> Coming off an 18 hour trip to Shanghai, we were met by an energetic
> and intelligent young student, who accompanied us to our hotel.
> The minor inconveniences and ripoffs that we experience are nothing
> compared to what most of the world experiences. They do, however,
> illustrate the nastiness embedded in the capitalist mode of
> production.
With all due respect, Michael, is there anything particularly "Chinese" about your experience? It sound like you yourself think not.
Let me guess with the "energetic student," however. Speaking Mandarin is a quick way to piss off any Shanghainese...
Best, Charles