From: "Tim Josling" <tim.josling@gmail.com>

From: "Peter Ross"

...

The couple I mentioned are Chinese. They just do what they are told to do in this society. Wealth is what counts. That's what they learn over in China. China is a cartoon version of capitalism.

I have visited China, and many other countries with low levels of capital, where most of the people are still poor. Shopgirls in Shanghai at the time of my first visit (1997) earned about $20/month. There is no safety net. If you do not have children who will support you in old age, and fail to accumulate wealth, you face poverty and a miserable old age.

Yes.

In such circumstances it is very understandable that people are very focussed on money. Per Maslow, once people feel secure at one level their attention tends to shift to "higher" concerns. Often this transition takes a couple of generations.

Probably, but is not a good outlook. The people _here_ are already benefiting from their parents. The million dollar houses are not paid by their salary which are more or less "modest middle class". I went to a rally to support better treatment of refugees last weekend. The "traditional" churches, Anglican, Catholic, Uniting churches etc. were very supportive, there was an Archbishop amongst the crowd etc. However, the "new churches" (where you find few of the Chinese acquaintances I know) were absent. I also spent some time "scanning" hundred of faces. There was not one Chinese face I could spot. Instead, I met some Pentecostal church followers recently. The church leaders passed on a quite crude anti-gay letter to their followers. It is a bit worrying (at least for me) It helps a bit to explain why we have such backwards looking politicians. The absence of a broad healthy political discussion amongst people is not helpful and educational either. What is passing as "news" here is.. well, of questionable quality, to say it politely. This atmosphere does not create open-mindedness. Yesterday I had a chat with someone who claimed Australia has the highest fuel prices world-wide.. Ca. $1.60 here, ca. €1.60 in Germany(http://www.benzinpreis-aktuell.de/), exchange rate 1€= $1.48. Regards Peter