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this bunch BS written solely from the perspective of american/western culture standards..eastern culture have different perspective and you grow up trusting fol

by kappi 9y ago

this bunch BS written solely from the perspective of american/western culture standards..eastern culture have different perspective and you grow up trusting folks who tell the truth even if it is unpleasant.

richardkraaij 9y ago
Both perspectives are necessary. This might give guidance to shape positive meaning to the truth and attain trust.
biztos 9y ago
Indeed, sugarcoating the story is lying in some places, de rigueur in others. I come from California, where newcomers usually have difficulty telling true opinions from meaningless pleasantries. (The locals of course can tell.) And I spend a lot of time in Germany, where the imperative towards honesty often leaves politeness strangled in the dust; but also in Hungary, where honesty has a lot to do with who's speaking to whom. But so far I don't have much business experience outside the US, and I wonder whether the interpersonal and/or political norms apply to business. Any insight into how that differs in whichever East you're referring to?
- pdimitar 9y ago
  I can only speak as an Eastern European: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14878103 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14878103 (FYI: this linked comment is right here in this thread)
hammock 9y ago
Insightful comment. Question for HN: Who are the most successful CEOs in silicon valley tech from East Asian families, and how do they compare to Western ones?
- balls187 9y ago
  Why limiting to CEOs in Silicon Valley? And what defines success?
  - hammock 9y ago
    Because that's who OP is presumably talking to, young tech entrepreneurs in SV with great ambition. The are represents to me an interesting intersection of a lot of East Asian-background talent with Western business ideals, that as parent comment points out can sometimes be at odds with each other. OP being a Western-cultured VC (kingmaker), picking apart this dynamic may be interesting and important. In plainer terms, what happens when your Western VC boss expects you, as an East Asian CEO, to run mass layoffs in a certain way, when your heritage informs you to run them in a completely different way? Or fill-in-the-blank with any other major top-level decision. Thinking honesty/integrity vs. honor/shame/face-saving, etc.
    - balls187 9y ago
      > honor/shame/face-saving Honor/Shame/Face-saving is one factor that hampers many East Asians from go into entrepreneurship. "Work hard in school. Go to a good school. Become successful Doctor." Those who overcome that stigma and go into business probably don't have as much attachment to the honor/shame game.
cirgue 9y ago
Depends on where you are in the US. "The West" is pretty a pretty diverse place in terms of attitudes.
BlackjackCF 9y ago
Is this really true? I'm Chinese and I don't know how true this is. (This is also anecdotal so take from it what you will.) I mean there's always the shallow brutal truths ("you're looking plump" etc) but there's a lot of burying of truths about real shit/straight up denial. I feel like it's less about respect for folks who tell the truth and more about listening to your elders/your superiors and knowing your place in your family/society and being dutiful to that role.

by kappi 9y ago

richardkraaij 9y ago

Both perspectives are necessary. This might give guidance to shape positive meaning to the truth and attain trust.

biztos 9y ago

Indeed, sugarcoating the story is lying in some places, de rigueur in others. I come from California, where newcomers usually have difficulty telling true opinions from meaningless pleasantries. (The locals of course can tell.) And I spend a lot of time in Germany, where the imperative towards honesty often leaves politeness strangled in the dust; but also in Hungary, where honesty has a lot to do with who's speaking to whom. But so far I don't have much business experience outside the US, and I wonder whether the interpersonal and/or political norms apply to business. Any insight into how that differs in whichever East you're referring to?

pdimitar 9y ago
I can only speak as an Eastern European: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14878103 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14878103 (FYI: this linked comment is right here in this thread)

hammock 9y ago

Insightful comment. Question for HN: Who are the most successful CEOs in silicon valley tech from East Asian families, and how do they compare to Western ones?

balls187 9y ago
Why limiting to CEOs in Silicon Valley? And what defines success?
- hammock 9y ago
  Because that's who OP is presumably talking to, young tech entrepreneurs in SV with great ambition. The are represents to me an interesting intersection of a lot of East Asian-background talent with Western business ideals, that as parent comment points out can sometimes be at odds with each other. OP being a Western-cultured VC (kingmaker), picking apart this dynamic may be interesting and important. In plainer terms, what happens when your Western VC boss expects you, as an East Asian CEO, to run mass layoffs in a certain way, when your heritage informs you to run them in a completely different way? Or fill-in-the-blank with any other major top-level decision. Thinking honesty/integrity vs. honor/shame/face-saving, etc.
  - balls187 9y ago
    > honor/shame/face-saving Honor/Shame/Face-saving is one factor that hampers many East Asians from go into entrepreneurship. "Work hard in school. Go to a good school. Become successful Doctor." Those who overcome that stigma and go into business probably don't have as much attachment to the honor/shame game.

cirgue 9y ago

Depends on where you are in the US. "The West" is pretty a pretty diverse place in terms of attitudes.

BlackjackCF 9y ago

Is this really true? I'm Chinese and I don't know how true this is. (This is also anecdotal so take from it what you will.) I mean there's always the shallow brutal truths ("you're looking plump" etc) but there's a lot of burying of truths about real shit/straight up denial. I feel like it's less about respect for folks who tell the truth and more about listening to your elders/your superiors and knowing your place in your family/society and being dutiful to that role.