Like Asian food dumplings, the Eastern-style conversation sometimes is not very efficient.
Especially in working environment, it’s unfavorable for the company operation, because people usually don’t express their opinions directly. On the basis of my own observations, in the meeting, if employees have some disagreement with their boss’ idea, they usually will not volunteer some suggestions. They may talk to their director individually, but it has to be after the meeting. Even though, this behavior is very thoughtful, and they try not to hurt other people’s feelings, still, they increase the time of communication, and it reduces the efficiency. Furthermore, based on my observation in Chinese school, when Teacher is talking, usually students shouldn’t interrupt because it will be considered as disrespectful. As a consequence, students have to leave their questions until the end of the class or ask at office hour. In this way, some students may forget their questions or too lazy to ask, so they miss an opportunity to correct their confusions and teachers lose their chances to exchange the flame of thinking. At last, in the Asian family, although parents are not always right, children should still at least superficially obey their parent’s advice. According to the Asian parent website “we were taught to obey the “rotan” (Rattan cane) which was heavily used at home” ( The difference between an Asian parent and a Western one, www.sg.theasianparent.com/difference-parenting-styles-asian-western-parents/) Children have to keep smiling and try not to retort upon their parent face-to-face, and then try their best to hold on their dreams. Sometimes children can win the battle, sometimes they can’t. This process wastes a lot of energy and time, and at the end of the story, everyone is exhausted.