Chinese Life and Mentality in Argentina
I recently took a short business trip to Argentina. One of the guys who drove for our company office had a very mixed-race look, a bit like Neymar, with Asian and European features. And he spoke with a thick Northeastern Chinese accent, which was quite surreal.
I learned that there are many Chinese communities in Argentina. This makes sense; if you’re leaving Northeastern China to make money in Argentina, you’re not going to just pick a random place to live, right? You’d find someone you know, make arrangements in advance, and they’d help you settle in nearby. That’s how these communities gradually formed.
Moreover, people from different parts of China don’t mix there. For example, people from Fuqing tend to stay together and often run supermarkets. Northeasterners also stick together, working in construction and renovation. People from Chaozhou work with seafood, while the ‘Jiang-Zhe gang’ (people from Jiangsu and Zhejiang) are responsible for importing small commodities from China.
By the way, you wouldn’t believe how many people from Fujian are in South America. In many places, there’s a distinction between ‘old Chinese’ and ’new Chinese’. The old Chinese speak Fujianese, are shorter, quieter, and more reserved. The new Chinese are Northeasterners who have arrived in large numbers in recent years. They’re tall, loud, and very sociable, quite different from the typical image of Chinese people.
The driver’s father was a truck driver in the 90s. He got into trouble with loan sharks and fled to the other side of the world. I’ve mentioned before that truck drivers in the 90s were a unique group, often bold individuals who carried shotguns in their trucks. After arriving in Argentina, he married a local woman and had a son.
The young driver told me he wasn’t a good student. His parents wanted him to study because education is a way to enter the upper class in Argentina. But he just couldn’t focus. At first, his father was distraught and beat him, saying that he was in his current situation because he hadn’t studied hard.
His Argentine mother, however, disagreed. She believed that if a child couldn’t study, it was the parents’ fault. She said that in Argentina, studying is like singing; most people can only reach a basic level no matter how much they practice.
She also questioned the Chinese college entrance exam, saying that it’s a selective process, and most people are ultimately failures. She asked if his father had beaten him too and if their family had been in turmoil because of his studies. She wondered if his only talent was driving and if he regretted coming to Argentina.
After a few days of thought, the father realized she was right and stopped pressuring his son. The son eventually followed in his father’s footsteps and became a driver. He started out working for the ‘Jiang-Zhe gang’, picking up goods from the port and delivering them to the Fuqing supermarkets. Later, he bought a commercial vehicle and started doing business transfers and small group tours. Now he earns about 15, 000 RMB a month, mainly because he has a car and works in the Chinese community. Without a car, he might only make 7-8, 000.
He could earn more, but he hardly ever works overtime. As soon as the sun sets, he starts drinking, and he even drinks while driving. No one would dare hire him to drive for them, and he doesn’t want to either.
He told me that if Argentinians had the same standard of living as people in China, no one would be anxious. They have food and clothing, so there’s nothing to worry about. He’s hosted many people from China and he can’t understand why they do nothing but work when they’re not at the office.
He said that in Argentina, people’s mentality isn’t related to their wealth. Even poor people live a carefree life. He has been to Northeastern China and thinks it’s amazing. Except for the high food prices, everything is cheap. He doesn’t understand why people there are so stressed.
Later, I talked to a colleague who has been stationed there for a long time. A colleague around my age also believes it’s a racial issue, saying that Latin Americans are just like that. However, he couldn’t explain why Chinese people seem to change their temperament after going there and no longer seem as hard-working as they are in China. He thinks it might be a matter of self-selection; people who are hardworking and ambitious go to North America, not Argentina.
However, another colleague born in 1997 has a different perspective. He believes that while race and culture play a role, the most important factor is “bitter memories”.
He was the youngest child in his family. His older brother is 9 years older, and his older sister is 11 years older. You might wonder how that’s possible with the one-child policy. I don’t know either, but my best friend from university has four siblings with a very large age gap.
The three siblings had completely different mentalities. His older siblings grew up in poverty, and their parents were always working. When they got home, they would only talk about how difficult their lives were and how much their children didn’t understand.
The Impact of Family Education on Worldview
Suffering education" was the primary parenting method in their family. As a result, the older siblings, who were not actually that poor, developed a deep-seated fear of poverty and a guilty conscience about feeling happy.
Furthermore, there was a series of supplementary educational methods, such as “criticism education.” Whenever the children achieved something, their parents would criticize them to prevent them from becoming arrogant. Consequently, the children grew up with severe self-esteem issues, and both siblings missed out on several opportunities due to their lack of confidence.
If the children made any mistakes, they would face a barrage of criticism, including personal insults and threats of future poverty.
Based on their past experiences, the parents believed that securing a government job was the only way to ensure a stable future. They encouraged their children to pursue official positions, considering it the ultimate goal in life. They believed that once one became an official, they would achieve a higher social status and their entire family would benefit.
