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Psychological Health of Intercultural couples

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  1. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by kimwy66:
    They have defined it, but it is not defined correctly. By limiting the definition of Western to be having ancestors who came from UK / Western Europe, they are basically saying white people.

    Tracing your family tree back to Europe excludes large groups of people who are culturally Western but not genetically of Western European descent. And the countries suggested are widely varying in their attitudes to marriage / relationships.

    What about the indigenous people of countries listed? Maori / Aborigine - are they excluded from being defined as Western, despite growing up in what has been defined by the study as being a Western country?

    Their results will be meaningless because they have failed to define their subjects, and failed to understand the variety of the values systems within that loose group of countries defined as being Western.
    Wow! You lot are seriously over thinking this. The results won't be 'meaningless' because he has 'failed' to define his subjects according to your standards! lol...what the heck are you guys all on?

    What is the point of this? No. I agree with the OP...the easiest way to narrow the focus is to define western the way he has for this study....he hasn't said that people who aren't white can't be western...

    He also stated in his blog that this research is an extension to previous study that included mostly
    white, middle-class, American couples
    .

    Let's stop over thinking and not turn this into another whiney, liberal chorus line...it's just cringeworthy.
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  2. #32

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    The problem he has is that he defines "western" as, essentially, anyone white.
    This is the point I disagree with. Notwithstanding the fact that English is probably his second language, it seemed clear to me that he is looking for 'caucasians who are western'...I didn't read it that he defines 'western as white'...

    This of course doesn't accord with the reality of what the culture of the west incorporates (assuming we make the giant leap that there is, in fact, a shared common culture between all of the west).
    Your, and others, interpretation of what the OP said doesn't accord with the reality...please see my previous point for why I think it's not relevant.

    I think the OP would be better served to say he wants:

    1. One chinese member of a couple; and
    2. The other member of a couple from a western culture.
    What about 'Caucasians who can trace their ancestry in x, y and z countries?

    Comparatively, people of Chinese culture are homogenous, otherwise, the OP would need to repeat the exercise again with the Chinese culture
    I would argue that Caucasians from western countries are fairly culturally homogenous...

  3. #33

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    What you're missing is that OP's theme is this:

    Actually the main theme is to understand mixed coules from different cultures, i.e. Western - assume to be more individualistic and Chinese - assume to be collectivistic, what factors affecting their couple relationship
    The theme therefore isn't race-dependent, but norm-dependent. So your statement of "caucasians from western countries are fairly culturally homogenous" is irrelevant.

    If what the OP requires is an analysis of a western culture, he cannot define it under the confines of race in the same way he could with the Chinese culture/race for the reasons I mentioned above.
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  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by iliketurtles:
    What you're missing is that OP's theme is this:



    The theme therefore isn't race-dependent, but norm-dependent. So your statement of "caucasians from western countries are fairly culturally homogenous" is irrelevant.

    If what the OP requires is an analysis of a western culture, he cannot define it under the confines of race in the same way he could with the Chinese culture/race for the reasons I mentioned above.
    Again, I think you're over thinking it.

    Now, you're entitled to have a view about how useful or otherwise you think this research might be. Your also entitled to undertake a research project based on your definition of 'western' or whatever...

    In my opinion, I agree with the OP...there is a fairly distinct caucasian, western culture. Sure there's some crossover and we get outliers like Forest Whittaker** or Tim Westwood (Please forgive me!!)

    Websites like Stuff White People Like poke fun at the reality that there is a distinct white folk culture in the west...

    Remember folks...equality doesn't mean same....

    **I forgot his name and Googled 'black actor with funny eye'

    **edit** I think we've established that in this context, the OP is speaking about caucasians who are culturally western when he says western!
    Last edited by INXS; 26-10-2013 at 11:38 PM.

  5. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by kimwy66:
    What about the indigenous people of countries listed? Maori / Aborigine - are they excluded from being defined as Western, despite growing up in what has been defined by the study as being a Western country?
    Good point. Next question - how many Maori / Chinese couples in Hong Kong?
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  6. #36

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    So basically the op needs to change the title to 'psychological health [whatever that means] of interracial (white / Chinese) couples'.

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  7. #37

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    So basically the op needs to change the title to 'psychological health [whatever that means]
    Psychological health

    of interracial (white / Chinese) couples'.
    No. He doesn't need to do anything. You need to click on the link he provided, read his blog and all will become clear. The fact that you wrote white / Chinese couples is evidence to me that you haven't applied any real thought before you've typed there... I don't mean that in a bad way either. Just an observation...

    Pretty clear he didn't mean any old white people....he wants a specific subset of white people and he also didn't narrow his focus to 'Chinese' did he? I mean, did you even read his blog?...No, so you got it wrong on both points...

  8. #38

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    I think some of you people on this thread need to get out more....


  9. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by INXS:
    Again, I think you're over thinking it.

    Now, you're entitled to have a view about how useful or otherwise you think this research might be. Your also entitled to undertake a research project based on your definition of 'western' or whatever...
    I think everyone is agreed that "the west" is a number of territories west of Hong Kong. That's not the point, is it? The point is "what is the western culture?" - that's different.

    Quote Originally Posted by INXS:
    In my opinion, I agree with the OP...there is a fairly distinct caucasian, western culture.
    Sure, but it would be incorrect to say that. It's impossible to define a "western culture" in the first place since it's an enormous cross-slice of people, nations and cultures, but secondly, in the west, nations and cultures are less homogenous than here in HK. I just quickly looked it up and England is about 80% white British whereas HK is 92% Chinese Chinese.

    I can understand how a Chinese person having lived here all their life doesn't get that. But you're British - you should know better. Regardless of pining for the good old days when England was all white (about three hundred years ago), that's simply not the reality now.

    Quote Originally Posted by INXS:
    Sure there's some crossover and we get outliers like Forest Whittaker** or Tim Westwood (Please forgive me!!)
    20% of the English nation (contributing (whether one likes it or not) to the English culture) not being white English isn't merely an outlier, no matter how much one might wish it. Tim Westwood? Maybe you are showing how out dated your view is.

    Anyway. enough of this. You're right. It is cringeworthy to have to debate it in this day and age. Userhername surmised what ought to happen sufficiently.
    kimwy66 likes this.

  10. #40

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    Regardless of pining for the good old days when England was all white (about three hundred years ago), that's simply not the reality now.
    Here we go! lol No self control at all!

    20% of the English nation (contributing (whether one likes it or not) to the English culture) not being white English isn't merely an outlier, no matter how much one might wish it.
    There is, wether one likes it or not, a distinct causacian, western culture...this isn't racism, this a fact. There is also a Black culture, a Roma culture...all of these contribute to the 'British culture' but just because you might be offended by this because your lefty tendencies hope we're all going to merge into a jolly grey goo doesn't change facts!!

    Now have a nice day...I'mm orf on a bike ride!!