tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post2580748680394852168..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: Paper on Parade: The Power of CutenessMichael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-79593089176889536762014-03-26T12:20:16.163+08:002014-03-26T12:20:16.163+08:00Kaminoge, there is no such thing as a purely impor...Kaminoge, there is no such thing as a purely imported cultural thing. It always mixes with something local. In this case, it mixes with female practicalness, using a gesture to get some advantage, splitting between inside and outside.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-46922214922836060532014-03-26T12:17:04.681+08:002014-03-26T12:17:04.681+08:00There is nothing covert about any of this; it is o...There is nothing covert about any of this; it is one of the most obvious things a foreign person encounters in Taipei. It does lead to all kinds of levels of frustration. Simultaneously, some western men are drawn into this; really hoping that the cuteness says something about good character and that the girl will let you get really close to her. Since it is only a social gesture in many cases, the guy can feel really fooled, strung along, because she is shocked to find that he expects her cuteness to extend to a sweet and genuine interior. Some other times, she may also be very nice and honest, but the gesture still has a certain distance from her ongoing expectations. So, be prepared, for the difference from outside and inside. Of course, these features are all necessary for actual persons to be able to make it. The gesture of cuteness is really just a gesture, not a mark of character. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-14616307130563193652011-02-12T20:33:17.144+08:002011-02-12T20:33:17.144+08:00"It appears that as a style and manner, cuten...<b>"It appears that as a style and manner, cuteness in Taiwan is slowly shifting from unconsciously embodied “habitus” to a kind of performance."</b><br /><br />I absolutely agree with Tzu-i Chuang (and with you, Michael). Nothing that has been said about the Japanese influence negates this.<br /><br />There is a slow shift from the unconscious "habitus" of cuteness to its playful and often ironic performance among both men and women.<br /><br />This shift is not unnoticed: I have often heard Taiwanese friends say "bu yao zhuang keai", don't play cute; always in a gently observant way.<br /><br />When "keai" and "sajiao" are seen to be intrinsic qualities they are not always well receievd, but when all know they are performed they are part of the socially lubricating fun of interaction in Taiwan, a Taiwanese aspect of what the Thais call "sanuk"John McNeil Scotthttp://www.johnmcneilscott.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-5212817321339556302010-09-21T23:56:04.758+08:002010-09-21T23:56:04.758+08:00Shouldn't 可愛 really just be translated as &quo...Shouldn't 可愛 really just be translated as "loveable"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-37717088454918820792010-07-28T13:14:02.017+08:002010-07-28T13:14:02.017+08:00If you want to see cute in it's flowery fullne...If you want to see cute in it's flowery fullness go to Japan. Taiwan may be catching on, but it's not even close to the land that invented Hello Kitty. Miss Claire is right. Cuteness is most likely an export of kawaii (which wiki dates from the 1970s). Like so many other elements of pop culture, Japan leads the way and the world takes notice. Are we so jaded that we have to look down on these elements of innocence, beauty and simplicity?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-59760350908253345982009-09-01T09:48:16.595+08:002009-09-01T09:48:16.595+08:00the problem is infantization.
