Andao tea's patronizing video

[drumhum]

Perhpas I'm being sensitive here, but I've just watched a video that's featured on the Andao Tea website...
http://andaotea.com/news/andaovideo.htm

I am alone here in feeling that video was a patronizing, hypocritical piece of cr*p?

After establishing that the chinese culture has been destroyed (and "everyone knows" this apparently) he then seems to insinuate that it needs a couple of americans to sort out the Chinese tea industry by proper marketing (apparently they don't package their tea properly).

He goes on to say that he (and presumably his also American partner) is trying to show the people of china that they must not let go of their history and values.

I am sure the nation of China are thankful for being told where they are going wrong! Clearly they should stop being the fastest developing nation on earth and go back to subsistence farming. Or something.

It must feel quite special for these guys to be saving a nation's values, morals, let alone their meagre tea industry - Oh yeah and managing to make a bunch of money out of them in the process.

Well I doubt I'll be ordering from Andao now.

(though they do have a couple of nice 12 gentlemen cakes in stock)

Sorry, I just had to vent.

[JAS-eTea Guy]

Worthwhile vent!
Dont' think I will be buying from them either.

[teakid]

Was he RAPPING?.....ah pu.....ah erh.....ah pu......ah erh.....

[Space Samurai]

Didn't seem that offensive to me.

[devites]

Didn't seem that offensive to me.

Same here. They are after all providing many organic, fair trade items. These guys are probably able to give the farmers more money then they would get otherwise. Sometimes middlemen are necessary. Without people like them, people like us wouldn't get to experience fantastic teas from around the world.

[hop_goblin]

I agree with Space. Not offensive at all. In fact quite the opposite IMHO. As for the Wen ge period ' cultural revolution' he is academically correct. The cultural rev did destroy the intimate part of tea culture and automated it. If it were not for the Chinese of Maylasia, HK, and Taiwan, a large portion of tea culture would of dissappeared with Chairman Mao's revolution.

[tenuki]

I read the 'ugly american' when I was like 12, so no, this does not surprise me. I'm not really offended, just don't like the guy very much after watching the vid.

[shogun89]

No, I did not find this offending however, he seems to come off as a self absorbed introvert. This is just my humble opinion though.

[Space Samurai]

I don't know, I thought he just sounded like a guy who was passionate about what he was doing.

[puerhking]

There are worse things they could be doing there....like trying to get them addicted to opium.

[drumhum]

Well, it seems I am not alone in seeing the video this way - but I am in the minority.

[Geekgirl]

Haha! thanks for sharing this, it cracked me up! Nice to know that a 20ish y.o. guy with a little tea company is going bring "authenticity" back to the Chinese. teehee!

'We are showing the chinese culture that what they are doing is worthwhile.' LMAO!!!

meh, it's not offensive to me, but it does come off as a bit condescending.

[Victoria]

If the video was posted on the site without the preface, I would probably agree.
And it is certainly sef-promoting - but then again, it's their website, so why not?

But based on the fact they say "Seven Fund Cinéma Prospérité competition. The contest recognizes 'the outstanding use of film to portray entrepreneurs who have overcome obstacles and created for-profit businesses in their community'." - was the reason the film was made. It was made with the intent to cater to this said competition, so it does.

[silverneedles]

I am alone here in feeling that video was a patronizing, hypocritical piece of cr*p?

you are being too sensitive,

it seems like a simple, quick, short-prepared setup ...dude in a gray tshirt- could have been his PJs... even i would have put on a short sleeved shirt if i was filmed for a movie
fidgeting, turning in his chair...

there were a couple aggressive short points in beginning and end i think, with the business blah blah in between.
but right before the end he had specific "this is all thanks to the chinese people, its their work" wording - which was nice and humble.