casey451

Hi everybody. Sorry to drop in like a rock from outer space. I just
saw a documentary called "All In This Tea" on Sundance and feel
strongly about it. I understand if you get Sundance you can probably
find it on "In Demand" on your cable system.

I thought it was full of wonderful things but had to turn away
whenever David Lee Hoffman was in view, behaving like the ultimate
ugly American. He marches around China without a translator yelling at
people. I think the guy should be taken to task for, yes, elitism, and
for abusing people for whom courtesy is the first consideration in all
human transactions.

If you'd like me to expand on this, just say so. I have the feeling
many people here know about the film and about Hoffman, and perhaps
would like to set me straight. Go for it.

Thanks.

Casey

cha bing

I saw this film a few years ago when they were showing a "director's
cut" and me and the people I was with felt sort of the same way. It
didn't outrage me, but it did seem sort of strange and condescending
in that it seemed to take the view that Hoffman was this crusader for
everything that was right and that the Chinese and everyone else
seemed almost to be obstacles to his righteous goals. No one making
the film, including its subject, seemed to speak Chinese or make any
effort to present any objective information on why the Chinese tea
industry is the way it is. At least that is how I remember feeling
after watching the film some years ago. I kept going back and forth as
to why I felt a little put off by the film, but maybe you are right in
that it seemed sort of like Hoffman was this ugly American marching
around China being obnoxious.

Interested to hear others' thoughts as well.

cha bing

cha bing

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.f...d171d9629c03ce

Incidentally, I posted the above thoughts on this movie a bit closer
to when I saw it, which was evidently a little over a year ago (rather
than "some years ago").

cha bing

beecrofter

I thought he was acting like a merchant. Trying to get the best value
for his money.
Trading can be a bit blunt.

lewis perin

beecrofter <beecrofter@yahoo.com> writes:


I haven't seen the movie yet, but I do know the man. Blunt he is, and
he's undoubtedly a merchant, but he cares about a lot of things other
than just getting the most for his money. He's really passionate
about craft in tea growing and manufacturing, and sustainable
agriculture as well. He's kind of famous for trying to get Chinese
tea farmers to use earthworms instead of chemical fertilizers.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin / perin@acm.org
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

beecrofter

< He's really passionate
about craft in tea growing and manufacturing, and sustainable
agriculture as well. He's kind of famous for trying to get Chinese
tea farmers to use earthworms instead of chemical fertilizers. >

All of these things add value, so he was indeed trying to get the best
tea for his money!