Despite his efforts, the older brother did not achieve great success and ended up working as a construction worker. The older sister, however, was admitted to a prestigious university and eventually obtained a graduate degree, securing a government job.
When the older siblings had children of their own, they adopted similar parenting styles, fearing that their children would become lazy or arrogant. They passed on their insecurities about the world to the next generation and also hoped their children could achieve a higher social status.
Compared to their parents, the older siblings did show some improvement. They occasionally reflected on their parenting methods and questioned the effectiveness of their “chicken parenting” approach. However, they still struggled with conflicting emotions, feeling both proud and disappointed with their children.
The younger generation, represented by the colleague born in 1997, experienced a different upbringing. His parents were more lenient and provided him with more emotional support. As a result, he grew up with a more positive and confident outlook on life. He was not afraid to stand up for himself and was more open to new experiences.
Regarding Argentina, he believed that the country was rich in resources but lacked opportunities for upward mobility. For ordinary people, it was difficult to become wealthy, and the market was relatively small compared to China.
However, Argentina had the advantage of being a place where one could survive without starving. The population was small, and resources were abundant. People generally had a laid-back attitude and were not as ambitious as the Chinese.
Analysis of the East Asian Dilemma
During our dinner conversation, we debated which lifestyle was preferable. For those who are highly capable, a country like China might offer more opportunities due to its high ceiling. However, for individuals with limited abilities or those simply seeking a more leisurely lifestyle, Argentina might be a better fit, as the overall pace of life is slower.
The East Asian dilemma can largely be attributed to the following factors:
- Scarcity of resources: Per capita resources are limited, resulting in a low standard of living for many. The distribution of resources is highly skewed towards the elite, leaving those at the bottom with very little. This fear of downward mobility creates widespread anxiety.
- Lingering effects of poverty: The generations born in the 1960s and 1970s grew up during a period of economic hardship, and the memories of poverty still haunt many of them. Even those born in the 1980s, while growing up in relatively better conditions, often carry the psychological scars of scarcity.
- Guilt and insecurity of the wealthy: Despite their financial success, many people who have benefited from economic growth still experience feelings of guilt and insecurity. The fear of losing their wealth is pervasive, leading to a sense of constant anxiety.
The Rise of a New Generation and Shifting Values
This phenomenon, however, is becoming increasingly less prevalent among the younger generation.
As previously discussed, those born after 1995 grew up with significantly fewer experiences of material scarcity, and their parents talked about it less frequently. Consequently, this generation lacks the pervasive sense of insecurity and deprivation that characterized their predecessors. This explains why many post-1995 individuals travel to Harbin in large groups during off-peak seasons, leaving the older generations puzzled.
It seems that this younger generation is less focused on work. There’s a popular saying among Gen Z: “We’re not here to suffer, we’re here to enjoy life.”
Social Transformation and Individual Choices
You might wonder if the economy can thrive in such a situation.
To some extent, the economy’s initial growth was driven by the factory model and demographic dividends. However, the next phase will rely on innovation, driven by top-tier talent and consumer spending. The old model of intense competition without consumption is unsustainable and will further exacerbate the declining birth rate.
As these ideas spread, there’s a growing emphasis on “living in the moment” and “enjoying life now.” People are less inclined to make long-term plans and may even forego marriage and childbearing in favor of a more comfortable and fulfilling present.
While this trend has its pros and cons, the goal of this article is to objectively describe the current reality without making value judgments.
Have you noticed the recent surge in peculiar advertisements? For example, there are ads claiming that one can earn over a million yuan in three years delivering food, or that young people can earn 40, 000 yuan a month working in renovations. There’s also a growing trend of discussions about whether people would be willing to take low-paying but stable jobs.
Behind these trends lies a challenge to traditional values. In the past, education was seen as the key to upward mobility. People believed that investing in higher education would guarantee a better future. This belief was particularly strong among those born in the 1970s and 1980s. However, with limited resources and increased competition, the relationship between education and social status has become more complex. It’s no longer guaranteed that a college degree will lead to a successful career.
This seems to suggest that while education is still important, it’s not as crucial as it once was. People are starting to realize that even without a prestigious degree, they can still live a fulfilling life.
While this may sound pessimistic, it’s perhaps a more realistic view of the situation.
East Asia has always faced the challenge of overpopulation and limited resources. However, the industrial revolution helped to alleviate some of these problems.
It’s also important to note the law of diminishing returns. The initial increase in one’s standard of living from, for example, being able to afford meat, is significant. However, the marginal benefits of consuming more expensive goods, such as caviar or luxury cars, are much smaller.
In the past, I encouraged people to work harder and strive for more. However, I’ve come to realize that many people simply don’t have the resources or opportunities to do so. In such cases, it’s more beneficial to accept one’s limitations and focus on enjoying life. By doing so, individuals can reduce their stress and find greater happiness.