there are things t...the problem is infantization. <br /><br />there are things that are 好可愛 and there is the 裝可愛<br /><br />when a 3 y.o. (boy or girl) says 車車 or 狗狗 it is right and proper and can be cute. Just like we say doggy and fishy and piggy. But when a 20, 30 or even 40 y.o does that... 裝什麼可愛啊?<br /><br />As for the discussion on power, i think there is a correlation in the Raunch culture. What was once a symbol of oppression and enslavement has now evolved to be a symbol for power. See http://bit.ly/jzhGm<br /><br />I think this shows the perverseness of men in their male sexuality and also the reaction from women whose desire is to rule over their counter part in creation, hence the power struggle.hotzeleo.at.yahoo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-87237955543875988312009-08-30T19:08:11.004+08:002009-08-30T19:08:11.004+08:00"This is the type of academic research my uni..."This is the type of academic research my university would call "research in a vacuum" or research for the sake of research. It doesn't serve to improve our lot, nor contributes in any meaningful way toward society." - Anonymous (10.56pm)<br /><br />How true, (Mr) Anonymous, understanding gender relations does nothing to 'improve our lot'... if we are all men. <br /><br />Working out how mostly-unconscious gender (or racial, ethnic, class, you name it) stereotypes give some in our societies power while denying it to others is at the heart of what certain people call 'politics'. You might have heard of that term? You might have also heard that it is of great importance to many people (your university excepted, I suppose - academics are well known for not engaging in petty personal politics, especially in Taiwan, as Michael could attest!). Indeed, a many people (for example, those who vote) see 'politics' as the central means with which to 'improve our lot'.<br /><br />So in conclusion, I suggest you grow up.<br /><br />(Michael, I'm sorry for the snarkiness and sarcasm, but that is just beyond the pale!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-35559516163596456522009-08-28T23:35:18.520+08:002009-08-28T23:35:18.520+08:00Interesting. I get annoyed, too, when girls act &...Interesting. I get annoyed, too, when girls act 'cute' to get what they want - as though just asking for it is not OK, that they have to ask for things by pretending to be childlike and therefore seem submissive. Not. Cool.<br /><br />But I maintain that tiny dogs in bags are freakin' adorable. I will never waver from my love of tiny dogs in bags.Jenna Lynn Codyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04032277820150000198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-23855324846968470522009-08-28T22:56:15.628+08:002009-08-28T22:56:15.628+08:00This is the type of academic research my universit...This is the type of academic research my university would call "research in a vacuum" or research for the sake of research. It doesn't serve to improve our lot, nor contributes in any meaningful way toward society.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-59129707470877108422009-08-28T12:48:45.125+08:002009-08-28T12:48:45.125+08:00Does the paper's author mention the Japanese a...Does the paper's author mention the Japanese angle anywhere? As Rene points out, the whole cuteness thing in Taiwan is basically yet another Japanese import (the land where "kawaii" has reigned supreme since long before the 1990's), with only minimal local input. The attempt to link the world of "H.K." with a Chinese historical/cultural tradition is a bit of a stretch. But academics would never ignore obvious factors, and overemphasize the marginal and/or trivial just to get a paper published, would they? <br />かわいいね!:)Kaminogehttp://kaminoge.livejournal.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-25881643839022264762009-08-28T10:54:21.072+08:002009-08-28T10:54:21.072+08:00David Huang: due to quality guarantees, the two wo...David Huang: due to quality guarantees, the two words you put in your comment, He___ Ki___, are not permitted on this blog. I thank you for your patience in this matter.<br /><br />MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-89390326889957386252009-08-28T10:12:55.452+08:002009-08-28T10:12:55.452+08:00I have a very stern face, and I am often told that...I have a very stern face, and I am often told that I look angry when I am not. Sending out a playful turn of phrase can make a huge difference in the reaction you get in certain situations.<br /><br />I have also seen many other local men use it. Granted, it never develops into the whole cutesy sounding voice and gougou duplification. I also admit that I am one of the only Western men I know who uses it. I am not sure what that says about me, or about certain inflexibility in what is expected of the male gender in the West (much too general of a term for this discussion).Tommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552370490869601403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-13367175706926144252009-08-28T09:41:39.682+08:002009-08-28T09:41:39.682+08:00Hi Mr. Turton,
