this moment is how to fight back and win over the negatives, but not about fairness. Some tricks might be stinky but work well, and to survive China should get used to those tricks and not be irritated. 小V：从竞争的概念来讲，不存在公平。我不会试图从道德上来判断局势，因为这不是竞争体系的运作方式。在竞争中，不是赢就是输。我刚刚说过，有的美国人和其它国家的政治家不喜欢中国崛起的势力，那么理所当然地他们就要想出办法来压制这种崛起，并斗争出他们自己的胜利。中国在这种时候应该想的是如何回击，以及如何争得上风，而不是想公平问题。有的招数可能不上道但是很有效，而为了生存，中国应该适应这些招数，而不是被（它们）惹怒。 Q: You mean China should play our own cards to win? 淇：你的意思是，中国应该也有自己的制胜的王牌了？ V: China does have the cards to win on the actual competing fields such as economics and military, but not on the field of talks. I mean you guys were not even prepared for situation like this. I was kind of amazed how unprepared your government was at the beginning of the chaos, when the politicians put “genocide Olympics” on China’s head. You guys should know such things will come along with Olympics when decided to host the Olympics. 小V：中国当然在经济和军事上有王牌，但是在舆论方面却没有。我的意思是，你们居然连对付这局面的准备都没有。在这骚乱的开端，当有的政客试图把“屠杀的奥运”这个概念放在中国头上时，我很有些吃惊，你们的政府是多么地毫无防范。其实在决定要主办奥运会的时候，你们就应该知道此类的事情会随着奥运会一齐到来吧。 Q: I was amazed too, in the opposite way. I remember clearly that night when the whole nation is ecstatic about our big win seven years ago, everyone around me said the world had smiled at us, finally. No one expected there would be something else hidden under the smirk. 淇：我也很吃惊，不过是在相反的方向。我非常清晰地记得七年前那个举国对我们的大胜欣喜若狂的晚上，所有我身边的人都说，世界终于对我们微笑了。没有人会预料到，在这一抹笑容的下面还藏着别的东西。 V: It is not as bad as how you are describing it, the attitude toward China will not fundamentally change because of the good things such as the Olympics or bad things as Tib**t issues. And allow me say it: the high expectation of Chinese disappointed themselves. 小V：其实事情没有你描述的那么糟糕，（世界）对于中国的态度不会因为好的事情例如奥运，或是坏的事情例如XZ问题而在根本上改变。请容许我说，正是中国人的高度期望让自己失望了。 Q： Then what expectations we Chinese should have for the rest of the world? 淇: 那么我们中国人应该对世界抱有怎样的期望呢？ V：I can only provide my own experience for you as a reference. The Americans were told during cold war that the communists are the big threat of the world peace, and any actions conducted by the government would be justifiable under the cause of maintaining the world peace during that period of time. Even now the cold war is over, China had remained as a communist country while the memory of the cold war mentality is not so far away; therefore when people talk about China they will always keep this primary fact on the top of mind. It is not the mentality against the Chinese culture with 5000 years of history, but the mentality which is alert to communism. Despite the market of China is very open and the government is very focused on developing economics, the disagreement on political platform remains, and such disparity has to come up with a resolution at some point at some time. Before that happens, miffs of those will keep coming on the road. 小V：我只能提供我自己的经验给你做个参考。在冷战期间，美国人就被告知共产主义是世界和平的一大威胁，在那段时期，在维持世界和平这个大前提下，任何政府领导的行为都是被默许的。即使现在冷战结束了，中国却仍然是一个共产主义国家，而冷战思维的记忆还未曾远去；因此，当人们谈论中国的时候，他们依旧会把这个首要事实放在考虑的第一位。这不是一种对五有千年历史的中国文化有敌意的思维，而是一种对共产主义警觉的思维。尽管中国的市场现在很开放，而且政府也专注于发展经济，但在这个政治议题上的分歧依然存在，而这种分歧非得在某一时刻的某个程度达成共识才行。在此之前，像（奥运危机）这样的摩擦就会在来路上不断出现。 