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Strategies & Market Trends : Asia Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: brian h who wrote (2801)	3/30/1998 11:24:00 AM
From: Mohan Marette	Respond to of 9980

Investor Scams-Top 10 list. Brian and all: Here is something which may be of interest to y'all. Message 3886233

To: brian h who wrote (2801)	3/30/1998 4:22:00 PM
From: Stitch	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9980

Hello Brian, Thank you for your insightful comments. I think it is very easy to misunderstand what Holbrooke was intimating with his comments. Clearly he has struck a chord, because, as we can see, there is a quick "knee jerk" response to his comments. But I believe he is referring to the use of the term as it has been put forth by very vocal Asian politicians (the actual inventors of the term). These politicians would have us believe that there is a way to do business that is uniquely Asian. And they use the term within the context of concerns expressed by the West about cronyism, corruption, and lack of transparency. I think it is quite natural to assume that the notion of Asian values is being proffered as a reason for Western investors to accept business practices in Asia that we would not tolerate in the West. Of course he is not saying "Asian" is bad (and equally of course, neither am I). But unfortunately it only takes one misguided knee jerk response to cause people to start lining up on sides and point the finger. Personally I find the very term "Asian Values" to be racist in and of itself. And since there is much evidence that the most vocal user of the term (Dr. Mahatir) is one who advances laws in his country that specifically exclude people of ethnic origins (Chinese, Indian, etc.) other then Malay, and who lobbies furiously for foreign investment while stacking the deck against those very investors, I will continue to believe it is so. Mr. Holbrooke does not reject or cast aspersion on "Asian" or Asians. In fact, I think he underscores the disservice that such a term does to millions and millions of people. In addition the use of the term advances a common Western fallacy, that in some way, Asia and its diverse people are in some way, homogenous and seamless. Of course, that is simply not true. Brian, some day, maybe, far in the future, people may awaken from their dreamscapes and realize the truth. IMO the truth lies in the common ground that exists for all peoples of the world. But it will be hard as long as we have vocal leaders advancing fallacious terms like "Asian values". I have little doubt that you and I could agree on what is good and what is bad in base form. And we could reach that agreement without discussing whether our conclusions are rooted in Socratic or Confucian thinking. To even try to discuss which ethnic group better exemplifies that good or bad is totally absurd in my opinion. The writer of the MSNBC headline is an idiot. Delightfully now, the whole world knows it. Such people inevitably reveal themselves. Best, Stitch