Thanks for the article review. I w...Hi Mr. Turton,<br /><br />Thanks for the article review. I wanted to pass on a recent article about Japan which touches on something similar. Here they attribute cuteness not just to women looking for mates/succeeding in a male-dominated world but to society as a whole reflecting an insecurity - an inability to grow up. One Japanese artist's perspective is that it's a national daddy issue. It's a short read, so hope you enjoy. <br /><br />https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/84/soul-japan.htmlDalbanesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579595336704684246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-3505666872470006762009-08-28T07:05:00.750+08:002009-08-28T07:05:00.750+08:00BIT, it is just a topic I enjoy. Not related to my...BIT, it is just a topic I enjoy. Not related to my PHD. Hopefully I will be blogging on my dissertation in a couple of months!Michael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-8536953684790657962009-08-28T01:20:04.837+08:002009-08-28T01:20:04.837+08:00Very interesting. I enjoyed reading it as much as ...Very interesting. I enjoyed reading it as much as your normally political analysis. Is this something related to your Ph.D dissertation?BITnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-29416668138970866902009-08-27T23:16:22.997+08:002009-08-27T23:16:22.997+08:00I agree with "Renée Claire" here. Althou...I agree with "Renée Claire" here. Although I love it and hate it (hau keu eye - I'm making up my own Pinyin, just for the hell of it, and because I love to drive other Anglophones crazy!). I love the cuteness when it is genuine, but I don't enjoy it when it comes from 3-8 girls trying to manipulate people. It is so obvious. But when it is from tea places - it is genuine, usually. Unless it is from Taipei people. Then it is suspicious. Taipei women who do this are usually haughty as well. I'm being tongue-in-cheek. I don't want people to know the whole story! Hahaha.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15907060405795620941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-16866846817587593102009-08-27T22:08:08.967+08:002009-08-27T22:08:08.967+08:00Before I even read the article I have to question ...Before I even read the article I have to question if they know anything. The URL is http://www.stanford.edu/group/sjeaa/journal52/china2.pdf. If they name an pdf document about Taiwan "china2", what other ignorance can we expect?Readinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-27285611090473254102009-08-27T21:46:16.971+08:002009-08-27T21:46:16.971+08:00"This hardly applies only to Taiwan. Cuteness..."This hardly applies only to Taiwan. Cuteness began in Japan in the 1990s, called KAWAII there, and it spread out from Tokyo and Osaka to HK and ROC and NYC. "<br /><br />Ahhh! It doesn't matter where it comes from, it is what the locals do with it that makes it Taiwanese.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-50246477180883547252009-08-27T21:39:41.919+08:002009-08-27T21:39:41.919+08:00LOL. Thanks for the compliment, I think, Rene.LOL. Thanks for the compliment, I think, Rene.Michael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-50934772117078807252009-08-27T21:29:00.268+08:002009-08-27T21:29:00.268+08:00I told my daughter that one feature of the Taiwane...I told my daughter that one feature of the Taiwanese Culture is "pretending to be cute". It seems that I should have written an essay so that my words can be quoted by you ;)<br /><br />I think it is somehow influenced by Japanese. Japanese are much much worse in this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-74375327340026481112009-08-27T21:04:55.881+08:002009-08-27T21:04:55.881+08:00very interesting observation.
I wonder if this ...very interesting observation. <br /><br />I wonder if this is universal though because one expression to describe some sort of sexual attractiveness in the North America is actually "he/she is cute"...although a lot of the times it is used on guys with big muscle etc so I don't see where the cuteness come from.<br /><br />Personally though I don't particularly like cuteness from women, especially when it is excessive. When the women use expressions like 'che che' as mentioned in the article, I usually feel kind of weird. <br /><br />It could be a fashion trend though, and as what usually happens, when a trend becomes extreme (when every women, or even men, try too hard to be cute), it might reverse itself.Dixteelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05689510846926854542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-84642531123000931742009-08-27T21:02:37.536+08:002009-08-27T21:02:37.536+08:00"Taiwan death toll even higher than we though..."Taiwan death toll even higher than we thought."<br /><br />And CNN does NOT have it right either. The final death toll will be 3,000. Do the maths! -- (I'm British!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-62402764318729260512009-08-27T20:57:31.664+08:002009-08-27T20:57:31.664+08:00You are much too intellectual for your own good, m...You are much too intellectual for your own good, mister blogger! This hardly applies only to Taiwan. Cuteness began in Japan in the 1990s, called KAWAII there, and it spread out from Tokyo and Osaka to HK and ROC and NYC. Your wish to throttle that cute girl i the shop on that island where you live belies a very dark side of your personality. You should have your head examined. I mean that as a compliment. Cuteness is a Japanese cultural export that Taiwan has obviously imported from all the JET and NHK shows that play on ROC airwaves, so it's only natural If you really hate cuteness, then attack Japan, not the ROC. You are too intellectual for your headtrips. Relax, sensei. Go take a hot bath.<br /><br />Amicalement,<br /><br />Mlle. Rene Claire, French girl in Taoyuan<br /><br />PS - I hope u are not married and do not have any children.... otherwise, omigod!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-53797858187074192342009-08-27T18:57:39.926+08:002009-08-27T18:57:39.926+08:00very interesting study!, thxsvery interesting study!, thxsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-83994970011692843482009-08-27T15:47:16.476+08:002009-08-27T15:47:16.476+08:00I think a lot of it depends on who is deploying th...I think a lot of it depends on who is deploying the image of cuteness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com