On Sincerity (Incomplete)
The concept of sincerity is not a difficult one. Most cultures have it. This includes Chinese culture, my culture. We also have a word for it, though we, like the Arabs, are not particularly famous for it. The word is "cheng yi". We also have related idioms. My favourite is qian li song er mao, li qing qing yi zhong. Literally translated, it means "Giving a goosefeather from a thousand li away. The gift is light but the sentiment is heavy."
It means, in Chinese culture, we are taught not to measure a gift by its material value, but rather by the meaning and well-wishes imbued in the gift.
But on the flip side, it doesn't mean you can't say ummm if a good friend, who's a rich man, who owns a goose factory next door, gives you a single goose feather for your birthday. That, by all definitions, is a fuck you.
