chinamarilla

A couple of days ago I ran into a good friend of mine. She was quite jovial as usual but there was something to her expression that was not right. I told her she didn't look well and that I was concerned about her. She avoided my questioning and went on to say she had had a long day at work and no more. After a minute of hustling I talked her into a cup of coffee to keep on digging into her life and satisfy my feline curiosity.

She hadn't taken a sip of her tea nor had I tasted a bit of my coffee when out of her mouth popped out the words that have ever since brought me out of my sleep. "I need a husband" she said. For a second I thought it was a glitch in my understanding or that she had wrongly structured the sentence. To my dismay, I'd heard right.

My friend, a mere twenty-two years of age was being pressed day and night by her parents to do what a girl of her age was "supposed to do" to avoid losing face back in her hometown a good 300 miles away deep in the country. She truly felt it was her unavoidable duty in life to please her parents in every possible way. This plead for a prompt wedding, regardless of feelings or responsibilities of her own, in addition to a "life-threatening" heart condition of her father - a man whom on a daily basis imbibes tremendous amounts of liquor and smokes uncountable cigarettes - had turned her into some sort of monster on the prowl.

Whatever the man looks like, his profession, his feelings, his attitudes and manners were of no concern in this matter. All she needed was a "husband". A "microwave husband" as I sarcastically termed him.

"What about love?" I said as my face contorted at the thought of her marrying a man she felt nothing for. She said love was of no importance and that it was culturally acceptable to get married for the simple reason of not being looked down upon by the rest of society.

Doing something to please others, regardless of the personal consequences is I feel unacceptable. In the particular case of marriage one can not condone to a life of suffering and dissatisfaction for the sake of hearsay. We, both men and women should be free to choose our own life and destinies as long as we don't meddle with those of others in the process. Who we marry is a choice of uttermost importance thus is a choice which cannot be hurried.

Our parents had their time and did what they thought was right for themselves and for their children. Now is our time and our life is for us, and no one else to choose. Our parents have lived much longer than we have thus their experience must be taken into consideration at every step we take in life. Considering though does not necessarily mean obeying. The world we live in changes rapidly and with it society and its customs. We must go with the flow that makes our life more fulfilling both emotionally and professionally, free from the reins of a sometimes square-headed society.

The person we chose to be our husband or wife is the same whose face we'll see every morning when we open our eyes and the same face we'll see when we shut our eyes closed before we fall into a deep slumber filled with all sorts of beautiful dreams. Wouldn't it just be nice then that our dreams were made of our every day memories rather than of those beautiful things we know we'll never experience because we weren't given a choice in the first place?

Think before you marry a complete stranger.

China and the Beautiful People

Girls with long yellow, brown and even red curly
hair, walk along Shanghai’s
stylish riverside quarters; women with white, shiny teeth cast upon a scenery
of till now rarely seen full and glamorous breasts. Their bodies seem carved
out of ivory, tight in their Levi’s jeans tuck in trendy and costly fine
leather boots. Their pearl-smooth faces look radiant, even flirty at moments
with tones of blue, red and yellow. These are not women, but angels cast from
earth-born elements by the hands of men – chemists and surgeons, vials and
scalpels in hand. These are China’s beautiful women, nothing reminiscence of their
past; people whom regardless of restrictions present and past have come to
understand and believe that appearance is king and key to opportunity and
glories to come.

People in all the big cities in China have changed their ways. They
no longer drink tea, but coffee instead. They no longer wear silk robes, but
jeans instead. So many things have changed during the past 25 years in China;
especially the condition in which people live, the way they see things and the
concepts they believe in and live by. Chinese people are no longer those
old-styled, dark and uniformly dressed people we got so used to seeing in
documentaries and propagandistic posters. Chinese people have parted from their
traditional roots, and have transformed their society into one that does not
follow trends, but sets the trends instead.

The newest
trend is the pursuit of beauty, no matter the cost or the sacrifice. Hair and
beauty salons, nail salons, spas, cosmetic surgery and beautifying potions
galore have become a staple in China’s
new market society. China’s
beauty industry is an awakening giant; a giant key driving force in the
country’s thriving economy.

The Chinese
beauty industry, a mere 25 years old, is just a baby in terms of development;
and just like one it must take a few false steps and tumble, before it grows
into a more solid and stable condition. The Chinese beauty industry fed by the
people’s desire to be healthy and beautiful, is a top player in China’s economy
and at the same time a headache for the still underdeveloped legal system which
now, more than ever, lags behind the rapid economic development and growth of
the world’s new superpower.

Beauty and GDP

China is one of
the world’s most dynamic economies, together with India
and Japan.
It is expected that within the next 10 years, China
will overtake the United
States as the world’s economic powerhouse.
It is needless to say that the Chinese beauty industry, one of its 5 top income
producers, will go hand in hand with such an important development.

China’s
economy has been growing at a 9% annual rate since the beginning of the
eighties, improving the life of all Chinese whose income (on a per capita
basis) has already surpassed the USD 1000 levels; a number impossible to attain
for a vast majority of the Chinese people just a few years ago.

With a much
higher income, Chinese people are now able to dedicate a greater portion of
their salary to expenses other than food, housing or basic education. The sums
dedicated to items and services such as cell phones, houses, leisure, cars and
specially beauty are on the increase. It is estimated that in the year 2003 the
Chinese people spent over USD 18.6 billion (154 billion Yuan) on beauty and
hair salons alone. After reading the figures above, it’s not amazing anymore to
see the number of hair and beauty salons existing in just a single block in any
given neighborhood.

According to
the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce, back in 2003 there were only
1.54 million beauty parlors compared to the almost 2.0 million in 2006. These
numbers show the industry has grown tremendously and at a rate superior to that
of China’s
GDP and a rate 5 times that of the American Economy for the same time period.
The Chinese economy grew at a 9 % average in the years 2003, 2004 and 2005. The
American economy didn’t do as well with an average growth rate of merely 3.3%
for the same period.

A GDP figure
is not just a number, but in fact a measure of how an economy is performing and
of the trends that act behind it. A growth of 15% in the beauty sector alone
says a lot of how important looking good and beautiful has become for the
Chinese people.

