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I recently uncovered some interesting differences in how Chinese and European people perceive messages and values differently. Here is what happened.

Some time ago, we had a workshop at work where employees gathered to discuss company values. As an aid to get the brainstorming and discussions going, cards with pictures were handed out for people to use. These are meant to trigger associations in the beholder and create more ideas. The associations are often unique depending on the person's experiences and cultural background. I had often different associations than my Chinese colleagues, which in itself isn't surprising. I'll give an example of that really differentiated what I think is a big difference between European and Chinese perception.

One of the cards were of a hand flipping to Aces like in when you play poker. I immediately associated it with the Aces with being the best, no. 1, leadership and so on. All of my Chinese colleagues at the same table immediately read luck into that card.

I started thinking about what the difference could come from. Although Texas Hold'em is not so popular among Chinese, people here are no stranger to playing Mahjong or other card games. Maybe there is an inherent difference between the games because the pieces in Mahjong doesn't carry any inherent value in themselves. But again, they did understand that these were the best cards.

When furthering the analysis, you could see this even in other parts of society. Chinese people, although many times complaining about the increasing costs of living, often are more content with their situation than Europeans do. I believe that e.g. Swedes, among which I often count myself, often feel a more sense of entitlement to things in life. I don't know if this has created a more equal society of if it is due to it. Chinese on the other hand seem to accept their situation in much higher degree. They don't really compare with people of other social classes. There is even a Chinese saying that roughly translates:

If goods are compared against each other, some willl need to be thrown away. If people are compared against each other, some will need to die.

This is perhaps why the Chinese social structure and inherent inequalities can exist. People are inherently more content with what they already have, don't need to necessarily strive upwards and sometimes feel lucky that they are not amongst the worst off. Who will be ones to bring change to society then? You may actually draw some parallells to India and it's cast system.

It would be interesting to hear what you associate with twin Aces.

Your watchful eyes in Beijing.

/Y