Christopher’s Lies and BS about Janet Hsieh and Taiwan

One of Janet Hsieh’s fans (airheads as usual, with no real arguments), posted this strange comment in this blog:

http://janet-hsieh-sucks.blogspot.tw/2011/05/critique-of-janet-hsieh-host-of-taiwan.html

“It seems the only good thing Winston Wu is good at is SEO.

I actually read that “article” about democracy and Taiwan being a horrible place, and discovered that his “intellectual” thoughts are basically a mixture of conspiracy theory and poppycock. No educated American thinks America is literally a democracy, nor does anybody think that living in a “free” country means that people can do or say whatever they want. Winston wrote some obvious things, then claims that he’s one of the few that’s figured it out. There’s also a glaring lack of footnotes in his essay, so at least we know it’s very well-researched….

And then there’s a bunch of claims that show Winston’s lack of knowledge on topics he talks about. Such as Janet being fake. If he’s never met her, then how does he know that she’s faking it, and that that’s not how she is in person? (I HAVE met her personally, and I remember her as a pretty upbeat girl). Winston also doesn’t know how the TV industry in Taiwan works (for new show concepts, people create a show with their own money, then pay the networks to broadcast it. If it gets good ratings FOR A WHOLE SEASON, THEN the network pays for the rights to it and/or hires the team, and only then do they start paying the original show creators.).

Also, Winston likely possesses few social skills. He cries on and on about Asian males not being treated well, but it just sounds like a lot of blaming others for his own bad experiences. Having lived in Taipei for a year as an ABC (that would make me an Asian male), one of the best things about the place was the friendly people! People everywhere were extremely friendly, you could talk to anybody on the street, young or old, and talking to girls there was much easier than in the States, because they will almost always talk back (maybe Winston acted like a creeper? I’m below-average in the looks department, and all I had to do was smile and say hi). I have literally walked into random KTV rooms, introduced myself, and then drank and sang with strangers for hours (didn’t do this all the time, but maybe once a month or so?). I would then observe how that behavior would not fly in the USA. It is hard to approach a group of club-goers in LA without them staring you down. In Taipei, however, any night at Room18 could be spiced up by just walking up to random groups, and they happily integrate you into their plans for the night. Girls there are NOT that conservative, and I actually watched a documentary about how Taiwanese girls are getting more and more dynamic to the point that there is a large portion of their population that is barhopping into their 30’s and marrying later.

Winston, anecdotal evidence from people that have similar experiences to you means very little. You must ask for stories from people that are nothing like you, to allow for the possibility that your personality (or other factors) is the culprit. I’m not claiming to be one of those “lucky” ones that succeeded in to social or dating scenes. In fact, if you go hang outside a club like Spark or Primo, you will see tons of people just happily socializing with each other, just like any other country. Because guess what! People in Taiwan like to have fun, too! There’s no anti-fun culture being taught there. How about you balance your anecdotal evidence with mine and my Taiwanese friends? Or that of all the ABC’s that love visiting Taiwan every year in the summer or Christmas or Chinese New Years?

In closing, this comment is more for the readers than for you, Winston. I’m afraid this is likely to fall on deaf ears (though one can hope), but hopefully others who end up here will remember to appreciate Janet and her show for what it’s supposed to do, highlighting what can be fun and entertaining in and around
Taiwan, not what you perceive her personality to be without ever having met her.”

My response:

Christopher,

Why do you say that Janet isn’t fake because she’s “upbeat”?! WTF are you smoking?! If you had said that she isn’t fake because she’s “authentic, down to earth, no nonsense, straightforward, brutally honest and tells it like it is”, then you could argue that she’s not fake. But “upbeat”? WTF? Are you some retard? 

How can you say that Taiwanese are “NOT conservative”? WTF? EVERYONE knows that they are. Ask any honest sincere Taiwanese person and they will tell you that Taiwan girls are very “bao so” (conservative/inhibited/closed). Note that they are not a little “bao so” but VERY “bao so”. It’s common knowledge in Taiwan and no one denies it. So why do you?

Saying that Taiwanese girls are not conservative is like saying that Hitler was not insane. It’s a preposterous statement. In fact, every atom and molecule in Taiwan is conservative. The entire energy field and social atmosphere in Taiwan is conservative. There is nothing that is not conservative in Taiwan. Why do you think you have to act super innocent when out with people in Taiwan?

Do you have some self-interest in spreading these lies about Janet Hsieh and Taiwan? Why are you giving totally false info that contradicts what everyone knows as fact? You are weird. It’s like you have never been to Taiwan or something.

Look dude. I’m Taiwanese and I love Taiwan because of that. But the facts are the facts:

– It is extremely conservative, the most conservative country I’ve ever been to. People ignore you if they don’t know you and treat you like you don’t exist. When you are alone in Taiwan, you are totally invalidated and alienated. It’s a terrible feeling.