Getting a new
hairstyle, tinting one’s hair, losing a few pounds or getting the latest design
on one’s own or acrylic nails is the latest fad. Everybody in China is doing
something to embellish themselves in one way or another. Beauty salons,
otherwise known as beauty parlors are open till late at night (sometimes till
as late as twelve or one in the morning) to take care of a continuously growing
clientele.

It is
estimated that the 1.84 beauty salons currently operating in China employ a
staggering 9 million people; almost all between the ages of 20 and 30, and
mostly women making an average salary of about 1,050 (USD 131.00). The beauty
industry as a whole employs 20 million people. According to Zhang Xiaomei, a
member of the CPPCC (Chinese People’s Consultative Committee) and president of
China Beauty and Fashion, it is estimated that the industry has the potential
to create 1 million jobs annually. With such a rapid growth rate, the beauty
industry has taken 5^th place as a preponderant GDP factor, after
real estate, tourism, automobile and telecommunications industries.

The economy is an interconnected web of all those enterprises,
public or private, that in some way or another commercialize either products or
services. Sales of one company generate sales for its suppliers of both goods
and services. A greater number of beauty and hair salons and their
corresponding sales translate into greater sales for all the companies which
supply them with the products and services they need; namely: beauty parlor
furniture, machinery, lotions, creams, chemicals, toiletry, etc., etc. An
increasing number of beauty salons results in an increasing number of people
employed. The income perceived by these new employees will in turn become
greater income for all the other sectors of the economy. The projections for
the years to come are simply mind-boggling.

The
development of the beauty industry in China
affects more than just simple economic indexes; it brings well-being to
millions of families across China;
especially those pertaining to the middle-low and low income classes. A part of
the income generated by the industry last year, some USD $21.5 billon will make
its way to those in rural areas which is where it’s most needed.

If the beauty
industry’s growth does not stagnate, China will for sure and soon enough
become synonymous with the term “Beauty”, with a beautiful woman or a
good-looking man in every household.

What’s
driving the industry’s rapid growth?

Beauty past
and present

What’s behind
the industry’s rapid growth? Namely: higher incomes, China’s internationalization and
WTO access, more demanding customers and customer protection standards, as well
as more liberal and accessible information on the World Wide Web and in the
general media.

The search
for beauty is not limited to Chinese women. Not only Chinese women, but men as
well all over the world are in a continuous search for a method, for a potion
or a secret that will make them more beautiful, stronger, younger – maybe even
immortal.

Human search
for beauty is ageless; it’s a human characteristic wanting to be healthier and
look better. There have always been beautiful women in China, but
according to history, the three most beautiful women of all times lived long
before our time. Empress Wu Zetian and high-ranking concubine Yang Yuhan of the
Tang Dynasty, along with Empress Dowager Cixi of the late Qing Dynasty
practiced different, but equally effective methods to achieve heavenly beauty.

Empress Wu
Zetian, a Taoist, had the habit of meditating in order to beautify herself. She
would close her eyes and clear her mind of all thoughts. Clearing one’s mind
and having a good rest are proven weapons against aging, if practiced
continuously. This is one of the main reasons extreme sports have given way to
yoga, which is now more popular than ever

Famous
concubine Yang Yuhan had perfect skin. What was her secret? She loved to eat
Litchi, a traditional Chinese fruit rich in various elements beneficial for the
attainment of a clear and healthy complexion. She also enjoyed taking
hot-spring baths which helped add moisture to her skin.

Last, but not
least, Empress Dowager Cixi knew of the importance of taking care of her skin
early in the morning and late at night before going to bed. In the morning she
applied face powder made from pearls and a skin cream made from flower
distills. At night she applied an egg white mask and flower extracts.

Empress Cixi
also had the habit of massaging her face with a roller made from jade, a stone
believed to have natural health-enhancing properties.

If you’re not
into the habit of taking care of your appearance, all the methods mentioned
above will surely seem to be an inconvenience at the expense of precious time
you could’ve used to simply work or watch a good TV show. Taking one thousand
and one troubles to look good; though, doesn’t seem to pose a problem for the
now millions of Chinese people heading for the nearest beauty salon or
cosmetics shop, every day.

The methods
used back in the time of the 3 beauties and the methods used nowadays in order
to attain beauty and health, are as varied as the people that practice them.
The important thing; though, is not how beauty is attained, but the attainment
of beauty in itself. It is thus not surprising to see the number of cosmetic
products, and lately cosmetic surgery methods offered in the market to change
one’s appearance and stop being average or plainly said “ugly”.

Not only
women can be beautiful

As the trend
to be better looking grows stronger, so does its influence on China’s male
population. The number of Chinese men now paying attention to their appearance
grows by the day as a most recent investigation shows.

Men, usually
portrayed as the strong and rough side of the sexes seem to be spending less
time drinking and playing tug-o-war, and spending more time in front of a
mirror and in beauty salons (unisex or for men). The same goes for the sums
they’re spending on cosmetics; a phenomenon unseen just a few years ago, just
like the signs advertising cosmetic products for men, now plaguing the streets
of China.

According to
a study performed by the China Hairdressing and Beauty Association, about 30%
of the total annual revenues of the beauty industry comes from male customers
whose expenditures on beauty treatments and cosmetics grows at a 20% rate every
year.

Dr. Gu
Caixia, a surgeon at the Shanghai Ren’Ai hospital said that currently men
amount up to 20% of the hospital’s cosmetic surgery customers, whereas the
percentage barely reached 5% just 3 years ago. It’s quite clear that in our
times beauty is not just a female obsession.

Cosmetics are
just not enough

More and more
Chinese people are looking for methods to attain beauty in a more permanent
way. Eye-shadow and lipstick wear-off, mascara and face powder disappear after
a good wiping or bath; only to reveal those hard-to-accept, God-given
imperfections we were born with: noses too small, eye-lids too plain, breasts
and buttocks too small for others too notice and want, are what is driving the
development of the not so beautiful sister of cosmetology – cosmetic surgery.

