Well such an accusation puts me in a bind, doesn't it? You're basically saying that my opinion can't be taken seriously because it's based on some kind of deluded thinking. And insisting that I am not deluded/irrational etc., which would of course be a natural reaction to such an accusation, would only make me sound more deluded to anyone who is convinced that these thoughts are coming from someone with Stockholm Syndrome, or something like it....

I'll just say that I get where you're coming from. I myself have accused others of the same thing in the past. It is a real phenomenon.

I'll also say that I am not a passive person by nature. I've gone head to head with abusive and unethical bosses and coworkers numerous times in my life, and not without cost to myself. I tried to be measured in my previous post, talking about the good and bad. Bottom line-- he is not a dishonest person. Not a scammer. I have worked for liars and scammers-- they are certainly out there. Working for Fred is no picnic but he is a fundamentally good person. He wants to do right by his teachers. But his baseline is confusing for people born and raised in Western culture. What I mean is, everyone has a baseline: minimum conditions they need in place in order to be able to do their best, to give them the necessary footing in order to then bring forth what their gifts and talents are. For Fred, his baseline is about authority. It's very Asian. Very Confucian. Life is hierarchical in these societies. The boss needs to have the upper hand, and he needs to know that you know he has the upper hand.

It does take some art to deal with this. But I learned how to eventually and it was worth it for me.

The truth is, for teachers who come to China, we have to be willing to change. You can't expect to leave this place unchanged, or else what's the point of coming?