Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

In Rewriting Cultural Psychology, I talked about nepotism and corruption in China as follows:
http://www.universal-publishers.com/b...?
method=ISBN&book=1627347348

"In mainland China, guanxi manipulations for personal gain or getting things done “through the backdoor” has evolved into what is known as guanxixue (literally, guanxi learning). Guanxixue involves gifts, favors, and banquets in the “art” of social maneuvering—note the importance of eating and drinking, which Chinese people seem cannot do without. It resembles closely, but retains its distinctiveness from the games of gaining face (see “Face in diverse cultures: Is saving face just an Asian preoccupation”): Whereas gaining face pertains to the advancement one’s social standing in general, the objectives of guanxixue tend to be more specific in nature. We may also conceive of guanxixue as comprising the techniques often employed in gaining face.

Guanxixue is a sad commentary on the reality of social life in mainland China: the difficulty of personal advancement or getting things done through regular institutional channels. It has long caught the attention of international management and business researchers. An analogous social game in American society is networking—establishing the right connections for one’s professional advancement. Networking is not, however, as pervasive or sophisticated as guanxixue; neither does it carry as much danger of leading to nepotism or corruption."

Little did I realize that guanxixue is largely applicable to American society at the time I wrote the book. Now I am awakened by the Trump phenomenon. You and I are contributing to the unpresidential expenditures of the Trump gang through the taxes we pay. Think further, guanxixue is no less application to the interlocking social connections among the super rich and powerful who make up only a very percentage of the population in this country.

Sad to say, many of those who support Trump don't know that they have been screwed, exploited by the policies and agenda of very person they have voted into office.