The interest
of Chinese people on cosmetic surgery has its roots in China’s neighboring countries, Korea and Japan where people spend huge
amounts of money on remodeling their bodies and faces. According to ND Lease
and Service, a Japanese consulting company, Japanese people spend some US $18.7
billion on cosmetic surgery every year. As of Korea, it is home for well over
2,000 cosmetic surgery clinics and it’s estimated that over 50% of Korean women
in their 20’s have had some kind of cosmetic surgery. If these numbers seem
amazingly high, they won’t be so anymore when compared to the even greater
numbers of Chinese that will be subject to cosmetic surgery in the near future.

With China’s rapid development and the saturation of
both the Japanese and Korean markets, it’s just a matter of time before the
cosmetic surgery craze extends all over China.

In developed
countries like the United
States, anti-discriminatory laws are quite
strict and the penalties for violations rather severe. No one can be refused a
job opportunity based on his or her appearance alone. The fact that a person is
short, chubby, ugly or dark-skinned (if it’s these physical traits which are
considered “ugly” and undesirable) is no grounds to deny employment. In China; though,
it’s normal to see signs requesting employees that fulfill not only a series of
academic requirements, but a few physical requirements as well. In China it’s
still common for an employer to perform a first round of selection based on the
appearance of the candidate alone, if the nature of the company does so require
it. The tall, fair-skinned, good-looking and well-groomed hold a definite
advantage. This just may be one of the reasons beauty salons, spas and cosmetic
surgery clinics are spreading at an almost geometric rate.

Cosmetic
surgery, only allowed as a means for reconstructing deformities resulting from
accidents, was forbidden by the Chinese authorities as a means of enhancing
beauty needlessly. Nowadays; though, cosmetic surgery is widely accepted and
sought after by those wanting to improve their appearance as well as their
chances of getting a better-paid job (or a rich husband in the case of many
women), where anti-discrimination laws are - if existent - in just their
embryonic and most primitive form.

According to
the figures released by the government, the Chinese spend over USD 2.4 billion
a year on cosmetic surgery. China,
a developing nation in every sense of the word, is definitely a good bet for
those already in the business, and for any forward-looking entrepreneur willing
to make a profit in the years to come.

Profits in
the cosmetic surgery field, just as in many other industries in China, are
based on volume sales, as opposed to high markups. Getting folded eye-lids may
cost USD $20 on an average; a nose reconstruction $50 and a breast
augmentation, one of the most sought after procedures, can be quite costly
reaching $900 due to the shortage of silicon required to produce the implants.

The fact that
more and more women have access to cosmetic surgery, especially breast
augmentations, says much of the improving economic condition of the Chinese
people and of their great desire to look better – even if it costs them the
income of nearly a year’s work in some cases.

A beautiful
woman is worth a million dollars

The Chinese
economy, and specially its service component, is like any other -
sales-oriented, thus will go the extra mile to make sure that customers are
pleased with the quality of the service they receive. Just as with food, first
impressions are what sell in any business in which customers must make
face-to-face contact with a service representative. Chinese, just like anybody
else feel more at ease when dealing with a physically pleasant individual at
the counter. In a country where the gross of the income still comes from men,
it’s of the utmost importance to have a beautiful woman behind the counter. A
beautiful woman will sell anything and everything to a man with a few dollars
to spare.

Beauty is
also of the essence if we take into account Chinese traditions. In China it’s still important for women to find a
husband – a part of China’s
social gadgetry, really. This is basically due to the fact that a woman,
regardless of her economic position, is not well seen if left unmarried. It’s
thus common to see parents congregate in parks or tea houses with the sole mission
of finding their offspring an adequate couple. The pressure from the parents is
strong and will often result in marriages celebrated just to keep a good image
in society.

With an ever
growing number of millionaires in China, the chances of marrying one
are greater than ever – if the woman has what it takes to catch one. Men are
visual animals and as such are quite responsive to appearances. Men often
choose their partners based on the mere looks of the girl – sadly enough, just
the way they choose their food. Needless to say, a beautiful woman has better
chances of finding a rich husband before an ugly one does. Any money spent in a
beauty parlor or on expensive cosmetic surgery is then, money well invested.

Modern
Chinese people have different ways of flaunting their power from those in the
past. A few A little less than a century ago, land, animals and the possibility
of having various concubines said a lot of a man’s wealth. Nowadays; though,
things have changed strikingly and so have these wealth-portraying objects. As
the economic condition of Chinese people has improved, so has their taste for
more luxurious and fine objects – women included. Not long ago a good belt was
a sign of a good economic position. With the rapid development of
telecommunications a belt became a good cell phone. And for those with the
sufficient means, nothing says more of a man’s wealth than a nice series S
Mercedes Benz or a Series 7 BMW. No matter how times change; though, there’s an
item that has remained unchanged in men’s wealth showcase – that item is and
seems will for ever be, a beautiful woman.

Whether it
was a chubby, big-footed woman in the past or a thin, nearly anorexic woman in
present times, a beautiful woman has always been a symbol of wealth and power.
The strongest man (physically in the past or intellectually and economically in
the present) will get the most beautiful woman (or women). Beauty, as Lord
Henry in Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray said, “ends where
an intellectual expression begins. Intellect is in itself a mode of
exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.” Women lacking the
most basic education have nothing to fear if they seem beautiful in the eyes of
the powerful man.

The ugly side
of beauty

Forfeiting
and lack of control

Profits are
bringing not only reputable cosmetics firms and plastic surgeons into the
Chinese market. They’re also attracting hoards of aficionados and overnight
entrepreneurs and self-made doctors looking for big profits and an early
retirement.

Developing
cosmetics for human use and performing a surgery, especially cosmetic surgery,
requires knowledge and experience which can only be acquired through years of
study and practice. In China,
as opposed to more developed countries, like the U.S.A or those in Europe, it’s rather easy to become a medical
practitioner. Whereas in the U.S.A.
or Europe it’s necessary to have a P.H.D. in order to be a surgeon, in China a 5-year
associate degree is all that’s needed. Such a lack of expertise is sure to
cause medical malpractice and subsequent complaints and court cases – if
luckily enough, not deaths.

