admin's picture admin Submitted by Guest on Thu, 09/01/2016 - 17:45

^ i call bullshit on that comment.

Except for the most uneducated peasant farmer in from the countryside (who generally would not be in the western opera house classical music performance to begin with), everyone in Beijing who answers their phone or chats loudly at a performance like this knows its a fucking disgrace.  They just don't give a shit about affecting other peoples' enjoyment and consider the fulfilment of their personal agenda to be far more important than respect for others.

You're right that it has nothing to do with culture. It has entirely to do with self-centered disregard for courteous public behavior.

Books by current and former Beijinger staffers

http://astore.amazon.com/truerunmedia-20

PatrickLi's picture PatrickLi Submitted by Guest on Tue, 08/30/2016 - 20:20

sevgiliye hediye fikirleri wrote:
i always wondered why nothing ever changes in Beijing traffic. I see everyday extremely irresponsible behaviour which threatens everyone's security, and nothing is ever done about it. No traffic guards. No police. Even they do not respect rules (read: police cars blocking the pavement on the corner of Taikooli). the only attempt of organizing anything is some poor old ladies with a little flag that transmit zero sense of authority.

They don't think it's a problem and they don't bother to make effort to change it. Their primary job is 维稳。That's why violent crimes are rare in Beijing, and why millions of dollars are splashed into subway security machines and personnel -- they can't afford anything like that to happen because the government will lose face and legitimacy. In China the golden rule is: what's most important is always the government's face. Now with most of the effort within the police being made to 维稳, how much manpower and will power are left for them to do some real job such as towing some cars parked on pedestrian pavement away, or catching some thieves who have been making a very good life by stealing bikes in Sanlitun for 10 years? 

WayDaLone's picture WayDaLone Submitted by Guest on Tue, 08/30/2016 - 12:48

Without prejudice or malice here are a few more.
17. Food vendors that park their carts right in the middle of walking areas during rush hour.
18. Black taxi drivers who park in bike lanes right outside subway exits forcing bikers onto the road.
19. Those dimpled yellow pavers on sidewalks to aid the sight-challenged I assume but they only serve to make it so all others walk anywhere except on them. (BTW. I`ve never not once ever seen a sight-challenged person on a sidewalk. I really don`t think a blind person walking around Beijing would last long. It me chuckle just thinking about it. They may seem like a good idea but how about just 1 row not 2 and put it tight up against the curb.)
20. Tree planters on the sidewalks that take up 2/3 the width of the sidewalk.
The result is pedestrians walk in bike lanes, bikes ride on the road, cars park on sidewalks and block intersections and e-bikes are over the place. Organized chaos.

britomart's picture britomart Submitted by Guest on Mon, 08/29/2016 - 16:34

Yeah, I had to stop attending concerts here after going to see Itzhak Perlman years ago at the Egg. Perlman actually stopped about a minute into one of his pieces and asked the audience (very nicely) to be quiet.

I was so embarrassed for the people in the audience. What made it worse was that everybody sitting around me in the cheap seats--parents with their aspiring violinist offspring, all between the ages of 5 and 15--were absolutely silent, sitting on the edge of their seats, enraptured by the music and the whole experience, being in the presence of a master. It was the folks in the pricey seats down front who just wouldn't shut up... there just to show off their money, position, ...? Pearls before swine...

I haven't been to a concert here since.

Doubt wisely; in strange way / To stand inquiring right is not to stray; / To sleep, or run wrong, is. (Donne, Satire III)