Why Do Some People Hate Being Chinese These Days?
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.