In China both
cosmetic products and cosmetic surgery clinics and their personnel act freely
without any present or foreseeable legislation to protect customers. Day and
night it is possible to see banners, radio and TV commercials and shows, signs
at bus-stops and stations, promoting a thousand and one cosmetic products and
cosmetic surgery clinics boasting of their techniques and miraculous results.
It’s only true that good advertising can sell just about everything.

The media is
an excellent tool for promoting new products; especially those for which
popular knowledge is limited or non-existent. In the case of cosmetics, the media
is a strong and indispensable ally when it comes to selling miracle workers
like overnight fat removers and breast enhancers, quick rejuvenating masks and
wrinkle removers. It is true that some products have the ability of working
marvels over time, but the results that some widely advertised products claim
to have, are just nonsense. One of these products for example, is a cream
currently promoted through local media, which claims to have the ability of
removing fat from areas of the body where it’s not welcome, like legs and
buttocks and transferring it to the breast area where it’s most desirable. If
such claims were true, the inventor of the magic cream would’ve possibly won a
Noble Prize by now.

The amount of
forfeit cosmetics or of those which are simply unsuitable for human use can be
found all over China; the problem being that there are no clear policies to
control 1) forfeiting (as is the case not only with cosmetics), 2) chemical
content of cosmetic products and 3) false advertising claims.

The growing
number of fake or bad products has resulted in an equally growing number of
consumer complaints which is keeping the local authorities quite busy.
According to a report on the beauty industry realized by the economists He Fan,
Ba Shusong, Zhong wei and Zhaoxiao, the number of cosmetics-related complaints
is the third highest among industries in China.

On March 15, China celebrated China’s first Consumer’s Day.
During this celebration several products came to the people’s attention. One of
them, for example, a cream for removing freckles sold in well over 3,000
outlets nationwide, contained an amount of a chemical called Hydrargyrum 27,000
times of that acceptable for human use.

The product mentioned above is only one
of many which are sold freely in the market, and do so undetected mainly due to
the minimum amounts of mostly unknown and sometimes hazardous chemicals
contained in their formulations. Products like these will keep harming
consumers unless the relevant authorities take a stand and make a real effort
to supervise and control those in the industry.

As a result of an investigation
performed for the issuance of the 1^st report on the cosmetic
industry, the CCAC (China’s
Consumer Association), the following problems were discovered:

- Many manufacturers lack sanitary
permits.

- Some products don’t carry a CIQ
(Consumer Information Quality) label, or the labels attached are false.

- Some products lack dates of
production and expiration.

- Many products don’t carry information
leaflets printed in Chinese

The observations cited above are just
the tip of the iceberg and are findings resulting from more than 200,000
complaints forwarded by those affected by the industry’s malpractices in the
last 10 years. More than 300,000 people have been harmed or injured as a result
of irregular practices in beauty salons alone. The number of complaints
directly related to cosmetics products themselves is even higher. Unfortunately
the Chinese government faces an industry that has been growing at a steady and
staggering 15% rate on an annual basis – a giant for a non-existent
legislation. The number of people employed in the industry is already counted
in the millions and its income by the billions. Promulgating effective
regulations and enforcing them properly will prove to be a titanic undertaking
for the government.

The Chinese government knows it is of
the essence that the industry is controlled, so that customers are more
satisfied with the products, thus purchase more and not less, having in mind
that they’re not putting their lives on the line every time they put on
lipstick or moisturizing cream.

Beauty and
social disorders

Trends turned into common habits may at
times be hazardous for health. Such is the case of dieting in order to become
slim, which is a characteristic considered attractive in women of our times.
Dieting can, if performed in an exaggerated manner, turn into an eating disorder
known as anorexia; a disorder which may prove deadly if left untreated. With an
increasing preoccupation of Chinese people to look trendy and beautiful,
anorexia is becoming a commonly seen disease; especially among young Chinese
women in big cities like Shanghai and Beijing where the newest fashions and
trends first take foot in China.

The cosmetics
market – a market for everybody

According to statistics, the market for
beauty products in China
is growing at a very rapid rate. In 1992 cosmetics sales in China barely
amounted to USD 24.1$ million, whereas in 2003 they reached an amazing $6.27
billion. With such a potential for development in such a short time, it’s no
wonder more and more companies, both local and foreign, want a part of the action
and a slice of the huge profits cake.

Avon, for example, an American
cosmetics firm specialized in door-to-door sales has recently invested nearly
USD $40 million in its south China
factory. Such an onerous investment is not without a reason if we consider that
Avon’s sales in China
in 2003 were $4 billion and $5.5 billion in 2005. With a 12% annual market
growth it’s not strange to see the number of foreign companies that have
established themselves in China
grows year after year. In 2001 there were only 10 companies, whereas the number
increased to 21 in 2003.

Foreign cosmetics companies have been
in the business for quite a while now thus know where to better allocate their
funds and how to go about promoting sales in their target markets. These
companies invest heavily on high technology geared towards servicing the ever
growing Chinese middle-high and high income classes.

The
Chinese beauty industry is growing rapidly and with it the number of jobs
created. Those in the industry, perceiving an annual income in the order of
trillions of Yuan have a definite and strong effect on the economy; fueling it,
propelling it. The Chinese people’s desire to be beautiful, a newcomer amongst
Chinese traditional values, is not and will not be fulfilled without a cost. If
the industry is to continue developing, it’s necessary for the relevant
authorities to set clear standards and regulations, as well as instituting more
and better bodies of supervision. More jobs, greater income and better
standards – It doesn’t get any prettier than that, does it?

Last weekend I stopped by a Chinese friend's place for what I thought would be a nice chat over a cup of tea and some sunflower seeds. Not a minute had passed from the time I walked in when she did indeed put some spiced seeds and a cup of green tea on the table. Everything seemed well, or so that's the way it appeared till her 3-year-old son stepped into the living-room and headed straight for the table where he spilled my tea. "Little bastard" I thought to myself while I managed to turn a murderous vision into a pleasant smile for my friend whom apparently gave little or no importance to what that devilish creature encased in an angel's skin had just done.