– Taiwanese are very cliquish and only hang in groups. They are insecure as individuals. The individual has no value and no identity. Groups are everything in Taiwan’s social atmosphere. No one dares go out alone unless they are on their way to school or work. You will never see anyone going alone to a restaurant, cafe, pub, theater, etc. You will be seen as a loser if you go out alone in Taiwan. It’s easier to meet people if you’re in a group than alone – it’s all about cliques.

– The only people that freely talk to strangers in Taiwan are middle age and elderly people. (similar to the US) This is an obvious fact, yet amazingly not a single website mentions it other than mine. 

– 80 percent of the girls are either cute or hot, but they have a cold wall around them which makes it VERY uncomfortable and creepy to try to approach them or meet them. 99.99 percent of guys would never start up a conversation with a girl they don’t know in Taiwan. The girls are all look and no touch – a total downer.

These facts and general tendencies in Taiwan are undeniable to any sincere normal person. I have a mountain of proof to support this.

See these revealing photos that show exactly what I’m talking about:

http://www.happierabroad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14359

See these 10 logical reasons with many expat letters:

http://www.happierabroad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13566

Is Janet Hsieh running away from something in America? What are her dark secrets?

Recently, I met an American expat in Taiwan who told me that he heard a rumor that Janet Hsieh was actually running away from something in America, unknown to most of her fans.

In a thread about her on Forumosa, a poster asked:

http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=70037&start=300

“I always wondered why a smart well-educated woman, MIT no less, who wanted to become a medical doctor and save lives as a doctor, would give up all
that training and braininess to come to Taiwan and hawk crap products on TV and star in some cool travel shows? Okay, for two years, three years, cool, bit Janet’s been here forever now doing this same same thing, and sure she’s making a good living at it, but she comes from a wealthy family stateside, it’s not like she needs the money. What derailed her from her real life? This TV life in Taiwan is fake. Sure, she has the adoration of thousands of teen fans around the island, is that a life? I wonder if there is something about her that she is running away from. like her family in Texas, or former lovers at MIT, or her own sense of who she is in terms of persoanlity and sexuality. I am sure she is a good person and certainly has a sunny personlity for sure. But there is something missing. Honesty. She’s hiding behind something. Of course,
The llocals cannot see it, they just see glamour girl and glam girl…..but no boyfriend, no husband, no kids, she seems like those other TV talents who were were
famous for a while and then disppeared: Chocolate and Jen Locker. Is Janet folling herself, too?”

Now, I wouldn’t agree that being a doctor and working long stressful hours with no freedom, relaxation or travel is better than being a TV host. But we all have skeletons in the closet and things we are ashamed of in our past. Could people like Janet, who act overly fake and polyannish, be doing so as a front to mask some insecurity deep down? It’s very possible. What dark secrets does Janet Hsieh have, I wonder.

Anyway, if anyone knows what he might be talking about, please let us know by posting in the comment section below. Or if anyone has heard anything about any of her dark secrets, feel free to share.

Isn’t Janet Hsieh one of those Positive Attitude Junkie Types?

I have a question.

How do you get along with those “positive attitude junkies” who act like life is a wonderland 24/7? They’re everywhere now in the Western World and countries exposed to the West. Many good looking Gen Yers usually develop that attitude for some reason, esp if they are popular and hip. You know what I mean?

There are many people in the young generation today who act like everything is awesome 24/7. They frequently use words like “Life is beautiful”, “Awesome”, “Great” etc. They act like life is a wonderland 24/7 and nothing negative exists. I thought they only existed on TV, but they exist in real life too. They are usually on a superficial wavelength too, not a deep one. And they are usually well liked, praised, and hip.

Most of these types are from America, and are usually female and good looking, but I’ve noticed that many English speaking Taiwanese girls are like that too (such as Janet Hsieh on Discovery Channel’s Fun Taiwan series). Where does that delusion come from exactly? How do they get that way? Are they serious? Or in denial?

How do you get along with these types? How do you have a conversation with them? Around them, I get the feeling like if I say even one thing negative, they’ll avoid me. I also get the vibe that deep meaningful topics are “abnormal” to their wavelength.

Many of these types are attractive, good looking, and hip. So they draw people to them. A perfect example is Janet Hsieh, host of Fun Taiwan on the Discovery Channel and TLC. She is good looking, bubbly, and acts like everything is a 24/7 wonderland. That combo makes her popular. But her act looks superficial and phony to people who are realists or deeper than her. Plus, no one feels special when she is nice to them, because she’s superficially nice to everyone, young and old. Gee.

Not all of them are celebrities though. They also include surfers, skateboarders, backpackers, hippies, New Agers, and lots of other young people.

But how do you get along with these types? By just acting fake and saying positive things about everything? Ick. (I guess some people derive pleasure from negativity and cynicism)

Have any of you met these types before? They seem to be everywhere now, esp among Gen Y. They act so hip and positive that it kind of makes you feel “uncool” if you don’t share their attitude. The good thing about them is that they aren’t mean to anyone. They aren’t very cliquish or judgmental either, but rather, quite inclusive, albeit in a superficial way. You know?

In fact, they are so nice to everyone, that their niceness becomes meaningless, so that when they are nice to you, it feels like nothing special, since they are that way to everyone. lol. Know what I mean?

