China series: Part 23: Chinese Work Ethic

[Prometheus]

Despite the younger generation "lying flat" a majority of Chinese would still describe the Chinese - as a whole - as hardworking.

I would agree... as long as they would stipulate to making work much harder than it needs to be. I've seriously never seen a people so dedicated to doing things in ten steps that could be done better in 4 - looking at you, Chinese Bureaucracy; that would rather carry a heavy item up the stairs than use the adjacent ramp and a dolly; hell with a dolly, wrap the heavy item with a strap and then use your head and back to lift the mass.

Seriously, Chinese people only do things the easy way when they think no one else is looking and then only to make up for all the time they spend playing on their phones. If you hire people to build your new apartment interior or shop, you need to have someone there all the time to watch the workers and make sure they are working and not smoking and playing cards.

People talk about 996 work culture like it's "slavery." Well, you might not have to put in that extra 32 hours if you had actually worked during the original 40.

Don't get me wrong. There are some hardworking people in China. They are the ones who make everything work so everyone else can play on their phones. And if something absolutely needs doing, it will get done. The Chinese can buckle down and work when necessary.

Unfortunately, a lot of work is scheduled for mingtian... tomorrow.

When will the part be delivered? Mingtian.

When will the worker come to use the part to fix the problem? Mingtian.

The worker didn't show up!

He was busy. He'll get to you... mingtian.

How many mingtians does it take to get shit done around here? It could be a lot.

[ant-mac]

Oct 12, 2022 11:56:02 GMT Prometheus said:

Despite the younger generation "lying flat" a majority of Chinese would still describe the Chinese - as a whole - as hardworking.

I would agree... as long as they would stipulate to making work much harder than it needs to be. I've seriously never seen a people so dedicated to doing things in ten steps that could be done better in 4 - looking at you, Chinese Bureaucracy; that would rather carry a heavy item up the stairs than use the adjacent ramp and a dolly; hell with a dolly, wrap the heavy item with a strap and then use your head and back to lift the mass.

Seriously, Chinese people only do things the easy way when they think no one else is looking and then only to make up for all the time they spend playing on their phones. If you hire people to build your new apartment interior or shop, you need to have someone there all the time to watch the workers and make sure they are working and not smoking and playing cards.

People talk about 996 work culture like it's "slavery." Well, you might not have to put in that extra 32 hours if you had actually worked during the original 40.

Don't get me wrong. There are some hardworking people in China. They are the ones who make everything work so everyone else can play on their phones. And if something absolutely needs doing, it will get done. The Chinese can buckle down and work when necessary.

Unfortunately, a lot of work is scheduled for mingtian... tomorrow.

When will the part be delivered? Mingtian.

When will the worker come to use the part to fix the problem? Mingtian.

The worker didn't show up!

He was busy. He'll get to you... mingtian.

How many mingtians does it take to get shit done around here? It could be a lot.

Still beats life in Queensland...

"Don't do today what you can do tomorrow... and if you can't do it then, forget about it."

I spent some of my formative years living there. That's where I learned to be a lazy fucker. 

[abbey1227]

Oct 12, 2022 12:24:35 GMT ant-mac said:

Oct 12, 2022 11:56:02 GMT Prometheus said:

How many mingtians does it take to get shit done around here? It could be a lot.

Still beats life in Queensland...

"Don't do today what you can do tomorrow... and if you can't do it then, forget about it."

I spent some of my formative years living there. That's where I learned to be a lazy fucker.