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I often see it advertised at Chinese restaurants around town. Whenever I ask the proprietors if it part of Falun Gong, they all claim not to understand, or they

I often see it advertised at Chinese restaurants around town. Whenever I ask the proprietors if it part of Falun Gong, they all claim not to understand, or they just say no. I can't tell if they actually know what it is and don't want to admit it, or if they legitimately don't know.

compiler-guy 8y ago
They know. It is a strategic and extremely carefully phrased denial.
- stcredzero 8y ago
  They probably don't have the time to waste on such a conversation/explanation.
  - jscheel 8y ago
    Eh, they are actually pretty conversational here. Part of running a business in the South I guess. I'm not asking someone at a packed Chinese restaurant in NYC.
stcredzero 8y ago
Whenever I ask the proprietors if it part of Falun Gong, they all claim not to understand, or they just say no. I can't tell if they actually know what it is and don't want to admit it, or if they legitimately don't know. Don't know, don't care, they got a restaurant to run! [1] They're probably just getting past your question and getting onto the next task. My wife grew up in mainland China. She thinks of them as wackos and/or somewhat like "carnies." If they can live and let live, and they don't do something like human trafficking, then they can believe what they want and make whatever art and dance they want, as far as I'm concerned. ([1] I used to work at a local midwest bookstore chain that Borders seemed to steal its ideas from. Customers got a totally relaxed vibe, even from the workers. However, being a worker there was a workout! I probably did enough walking for that one activity to qualify as a fitness program. So if you go to a restaurant that seems hectic, there's a good chance it's not just hectic, but that just getting through your shift is a heroic feat of endurance and optimizing on your feet. (I've also worked in restaurants.))
- jscheel 8y ago
  Fair point, though these restaurants are in a small, rural, southern town, so they usually aren't exactly "hopping" :)
pram 8y ago
There used to be a vegan restaurant in Austin that was overtly Falun Gong. It had religious icons on the wall and the Epoch Times available. Of course it also had the ubiquitous Shen Yun advertisements. Great food!

compiler-guy 8y ago

They know. It is a strategic and extremely carefully phrased denial.

stcredzero 8y ago
They probably don't have the time to waste on such a conversation/explanation.
- jscheel 8y ago
  Eh, they are actually pretty conversational here. Part of running a business in the South I guess. I'm not asking someone at a packed Chinese restaurant in NYC.

stcredzero 8y ago

Whenever I ask the proprietors if it part of Falun Gong, they all claim not to understand, or they just say no. I can't tell if they actually know what it is and don't want to admit it, or if they legitimately don't know. Don't know, don't care, they got a restaurant to run! [1] They're probably just getting past your question and getting onto the next task. My wife grew up in mainland China. She thinks of them as wackos and/or somewhat like "carnies." If they can live and let live, and they don't do something like human trafficking, then they can believe what they want and make whatever art and dance they want, as far as I'm concerned. ([1] I used to work at a local midwest bookstore chain that Borders seemed to steal its ideas from. Customers got a totally relaxed vibe, even from the workers. However, being a worker there was a workout! I probably did enough walking for that one activity to qualify as a fitness program. So if you go to a restaurant that seems hectic, there's a good chance it's not just hectic, but that just getting through your shift is a heroic feat of endurance and optimizing on your feet. (I've also worked in restaurants.))

jscheel 8y ago
Fair point, though these restaurants are in a small, rural, southern town, so they usually aren't exactly "hopping" :)

pram 8y ago

There used to be a vegan restaurant in Austin that was overtly Falun Gong. It had religious icons on the wall and the Epoch Times available. Of course it also had the ubiquitous Shen Yun advertisements. Great food!