You also feel like you can’t really bond or connect with them, cause they sort of “belong to everyone”. So if they are hot, then they have tons of admirers. She is nice to all of them, but never serious about any of them.

Don’t these 24/7 positive attitude types know that 75 percent of people are in poverty, that there’s more suffering in the world than happiness, that life is not a wonderful, but a cycle of happiness and suffering?

Don’t they know that evil people run the world, and that most things you’re told are lies and propaganda, that most people aren’t happy, etc.?

Are these types really able to avoid suffering by denying it out of their reality? They certainly act like they can. And if you ask them, they will say that they don’t like to focus on the negative. They focus on the positive, and attract positive things, and that’s their secret to happiness. Is it really that simple? Geez. So that’s the key to happiness? It’s been in front of our noses all the time! LOL OK!

I would venture to guess that since they’re usually good looking, they were treated very well from birth, and given a lot of love and attention by everyone, hence their overly positive peppy attitude. So they can’t really relate to anyone beneath them. They harbor no resentment, ill will, or regret either, since they’ve never really suffered. And no one has ever treated them like shit. So when they grow up, they are able to return all that niceness back, by acting superficially nice to everyone, and having a positive attitude 24/7. Is that why they are like that? If so, then I guess only those resentful in life, who have suffered a lot, dislike their attitude?

Could that be? Are there really people in life who have never suffered?

These types avoid comparing cultures and people like the plague. And they avoid all forms of political incorrectness. Nothing politically incorrect ever comes out of their mouths. If they hear me give my culture comparisons in my usual detailed insightful way, they will remain silent, since they avoid argument, debate or negative observations of any sort, no matter how true. Or they will disagree with me in a polite way, but when I bring up many examples, experiences and facts to support my comparisons, they usually quit and go into silent mode, for they seem incapable of offering counter-argument points other than the popular female cliche “Not all are like that” which women love to use for some reason, but is pointless since no one is saying that “all are like that”.

For some reason, these people are blind to patterns, as though everything were equal everywhere, which is not true, but they can never define their views clearly and have no real argument. They simply dislike observations, patterns and debate of any kind. All they want to do is have fun and act cool, like everything is great 24/7, and that’s all. Such people would probably make the worst chess players. lol

Do any of you understand these types? Have you met them? Any experiences you’ve had with them? Any insights into them?

What are they called exactly? I know they hate labels, but what can you call them? I don’t know. Perhaps “positive attitude junkies”? lol

Core delusions of positive attitude junkie types:

1. Everything is wonderful.
2. Everyone is friendly.
3. Life is beautiful.
4. Happiness is a choice. You can choose it any time.
5. If you are always positive and allow no negativity in your life, then nothing bad can happen to you.

Anything that contradicts those things is ignored, no matter how obvious or true. They are not in touch with reality. They are not realists at all. If you have a problem or complaint, don’t expect any sympathy or empathy from these types. They won’t give it to you because in their world, your problems don’t exist. Unfriendly people don’t exist. Nothing sucks. Etc.

These people don’t make good friends. They will not be your shoulder to cry on. You cannot talk to them about your problems. They won’t want to listen. And if you complain, they will deny everything that’s negative or doesn’t fit their rosy wonderland world. Do you want friends like that? They may be ok as hang out friends, but you can’t have any deep meaningful discussion with them, not if you’re a realist, because they are not realists. You can’t have a realistic discussion with them. Are those the kind of people you like?

I knew one in Poland. She was a wonderful positive person and a freespirit. She was an avid hitchhiker and well known in hitchhiking circles. Well she went to Africa with her positive attitude, believing that nothing could go wrong as long as she was positive and allowed no negativity into her life. And she ended up dying of malaria. You can see a tribute to her here:

http://www.digihitch.com/tribute/kinga

Here is a Wikipedia article about her:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinga_Choszcz

She ought to serve as a lesson to other positive attitude junkie types, to be realistic and be prepared. You can’t just go around with an attitude that if you allow no negativity in your life, then nothing bad will happen to you. It doesn’t work that way. You should not enter high risk areas with that attitude either. It’s foolish, reckless and could result in terrible consequences. You should not drive with that attitude either, or else you could cause accidents and endanger others. Quit these stupid “you create your reality” delusions, and BE REALISTIC and LOGICAL. Sheesh.

In fact, studies show that happy-go-lucky types often die younger, because they take careless risks with their life and health, falsely thinking that everything will be fine or great as long as they think so. See here: http://www.world-science.net/othernews/110311_happy.htm

Video clip of Janet Hsieh’s fakeness

Here is a promo video I made for this blog where you can see a clip showing one of Janet Hsieh’s fake and cheesy antics that will make your eyes roll…

http://www.happierabroad.com/JanetHsiehSucks.wmv

To see some more clips of Janet Hsieh, see these YouTube videos of her at the link below, where you can see how fake, cheesy, airheadish and contrived she acts.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fun+taiwan&aq=f

What’s wrong with Janet Hsieh? Why did I start this blog?

