By Gordon Chu | August 17, 2010

Forgetting the Past and Finding an Empty Future

The other week, I had a wonderful conversation with a good friend (and talented director) of mine, Aki Aleong. To give you context of who Aki is, he’s one of the first Asian-American actors in Hollywood and has appeared on-screen in over a hundred films since the mid-1950’s. He’s been an avid activist for Asian equality in the entertainment industry and is a pivotal part of paving the foundation for many Asian-Americans in Hollywood today.

Aki just finished a new film about the first generation of Chinese and their experiences coming to the United States back in the 1800’s (www.iamsomebodymovie.net) working on the railroads. I loved the film, but I was more deeply fascinated and drawn to talking to Aki about his experience developing the film and, more importantly, why. His answer was simple, prolific, powerful, and a wonderful reminder of how and why China is where it is today. His response? “Don’t forget where you came from…”

I admire Aki’s motive to produce this film… he never wanted to forget his, mine, and every other Chinese-Americans place in history – and that is to never neglect our rich culture and our Chinese predecessors who have laid their lives in order for us to be where we are today. I admit that I’ve often been focused in my previous newsletters largely by the business opportunities in China and I’ve never thought to look back in retrospect to just a generation before to know how China got to where it is today, and to have foresight to where China will be shaped tomorrow.

Today’s China

I wasn’t terribly surprised when I read this week that China has surpassed Japan as now the second largest economy in the world behind the United States. It was really a matter of when not so much a matter of if. The tough question is how China got to where it is today. And I’m not talking about macro-economic regulations China has done in the past 50 years, but by the culture, ideals, and the philosophy our previous generation embraced to propel China economically.

We’ve talked abundantly about today’s generation and the traits that characterize this emerging middle class. We’ve used such words as emperors / empresses, entitlement, and self-serving; but those words hardly fit the previous generation that have painstakingly laid the infrastructure of modern China. Better words to describe this generation are humble, modest, conservative, and unselfish. This generation worked hard for a better future – not for themselves, but for future generations and for the country as a whole.

I am often (and I do mean often) am reminded by my mother the tribulations living in China. She humbly lived in a remote village in Guangdong the majority of her life and came to the United States to attend college. Surprisingly, it isn’t a look back in her life that triggers a negative connotation, but in fact, she remembers it with triumph and with a proud ownership of an experience that shapes her success in the United States today. I know she tells me so I never forget where I come from (admittedly I do), but more so, it’s a way for her to communicate the love and care she’s put in to my future. It’s got me thinking that this is very indicative of our previous generation and the reverence we owe them to where we are today.

Somehow between the last and current generation of Chinese, there grew a widening chasm of philosophies and ideals. I guess that it’s normal for any modern society where media can influence and define an entire generation – but I can’t say that I fully understand how that gap has grown as much as it has in today’s China. Previous generations before varied, but nothing to the extent of where we see it today. Much of it is by the media exposure today’s generation has with not just international cultures, but with themselves as well. Instant messaging, SMS messages, and chat rooms have replaced much of the core family values China once had. Television, online gaming, and shopping have replaced much of the family activities China experienced in the past. In short, China’s success and modernization is as much responsible in today’s change as any other factors.

China’s Tomorrow

What does China’s tomorrow hold for us? To be perfectly honest, it’s still a big question mark. This is the first time China has lived as a global powerhouse and with the luxury of a booming economy. Secondly, with this generation’s differing culture and set of ideals, how will they shape and define the growth of China’s tomorrow. Will they add to the success previous generations have laid for them, or will they work for the now – and not for the future.

We talked about how China’s modernization plays a pivotal role in the changing generation and the Chinese government have and will respond accordingly. It’s no wonder that recently the Chinese culture minister openly said that Chinese media is ‘vulgar’ and advocates consumerism versus moral and cultural quality. The message isn’t directed to say business is bad, but it’s to communicate to conduct business responsibly. To conduct business with respect for the previous generations who have paved the road for today’s generation. For me, it’s a powerful reminder to remember what made China so great and why there is opportunity. It’s not based on the ‘now’, but on a long-term investment in building a proper foundation for China’s future.

Don’t Forget Where You Come From

Conducting business in China is not easy. It requires a myriad of different aspects of business that is completely foreign from a MBA / Business School point of view. However, if you are to do business in China, remember to bring respect because that carries further than any arsenal of business tools you can pack. Its respect for the opportunity, respect in how you conduct business, and, most importantly, respect in China’s culture. If you remember where China comes from, it’ll help guide you to where it’s going as well.

This brings me back to my conversation with Aki. His words haunted me for days after we had met. The mixed emotions of guilt and revelation were a definite reminder to view China in a completely different light. For me and many others, it’s easy to get lost in the flurry of China’s business opportunities especially as it pertains to media, but it should be about slowing down and remembering where I came from. We have a responsibility here to create something much better than what we can ever imagine – but to do it with respect and reverence to China’s rich cultural history. Previous generations deserve better than this. China deserves better than this.

Gordon Chu is the VP of Business Development at METAN Development Group. For comments/questions, email gchu@metanmedia.com.