Ch. 2

In chapter 2 Dodson explained that the Chinese middle class is anxious because they don’t feel like they have enough money for all of their needs.  There is not enough money to pay for their housing, medical expenses (especially because you have to pay a upfront no matter what condition you are in), and schooling for their children.  I thought that the remark, “…the larger and richer the Chinese middle class becomes, the less safe and more anxious it will feel” (page 30) was a little strange, I would think it would be the opposite; I can’t think of any reason for this logic other than more competition for little resources. 

I don’t really know much about real estate in the United States, so I was a little lost when home ownership was brought up, but it does sound like it would be very stressful to not have a mortgage, which only 20% of the middle class have. When minimum deposits were mentioned, I know the out-of-towners 30% and second home 40% is pretty high, but a 20% deposit sounds reasonable, maybe a little high.  I think that the 40% deposit on a second home is very reasonable in a county as highly populated as China.

I would have hated to have gone through the Chinese schooling system; to me, that sounds like the most stressful part of life mentioned in the chapter.  The exams sound awful, studying for hours each day for a year! It’s wasn’t surprising when Dodson mentioned how parents try to bride their children and their teachers so that they will get good marks, a lot depends on those grades! I thought that it was interesting that most people do not like the exam system, but don’t try to get it changed, if a parent in America didn’t like the way a school’s examination system worked their would be so many complaints! It’s strange that they don’t try to work together to try to fix it.

The health care system was probably the saddest part of this chapter; having to pay before you get treatment when in critical condition is just wrong.  I thought it was kind of nice that in communities people with the same health condition would put their money together to but a medical machine for the treatment of everyone, even if it is not exactly hygienic.

Overall, since China is improving, especially with their expanding economy, I think they have less of a reason to be anxious than Americans.