A friend of mine forwarded me this article in The Washington Post (12/25/07), “Heirs of China’s New Elites Schooled in Ancient Values“:
“CIXI, China — In a borrowed classroom of the provincial Communist Party School, a newly busy philosophy professor addressed 15 well-groomed adult students. His message: Try to have a soul. “In China, if you are only rich, people will not respect you. You also need good manners, an outgoing
personality and good morals,” said Zhang Yinghang of Zhejiang University, a professor increasingly in demand on the lecture circuit. “This is what rich children in China lack.” It was opening day of Jiaye Changqing, or “Family Enterprise Lasts Forever,” a week-long course for the sons and daughters of rich entrepreneurs — especially those sons and daughters who are about to inherit the family business. While the course included standard lessons on management strategy, it was also intended to instill traditional Chinese values in a younger generation schooled in Western, capitalist ways. In other words, there’s more to life than making money.”
In one of the most ironic quotes ever by a Communist leader, Deng Xiaoping declared once “To get rich is glorious.” It looks like the Chinese have taken that declaration with a vengeance.
When I was talking with two of my business school friends in China over the summer, (where they were born and raised but also lived and worked in the U.S. prior to business school, prior to returning to China to work), they both complained about how corrosive Chinese society had become with its ultra-capitalism and competitiveness, leading to more lying, cheating, unethical behavior, etc… anything to get ahead mentality to get rich. So it was with great interest to read about this Family Enterprise Lasts Forever” course - it sound like something like what Robert Frank of The Wall Street Journal has written about in his “The Wealth Report” column.
My (Asian American) friend also commented in his email, “I wonder if they have a Silicon Valley campus?” He often makes comments being frustrated with how soul-less Silicon Valley is, everyone’s quest for Internet & IPO riches, and focus on material wealth, especially amongst Asian-Americans.
I’d have to agree, there’s definitely more to life than making money. But I think as more of my peers, as well as the Googler’s, Facebooker’s, etc. (i.e. anyone under 30 living in Silicon Valley) get older, get married, have kids, their priorities will change (money, not for money’s sake, but to provide for their family).
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ancient one wrote:
Asian Americans in Silicon Valley do have a reputation for being obsessed with making money. My brother-in-law, a real estate agent, once was angrily approached by a white real estate agent who said, “You Asians ruined everything in real estate here in the Valley!” The white real estate was referring to the lowball pricing and occasionally unethical practices by Asian real estate agents. In some parts of the Valley, a 6% real estate commission is totally unknown, and customers will demand parts of the commission of their agents.
I have to say, though, there are Asian Americans in Silicon Valley who are concerned with more than money - who do volunteer work and are concerned about the greater community. You just have to know where to look.
Posted on 28-Dec-07 at 8:41 pm | Permalink
ancient one wrote:
Just curious John. Are your friends who are frustrated with “souless Silicon Valley” and the money hunt involved with non-profits, arts, volunteer work, or other non-capitalist community oriented activities?
Posted on 30-Dec-07 at 12:56 am | Permalink
John wrote:
Yes, I am friends with folks who find Silicon Valley soulless or are involved with non-profits trying to raise money. But I would not say that is what I look for in friends - it’s more the case that they happen to have some involvement in “non-capitalist community oriented activities.”
Posted on 30-Dec-07 at 9:33 pm | Permalink