"I want Coke, I want Coke" started the child demanding his slave, I mean mom, to pour him a cup. Not thirty seconds gone by since my friend had obeyed that the little tyrant poured all the Coke on the couch. "Unbelievable", I said to myself, this time unable to keep my mouth shut and my eyes off that "thing". Sooner than his poor "big sister" / maid was done cleaning the mess back came the child, this time not asking but telling the girl to take him to the zoo, a good thirty minute bike ride away, right away.

"If the mother consents to this, I'm shooting myself", I thought to myself. Two minutes later, imagining a pistol stuck to my temple I saw the girl leave with the snake whose slithering body bitterly repelled its loving mother's hugs and farewell kisses.

Once gone, and with my senses off-guard I saw the child in my mind, a child whose body and clothes were covered under a layer of filth beyond believe, falling off the balcony and hitting the ground ten stories below where a car awaited to run him over once and again in a merciless manner. May God forgive me but I'd never seen anything like this in my life.

When I think of this episode and of many more of the kind which I've witnessed since the day I got here, I feel nauseous at the idea of having a society full of these so-called "little emperors", seeds of human disgrace in fact.

Raising a child properly does in no way mean fostering unlimited power and providing the liberty of acting wrongly with impunity. This is the way criminals, forever unconscious of their wrongdoings, are brought up. Raising a child correctly implies conveying values and manners which are not necessarily those accepted by our local society, but rather those that'll provide a humane and truly social foundation for the future global societies.

It is true that in places where human numbers are big and resources scarce, selfishness is in some cases the key to self preservation. Selfishness on the other hand impedes group work which I believe is essential for the development of a nation as such. If China is to become a world power it will only be through the joint effort of its peoples. Selfishness doesn't exactly foster the team spirit required for such an endeavor. Teaching our children to watch their backs (protect themselves) is fine. Teaching them the world revolves around them and for them is not.

The "one child" policy has proven successful in decreasing child-birth rate and de facto improving future living conditions for today's youngsters. Smaller numbers though do not always imply greater quality. Nowadays' Chinese children are spoiled to the death in the most varied of manners. Children are constantly praised and made to believe they're the non plus ultra of human kind. They're allowed to answer back and scream at their parents (and relatives) may these not pursue every possible means to satisfy their (more often than not ludicrous) demands. Even hitting the parents is permissible in this new society of single-child families.

As parents we want the best for our children. We don't want them to have the life of suffering many of us did. With our minds set to that goal every possible undertaking is understandable. We must keep in mind though, that the way we raise our children will determine what is to become of them. Whether they turn out to be benevolent rulers or ruthless tyrants depends on us. Let's think a little more before we let that child hit us or take us once again on that unnecessary five-mile bike ride.

Quisiera hablar de algo, que hace ni un instante me vino a la mente. Se trata de un asunto que entiendo ha fascinado al mundo desde los principios del tiempo. Hablo de si en verdad existe un “Dios Creador” una existencia / escencia universal de la cual todos y todo lo que conocemos provienen, y si es que efecto existe una forma de revertir el proceso de creación (de las partes). Soy sincero – Lo dudo.

Hace ya bastante tiempo tuve la suerte de ojear algunos libros de filosofía oriental. De cual filosofía en particular proviene el concepto del cual voy a hablar, no recuerdo, pero de cualquier forma carece de importancia para el efecto.

En el mundo existen un sinnúmero de culturas; algunas de ellas con costumbres y principios mas allá de nuestra comprensión. Lo que en una cultura significa una cosa, en otra significa otra muy distinta. Lo que para mi es un closet / armario, es lo que para otros una alacena o inclusive un dispositivo de tortura en el caso del Al Qaeda.

Todas estas diferencias son el resultado de un largo proceso de lo que podriamos denominar “moldeado cultural”. Este “moldeado cultural” es aquel proceso mediante el cual se nos enseña, desde el momento de nacer, a conceptualizar todo aquello que nos rodea; tanto lo físico como lo abstracto.

Al momento de nacer somos seres, que según nuestra (ya moldeada) forma de pensar, no saben nada; somos una cinta en blanco sobre la cual serán grabados a su debido tiempo, todo lo necesario para poder ser parte funcional de nuestra “inescogida” sociedad y su cultura.

Es que en verdad no sabemos nada al momento de nacer? Pienso que en realidad la respuesta es contraria a lo que pensamos; que de hecho nunca seremos mas parte del universo; de la propia existencia; del mismo “Dios Creador”, que en el momento mismo de la concepción y los 9 meses que vivimos dentro del vientre materno.

El alumbramiento, pasados los nueve meses de “destrucción”, es cual vacuna; una inoculacion infecciosa que nos adecua a un Nuevo mundo de inmundicia física, mental, conceptual.

Al momento de nacer, el ser humano es gastronómicamente hablando, comparable a una gelatina recien hecha; caliente, sin forma, moldeable. Una vez que esta gelatina es colocada en el molde de sociedad escogido, esta sufre un proceso de enfriamiento cultural. Al cabo de varios años de enfriamiento la gelatina se encuentra en capacidad de subsistir, sin perder su forma inclusive fuera del molde.

Es acaso posible revertir el proceso de culturación; esto es, promover un proceso de aculturación que nos permita regresar a nuestro estado líquido original; regresar a ser uno con el “Dios Creador”? Pienso que es teoricamente posible, pero imposible en la práctica.

Muchos practican la meditación como forma de alcanzar el denominado “todo” o “material Universal” del cual todo lo que conocemos se deriva y toma forma. La meditación es sin embargo y como yo lo entiendo, algo así como una cable entre dos vasos comunicantes. Este cable solo nos permite viajar de un punto a otro de nuestra existencia, mas no nos permite ver el todo que se encuentra alrededor de los (2) puntos.

La meditacion nunca sera capaz por si sola de lograr la reunificación con el todo debido a que es un método individualista y egoísta. El todo esta compuesto de todas las mentes y almas; no solo de algunas. La meditación es una práctica individual ajena a todos aquellos que rodean al practicante. No es posible hacer un pastel con solo los huevos de la receta.

