Saving Face and Catching Up with the Jones

Saving Face is the name for an Asian trait which represents an individual or group's (Company/Government) desire to avoid embarassment over a sensitive topic/issue. Their is a desire to maintain one's image and/or standing in society. Embarassment is avoided at all costs.

Face (Wiki)



Official Site

There is even a movie about it! Wayne has not watched this.

- Catching Up With the Jones (CUWJ)is a term used (In America at least) to describe behavior where one doesn't want to be seen as having less than their 'neighbors' in a city / workplace / social circle. An example of this might be how one only feels worthy if they own an expensive car like a Mercedes or BMW, or Lexus. They don't buy (Lease) the car because of specific characteristics they desire, but mainly to cement their own status.

The same could be said about living in certain addresses or zip code and certain sized houses. As well as diamond wedding rings increasing in average size. Immigrant Asians coming to America fit in so well because so many love running on the treadmill of CUWJ! Saving face and not falling off!

These are more or less the same. They represent a desire to not be seen as inferior.
But when you just BE - you do not worry about what others think of you.
"Self-respect" - yes, but not to extremes.

 

 Documentary

National Geographic:
China's Lost Girls

Look how far 'Saving Face' will go. Such DEsperation to have a boy to carry a family line/name/etc.. The mothers are ashamed of what they have done. (Hmmm...shame...sounds familiar)  

This also occurs in India too. Also other countries - when parents - must have / really want a boy!