The Great American Exodus, a response

Lily Pond wrote about Americans escaping to third world countries for a life of luxury and why this can feel like neo-colonialism. My thoughts.

Photo by Luke Stackpoole on Unsplash

Ya know, I was supposed to write something light-hearted, especially after the month that I’ve had, but

Lily Pond

wrote The Great American Exodus, so how can I not respond to that great essay?

First, thank you, Lily for mentioning my essay, American friends, you can’t love your country only when its strong.

This title, by the way, was inspired by a comment on 小红书 (xiao hong shu aka Red Note).

However, the essay made some readers upset and angry.

I was frankly surprised by the finger wagging I got. Especially since I was trying to encourage Americans who cannot leave the United States.

I wanted them to feel some hope that their country will improve one day, no matter how bleak everything seems to be. That they are not a loser for staying behind.

To sum it up, the comments more or less said that since Chinese people are moving to Western countries, how could I, a Chinese person, object to Americans or Westerners doing the same?

(By the way, most of my readers were quite constructive and even supportive in their feedback, so, thank you.)

Is the migration of Westerners to Asia a form of neo-colonialism?

Maybe, it can seem overwrought to label it as such, but please do not dismiss the concerns of Asians talking about this is. It may not be accurate, perhaps, but the feelings come from somewhere.

I spoke about this matter to a friend and we both concluded: It’s really useless trying to explain our feelings about this or our point of view to Westerners*. They will never get it because they’ve never, ever experienced what we have. The subtle discrimination and condescension that we’re “lesser than them” in culture and intelligence, the historical awareness of colonialist tactics….

When you’ve enjoyed privilege all your life, you can only imagine what it’s like to be in the shoes of the disadvantaged. And when you do try, you imagine it badly.