I'm busy with the Intel contest, so i most forgot about ifgogo until Aw's post reminded me that there's a place for us to spread our thinking worldwide.
Martin Luther King left a dream for U.S. and for the world. Being the biggest east nationality , what did we leave behind? Or what will we leave behind?
Reports of Torch Relay Attacking from west media made me think a lot.Most of them came with compassion to Free Tibet Campaign(shorted as FTC).But to me who live in China and feel the fear that the campaign brought to me , i can't agree with their idea on the campaign.
Some Chinese can't understand why western people would support FTC.My idea is that we have different sense of value.They care about democracy and freedom while we care about stability of society.
From this we can know that many western people are truly blaming the situation of freedom in China. Supporting the FTC is just to show their attitude.They're not attacking China.Actually they're attacking an imagery enemy who hates democracy and freedom.Is that our country?No.So they're attacking nothing.Then why would you be so angry my friends.^.^
How to solve the 'sense of value' problem? Enhancing communication is the first step.We must open our mind and welcome western people to come to our land.Let them see what happens on this great land.We can't keep fighting against everything and everyone,it's conceited and not a wise choice.
But now,in China people like me can't spread our voice.Since the actions of abroad student did, the nationalist in China can't be stopped.I'm not blaming them,they did that for good willing.Now,nationalist controls the power.They don't care about truth;they don't like to think.What they only care about is honor、honor、honor.
The impression of a nation can't be made by words or campaigns.We need practical and real action.
To build a fair platform for communication is the way to solve this problem.Or else there will be another Torch-like thing in future.I can't image a life with campaigns after campaigns.
Yes, Westerners value democracy and freedom while Chinese value social stability. However, that doesn't mean Westerners don't value social stability. They do. The thing is, many developed Western countries have democracy and freedom WITH social stability. The Chinese, on the other hand, do not believe there can be social stability in China with democracy and freedom. People in the west wonder, "if we can do it, why can't the Chinese? Why can't China have democracy and freedom with social stability like us?"
Of course, the West only needs to look at many other examples of unstable democracies in the world today. There is no one recipe for achieving a stable, free, democratic society. Even Taiwan took many decades of KMT totalitarian rule before it peacefully transformed itself into a stable democracy (yes, even if the politicians in Taiwan like to fight each other physically, it is still a stable democracy). The problem with many Westerners critical of China is that they're ignorant about China's history and current situation. Many of them have a mistaken idea of what China is like right now, partially because of all of the negative things that are associated with communism. (Even though China is officially "communist," most educated people know China is nothing remotely similar to actual communism.)
I agree that many Westerners truly believe they are fighting an enemy that hates democracy and freedom. I disagree with your statement that they are fighting an imaginary enemy. "Is that our country?" I think we can arguably say it is. The CCP government, and even most Chinese people, are not pursuing democracy and they do support the suppression of many freedoms. Just look at the nationalistic rage that many Chinese netizens are showing right now. Many of them support using government power to silence, jail, or kill anyone that disagrees with them, or anyone they subjectively feel is a "race traitor." Doesn't that sound like a country that hates freedom, that doesn't agree with the freedom of others to have different opinions? Doesn't that sound like a country that is hostile to democracy (which is a political system that depends on freedom of dissent)?
You're right that we need to enhance communications. We need to OPEN communications. There are people in the West who are willing to listen and think and discuss and work together. Some of the best defenders of China are Westerners who are living and blogging in and about China. There are people in China who are also willing to listen, think, discuss, and work together. We need to encourage these people and discourage the ignorant, the hypernationalist, the racist, and the violent. It will be difficult because, especially in China, the voices of the latter have drowned out and suppress the voices of the former.
...and even most Chinese people, are not pursuing democracy and they do support the suppression of many freedoms. Just look at the nationalistic rage that many Chinese netizens are showing right now...
However, I'm glad to see that's just netizens. The gov is not yet doing so or "permitting" so. That's why I said that some (Chinese) cannot play government. Because they are so out of control, they are so uneducated (to kill, to jail)
Communications really really will work. Especially that we all just want everything to get better.
sense of value, or "ideology"?
The CCP government IS permitting the online witchunts and mob violence (which has gone offline as well), just like when the government permitted the anti-Japanese protests and violence years ago. The government does so because it solidifies their influence and control of the domestic population. As long as the Chinese people have an outside enemy, they will be less critical of their government. It is an old strategy.
Anyway, Imagethief has a good blog post that nicely summarizes some important issues regarding Western media and its relationship with Chinese people. A big key Chinese misunderstanding of the West is that the role of media is very different in the West compared to in China.
Why was my previous comment marked as spam?
Anyway, Imagethief has a good post discussing the misunderstandings between the Chinese and the Western media.
They don’t care about truth;they don’t like to think.What they only care about is honor、honor、honor.
Now, few of people care about truth even common sense. What I disagree is that, maybe what they care about is not honor, but "face"(面子).
In fact, I think they just take their "patriotic" actions as some kinds of entertainment, because these boring and ignorant guys have nothing to involve in their life. They said they would reject carrefour, as they inveighed Furong JJ in the BBS.
Woo, you overrated those guys.
They have no objective or reason, all based of their emptiness, or "erbility"...
i wanted to use the word 'face'.But i'm not sure whether it is a Chinglish word or not.lol~~
In my opinion, "honor" is related to sth solemn and brave, we prefer to say "fight for our honor", but not "fight for face".
Actually, as we know, there is no word in English which can be suited for "面子" in Chinese. And the culture of "面子" is of long standing and complex. Maybe "face" is the most appropriate word we can find in current English.
I think, whether or no, using "honor" is a kind of praise to these guys, which is far from what you wanna tell us. what about you?
Yah,you may be right.
Should fame be better?
BTW,i seriously agree with u about their 'boring'.
It requires a lot of boredom and overwhelming ignorance to create something like this: http://vhead.blog.sina.com.cn/player/outer_player.swf?auto=1&vid=12417440&uid=1401913474
How disappointing.
i got an idea just now.
If these boring people could read this post,how would they think of us?A traitor or something?lol~~~