Miskin tapi sombong ;-)

ME : The Journal of Separation Science Vol. 30 Issue 6 2007 is
specially dedicated to China!
HER: Yes, I know. Amazing progress in science and research, isn't it?
They are really considered as a peer to the West. There are many
collaborations happening now with the Chinese.
ME : Hm... I don't know if they are truly considered as equal. Just a
few months ago, when we were having dinner together, my friends,
they are Dutch, said that the research quality in China is in fact
bad!
HER: Is that not a defence statement implying that they actually felt
threatened by this development?
ME : Well, in fact my supervisor in Zurich now still doesn't want to
accept any applicant coming directly from China or India. They
don't feel it's safe to hire somebody who has never studied in
Europe or US before.
HER: That's gross.
ME : It's not only her. Other staff members also in the same opinion.
Also people from my previous lab.
HER: But there have been many good Chinese scientists. Just look at
the papers, you find Chinese names everywhere.
ME : It's not about the people. It's the education quality that they
don't trust on. Most of these scientists with Chinese names are
actually working at Europe or the US, right? They probably even
did not born in China. Anyway, how many Chinese who has studied
abroad and has made good research actually come back to China to
work there?
HER: So, perhaps half of the good people are actually spread
everywhere. And in China itself? Perhaps it's not as good as what
it sounds.
ME : Well, I can't judge the real situation there. But like in
everything, illusion is created when you hear the same thing
again and again. Especially when you heard it from many "respected"
sources.
HER: But that's actually the way to be known. It's no use to do a good
work when you cannot sell yourself.
ME : So what people concern in the end is not the real quality of their
work, but the way to sell, to be known, to be admitted as having
quality. And by this, they are also deceiving themselves about their
worth.
HER: Don't be so complicated! What's the matter with that? It's the
world we are living at. It's human nature.
ME : Well, your motivation determines the way you are reaching your
goal. To me it seems there is so much focus on having been admitted
by the better West, that we are more trying to imitate what they
are doing rather than trying to find our own strength.
HER: But that's understandable. Our starting point in science is indeed
more backward than theirs. It's normal then that we are trying
to catch our lost.
ME : Do you really think we can compete with them in the same field,
while we have much less resources... well, much less access
to many resources actually, since it is protected by patent, etc.
First and foremost, this is not a fair competition to start.
HER: So... our quality will never be equal...?
ME : With the hegemony that the West is always better, we will
never stop trying to imitate and to be admitted, since they
always become the standard we are looking at. We have to study
them for things that can be useful, but we have to find our own
strength and work with it. ... And now I am asking myself about
what I am going to make, to work at.
HER: Well, you are a separation scientist...
ME : A student! I had training in separation sciences. But I know
one person who is good in separating truth from illusion.
He is my husband-to-be.
HER: I know how lucky you are. So... what are you going to do in
this near future?
ME : That's what I want to tell...

to be continued ;-)