Some of you might be wondering, “Why did you start this blog? What do you have against Janet Hsieh? What did she ever do to you?”

Well nothing. But it’s what she represents that I have a problem with. I mean, look at her – She’s politically correct, full of fake enthusiasm, does publicity stunts, yet gets treated like a Goddess and there’s not a single negative word about her on the internet. (So imagine the shock she must have felt when she suddenly saw two blogs appear that were put up to bash her. hehehe) So why not balance the scales a little and get some publicity from it at the same time, thus hitting two birds with one stone? As the first critic to break her “perfect feedback record”, I’m bound to receive some attention from her millions of fans, and possibly her silent critics as well.

Let me put it this way. Janet Hsieh represents a gross distortion of reality – that everything is rosy, wonderful, and nothing negative exists. People who buy into that view of reality become “victim-blamers”, and develop a “victim-blaming mentality”.

You see, when one sees the world as a happy-go-lucky place where only bad people suffer due to bad choices, and where no one is a victim, then anytime reality catches up and victimizes innocent people (which it does), then one will BLAME that victim, even if he/she was NOT at fault. Thus an unjust victim-blaming mentality is developed in such people. This is a key fault that such happy-go-lucky people never realize. They want badly to believe in a rosy just and fair world where bad things only happen to bad people. But in reality, most people who suffer unjustly are innocent (which is one reason why many turn Atheist), yet these deluded New Agey types deny it and falsely accuse the victims instead.

Here is a revealing article about how many New Agers and believers in the “Law of Attraction”, who believe that “thoughts create reality” and that nothing bad can happen unless you think it can, possess such a victim-blaming mentality as I describe above.

http://www.juliaingram.com/Common_Ground.html

You see, wise and truthful people know that true glory comes from endurance of suffering. All religions and spiritual belief systems teach that glory comes through suffering and endurance. Even the Bible says:

“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;” (Philippians 1:29)

That’s how one transcends the prison of life and moves closer to enlightenment and inner peace.

The happy-go-lucky world that Janet Hsieh represents is an illusion and facade for those who wish to deny reality. In the end, it can only bring suffering when reality catches up. Her attitude represents a denial of reality that can easily turns into a victim-blaming mindset as well.

Check out this interesting article about how a study found that happy go lucky people tend to die younger because they are more reckless and take more risks with their health and safety than others do. It is an example of the dangers of having such an unrealistic rosy attitude like Janet has, which some people idolize for some bizarre reason.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/110311_happy.htm

Am I jealous of Janet Hsieh? Sure, who wouldn’t be? She gets everything handed on a silver platter, even though her friendships are superficial and shallow. She gets pampered better than Julia Roberts did in “Pretty Woman”.

But that doesn’t mean that my critique is dishonest. Far from it. I am a truth seeker, not a conformist like Janet and 99.99 percent of Asians are. So my words and actions are far more genuine and authentic. A truth seeker seeks his/her own truth, whereas a conformist sees truth as whatever authority says and whatever the majority agree upon. In that sense, I have far more credibility than Janet does.

Nor does it mean that Janet Hsieh should be exempt from criticism. Why should she be? Every other celebrity receives criticism, so why shouldn’t she? There are two sides to every story after all.

Besides, there is nothing special about her. She hasn’t done anything worthy of fame. There’s nothing unique about her either. She is simply media hyped and pampered, overinflated and overrated. All she did was “ride with the waves” and received everything on a silver platter after that. So why not inject some reality into her reputation and put up a blog to counterbalance the warped scales a little? What’s wrong with that? Every celebrity has their critics. Why shouldn’t she? Why leave such a fake person on such a high pedestal?

The injustice in all this is that people who are fake and annoying like Janet Hsieh get a ton of airtime in the stupid shallow superficial media, but people who have a lot of meaningful useful enlightening things to say that truly changes lives, like me, get no airtime. It should be the other way around. But as you know, the stupid media is not about truth, meaning or freedom, but about dumbing you down with the stupidest most useless mind numbing garbage and trash that is not even worth one cent per minute of their advertiser’s money, or your attention and cranium space.

Fortunately though, this blog and the critique of Janet Hsiesh on my site helps balance the scales of justice. Now that they are highly ranked in Google, anyone who Googles “Janet Hsieh” will find them, and thus learn about me and my site with meaningful useful enlightening content that truly changes lives. In that sense, I’ve found a way to “piggyback” onto her fame, and thus balance the scales of justice a little. Sometimes, you gotta take justice into your own hands, especially when the forces of stupidity, ignorance and superficiality are working against you.

Hope you understand my point.