And also a fact I would like to let you know that, in the US, topics about China is not as hot as the domestic ones. It is human nature to care about things that are pertinent to their lives, such as election, mortgage rate, Iraq war, etc. And China has to really affect their daily lives to be a part of the debate. You probably think there are lots of enemies among those countries in which the hostile actions happened, but that’s not true. Most ordinary people don’t really have a strong opinion on China, because they don’t have much information on China. The lack of information, therefore, has resulted in the lack of opinions, or at some occasions, the formation of misunderstanding. And it is relatively easier to form misunderstandings with issues which are not pertinent to people’s own life. 另外一个我想让你知道的事实就是，在美国，关于中国的话题并不是像本国的话题那么火热的。更关注和生活息息相关的事情是人之常情，比如选举，房贷，伊战，等等。而中国必须对（美国）人的生活有很大影响才能成为争议的一部分。你也许认为在此次有不友好举动的这些国家里肯定有很多（中国的）敌人，但其实不是。许多普通人对中国没有强烈的想法，因为他们根本没有多少关于中国的信息。这个信息的缺失，因此造就了观点的缺失，在某些情况下，也造就了误解的产生。而且，当某些问题和人们自己生活关系不大的时候，就更容易造成误解。 Q: You are quite right. I was asked by many Americans if I were Koreans or Japanese. When I replied that I am a Chinese, they usually responded in parted ways, one is just to shrug off the information as if they are asking what I had for lunch, the other is to fulfill their curiosity about the life in a communist country. However, if you were asked this question in China in August, and when people found out you are an American, they will most likely to ask you many things, such as the election, the recession, Hollywood movies, etc. You will be surprised how well informed Chinese are on issues pertinent to America. 淇：你说的很对。我被很多的美国人问到过是不是韩国人或者日本人。而当我回答说我是中国人的时候，他们通常有两种反应，一则是对这个信息视而不见，就像他们问到的不过是你午饭吃了什么；二则是继续发问来满足他们对在共产主义国家生活的好奇心。但是，如果你八月的时候在中国被问到了相同的问题，而中国人发现你是美国人的时候，他们就很可能会问你很多事情，比如选举，（最近的）经济衰退，好莱坞电影等等。你会感到吃惊，中国人对与美国相关的事情有很深的认识。 V： I would surely be impressed. Americans are very much spoiled because the country had been the leading world power for decades, and everyone in the rest of the world had been trying to know about American culture ever since. Such attraction happens naturally when the power is strong enough to stimulate large amount of the praise and critics. Not until recently since the 9.11 and Iraq war when the Americans found out even the whole world know about American culture, there are large proportion of them don’t like America. As for the expectations we talked about, I would not encourage Chinese to expect too much from the rest of the world when their real relationship status hasn't changed. Just like dating, don’t expect the guy to say “marry me” when he hadn’t bought expensive gift for you. It’s just not the time yet. 小V：我当然会被震动。美国人是被宠坏了，因为这个国家在好几十年来都是世界的领导力量，而从此世界各地的每个人都想要试图了解美国文化。在势力足够强大时，这种吸引力就会聚集大量的批评和赞美。也是在最近9.11和伊战之后，美国人才发现尽管这个世界都了解美国文化，但这之中仍然有很大一部分的人不喜欢美国。对于我们谈到的期望值问题，我不鼓励中国人对世界其它国家期望过高，尤其当你和他们之间的真正关系没有变化的时候。就像约会一样，在男人给你买过昂贵的礼物之前，别指望他会说“嫁给我”。还不是时候。 Q：What is the real relationship status between China and the rest of the world? Pardon me that I might have been living in an illusion. 淇：那中国和世界真正关系到底是怎样的？原谅我可能一直都生活在幻象之中。 V: Metaphorically, for the world, China is like a girl who is attractive enough, but still have a lot of issues they have to communicate before they get down to that road. 小V：做个比喻，对于世界其它国家，中国就像一个足够吸引人的女孩子，但是在走向（婚姻）的那条路上，她仍然有很多的问题需要与之互相沟通。 |
