Sam Harris

Apparently, the legendary wealth-building ability of Jews has turned them into cult icons in newly-enterpreneurial China.  The business section of bookstores are stock with titles like:

"The Eight Most Valuable Business Secrets of the Jewish."
"The Legend of Jewish Wealth."
"The Jewish and Business: The Bible of How to Live Their Lives."

I wonder if they're available in English?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020601713.html

haha, that is quite interesting. I am Jewish by blood, but Athiest by nature as I would assume you understood from my alias. I have asked this question before, my mother told me, when I was young that the Jews have always been put under constant pressure to survive and due to this, the Jewish people who have survived have multiplied and the traits seemed to have passed onto their children, just like adaptation. SO the Jews seem to have a great ability at surviving and going beyond that when they aren’t under attack. The stereotype is wrong, however. Yes, there are many Jews in position of power. However, there are just as many, if not more, who are in a state of poverty. It’s simply the fact that there are more Jewish people in the upper class than there are people of other religions in the upper class that gives the Jewish people that stereotype. However, if one were to look at the other classes, in the other numerous countries, he/she would be surprised to see his/her stereotype contradicted.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s just about having a solid network.

You see it in most tight identifiable groups. You look out for your own, pass information, offer referrals, make connections, do business.

I remember a post Noggin made awhile back about a semi-acquaintance who approached him in church and was super friendly, because he wanted to sell something. Noggin viewed the encounter with contempt. I wonder how that scenario would have played out in a synagogue.

Some communities/groups are better at maximizing the “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” approach.

Jews seem to love Chinese food

That Wash Post story is true. In Taiwan bookstores, also, in Chinese, there are books in Mandarin about the Jewish people, usually with an Orthodox Jew with a long beard on the cover, that is how Chinese people know Jews, not a modern real people but as imagined historical people, but in a positive light, and they aspire to be like Jews themselves: the importance of education, the importance of family, respect for elders, family life, holidays, working hard, getting into a good business. In Japan, there are some books like this, too, but there also a number of semi-anti-semi-tic books in Japan about Jewish conspiracies and controlling the world, too. The Japanese are not too bright when it comes to understanding things outside their little island. But they have good hearts and good minds. The Taiwanese are the salt of the Earth, while the communist Chinese in China are rather selfish, moneygrubbing opportunists. Sad that the world LOVES CHINA now, when it should really be putting its LOVE on Taiwan. Taiwan is the real thing. CHina is a fake screwed up nation with brainwashed nationalistic people. Sigh.

speaking of stereotypes.

kidding