** My Intellectual Flakes **

I ran into a quite interesting report titled “China Leads the US in Digital Self-Expression” released by IAC and JWT. The “Young Digital Mavens” study aimed to explore how attitudes toward digital technology are changing among Chinese and American youth.

Chinese youngsters regarded digital technology as essential part of their life.

As many as 80 percent of Chinese respondents agreed that “Digital technology is an essential part of how I live,” compared with 68 percent of Americans.

What surprised me was the Chinese attitudes towards online relationship and identity.

61 percent of Chinese respondents vs. 47% of American respondents agreed that “I have felt strong emotions through online interaction.

More than twice as many Chinese respondents admited that they have explored the online identity. Far more Chinese than Americans agreed that “Online interactions have broadened my sense of identity” (66 percent vs. 26 percent) and that “Online interactions have made me more self-aware” (60 percent vs. 26 percent).

As many as 82 percent of young Chinese agreed that “Interactivity helps create intimacy, even at a distance,” compared with just 36 percent of young Americans. And almost two- thirds (63 percent) of Chinese respondents agreed that “It’s perfectly possible to have real relationships purely online with no face-to-face contact,” vs. only 21 percent of Americans.

I still remember Hall’s theory concerning high vs. low-context culture. Chinese are from high-context culture which value physical contact. That’s why I am quite surprised that Chinese youngsters are more immersed in online world than their American counterparts. The virtual world seems more real for Chinese.

What is expected is the difference between Chinese and American’s attitude towards anonymity.

“One of the biggest differences between American and Chinese youth is in attitudes toward anonymity,” says Doctoroff. “In the U.S., with its cult of celebrity, young Americans see the Internet as a way of getting known, of building their personal brand; many regard the Internet as a kind of personal broadcasting medium. But whereas publicizing your name, face and opinions is seen as a step toward success in the U.S., in China it has been a surefire way of veering into dangerous territory. So for young Chinese, the Internet is the ideal place to air opinions and hear what others think without crossing the line.”