I found myself tossed one way and then another like a little boat on a stormy sea, as I read the comments to the latest post on <a href="http://www.sinosplice.com/weblog/">Sinosplice</a>, <a href="http://www.sinosplice.com/weblog/archives/001222.html" title="Sinosplice">When Culture Lets Go</a>.  John's post is about the excitement he feels living in a country that is going through a tremendous cultural evolution, and he agrees with the stance that the United States has stagnated culturally and is losing its heart to commercial interests, calling the United States <q cite="http://www.sinosplice.com/weblog/archives/001222.html">culturally bankrupt</q>.  

Of course, this is a controversial idea.  Margaret, Grace, and Heidi see America as culturally splintered and heterogeneous, that it should not be selectively examined and that the potential for a great life lies in ones self no matter where one lives (Heidi takes a jab at SoCal, which I can appreciate).  Da Xiangchang points out the less noble reasons why <span lang="zh" class="pinyin">laowai</span> would enjoy living in China.  Then Wilson, Matt and Tuode(?) counter by challenging the heterogeneity of American culture, and asserting that the diversity that does exist is superficial and stagnant.  Donald answers by pointing out the social and political institutions that make America great, and noting that these are still absent in China.  He also notes that Chinese high culture is largely the territory of scholars and China hands, not ordinary citizens.  

Patrick backs this up with the idea that China may be moving more quickly, but it's headed towards the same questions about identity that Americans are asking themselves today.  He notes that being a foreigner in China may allow one to ask more critical questions of ones culture, but that a diverse society like the US will be a better place to find the answers.  Finally, John tries to explain again the excitement of living in China: that it's a place where the society is advancing by leaps and bounds compared to the United States.

I wouldn't pretend to be able to wrap this discussion up in a neat conclusion, but I could add a few of my own thoughts.  I feel that in the rush to defend one country over another, nobody has explained--although Da Xiangchang came close--the very real feeling, I can attest, that John expressed in his original post.  Living in China (no <a href="http://www.livinginchina.com" title="Living in China website">pun</a> intended) gave me a feeling of purpose, of accomplishing something with my life.  Observing a country undergoing such rapid change--businesses opening and closing, technology modernizing, huge generation gaps, tremendous opportunities to make a difference--is a very exciting thing, especially for young men who are anxious to make something of themselves.  I say young men, because I think the feeling may be different for Margaret, Grace and Heidi; do they feel the same exhiliration at being able to penetrate this foreign culture through language, and participate in the rush towards wherever China is headed?  It would be helpful, I think, to put this question to the folks at <a href="http://www.livingoutsidechina.com">Living Outside China</a>, Chinese expats in the United States.  Do they feel like American culture is bankrupt?  stagnating?