从隐私权角度看中西方文化的差异(2)

2. Literature Review

Zhou Hui pointed out four aspects differences of Chinese and western in privacy. They were etiquette, salary, space and age. The way of Chinese etiquette was enthusiastic and generous. Chinese thought that is a good way can express their mind. But in the eyes of westerners that is not a polite manner. Salary is a reflection of one's ability in the west. In order to protect their safety westerners did not like to talk about money. In China, salary could be told to everybody because they thought it just a number. Westerners had a good sense of personal space. But, Chinese used to share everything with others and they did not realize the space was important for westerners. Age was a secret especially for women in the west. It is foolish for someone used age to measure others. Chinese people believed the symbol of older age was experience and knowledge.

Li Hongtao and Liu Lingling also found three different aspects of Chinese and Western in privacy. Topic, the Chinese people always talked something about their inpidual. Westerners were more willing to talk about something did not relate to them. Space, wall was the characteristic of Chinese culture. The family members could share space with others. Westerners did not allow strangers to enter freely because the space was privacy for them. People would keep a distance with strangers when westerners were shopping or by bus. However Chinese people did have this kind of consciousness.

In my opinion, there are many differences between Chinese and western in privacy. The main differences are existed in private time, private space and personal information privacy.

Tao Yan believed that the main reasons led to the differences between Chinese and Western privacy were different degrees, different emphasis and difference legal status. In the western countries, they had a specific legal protection of the privacy right. The privacy protection of china was an indirect and incomplete mode. Privacy was very important to westerners but Chinese people’s privacy was vague. In the west, they had complete privacy laws. But, China hadn’t it.

I don’t fully agree with tao’s point. I think caused the differences reason is because of the different culture. Owing to the culture, Chinese and western have different values of inpidualism and collectivism.

3. The Differences between Chinese and Western privacy

Westerners seek for “private”，so they have private trainers, private goods and private doctors. They entirely follow their mind and never take the limitations of time or place into consideration. In china, everyone has not “privacy”. The word private means selfishness.

Westerners have a strong concept of privacy and they also pay more attention to personal privacy. They do not like to share their personal affairs to others and do not like to be bothered. The topic of Chinese people involves age, address, work unit, income, marriage, family and faith etc. Westerners think that these issues are all privacy which is the invasion behavior of the right to the personal privacy.

We should avoid the following questions in the communication and cooperation with westerners. Such as: How old are you? What’s your income? How much did that trousers cost you? Are you married or single? Privacy of the specific differences reflected in the following three points.