A forma de ejemplo podríamos comparar al meditante a un viajero de metro que cree que con llegar a la estación de destino le será posible tener una vista completa de la ciudad y sus gentes. Es evidente que los que practican el yoga y logran estados elevados de meditación nunca lograrán lo que pretenden a la vez que viven existencias alienadas del resto de individuos del mundo con quienes mas bien deberían unirse para conseguir la “iluminación”.

En este punto creo que a lo mejor otra comparación ayuda a entender mi forma de ver las cosas. Nosotros los individuos somos como los ingredientes del pastel – el todo; somos la harina, el azucar y los huevos. De pretender hacer el pastel es necesario que cada uno de nosotros renuncie a su estado individual, como harina, huevos y azucar y se una a las demas partes para así poder conformar el pastel – el todo. Así como no es posible hacer el pastel sin la harina o la leche, es igualmente imposible reconformar el todo sin la voluntad de hacerlo de todos los seres que en escencia lo componen. Dicho de otra manera , lo que hace falta para lograr la reversión es que todos renunciemos a nuestras individualidades – que todos seamos iguales. Esto a su vez implica una eliminación de las clases sociales, económicas, conceptuales y finalmente del mismo ser. Para que la raza humana lograze semejante cosa sería necesario alcanzar la paz absoluta entre las gentes – cosa imposible dada nuestra belicosa naturaleza. Es así que la única forma en que alguna vez podremos lograr la reversión será muriéndonos todos. La destrucción en este sentido se transforma en un acto de creación – irónico no es así?

Hace solo pocas semanas que comenze a escribir en otro blog y no hace ni una semana que me he percatado de que al igual que todo lo demas, los blogs tambien pasan por el filtro de los censores - sin importar cual. Todo lo que pensamos y por ende escribimos tiene lectores fijos y a diario. Lastimosamente estos asiduos lectores jamas tienen la cortesia de dejar ni un comentario ni su firma en mi "guestbook". Sea como sea hay ojos que nos miran desde todo angulo para ver si no estamos intentando derrocar a las elites o promoviendo el pensamiento y el libre vivir.
Mi blog en Espanol es ya bastante dificil de editar debido a alguna barrera recientemente instalada en los servidores (equipados con tecnologia Cisco) y mi anterior blog, yo mismo ya no puedo accesarlo porque aparece en la pantalla como "FORBIDDEN" (prohibido) en letras mayusculas. Sera que en verdad alguien nos observa? A lo mejor los directores de Hollywood no estan tan locos cuando hacen peliculas como "Enemy of the State" o "Cospiracy Theory". Cada vez soy mas partidario de decir que SI, nuestras vidas son bien o mal controladas por los gobiernos y sus agencias. La libertad no es mas que una ilusion que los mismos que la controlan nos quieren hacer ver.
Hace algo mas de dos meses intentaba accesar un sitio web con informacion clasificada como subersiva, por la pura curiosidad de saber a que se refieren cuando clasifican algo de tal manera. La primera vez logre evadir al censor instalando un browser distinto y entrando por servidores en otros idiomas, pense desconocidos para el censor. Llegue hasta el listado de articulos y hasta medio abrir uno de ellos. La segunda vez a duras penas llegue ver el sitio listado y por ultimo los dos browsers quedaron sin poder abrir nada. Escalofriante en verdad. Tanto asi que estuve a punto de renunciar a mi empleo y desaparecer sin mas ni mas ya que por un momento tuve la certeza de que alguien iba a venir a buscarme. Paranoia? No creo.

Hace poco estuve escuchando una entrevista en RFI (Radio France International) en la cual los expertos practicamente afirman que paises que al momento se encuentran aun en vias de desarrollo - casi todos - , estan a punto de entrar en una nueva fase de su desarrollo economico. Que fase sera esta si no es aquella que nos ponga en un sitial de desarrollo similar a aquel de los Estados Unidos o la mayoria de los paises Europeos? La respuesta es bastante simple aunque muy dificil de tragar para nuestro orgullo; estamos a punto de tener que devolvernos a la epoca de la pre-industrializacion para dedicarnos nuevamente a proveer al mundo industrializado de simples materias primas. A nadie le gusta ni tiene que gustarle la idea; sin embargo, ya no es cuestion de gustos sino mas bien de pura supervivencia.

China, el ex gigante dormido, esta ahora mas despierto que nunca y buscando donde vender sus mil y un productos, en su gran mayoria extremadamente baratos y de mala calidad. Las economias tercermundistas andan de mal en peor y sus gentes ahora mas que nunca “viven” existencias miserables, comiendo papa, fideo y con suerte arroz. Es precisamente esta poblacion horriblemente empobrecida – la mayoria de la poblacion - , que clama por producto Chino barato. Con un sueldo de miseria no puede uno darse el lujo de buscar la mejor pieza de carne, cuando a duras penas se puede comprar el pellejo. Nosotros, tercermundistas por excelencia proveemos una demanda cada vez mayor de bienes baratos que la China no tiene problema alguno en proveer.

La unica forma de detener esta tendencia seria convertir a los pobres en ricos para que asi dejen de comprar “One Dollar” huevadas y puedan darse el lujo de preocuparse mas por la calidad de las cosas y no solamente del precio. Dada la imposibilidad de dicha solucion, porque QUE HORROR, redistribuir la riqueza seria ceder nuestro glorioso CAPITALISMO al COMUNISMO - es facil darse cuenta que los expertos tienen la razon- estamos a punto de irnos a la mierda.

Se escucha por otros lados que siempre existe la posibilidad de convertirse en una colonia comercial China. Y como es esto? Los Chinos son muchos – MUCHOS - , y cada vez mas se les encuentra en los lugares mas apartados de su tierra, montando negocios y logrando ingentes ganancias. No malentiendan. Los Chinos son gente en verdad inteligente y diligente; trabajan literalmente como hormigas; todo el rato y en hordas. La unica diferencia es que las hormigas trabajan de gratis y los Chinos (en su gran mayoria) por casi nada.

