Bowen wrote on Nov 1^st, 2012 at 11:00am:


If we are talking from a geography point of view, China is not Australia's only neighbour, and certainly not our closest. So what makes them so great that we should all learn Chinese. I assume you know Korean, Japanese, Russian, Indonesian, etc etc? Surely you know all your neighbours languages right? Do you even known all the Chinese languages and dialects, or just Mandarin?

If we are talking from a local neighbour point of view (as in the people who live in your suburb) then there a more Koreans, Vietnamese, Sudanese, Lebanese, Italians, and Greeks, than Chinese in the area I live. Why the hell should I learn Chinese, and Should I be learning all their languages as well?

Funny how in the other thread you don't think people coming here have to learn English, but those born and living here should waste there time learning Chinese to make the Chinese living here happy? Are you coming to Australia to live or conquer?

Australia is an English speaking country. If people coming here learn it, then everyone can communicate. Why and how can the Australian people learn the hundreds of different languages of people coming here?

If you want to come into our home, the responsibility in on you to take the time to learn our culture. It is not for us to take the time to make your life easier by doing Chinese studies. In fact, it is arrogant, selfish, and even offensive to suggest that 20000000+ Australians should all learn Chinese to make life better for you. If you love China so much, stay there. Don't turn this country into mini-china. 

Why on earth would you learn Chinese?????

I happily speak English, French, German and Afrikaans.
Admittedly the Afrikaans isn't necessary and is more a unique thing - but there is no way in God's earth we should be learning Chinese.

Why?
Because its completely unnecessary.

The Chinese make cars and low cost products for the developed world.
They make things for us - therefore it is them who will speak our language.

Seriously, learning Chinese. what a waste of time.

German, English and French. Does me nicely from my school days.
I'd like to add Spanish but don't have the time.

You are wrong. You need to learn Chinese because you need to understand your Chinese neighbors in Australia. The understanding is not unilateral. Both you and me should try to understand others. That's why I learn English and you learn Chinese.

If you refuse to understand you neighbors, the problem is yours and It's you made the separated society.

Yes, if your neighbors are Arab, Indonesian, Greek or Korean, you may learn some of their language to be a good neighbor. At least you should respect their languages. You can choose the secondary language you want to learn, but you should try at least.

This is the main reason that there is a separated society.

You should try to know the others. Not just wait others to know you.

If you don't, you are making the separated society.

If you do not try to understand others, you can not blame others.



Soren wrote on Nov 1^st, 2012 at 12:48pm:

There is a problem with this logic.

1) There is a nation full of people who get along sharing a single culture.
2) immigrant arrives knowing nothing of this nations culture.
3) immigrant does not learn the nations culture or language, but keeps living and speaking like where they came from.
4) this barrier causes division and "separated society"
5) it is the locals fault for not leaning the new comers language and culture.

How the hell do we get to point five? Only in Western Anglo nations would point 5 even be entertained by the progressive do gooders. I was living fine before the immigrants arrived. Now that they are coming in droves and not integrating, it's my fault? I should change my culture to fit theirs?

20,000,000 white Australians. 500,000 Chinese. The 500,000 Chinese living in Australia shouldn't be forced to learn English, but the 20,000,000 white Australians living in their English speaking home country should learn Chinese to make the Chinese feel more at home. If the 20,000,000 white Australians don't learn Chinese, it is the white Australians fault for any division in the nation. WTF? How did we get to this point that this line of thinking is even considered?

Bowen wrote on Nov 1^st, 2012 at 3:24pm:


Give up on this ridiculous aboriginal comparisons. Aboriginals didn't build roads, power plants, sewage systems and skyscrapers. Walk down George street 50 years ago or catch a train to Melbourne and you were not surrounded by aboriginals. Australia had a majority that lived to what was classed as Australian culture, and the nation was built by Australians (what you would call Anglos).

The problem is your attitude that those who built this country owe you something. That not only do you have a right to what Australians have made, but that they should change to accommodate you. That they should even learn your language to make you feel more welcomed, so your people don't have to. Even worse is that if we don't go out of our way to accommodate you, we are racist because we are holding to our own culture. How dare we wish to preserve Australian culture in our own country!