Critical Comments about Janet Hsieh from Readers 謝怡芬

It looks like I’m not the only one who finds Janet Hsieh 謝怡芬 fake, corny, cheesy and annoying. Some others do too, as I suspected. Here are their comments that they posted in my blog (some are anonymous and some are not). They are funny but fairly accurate.

http://janet-hsieh-sucks.blogspot.com/2011/05/critique-of-janet-hsieh-host-of-taiwan.html#comments

Anonymous said…

I actually agree with you. I don’t watch her shows anymore, they are boring, she is trying to make Taiwan look like Wonderland. For someone who claimed to be MIT student, going to doctor school, learning martial arts, blah, blah, blah, she is here posting her pictures in men magazine, cheap tabloids magazines, and polluting buses and boards with her pictures, ads, etc, she is another narcissist Taiwanese here to tell them that she has done more than others. But with all her activities here in Taiwan and traveling to lots of places, doing interviews, her “medical career”is also another fake item that she is going to put in her pedigree. This is what I see in her, comes a Spanish degree MIT nobody to Taiwan and try to make a career here because in the States she is a nobody.

Kristine said…

I think Janet is a hypocrite. She overreacts and pretends to be hyperactive coz it’s needed for her show. But I think when she’s alone, she’s like, duh! What the hell was that?

James said…

With so many talented people in Taiwan why did they choose this feather brain gal? There are lots of girls that are prettier and actually have real brain, not a lot of cheap talk and fake big smile. And for those who are trying to point out her MIT degree, it is SPANISH, and last that I heard, she can’t ever utter enough Spanish words to her Spanish speaking friends. There is a reason she is here doing this silly show, she can’t do better in her country.

Anonymous said…

I’m also from Texas and been traveling around Asia. In my honest opinion Taiwan is very polluted, not really interesting compared to Japan or Bali but it is more livable than Cambodia or Thailand. About Janet, well she is paid to spread the good word (or better saying lies)about Taiwan. Who is going to spit on the hand that is paying for her popularity here, bags, dresses, make-up and food? And she always travels overseas for her vacations despite all her talking about Taiwan being so fun.

Sally Kao said…

Such a wonderful article! I’ve finally found someone like me. I just don’t get it y people always ignore the facts just to stay “happy”… it’s really funny and pathetic actually. i agree w/ u that she is not that extraordinary. so many people are popular only because they have been promoted, which is a fact for sure, but nobody can see it or even if someone sees it, they’ll never admit it. Keep posting!

Amy Prosper said…

I kinda agree, Everytime I watched her show, and tried to like it, I became so tired with all the smiles and her crazy eyes. Maybe I’m not into an over-happy people. She looked fine in personality, and very fine in physical appearance, but I just can’t stand her shouting excitement and all those crazy eyes looks, which for me, had reached to annoying level for a tv show. I couldn’t focus on the places, My eyes were exhausted following her jumpy and too much happiness-style. Her shows are my least favorite TLC shows.

Chips said…

My 2 cents: I agree with the blogger – Janet needs to work harder. However, there is no need for personal attacks since you may not know her personally. The show is very generic, and average. Kudos to the crew and cast for trying to spice up a small island which has little to offer in the way of packaged tourism. Taiwan has lost its soul (I am born, and bred here, but I have also lived abroad in Europe, Africa, mainland China for 20yrs) during the economic boom and modernization of the 70s-80s. The concept of tourism is very superficial and there is little unique to offer in the way of cultural diversity. Personally, if you prefer pure ethnic travel thrills, places like Vietnam and Thailand may offer more interest. Taiwan is stuck in a cultural limbo between quasi Japanese-South island-Han chinese culture. With mainland China opening up, Taiwan has even lost its lime-light as a “Chinese” experience. Janet nad her crew have very little to work with besides, well, the food. Taiwanese cuisine is great. No doubts about that. As for the people, well – western extroverts will have a hard time in Taiwan. That doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with Taiwanese in general. During the booming 80s, this place was as vibrant and outgoing as Japane. Unfortunately, the vibe has dulled along with the economic slow-down. People here are indeed geared (automoton is a little harsh, but almost spot on!) towards achieving wealth and status, rather than living. This will change with time as people settle down from the giddy material-chasing lifestyle and mentality of the past. It will take a while though. But nothing will change the Confucian conservatism of the ladies and our dating etiquette. Its unfair to label us “deadbeat” just because we do not go wild like college kids in the US. Different cultures, different ways. In my opinion, the mainland Chinese are more energetic and daring right now because their nation is in a state of flux, just like Japan and Taiwan was 20 years ago. But once the become an established economy and the growth rate slows, people will settle down once again. The euphoria of a roaring economy does affect people and how they behave. Taiwan and Japan are on a pessimistic edge right now. As a final comment on the show – its time to stop flogging a dead horse (Taiwan), and move on. I love Taiwan, but I admit, there is very little to offer foreigners looking for travel thrills, adventure, or even relaxation in Taiwan. A good and dare I say, brave job well done! Now move onto something with more workable material. It should test Janet’s mettle a little more.

Update: Forumosa thread with critical comments about Janet Hsieh

Check out this big thread in Forumosa.com about Janet Hsieh which contains many funny critical comments about her.

http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=70037

A Critical Review of Janet Hsieh 謝怡芬, Host of Fun Taiwan

Note: Due to complaints about the Chinese translation by Google Translate that I posted, I’ve removed it. If you wish to view it though, click here.

