4 ms·

As with India, FB sees China as huge potential market and has been shamelessly courting the PRC government for years now. Zuck even asked President Xi to name h

As with India, FB sees China as huge potential market and has been shamelessly courting the PRC government for years now. Zuck even asked President Xi to name his child on a state visit to the USA a couple of years ago (naming children is a big deal in Chinese culture and Xi - who was visibly surprised by the request - politely declined).

seanmcdirmid 9y ago
I posted before, but Zuck isn't Chinese and he isn't exactly a social butterfly in the USA either. This was probably just some awkward smalltalk, where Zuck was looking for suggestions for the kid's Chinese name (they definitely didn't ask him to pick out the kid's actual English name). Not weird if you don't understand hypersensitive Chinese culture.
- LeoNatan25 9y ago
  It's pathetic is what it is. I've read he's also studying Chinese. It's really really pathetic, and if such tactics influence the Chinese administration—and we know that they do from Hollywood sucking up to China in recent years in the most abhorrent of ways—Chinese administration is pathetic as well.
  - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
    Zuck is not a social butterfly even in the USA. It isn't surprising he is less so in china. Many Chinese make a big deal out of oversights and social faux pas, assuming they are intentional when everyone else just sees it as cringe (e.g. Jogging inpolluted beijing, I'm sure he just wanted to go for a jog!). That in itself is cringe worthy.
- jimmies 9y ago
  I have replied in another thread, but I will repeat it here. Both his wife and grandparents know Chinese, and I would be very surprised if they would not be interested in giving the child a Chinese name. Asking Xi -- a person who is not a great thinker but just a big ass politician whom he just met -- to name it publicly, simply put, you can't kiss more ass than that.
  - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
    Poppycock. My Chinese wife and my non-English speaking mother-in-law still haven't selected a Chinese name for my 9 month old son yet (wife vetoed my suggestion of 小囧, grandma isn't making any suggestions either even though she can't pronounce his English name), and at this point I'm even willing to ask Uncle Xi for suggestions.
    - ithinkinstereo 9y ago
      Giving a child a name is a big deal in Chinese culture, so I think your situation is unusual and shouldn't be used as a benchmark here. You also edited out "My Chinese wife and my non-English speaking mother-in-law have taught me very little about Chinese culture" which might explain your view on this matter.
      - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
        Again, neither Zuck nor I are Chinese, I don't think you can use Chinese culture at all as a benchmark here. I'm sure Zuck knows less about Chinese culture than I do, especially since his wife is American born, and he never lived and worked in china for an extended period of time.
        ithinkinstereo 9y ago
        I've already stated it previously, as have other users, that giving a child is a big deal in Chinese culture. I'll add to that by noting that this typically involves the entire family - especially the child's grandparents. I would be extremely surprised if this was not the case with Priscilla and her parents. That coupled with the fact that Zuck is actively learning the language and culture makes it unlikely that his request was just social awkwardness nor that he is largely ignorant about Chinese culture as you seem to suggest. Plus if I recall, his wife was by his side when he asked Xi. In regards to your point about Priscilla, many, if not the majority of ABCs (esp first gen) are raised by their parents "Chinese" culturally-speaking. Her not having lived or worked in China does not mean she is unfamiliar to Chinese culture. To suggest that is frankly absurd and runs counter to the Asian-American experience. Because of all these reasons, many people view Zuck's request as a shameless act of ass-kissing and not just being "socially awkward". Lastly, the reaction in China was not only due to "hyper-sensitivity" but also to a mix of 1) media exaggeration and 2) how important naming a child is in Chinese culture. With all due respect to you and your family, your personal anecdote about your son not having a Chinese name is not the norm - even for mixed Western/Chinese couples.
- ithinkinstereo 9y ago
  His wife is Chinese and at the time he was very publicly studying Mandarin (and still is). In any case, asking a stranger, albeit a VIP, to name your to-be-born first child is pretty weird. Doubly so in the context of Chinese culture. And I wouldn't say this is due to "hyper-sensitive" Chinese culture. It would be seen as unusual even in western cultures.
  - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
    First, it is just a Chinese name, not the English name on the kid's birth certificate, it wouldn't be considered anything more than a nickname to us. Yes, it would be weird in western cultures, but not incredibly so, there definitely would be nothing like the hyper sensitive Chinese response that occurred in 2016.
    - ithinkinstereo 9y ago
      The response in China was relative to how important naming a child is in Chinese (really, East Asian) culture. You are applying western standards to the Chinese response, which makes little sense.
iliketosleep 9y ago
It's President Xi (the current president) who he asked, not President Hu (the former president). Regardless, I agree it was a shameless display.
- ithinkinstereo 9y ago
  Yes, you're correct. I've edited my post now. Thanks for pointing out my error - had a brain fart.
ryanqian 9y ago
Shameless business man.

seanmcdirmid 9y ago

I posted before, but Zuck isn't Chinese and he isn't exactly a social butterfly in the USA either. This was probably just some awkward smalltalk, where Zuck was looking for suggestions for the kid's Chinese name (they definitely didn't ask him to pick out the kid's actual English name). Not weird if you don't understand hypersensitive Chinese culture.

