"I sometimes feel confused about whether certain situations count as racial discrimination. For example, when I travel abroad and someone greets me kindly with 'ni hao' or 'konnichiwa,' is that discrimination?" (Excerpt from https://t.me/xiaohongshu_001/6598)
Recently, I've indeed seen quite a bit of discussion on this topic. The question is very relevant to everyday life, and the situations described do happen frequently. Today, I want to share some of my thoughts on this.
I think there's no need to overthink it, especially to label this as 'racial discrimination.' That seems like an overreaction. If this is considered discrimination, then what language isn't a form of discrimination? Speaking English? Why should English be assumed to be the universal language? Speaking Spanish? Isn't that a rather arrogant way to treat tourists? Or consider another scenario: if I go to a Chinese supermarket or restaurant abroad and the owner greets me warmly in Chinese, is that discrimination? If other Chinese tourists approach me on the street and ask if I'm Chinese, are they discriminating against me? Just because someone of a different race says 'ni hao' to you, does that mean it's discrimination? And in another scenario, if someone in the UK says 'ni hao' and you feel it's discrimination, what if it were in Pakistan or Serbia?
I really feel there isn't a universal answer or formula to this question; it can only be addressed on a case-by-case basis. I don't like to ponder overly grand topics; discussing right and wrong is quite abstract, and besides, success and failure are fleeting. I prefer to experience concrete life and interact with specific people. If you feel the other person is being friendly and you're in a good mood, maybe you can smile back or even chat a bit more. If you don't want to engage or feel uncomfortable with their greeting, then just pretend you didn't hear them. If you think the people in that entire country are strange and hostile towards you, then it's best to stay away from that country.
Racial discrimination certainly exists, but I think it's unnecessary to dissect greetings so meticulously. After all, you can't pretend that you look like a Chinese person doesn't exist. Misunderstandings between people will always occur, and we can only accept that fact. I used to hold myself to the standard of not assuming someone who looks Chinese would speak Chinese, but now I lean more towards the idea that it's better not to be too distant between people. Since I don't harbor malicious assumptions when someone speaks Chinese, if there is a misunderstanding, a sincere apology will suffice.