Revised June, 2011

“The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.” – H. L. Mencken

Janet Hsieh 謝怡芬, whom her shallow airheadish fans rave is “oh so wonderful”, is the host of “Fun Taiwan” on the Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel. On her show, she goes around Taiwan exploring mediocre sites and places that pale in comparison with her pretty face, while hyping them up with contrived enthusiasm. In doing so, she actually gives Taiwan a bad image, because the uneventful ordinary places she goes to on her show would NOT be fun if she wasn’t there, which might discourage people from going there.

Though she is nothing special, she has become a media darling and her airheadish fans treat her like some Goddess above criticism. Amazingly, she is one of the few celebrities without critical review, at least that I’m able to find. So let me be the first to write a critical review of her. (since I happen to have a history of being the first to do things)

First, sure she has good looks, has modeled before, and possesses an outgoing enthusiastic personality. I guess that’s enough to win over simple drooling guys and the executive producers of the Travel Channel.

But that’s pretty much all she has. There is nothing unique or special about her. She has not done anything to deserve any fame or “Goddess treatment”. There are many Asian American girls like her who could fill her shoes. And her accomplishments (qualifying for medical school, playing violin, etc.) are typical for Chinese Americans. (My Taiwanese cousins and family friends have the same accomplishments)

The chief problems with Janet Hsieh are: Her personality is bland. Her jokes are corny and her antics are cheesy. For example, when she puts on a dress, she says the corniest things that make you roll your eyes. And when she’s bathing under a waterfall, she raves, “Ohhh this is sooooo wonderful!” which anyone can do. Her cheesy lines, combined with how loud she is, makes her annoying to those with distinguishing ears. She does not give any deep meaningful insights on her show. Instead, she says the most simple things that anyone can say.

Plus she is not a good actor and seems to feign her emotions. There is no depth to her. Just look at her eyes (since they say that the eyes are the window to the soul). Notice how vacant and self-absorbed they are. They do not show one who is rich and soulful on the inside. Instead, they show an empty airhead on the inside. Look carefully at them when she’s on TV and you will see what I mean.

Thus, she is way overrated and over-treated, hyped up by the media without any substantive reasons, similar to how Britney Spears was hyped up even though she didn’t have much talent or charisma. Janet has no special accomplishments. She is not a good or talented actress. She does not make you feel emotions. She has no charm or charisma. She has not done anything special. She has not stood up to evil with any courage. She has done nothing but rave like an airhead on her show.

Thus, it is no surprise that her fans tend to be airheads themselves, since like attracts like. Just look at the comments on her facebook fan page that she gets everyday, and you’ll see how airheadish they are. None of the comments have any substance.

http://www.facebook.com/janethsiehonline

It’s no wonder she’s so popular. Deep intelligent aware people do not tend to be popular with the dumbed-down mainstream population (which is prevalent in Taiwan and America). That’s why popular people tend to be fake, dumbed-down (or at least act like it), plastic and inauthentic, rather than truthful and genuine. After all, as great thinkers have said:

“The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.” – H. L. Mencken

“Ninety-nine percent of the people in the world are fools, and the rest of us are in great danger of contagion.” – Thornton Wilder

“Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong.” — Oscar Wilde

Furthermore, the places that Janet Hsieh goes to in her Fun Taiwan series are very mediocre, the kind that old retired Taiwanese, who don’t have the guts to go overseas, go. They are not places that young people would really enjoy. Or she goes hiking up mountains and waterfalls in naturesque areas, which are nothing special and exist all over the world.

There is nothing really “fun” about these places on her show, except for her “fun personality”, which is more fake than authentic, because she makes a big deal about nothing and overcompliments everything around her. Now, there’s nothing wrong with having enthusiasm and child-like wonder, but when you’re PAID to do these things, it calls into question how much of your emotions on TV are real and how much is merely acting to make the show positive and pleasant.

You might think I’m being pessimistic and overly critical. But I am just calling it like I see it. I’ve seen many things in this world, and met thousands of people. I’m very insightful and have distinguishing taste in separating substance from hype. That being said, to me Janet Hsieh’s acting and enthusiasm on her show seems fake and contrived.

Plus she is not an independent thinker. She got good grades in school, played violin, and wanted to become a doctor, etc. which is very typical for a Taiwanese American. I’ve known many ABC’s who fit the same bill.

 

Sure, Janet has looks, popularity, money, and a fun life. She may be a great girl by conventional standards. But her assets and qualities are ordinary and shallow. She is not original in any way at all. She does not revolutionize anything or have great vision to change things, society and people’s lives. She does not help end suffering in the world, or fight evil or injustice, or debunk lies, propaganda and illusion. She does not even think “outside the box”, nor has she shown that she can. She is a conformist, like most females are.

She’s just an attractive but over-hyped entertainer that nerdy ABC sheep drool over. That’s nice yeah, but it’s only surface level, and nothing that will stand out in history.

Now I’m not saying that Janet is bad or anything. I’m sure she’s a fine person. I’m just saying that she’s nothing special or unique. I know many ABC girls that are just like her, who became doctors, got good grades, are pretty, etc. Her interests are typical and conventional. She is not extraordinary, original, unique or one-of-a-kind. She does not get compliments and comments like these, for example. Instead, she acts fake, artificial and annoying.

