Comments on China Herald: Tom Doctoroff Do we need Confucius to sell afters...

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2006-07-18T18:13:00.000+08:00

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It's Tom Doctoroff here, he who insists on lumping...

2006-01-23T11:14:00.000+08:00

It's Tom Doctoroff here, he who insists on lumping 1.3 billion consumers together like processed cheese.

I, of course, jest.

I have been very amused by the emotion released by the pithy -- and,yes, commercial -- Confucian Consumer posting. To all who have been "engaged," thank you for your passion.

It is absolutely correct that we have to approach the China market
with respect for the motivations -- the fundamental drivers of
behavior and preferences -- of Chinese INDIVIDUALS. It goes without saying that no two people are alike and variable such as age, wealth, geography, education have a huge impact on our buying decisions. Even mass-advertisers, "dinosaurs" as you call us, base our strategic recommendations (and profit) on this.

But it is also wise to compare the Confucian cultural blueprint in China with the West's monotheistic humanism. Our two societies -- including the internal inconsistencies that exist within them -- have been shaped by two fundamentally different worldviews. Anyone who has spent real time in the PRC feels this.

Westerners, buffered by impartial institutions that protect interests, believe that the individual is society's basic building block. Chinese do not. (The clan is.) Westerners believe in the power of the individual to shape his and society's future. Chinese believe in fate. Westerners believe morality is, for the most part,absolute, defined by God himself (even if, as individuals, we don't believe in God). Chinese believe that, apart from the evil of chaos, morality is relative, a "tool" to perserve stability and order.

There IS such a thing as a "Confucian worldview," despite the inability of most young Chinese to define the word or ideology. It's still engrained in the corners of consciousness. And, likewise, Daoism -- a cosmological "architecture" of the universe --continues to shape the behavior and beliefs of millions.

Chinese do not want to become Westerners. The want to be modern andinternational but they are not evolving towards some Occidental Highground. They are happy with who they are and proud of their culture and distinctly glorious heritage. Yes, any cultural
generalization masks signficant variation within. However, refusal to identify core cultural drivers will only exacerbate misunderstanding and bias.

If you want to come over to the office for some friendly debate, just send me an e-mail.

PS BY the way, pineapple is heaty. On this, guilty as charged.

It's Tom Doctoroff here, he who insists on lumping...

2006-01-23T11:05:00.000+08:00

It's Tom Doctoroff here, he who insists on lumping
> 1.3 billion consumers together like processed cheese.
>
> I, of course, jest.
>
> I have been very amused by the emotion released by the pithy -- and,yes, commercial -- Confucian Consumer posting. To all who have been "engaged," thank you for your passion.
>
> It is absolutely correct that we have to approach the China market
with respect for the motivations -- the fundamental drivers of behavior and preferences -- of Chinese INDIVIDUALS. It goes without saying that no two people are alike and variable such as age, wealth, geography, education have a huge impact on our buying
decisions. Even mass-advertisers, "dinosaurs" as you call us, base our strategic recommendations (and profit) on this.
>
> But it is also wise to compare the Confucian cultural blueprint in China with the West's monotheistic humanism. Our two societies -- including the internal inconsistencies that exist within them -- have been shaped by two fundamentally different worldviews. Anyone who has spent real time in the PRC feels this.
>
> Westererns, buffered by impartial institutions that protect interests, believe that the individual is society's basic building block. Chinese do not. (The clan is.) Westerners believe in the power of the individual to shape his and society's future. Chinese believe in fate. Westerners believe morality is, for the most part,absolute, defined by God himself (even if, as individuals, we don't believe in God). Chinese believe that, apart from the evil of chaos, morality is relative, a "tool" to perserve stability and order.
>
> There IS such a thing as a "Confucian worldview," despite the inability of most young Chinese to define the word or ideology. It's still engrained in the corners of consciousness. And, likewise, Daoism -- a cosmological "architecture" of the universe -- continues to shape the behavior and beliefs of millions.
>
> I find aversion to accepting that cultural roots impact contemporary behavior amusing. More seriously, isn't it a subtle form of ethnocentricism? Are you suggesting everyone is ultimately American??

> Chinese do not want to become Westerners. The want to be modern and international but they are not evolving towards some Occidental Highground. They are happy with who they are and proud of their
culture and distinctly glorious heritage. Yes, any cultural
generalization masks signficant variation within. However, refusal to identify core cultural drivers will only exacerbate misunderstanding and bias.
>
> If you want to come over to the office for some friendly debate,
just send me an e-mail.
>
> PS BY the way, pineapple is heaty. On this, guilty as charged.
>