Life of an INTJ

I would recommend that you read this series in order, but each piece should be relatively self-contained.

Part I (History) | Part II (I am Taiwanese American) | Part IV (Now What?)

(Sorry for the long read, but I hope you find it worth it!)

The recent elections (2012) in Taiwan reelected Ma Ying-Jeou for another four year term. First off, we should be proud of the democracy that Taiwan has been able to establish. It is more of a direct democracy than what we have in the United States (because of the Electoral College system). However, the outcome unsettles me, and let me try to explain why Taiwanese Americans should be concerned. 

Many Taiwanese Americans have fond memories of Taiwan - the shopping, the food, the entire atmosphere. The reality is that Taiwanese culture, similarly to American culture, is somewhat of a conglomerate of many places around the world. It has been shaped by the Dutch, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and American cultures. It’s only natural that many observers note the major differences between Taiwanese and Chinese people.

The two major political parties are commonly thought of as “Pro-Independence” (DPP, Green) and “Pro-Unification” (KMT, Blue). Realistically though, neither will be something that can be accomplished in one presidential term (or so I hope). More realistic selling points the parties offered were probably:

DPP: More recognition on the global stage by decreasing dependence on China

KMT: Bolstering the economy (through better relations with China)

If you keep an open mind, both options has its merits. But think about theTaiwan that you know and love. Will that still exist if Taiwan is annexed by China? The answer is, probably not. 

Taiwan’s imports/exports with China have already increased dramatically in the past four years under President Ma, and with his reelection, it is fair to assume they will increase even more. 

My worry is that within the next four years, we will hit the “point of no return”, where so much of the trade is with China that the economy would fail without it. As a result, the Taiwan that we’ve known all our lives? Gone. Tragic.

Note that this argument is not necessarily pro-Green. It’s pro-Taiwan. I’m not saying that what the DPP is offering is right. I’m saying that it may be the better option for Taiwan right now.

In fact, I don’t think party politics is the way to go, even in the United States. When I vote, I look at what each candidate stands for / the consequences of voting that candidate in. A commercial I saw a few weeks ago put it quite appropriately:

Perhaps it’s time to vote for the person, and not the party. 

As always, I welcome any questions/comments