Why do people insist on mixing apples and oranges and using personal bias to view problems that are of legitimate concern to others?

The noise from the hussle and bussle of a metro is different from what the Damas are doing. These elderly people are setting up shop on public places, claiming it as their own, and interefering with other people's use of public space. Notice, I did not say all people, only those that becomes a nuisance. They block pedestrian traffic, have music blaring in the early hours or late in the evening, often in residential area no less. Yes, NY is a noisy city but is central park as noisy? Do New Yorkers take over empty parking lot at night and blare music?

For those that think this is not really a big deal as I do, would it be ok for your neighbors to have loud parties at night, every night, and you have no right to complain or to address the problem. Should your other neighbors tell you you are being a cry baby because parties are such a trivial matter that you must be a spoiled brat if you've got nothing else to complain about.

While I've never had problems with the noise and the Damas, and in Kunming this isn't a really big issue, I can also understand why the situation can get out of hand and why people would see it as a major issue.

Stop using your personal experiences and biases to make a value judgement on other people's beliefs/problems, they are just as valid as your other concerns. For no matter how big a problem you feel you are facing, I can always find a dozen people to belittle it and say, is "that all? That's nothing compared to my problem"

Yes, neddy, and where I come from we have laws on noise pollution, and controls on excessive noise.

In China they don't seem to have the concept of noise pollution, but even the authorities here see a need to clamp down on the dama.
My daughter lives in Shanghai and here local dama are hooked into Bluetooth headphones. She says the sight of the dama, dancing/exercising silently is a little surreal, but welcomes the quiet.

Sorry for being off topic people. In my defence the topic was boring.

Geezer said: '@Haali: In the USA, there are more guns owned by private citizens, estimated to be well over 300 million guns, than citizens. Over the last eight years the number of guns sold has increased dramatically while gun crime and murders by firearms has declined.'

That's because it couldn't get much higher. Each person only needs access to one gun to be a danger to themselves and others. Having more than one gun per person doesn't really increase homicides. On the kindergarten point, you must have heard about the kids who went into their Mom's handbag and shot their mum/dad/sibling/themselves. If you lost a toddler or accidentally killed your parent as a toddler, you would think differently.

Houston we have a problem - Magni blew a gasket but now he has come back to his senses.

Ok,people we need help.
HFCAMPO would like to join the dancing grannies, but since men are not allowed he needs to borrow a skirt and a wig.

@Tonyaod
You're right on point. Whatever is the solution, the Chinese people will have to resolve it themselves. We are just bystanders.

@Liumingke1234, actually, I believe in the opposite. It would be racist to believe that somehow we foreigners are different from local Chinese and we should not interfere. That somehow foreigners deserve change and locals should just wallow in what ever culture they've had and never change. If an expat is simply passing through China, it might be worth while nor be here long enough to have an influence.

However, for the 20-to-life crowd like myself, Kunming is my residence and I am a member of the Kunming community. I have every right to exert my influence as much as I have in my hometown, I don't believe in borders. However, I must also except the consequences of my actions either through legal repercussions or being ostracize by my community. That is the only reason I do or don't take certain actions. Not because I feel I don't have the right, but because the price I have to pay out weighs any satisfaction I might receive.

When people complain about something, be them locals or expats, my gut reaction isn't "that's cultural" and we should blindly accept it. Cultures change over time, both from internal and external factors. To say we can't speak out about something just because it is "cultural" is just asinine and insane.

Da Ma = Big Mamas - I love it!

My mother-in-law dances every night in our courtyard. It's the first time in her live that she had a hobby. While they are dancing there is a bunch of little children(including my son) that run around and play. There are two groups dancing at the same time. One is professional and they have to pay money to the dancing teacher and one is an amateur group(my mother in law). A few months ago both groups went together on a holiday to Korea. The first trip in my mothers live. I enjoy the whole scene a lot, but I understand that the noise level is sometimes out of control

@Tonyaod: No, it would not necessarily be racist.