“Casi nada” es lo que todo el mundo sabe, pero creo nadie entiende. Los sueldos en China son extremadamente bajos, razon por la cual las fabricas estan siempre atestadas de gente realizando labores que a nadie se le ocurriria jamas, deberian ser realizadas sino por maquinas debido a su alto grado de repetitividad y / o simpleza. Los trabajadores Chinos no trabajan las 40 horas por las cuales todos los trabajadores de Occidente reclamamos a llanto partido ya sea por cuenta propia, o a traves de las uniones de trabajadores, que valga aclarar, en China NO EXISTEN por que son ilegales. Las empresas Chinas pueden exigir a sus trabajadores laborar por cerca de 72 horas a la semana, sin que esto implique tener que darles un dia libre entero a la semana ni mucho menos. Es normal que un trabajador Chino – digo “trabajador” y no “burocrata”, no reciba horas extras ya que el hacerlo equivaldria a poner la renuncia (intempestiva).

A lo mejor se preguntan de el porque de tanto abuso y de la acceptacion pasiva del mismo. Yo siempre digo que la diferencia esta en los numeros. En la China hay mas de 1.3 billones de personas, de las cuales solo una infima parte dispone de los medios para comprarse un BMW o una Harley. Revisar el dato de numero de autos vendidos por la BMW en China puede ser en principio impactante, pero esto se debe simplemente al hecho de que el quizas 1.0% de la poblacion, que posee los recursos para adquirir estos bienes (en China), es numericamente mas de 10 o 20 veces de lo que en otros paises (desarrollados) en los cuales el mismo indice alcanza un porcentaje mucho mayor.

La asombrosa masa de gente que vive el dia a dial es una masa laboral potencial que hay que ver, porque no es posible imaginar. Los Chinos (en su mayoria) que si bien es cierto no son analfabetos, ya que de serlo seria imposible mantener al pais de una sola pieza, son trabajadores con poco o ningun entrenamiento y por ende increiblemente especializados para la realizacion de la tareas mas basicas; tareas que un recien llegado y completo ignorante en la materia podria aprender y dominar en pocas horas. La rapidez con la cual es posible entrenar a nuevos trabajadores y la simpleza de las labores a realizar tienen como resultado una alta rotacion laboral, que a su vez se posibilita por la enorme masa de gente desempleada o con empleos relativamente peores (dispuesta a cambiar de empleo en cualquier momento). Con tanta gente dispuesta a tomar el puesto de uno no es possible darse el lujo de reclamar o de decir “No” a las exigencias del empleador; sean cuales fueren.

Con un costo de produccion tan increiblemente bajo y una masa laboral tan grande y no especializada, la China simplemente dejara de tener competidores dentro de poco tiempo. Es que acaso existe forma de no seguirnos muriendo del hambre?

En este punto, con el fin de ganar competitividad ya no bastaria con que nos deshiciecemos de las uniones laborales, cuyo unico fin es llenar el bolsillo de sus propios dirigentes, o que pidiesemos ganar menos, ya que de asi hacerlo solo fomentariamos mas el hambre y el crecimiento de un indice de mortalidad ya de por si alto.

La solucion, como algunos proponen es comprar cosas “Not Made in China” (No Hechas en China), para asi fomentar el crecimiento de la industria nacional y asi lograr una eventual mejora del nivel de vida de la gente. No digo mejora de la economia, porque el bienestar o malestar de la misma no refleja la realidad de las gentes de un pais. Desgraciadamente la gente no compra producto nacional, no por falta de patriotismo, sino porque todo lo nacional esta mas alla del alcanze de su pauperrimo suelo.

Una solucion, se me ocurre, solo es posible si es que 1) los empresarios (propietarios, CEOs, CFOs y otros COs) deciden sacrificar un poco de sus onerosos ingresos a traves de la disminucion de los precios (de los productos que sus empresas elaboran) y la de sus propios salarios y 2) de la eliminacion de la mafia existente al interior de los gobiernos que malversa los fondos del estado (que en su mayoria provienen de los impuestos que los menos vivos, por falta de encontrar metodo de evadirlos, pagan ; y en algunos casos de la venta del contaminante petroleo cuyos ingresos van a parar a todas las partes del presupuesto, menos a las que realmente hacen falta).

Una reduccion de precios (general) reduciria las ganancias marginales, es cierto, pero fomentaria el volumen de ventas. Por otro lado, lo que los propietarios dejarian de ganar podria ser redistribuido entre los empleados, que a fin de cuentas son los que que proveen la fuerza y ponen a rodar las buenas ideas de la gerencia. La eliminacion de la corrupcion del aparato gubernamental aumentaria la cantidad de fondos disponibles para mejorar la infraestructura que permitiria a su vez a las empresas funcionar mas eficientemente y a la gente, obtener ciertos servicios basicos gratis o a menor precio. En definitiva la gente dispondria de algo mas de dinero para mejorar su condicion de vida.

Estoy seguro de que muchos diran que debido a una serie de factores economicos, la antedicha solucion no es posible – es una solucion utopica; sin embargo, ya cualquier cosa que se diga solo es una excusa para no cambiar la actual situacion de miseria de los paises en desarrollo, cuyas gentes viven nada mas que de lo que las organizaciones internacionales (fondeadas con prestamos bancarios y donaciones de hermosas estrellas de cine) proveen y de un remanente de los fondos para el bienestar social que los politicos y dirigentes corruptos olvidaron robar.

La solucion esta mas alla de la simple manipulacion de factores economicos o de la aplicacion de alguna novedosa teoria economica. La solucion esta mas bien en la realizacion de un cambio en nuestra calidad como seres humanos. Tenemos que aprender que pese a las diferencias que hacen de una persona un exitoso empresario y de otro un mendigo, es necesario ahora mas que nunca, deshacerse del egoismo y egocentrismo; actitudes que nos llevan a acumular bienes materiales / triunfos profesionales a expensas de gentes que a diario mueren por no tener que comer lo que nosotros, el dia de ayer, botamos a la basura por tener la barriga, mas que satisfecha, llena de gula.

