Want to do something practical to fight Coronavirus? Eat some Chinese food.
As we've already pointed out, what's spreading faster than Coronavirus is panic, ignorance and fear about Coronavirus, manifesting in the form of racism.
From Sydney to Auckland to New York, people are staying away from Chinese restaurants in droves, in the mistaken assumption that anything Chinese = Coronavirus.
It's time to discriminate against bigotry and ignorance, in the best way: by chowing down on your favourite Chinese meal.
UPDATE: Check out the inspiring comment thread on LinkedIn where others are posting their encouragement.
Simon Says
Why Food is so important in China Commerce
Everybody needs to eat, so food becomes a universal language for relationship-building.
While Westerners just want to "get down to business" and then celebrate a certain deal with a meal, in China this happens in reverse order. The business relationship begins with a meal, and often seemingly trivial conversation, before moving to a conclusion. The idea is, the meal makes both parties feel relaxed, and the cuisine forms an easy topic of conversation. (Alcohol also helps)
So not only is it important to get some Chinese food ASAP to support your local Chinese family business, it's also good to get familiar with top Chinese dishes so you can impress your business partners with the effort you've made to understand their culture.
Red Circle Network Origins
Did you know the name Red Circle Network originated around a Yum Cha table?
Some of our key DNA comes from the fellowship that occurs around a delicious meal.
The NETWORK represented around the table was significant. Each one bringing stories, resources, interests literally to the table.
The CIRCLE represented the lack of hierarchy. Everyone had their own value to contribute, nobody was considered better than each other. A circle also represents boundaries. We were in a private room in the restaurant. This was not just any table. It was our table.
The RED colour represents China, of course, and also represents the passion and commitment of those around the table. China is not for the faint hearted. Commitment will be its own reward.
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