Waving or Drowning?

China Bears

Some fascinating conversation this morning around what is going on here in China economically, and what that might indicate about the state of the rest of the world. A couple of random thoughts come to mind:

• Jobs are leaving China because of higher costs. (What most news stories don't indicate is that doing business here is also getting more 'expensive' as corruption continues to sky rocket. As a friend here said to me, "When the rats come out at night you don't mind so much. But when you start to see them during the day it's time to kill them."
• The parade of China shorts is growing. I know the crowd is usually wrong, but it's an interesting trend.
• Prada sales are up 74%, primarily because of business in China. The devil wears Prada, and apparently so does Chairman Mao.
• Just to "drive" home the point, a taxi I was riding in last night was cut off. That's not news, but the car that cut us off was a Maserati. I know, I know... it's just an example, but as someone said to me this morning, "Everyone here is rich now." It's not true of course, but it serves to illustrate the point.

It's all very interesting.

An Accurate Statement of Who You Are

When I arrived here in China a couple weeks ago I picked up Conversations With God from my hosts library. I vaguely recall hearing about it years ago, but I've never read it.

It's stunning.

I put one quote in particular on Tumblr a few days ago, and it's starting to get a little bit of traction.

It stopped me in my tracks when I first read it, and I've been thinking about it ever since. I think it ties in well with some thinking I've been doing recently about wanting to grow to act out of love, and not anger (which is always based on fear.) I want to bring about change, not because I'm opposed to something, or because I hate something--injustice, oppression, etc.--but because it is not an accurate reflection of who I am coming to believe we are. That simplifies things incredibly.

Any thoughts?

We Are All Connected

I was out for an early walk this morning, and over the course of an hour I didn't see a single Caucasian person. Not that I have anything against white folks... after all, I am one. It's just that the complete absence of anyone else like me, combined with the language barrier, and all the funny looks l get for just being me, added to the sense of otherness.

And I loved it. 

I had one of those brief moments of clarity this morning. They're rare and fleeting, and that's probably a good thing, because if they were more common and lasted longer they would probably lose some of their magic. As I walked I watched seniors doing their morning Tai Chi in beautiful symmetry. I passed a schoolyard where hundreds of students did calisthenics in perfect precision. Sons walking elderly fathers by the lake. Public servants in peasant garb sweeping sidewalks with crude brooms.

And through it all I was overcome with the 'connectedness' of it all. We are all connected, we are all part of something bigger. Regardless of language, culture, skin colour, we all belong to something big, and good.

Perhaps it takes these periodic experiences of 'outsidedness' to realize just how 'inside' we all are.

You're Not Insane

I love this thought from Hugh MacLeod this morning:

Shhhhhhh

Don't tell anyone, but I've found a way around the previously mentioned difficulties. So, I'm definitely on the grid!

Sort of on the Grid

I think this is Day 4 for me in China. So far I've learned that Facebook is blocked, Twitter is blocked, I think Blogger is blocked, but Typepad seems to be OK, as does Tumblr. All that to say that the only way I can post to FB is via Tumblr. So if you're reaching out via Facebook, I won't be able to respond directly.

At least Robert will be pleased that my Twitter stream is DOA!