La educación en China

La inmensa población China y la falta de recursos financieros (presupuesto insuficiente para la educación) y humanos tienen como resultado un número reducido de escuelas con aulas sobresaturadas de estudiantes – en algunos casos mas de 100 estudiantes por aula.
El gobierno, como muchos en vias de desarrollo insisten en aumentar desmedidamente el el tamaño del estado a costa de minimizar el presupuesto para la educación. Cabe aclarar empero, que inclusive con una mayor asignación de fondos, las escuelas no tendrían suficientes maestros debido a que: 1) los sueldos no son buenos (a nivel de primaria, media y secundaria) y 2) no hay quien soporte a la juventud China; atrozmente malcriada por padres que hacen hasta lo imposible por mimar a su primogenito y legalmente “unicogenito”.

Es cosa comun ver como los profesores “rasos” (desde pre-escolar hasta secundaria) se quejan del sueldo cuando se percatan de que no es mas que una bicoca comparado a los sueldos del profesorado universitario cuyos ingresos se encuentran en el rango de los RMB 50,000 - 100,000 (USD 6,500 – 11,000) anuales. Esto a lo mejor parezca no ser mucho pero es de hecho una cantidad onerosa si consideramos que el sueldo básico no supera los USD 50. En este caso el título, la experiencia docente (medida en años y no en nada mas) y las conexiones al interior del sector universitario y gubernamental son factores determinantes. Para ser maestro “raso” basta con haber cursado dos años de Universidad. En el caso de las universidades, como en cualquier otra parte del mundo, resultan imprescindibles un BS, un MBA / MS o un PHD.

Habra gente que nunca se entero del significado de las antes mecionadas siglas. A manera de chiste: un B.S. (Bachillerato Universitario) significa “Bull Shit” (mierda), un M.S. (masterado) significa “More Shit” (mas mierda) y finalmente un P.H.D. quiere decir (Lots of Shit) “Piled High and Deep” (una enorme pila de mierda). Hecho el chiste procedo a explicar que en China asi como en muchas otras partes, la obtención de un título universitario no es nada difícil y en ciertas oportunidades basta con llamar al teléfono sobre las etiquetas autoadhesivas que se encuentran pegadas sobre las aceras o el pavimento para hacerse de uno “legal” y “aceptado” a nivel nacional. Triste pero cierto, el numero de profesores – masters y doctores, que jamas se tomaron la molestia de ir a la Universidad, es considerable.

En China como en muchas otras partes; aunque muy particularmente en China, tener buenas (e influyentes) amistades es algo tan vital como el agua. En China hace falta tener conexiones para todo: para entrar a una escuela decente, conseguir un trabajo en el sector público, deshacerse de culpa en caso de accidentes, comprar boletos de tren (con diez dias de anticipación; siendo los diez dias el máximo posíble para la realización de reservas, porque ya todos los boletos los vendió la boletería a los revendedores, (que sin la mas mínima verguenza y con conocimiento de las autoridades pintan letreros e instalan pancartas con sus números telefónicos y servicios.), etc., etc. Hablo de amistades porque en el caso de las universidades, donde los sueldos son excelentes, el ingreso para los “desconocidos” es muy dificil si es que no simplemente imposible. Existe un círculo hermético reservado a los amigos y la familia – una mafia educada.

“Las amistades” componente basico, mas bien elemental de la cultura China, tiene como muchas otras cosas, algo de bueno y algo de malo. Ya sabemos lo malo por lo que para pasar a lo bueno hacemos un pequeño brindis con una copita de licor de trigo (“Baijiu”) y de allí comenzamos. Lo bueno de tener que tener felices a las amistades viejas o hacer nuevas es que hay que comprarles regalos o caso contrario llevarlas a cenar , de compras o a divertirse a los mejores lugares. Estos lugares, denominados restaurantes, karaokes, casas de baño, licorerías (que las hay mas por metro cuadrado que bóticas, hospitales, escuelas y cualesquier otra cosa), joyerías o supermercados, contratan gente sacándola del tedio del desempleo e inician así la multiplicación del dinero que tanto bien le hace a la economía. O acaso no es así como funciona nuestro adorado capitalismo?

Como habrán notado siempre digo “como en muchas otras partes”, porque es muy cierto que lo que pasa en China también pasa en muchas otras partes y no solamente en China. Refiriéndonos nuevamente al asunto de los títulos falsos podemos encontrar , sin ir muy lejos en el internet y en ciertos países de habla inglesa, “institutos” que ofrecen los títulos TESOL (Teach English as a Second Language) y TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) por menos de doscientos dólares y en menos tiempo de lo que toma aprender a usar palitos Chinos. Y es que en nuestro mundo capitalista basta que aparezca la demanda para que se cree la oferta, sin importar la ética o la moral. Los antes mencionados títulos que certifican al portador como “maestro experimentado” de Ingles como segunda lengua, se venden como pan caliente a todo tipo de personas en países de habla inglesa; principalmente a mochileros, desempleados (de todas las profesiones), prófugos, ex-convictos (asesinos, pedófilos y violadores, etc.), que buscan ingresar al “paraíso” que es la vida del profesorado extranjero en la China.

El Mercado de la educación en China es cada vez mayor y mas lucrativo. Si bien es cierto y existen escuelas públicas en las cuales a duras penas se paga USD 100 (libros incluídos) el año lectivo, también las hay en las que la pensión supera los 20,000 RMB (Yuan / Renminbi – divisa China). Una vez mas el número no parece mucho por lo que nuevamente hay que recordar que el salario básico no es mas de USD 50 y así la pensión equivale a cincuenta veces el mismo. El básico en países Sudamericanos como el Ecuador asciende a unos USD 300 (2400 RMB). Hecho el cálculo, la pensión de una escuela como las recien mecionadas fácilmente alcanza los USD 15,000 al año o cerca de USD 1,700 al mes! Sera posible que haya gente que pueda pagar una cifra tan extraordinaria por la educación de sus hijos? Seguro que los hay y sin ir mas lejos y como buen ejemplo esta mi padre que solía pagar, en mis tiempos de escuela (20 años atrás) la misma y exacta cifra – por cada uno de sus tres hijos.

En China es cada vez mas el número de nuevos ricos que tienen el dinero suficiente para enviar a sus hijos a escuelas de élite donde los niños reciben los mejores cuidados y son tratados como reyes, por hordas de maestros expertos en hacer sobretiempo y a la vez ignorantes de las implicaciones monetarias del término. Esto, sin embargo ya es parte de otra historia.