» ISSUE 208 yeer’s blog 生活思考觉悟

Published 23:38 Sunday, June 7th, 2009 by yeer 1,208 views

ISSUE 208

208 "The way people look, dress, and act reveals their attitudes and interests. You can tell much about a society's ideas and values by observing the appearance and behavior of its people."

The speaker asserts above one can tell much about a society’s ideas and values by observing the appearance and behavior of its people because the way people look, dress, and act reveals their attitudes and interests. Although some information about a society undoubtedly can be gathered through the observation of the appearance and behavior of its people, overemphasizing what its people act, dress and look and ignoring other aspects relative to a society will not lead to an objective knowledge of a society in its entirety.

The appearance and behavior of people can reveal their attitudes and interests, further reflecting a society’s ideas and values. French are famous for their beautiful and fashionable dresses, showing their romantic trait, while German usually try their best to do a job perfectly, indicating they are prim and meticulous. To be more specific and concrete, just by reviewing the change of Chinese in terms of dress and behavior will you find the transformation of Chinese Society in past decades. All Chinese adults, whether men or women, were dressed in clothes with same color and style, which were fabricated by same materials. Workers commute to work places by the same bicycles—there were few bicycles specifically designed for women then. In addition, the forms of entertainment are rare: all songs are to chant the eulogy of the Communist Party of China and there is almost no pop music for the fact that people who composed and sang them would probably be sent into jail. Furthermore, people only shake hands for greeting when meeting each other because other gestures such as hug were considered to be immoral then. But nowadays, people in China are in various clothes and sing any song they like. Besides, there are dancing rooms, Karaoke and home parties. No one will be blamed for kissing in public, let alone hugs. Moreover, the state-run China Central Television, marked with tedious leaders’ speech and rigid official news, has held a beauty contest and broadcasted it lively, which is beyond imagination before.

However, we should take into account the exceptions that sometimes appearance and behavior of people will cheat our eyes. For an extreme case, a spy, who disguise himself or herself to win others’ trust and by which obtain what he or she wants. In this case, the appearance and behavior does not reveal one’s true attitudes and interests. As to a country or a society, similar exceptions also exist. We can not know much precise and exact information about a country by observing its national grand ceremonies because people in those activities act more as political symbols rather than independent individuals. You probably will not connect the excited and happy crowds engaged in celebrations of the establishment of North Korea with their deprivation of freedom of speech by totalitarianism.

In summary, it is hard for one to completely and objectively know about a society only by observing the appearance and behavior of its people. More studies should be undertaken, such as the history, culture and customs of a society to get a full understanding of a society.