Look at the writing in her blog for example. There are no great profound truths or insights in it. Nothing intellectual or deep. Compare it to Winston Wu’s articles, which says speak for themselves. There is no comparison. Look at Winston’s masterpiece essay Debunking the Myth of Freedom and Democracy in America for example. Everything in it is 100 percent “outside the box”. Can Janet ever write anything like that? No way. Of course not. Janet is a typical conformist, not a truth seeker, and as such does not think like that.

Plus Janet’s personality seems fake and programmed, not authentic. Her updates on her Facebook Page, as well as the praises she receives there, are very airheadish and superficial. Notice her eyes as she speaks or walks, and you will see a plastic vacant look, as if she’s spaced out. There is nothing deep, intellectual or profound about her. She exudes plastic optimism, which is reflective of the fake US culture she grew up in, which does not allow you to express how you really feel, but only allows you to show a plastic face to everyone everyday. She is not known for anything unique which sets her apart from any other fun-loving extrovert. There is NOTHING original about her at all, compared to the one-of-a-kind Winston Wu, evidenced by these quotes.

Now compare her with fellow Taiwanese American Winston Wu – Writer, Traveler, Freethinker, Passive Income Enterpreneur, and Founder of the Happier Abroad and SCEPCOP movements. Very well traveled folks have called Winston Wu the “most atypical and unique Asian male” as well as the “most freethinking Asian”. See here for examples and see this Chart of Winston Wu’s character traits and attitudes that truly set him apart from other Asians. Also see this list of quotes from fans who call Winston Wu a “Hero, Inspiration, and Legend”, words which very few people in the world get called. Winston Wu’s work has even been praised by Nobel Prize Winners and reputable published authors. See here for their praises and compliments.

Janet Hsieh, on the other hand, has NOTHING like that which sets her apart from the rest. And she has not done anything that no one else has, or been the first to do something, like Winston Wu has. See here for his list of 10 Uncommon and Outstanding Accomplishments. No Nobel Prize Winners or intellectual authors praise Janet’s work. No one calls her a “Hero or Legend.” She has not overcome any insurmountable odds, has not stood up against overwhelming forces, nor fought for truth, nor had the courage to stand alone for what’s right. And she has no real intellectual achievements that are praiseworthy. There is nothing original or unique about her. All she did was study hard and use her looks to get into modeling and then onto television. There isn’t much substance to her. She simply got hyped up by the media, which has a history of hyping up people with looks but no substance, talent or charisma – such as Britney Spears.

 

 

Janet Hsieh claims to have toured 36 countries, however, anyone can backpack through a lot of countries in a short period of time. Darting through multiple countries on a backpacking tour does not make you cultured. What makes you cultured is how many countries you have resided in LONG-TERM. My Cultural and Expat Advisor, for example, has been to 30+ countries, speaks 10 languages, and has resided LONG-TERM in 9 countries. If you look at the depth of his blog and cultural comparisons, you will see what a real well-traveled cultured expat is like. NONE of Janet’s writings are anywhere near as deep and useful as his. Have a look at his Expat blog and see for yourself. In it are direct and mostly accurate comparisons between cultures and their ways, without political correctness. On the other hand, all that Janet can say about any culture is: “This culture is so wonderful. The food was so good. The people were so friendly. I had a great time! Wooo hooo!” which in fact, every host of the Travel Channel says. So what’s new?

Anyhow, with experience in other cultures, she should easily see that Taiwan is one of the dullest and coldest (socially) cultures in the world, with no social energy, vibe or excitement. (but of course she’s paid to say the opposite) It’s pretty much a dead land of robotic slaves without imagination, creativity or passion. Any well traveled observant person can see that from their perspective.

But since she’s a PAID host, actor and promoter of Taiwan tourism, she has to do whatever the producers want, including raving with enthusiasm about the most dull mediocre things. And when she does, it raises a critical eye from astute observers as to how sincere and natural she is.

I would bet that if she were not paid to host a TV show, she would not spend so much of her own time, years it seems, traveling around Taiwan with so much excitement. You can only see so much in Taiwan, since it’s a small country. Yet she’s spent years going to sites in Taiwan on her show.

What’s annoying is her rabid ranting that Taiwan is so wonderful and friendly which stands in stark contrast to the truth and cold hard reality of Taiwanese life. The way she rails about Taiwan is so fake too.

In reality Taiwanese women are very closed, stiff, inhibited, introverted, conservative, stone faced and not open to strangers. In Taiwan there is no eye contact or smiling to others in public. No one talks to you if they don’t know you. To them, that’s normal. But in the rest of the world it is not.

I know I’m going to take heat for this one, but it’s one of those things like “The Emperor’s New Clothes” where no one wants to admit something obvious for fear of condemnation and ostracization.

Taiwanese are not just shy and introverted, they are EXTREMELY shy and introverted, to the point where if you are outgoing, you will feel awkward and out of place, like you should not be outgoing when everyone else is not. Thus that part of you will feel “suppressed”.

