Actually, “Shanghai” is still a Toponym in common use today, and it
means “to forcibly recruit”.
It refers to the late 19th century practice of luring men into being
sailors on ships, destine to Asia, by drugging them, or getting them
drunk.
There was a familiar saying a hundred years ago or so. "I've been Shanghai'd." It was way too common in that city at one time to be scammed out of your money or valuables.
First of all, being Shanghaid was to be involuntarily conscripted to
serve as a sailor. Second, just because something is an old
expression does not mean it was ever accurate or that even if it ever
was, it should be brought up in the modern world. Just think of such
expressions or words as Indian giver, gypped, jewed out of something,
might white of you, welshing on a bet…
There are real issues coming out of the clash of cultures between the
Western world-view and the Asian, especially Chinese vs American
ideas of how business is done, but do let’s focus on how to
understand each other better and resolve them, and leave ancient
prejudices out of it, yes?
Noel
Hello Jeff,
Sentiment appreciated! I wouldn’t sell anything made with it for
concern that it might turn their skin green or something, and having
it come back with a unhappy buyer.
Vicki K
I would never purchase precious metal products from China as well as
other underdeveloped countries. Stick with known quality precious
metal products from the U.S., England, Italy, Germany, and the
Scandinavian countries. If you are continuously looking for cheaper
products because you’re profit margin is shrinking, you may want to
rethink the way you market your wares.
Jeff Herman
Noel,
There are real issues coming out of the clash of cultures between the Western world-view and the Asian, especially Chinese vs American ideas of how business is done, but do let's focus on how to understand each other better and resolve them, and leave ancient prejudices out of it, yes?
I don’t hold prejudices, ancient or modern. my sister liked China
and would like to have stayed there, but work did not permit it. but
her experience with landlords was NOT good. It may be their culture
(privileged class vs. working class) but abusive practices can be
found in any religious or ethnic or racial society. I don’t use
terms like “Shanghai’d” or “Jew 'em down” because of stereotyping.
Often practices in culture led to these sayings. Sometimes it was
outright racism that led to colloquialisms and there is NO grain of
truth in such phrases. Either way, I may resent a behavior but I
will not make it a basis for a racially or ethnically derogatory
remark when in conversation with anyone.
I am sorry if my comment was misconstrued as racist.
Ray Brown
especially Chinese vs American ideas of how business is done,
Dunno where that quote came from, a ways back. Noel doesn’t really
need to justify herself, IMO. We all live in the same world, yes, but
we here are “Pacific Rim” I know a good hundred asian people and I’m
surrounded by them outside. Some street signs are bilingual in some
places. That’s not to mention Arabic, Israeli, Samoan, Timbuktu…
None of them think that stealing or fraud is the right way to live,
as a culture. I’d say that asian people as a whole have better values
than some, in fact. A crook is a crook is a crook. Chinese people as
a whole have no different concept of what makes for good business
than any Americans do. They’ll offer you tea, yes, but there is no
~fundamental~ difference in terms of honesty and integrity. The
people in question are simply thieves - in any society.
I bought some stuff stamped .925, the international trade
designation for sterling on eBay for $168.00. It was not sterling as
the description told, and was in fact silver plated. I used a
fluorescence reading tester to validate my suspicions… it was
mostly tin, zinc and chromium. I got the entire amount back and did
not have to return the worthless junk.
If you paid with PayPal you can get your money back (I did) and if
you really want to be part of stopping this from continuing you can
report the vendor to the FTC and other federal agencies that
investigate and stop fraudulent metals marketing in the US. Ebay is
basically useless unless it is taken to the highest executive you can
get in contact with in their organization via a telephone call in
person.- if enough of us keep reporting this to eBay (and other
agencies) the sellers will be shut down fast. Most of the items
Chinese vendors put on eBay are fraudulent or not as described and
then they vanish in about a month or so after making a lot of cash
and start a new store under another name (the same merchandise and
photos gives them away though). Always ask the Chinese seller a
question specific enough to use as evidence should you need to open a
case with ebay or paypal. Proof is in their saying “yes” it’s silver
or gold (I had a seller tell me I could buy an almost two troy oz.
piece of 22 karat gold at $58.00 USD. I asked them if it was truly
solid 22kt as their description said, they said as far as they knew
the manufacturer that supplied them said it was pure 22 karat gold. I
asked for the manufacturers address and name and the seller gave it
to me. I contacted the factory and was told it was all plated
material after a lengthy - conversation- akin to pulling teeth - to
get at the truth. If it seems to good to be true it is fake on eBay -
at least regarding precious metals from China. Open a case with
PayPal oir eBay and get your money back asap.
I didn’t know I could open a case through paypal once ebay started
taking it over.I bought the stuff way back in the beginning of
february, I’m afraid it’s now too late.
Liz