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More sh*t's hit the fan with HFMD now infecting Beijing, 'talks' with the Dalai Lama ending in a warning, but today's focus is on the recent interview media mogul Hong Huang gave to MSNBC - and some commentary on my end...if pointing out lies can be called 'commentary'.
[Once again, apologies for the low resolution, the internet sites we can access are ridiculously slow]
[Once again, apologies for the low resolution, the internet sites we can access are ridiculously slow]
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- aricsqueen
- 7 days ago
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Bravo, Aric. This was cathartic for me. You captured the sentiment I feel after every slanted interview I've ever seen and wished I could rebuff.
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- aschneider
- 7 days ago
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aschneider - thanks for the support! I've seen loads, obviously, but usually they're obvious propaganda models, this one was a bit more clever, but still false.
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- aricsqueen
- 7 days ago
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(Just received this email from SD Steve)
Hey~ I tried to post something on Current TV but it didn't accept it. Maybe it was too long so here's what I wrote:
Aric, in my opinion this was your best commentary so far. I can't remember how many times I was asked, "What do you think about the One China policy (Taiwan)?" or "What do you think about Falun Gong?" I'd answer that I was a guest in their country and didn't want to disrespect anyone, but they still insisted in getting my opinions which I managed to do without upsetting anyone, but it wasn't easy.
I had a great time in China and really respect the people and culture. I realized there'd be differences but since all people are basically the same, it was always pretty easy to make good and sometimes great friends. But I found that when it came to politics, very few were willing to talk with an open mind so I usually just dabbled in those subjects, asking a lot of questions but not offering much in the way of my opinions. I'd just answer a question with a question; kinda felt like Sigmund Freud.
I think Chinese have a hard time understanding multiple opinions, since in China there is only one opinion and that's the official one. If someone on a western network says something bad about China, they assume the network is endorsing that opinion and don't realize someone on that same program might have totally disagreed with the negative opinion. If someone criticizes the government, they feel that all Chinese are being insulted and criticized. I think it's the difference between having a free press and having a controlled press.
When Chinese take things like this personally, I sometimes feel it's like dealing with children and not adults, that the society is just beginning to interact with other cultures and isn't quite mature in the way they go about it. I guess time will change this behavior Like in any culture, the Chinese who have the most interaction with other cultures seem to be the most mature in their outlook, but not always.
What that woman didn't mention or realize was that there's a big difference between nationalism and xenophobia. Trying to raise your culture by putting other cultures down is just a big lie, no matter who does it.
(more continued below)-
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- aricsqueen
- 7 days ago
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(continued from SD Steve)
Just because someone has been overseas (like this woman) doesn't mean they have interacted with another culture that much, since many stick with their own culture and rarely venture beyond it. That goes for westerners in China who live in the expat world and only deal with Chinese that join their world and obey their rules. I sometime think this is what generates some of the cultural misunderstandings.
One way governments keep the people united is to generate a common enemy, whether Soviets and the West in the cold war, the Jews and Hitler, the war against terror (how can you wage a war against a tactic?), but this can also be applied to any outside force, whether Taiwan, Tibet or the west in general. If you keep the people's minds occupied, they won't look within at the job you are doing and then you can maintain power. It's done in virtually every country but very few as blatantly or extremely as China.
When I was there, everyday in the newspaper there was an article about why Tibet is so much better off than before, and why there is only one China and Taiwan is a part of China and so-called president Chen is a fool and a traitor and a tool of the west, etc, etc, etc. Then there'd be letters to the editor always agreeing with the paper's official position, and though they'd be written in Chinglish, they might be signed by a professor from an American college. It was pretty comical.
Another tripping point is that in Marxist Leninist theory, everything serves the needs of the state, including history. So it's not uncommon for Chinese history books to be deliberately inaccurate to serve the propaganda needs of the state. The Chinese who studied this history believe every word they read, as they would have no reason not to, but sometimes I'd just roll my eyes and keep quiet since the discussion became pointless.
The Chinese can make valid arguments about Tibet and Taiwan, but they are exposed to so much untrue nonsense that no rational discussion can really take place about it. This really drove the expats from Taiwan crazy. But sometimes it can get pretty silly.
The one I used to laugh at is that in the history books over there, it's actually taught that Marco Polo brought pasta to Italy. Italy has had pasta since the ancient Greeks (discovered in archeological digs), over a thousand years before Marco Polo, but I never met a Chinese person who when discovering that I was half Italian, didn't mention this historical fact. Somehow, I don't think anyone ever believed me. :-)
Anyway, sorry for the rant. Keep up the great work~-
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- aricsqueen
- 6 days ago
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