LeoNatan25 9y ago
It's pathetic is what it is. I've read he's also studying Chinese. It's really really pathetic, and if such tactics influence the Chinese administration—and we know that they do from Hollywood sucking up to China in recent years in the most abhorrent of ways—Chinese administration is pathetic as well.
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  Zuck is not a social butterfly even in the USA. It isn't surprising he is less so in china. Many Chinese make a big deal out of oversights and social faux pas, assuming they are intentional when everyone else just sees it as cringe (e.g. Jogging inpolluted beijing, I'm sure he just wanted to go for a jog!). That in itself is cringe worthy.
jimmies 9y ago
I have replied in another thread, but I will repeat it here. Both his wife and grandparents know Chinese, and I would be very surprised if they would not be interested in giving the child a Chinese name. Asking Xi -- a person who is not a great thinker but just a big ass politician whom he just met -- to name it publicly, simply put, you can't kiss more ass than that.
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  Poppycock. My Chinese wife and my non-English speaking mother-in-law still haven't selected a Chinese name for my 9 month old son yet (wife vetoed my suggestion of 小囧, grandma isn't making any suggestions either even though she can't pronounce his English name), and at this point I'm even willing to ask Uncle Xi for suggestions.
  - ithinkinstereo 9y ago
    Giving a child a name is a big deal in Chinese culture, so I think your situation is unusual and shouldn't be used as a benchmark here. You also edited out "My Chinese wife and my non-English speaking mother-in-law have taught me very little about Chinese culture" which might explain your view on this matter.
    - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
      Again, neither Zuck nor I are Chinese, I don't think you can use Chinese culture at all as a benchmark here. I'm sure Zuck knows less about Chinese culture than I do, especially since his wife is American born, and he never lived and worked in china for an extended period of time.
      - ithinkinstereo 9y ago
        I've already stated it previously, as have other users, that giving a child is a big deal in Chinese culture. I'll add to that by noting that this typically involves the entire family - especially the child's grandparents. I would be extremely surprised if this was not the case with Priscilla and her parents. That coupled with the fact that Zuck is actively learning the language and culture makes it unlikely that his request was just social awkwardness nor that he is largely ignorant about Chinese culture as you seem to suggest. Plus if I recall, his wife was by his side when he asked Xi. In regards to your point about Priscilla, many, if not the majority of ABCs (esp first gen) are raised by their parents "Chinese" culturally-speaking. Her not having lived or worked in China does not mean she is unfamiliar to Chinese culture. To suggest that is frankly absurd and runs counter to the Asian-American experience. Because of all these reasons, many people view Zuck's request as a shameless act of ass-kissing and not just being "socially awkward". Lastly, the reaction in China was not only due to "hyper-sensitivity" but also to a mix of 1) media exaggeration and 2) how important naming a child is in Chinese culture. With all due respect to you and your family, your personal anecdote about your son not having a Chinese name is not the norm - even for mixed Western/Chinese couples.
ithinkinstereo 9y ago
His wife is Chinese and at the time he was very publicly studying Mandarin (and still is). In any case, asking a stranger, albeit a VIP, to name your to-be-born first child is pretty weird. Doubly so in the context of Chinese culture. And I wouldn't say this is due to "hyper-sensitive" Chinese culture. It would be seen as unusual even in western cultures.
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  First, it is just a Chinese name, not the English name on the kid's birth certificate, it wouldn't be considered anything more than a nickname to us. Yes, it would be weird in western cultures, but not incredibly so, there definitely would be nothing like the hyper sensitive Chinese response that occurred in 2016.
  - ithinkinstereo 9y ago
    The response in China was relative to how important naming a child is in Chinese (really, East Asian) culture. You are applying western standards to the Chinese response, which makes little sense.

iliketosleep 9y ago

It's President Xi (the current president) who he asked, not President Hu (the former president). Regardless, I agree it was a shameless display.

ithinkinstereo 9y ago
Yes, you're correct. I've edited my post now. Thanks for pointing out my error - had a brain fart.

ryanqian 9y ago

Shameless business man.