Dialogue 3
(A=Mr. Green, B=Mr. Unbearable Man)

A: Is there a difference between Chinese and Western concepts of personal privacy?

B: Yeah. Until very percent years we have had only a very vague idea of personal privacy. For the average Chinese, a person's age, income, or martialstatus is no secret at all. On the contrary, these are the topics used to start a conversation between strangers.

A: Why do Chinese people treat their personal privacy like this?

B: Maybe this is because we are used to communal life and large families living together, where everything is shared and nothing is private. After all, the Chinese families have become smaller in recent decades. Another reason may be China's salary system, which has been more or less uniform all over the country since the 1950's.

A: How about those people in business enterprises and joint ventures?

B: Nowadays in business enterprises and joint ventures, there are a great variety of salaries, so they are not willing to talk about their salaries. But for people who work in government and other organizations, their salaries are still comparable. Since most people with similar jobs and positions receive similar pay, there is no need to keep it a secret. So if you are asked about your age, income, or marital status, don't take offence. People are just trying to be kind.
关键字:网友情怀
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