The only types that talk to strangers in Taiwan are the elderly/senior citizens. Not young adults and especially not young adult females. No way. Hell no. The girls in Taiwan are super conservative, and not very approachable or easy to chat up without a proper introduction, unlike in Europe where females are far more open and relaxed with strangers. That makes Taiwan an ice cold place. And it tells you that since the older generation is more friendly, it must have been friendlier in the past.

However, I’m sure if you look like Janet Hsieh, then Taiwanese people will be a lot warmer and more approachable to you. Or if you are a white guy, then Taiwanese girls will be more receptive to approaches. But not if you’re an Asian guy. No way. If you are an Asian male, Taiwanese females will put on their super conservative mask to you. Not a single serious down-to-earth mature Taiwanese person I know denies that. It’s simply too obvious.

In fact, I do not sense any social energy at all in Taiwan, even though I am very sensitive and attuned to energy in my surroundings. Zilch. Nada. If you’ve never left Taiwan, you might not understand what that means. But if you’ve lived in high social energy places like Latin America, Russia, parts of Europe, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, etc. you will know exactly what I mean. Taiwan is a frigid place for the true extrovert. And it is nowhere as friendly in real life as Janet Hsieh portrays it. No way.

In fact, the name of her show “Fun Taiwan” is an oxymoron in terms. In reality, typical Taiwanese life is anything but fun. It is totally devoid of passion, interests, and freedoms. Instead, it is a cold bleak soulless robotic existence to corporate slavery (or slavery to your own shop) 6 or 7 days a week, giving away 80 to 90 percent of one’s priceless life to bondage, rather than enjoying any kind of truly RICH LIFE. Work and money are the Gods of Taiwanese people. It’s a horrible existence. I pity them.

What passes for fun in Taiwan is usually lame, gay, and a weak attempt behind an aura and culture of inhibition. People don’t truly live to the max or with full richness of heart and passion in Taiwan, the way that people do in Latin America for instance.

Mainstream Taiwanese do not deny any of the above. They admit to it and say that it is their culture, and that they are not like foreign countries. They even consider America, one of the loneliest and most isolating countries in the world, to be open and friendly. What does that tell you?!

The only people who deny the above are certain groups of expats who somehow claim to be unusually lucky in Taiwan’s social and dating scene, hippies and backpackers who always say that people are friendly in every culture no matter what, politically correct folks, and of course Travel Channel hosts like Janet Hsieh, who are PAID to say how wonderful, exciting and friendly Taiwan is.

But those who are unbrainwashed and who sees things as they are will find the above to be obvious. Few people will admit and see things as they are. Many only see what they WANT to see.

This is a sick world of illusion, propaganda and lies. And I’m glad to be one of the few who are free and liberated of that.

For my complete observations about Taiwan, click here

In fact, a Taiwanese girl I emailed, who told me that Taiwan was friendly because it was the popular cool thing to say, was sent my observations about Taiwan above. Upon reading it, she admitted that I WAS RIGHT! See what she had to say below. It’s quite revealing coming from a mainstream Taiwanese girl.
“hi, winston,
what a long letter! haha
actually, i admit i feel a little offended when i read ur mail first time…(sorry)
but then, i thought u r right. 😀
if we compare taiwan with other countries, i know, our people r colder and more shy. it is truth. i think it is because of our culture and tradition. we r not so welcome to strangers, just most people want to protect themselves first.
i totally agree u that people affect each other. so when your surrounding is a close space(people just chat or talk with their friends),u will be a member of them, no doubt.

but i still notice sth different between our sentences,
i think why u feel so disappointed about taiwanese,maybe one reason is just cuz of u r a male. people r usually more friendly to female than to male. 🙂
another reason is maybe u go to wrong place, for example,if on the road,maybe most people don’t want to talk to u because they r busy or they are teached don’t talk to strangers. but if u go to social places, like pubs,concerts,night markets,restaurants,shopping streets, etc. u might find sth a little different.
and i said that people in chiayi r kind and friendly,
i mean people who live in southern part of taiwan r more friendly than northern part of taiwan. 😀 (every taiwanese knows this.)
of course we can’t compare with USA,europe and other western countries i know… but heyhey i am very sure that we r better than china! 😀
so how is ur trip in taiwan? maybe u can try other couchsurfers!
enjoy!

Amber”

According to this news article, Janet’s show is now suffering from low ratings. Well the solution is simple. Go somewhere interesting Janet! Go to Japan or China and show places there, rather than always staying in the boring uneventful Taiwan.

Now, I know it may be unpopular to criticize someone as popular as Janet Hsieh, but as these great quotes exemplify:

“Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.” – Gandhi

“The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.” – H. L. Mencken

“The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.”
– Friederich Nietzsche

Thank you for reading my critique.

Mirror copies of this article:
http://janet-hsieh-sucks.blogspot.com
https://janethsiehsucks.wordpress.com
http://www.happierabroad.com/JanetHsieh.htm