Sunday, November 15, 2009

China basher or apologist?

Most likely your answer is neither. It is human nature to assume him/herself to be unbiased.

Both the bashers and apologists have been brain washed. They will not listen to a different point of view, let alone discuss with you with open minds.

Depending on the topic I could be guilty as charged.

I wrote a piece in comparing human rights between China and US. I have the highest approval rating from one forum. More than 100 folks read the long comment and voiced their approval.

The piece is here.

My piece on Tibet did not fare that well. Judge it for yourself.

There were more comments on my comment than the original article. Most are from Tibetan exiles I guess. So, their POVs are completely different from my Han’s POV. I understand and accept their disapproval.

We hope we’re all be able to understand each other’s POV even if it is completely different from yours. We do not want to limit our point of view like the frog under a well.

Our bias has been developed from our past experience. I have a good friend whose mother never buys Japanese products as she saw how the Japs shot all the men in her village and another friend who suffered from the communist’s prosecution.

Also, it seems all the EUers sleep together too and all Mainlanders have the own unified opinions. The overseas Chinese seem to speak my language.

Accepting other folks’ point of view is important to create less conflicts and it would lead to a more peaceful world.

4 comments:

  1. Wukailong says:

    I’m an apologist for: gradual reforms, many of the things the Communist Party does (yes, even strengthening their power since that will make the government more effective), the development the last 30 years and some of the things that Mao actually did well (creating infrastructure, providing healthcare etc).

    I’m a basher when people claim that there are no real problems in China, or that all problems are actively worked upon, or all ethnical problems are the work of the DL and RK, or using the West as a scapegoat for just about anything.

    I like what Tony said about “dumb nationalism.” There’s nothing wrong about loving your country, but there’s also nothing right about getting dumb out of this love.

    Now I expect flames against me! :D

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  2. Uln says:

    Well, sincerely I think I am neither of them, and it will take more than this post to convince me of the opposite. I am critical with the CPC (although I acknowledge their achievements) and in the same time I am very fond of China and the Chinese, what’s wrong with that?

    But apologist? I dont think so. This word is best used with a doctrine or a political party, not with a country. If you supported the KMT in 1948 you were, in the eyes of your contemporaries, a “China apologist”. If you did the same 2 years later, then you were a “China basher”. That shows just how empty those notions are, and how we should never mix politics with human relations. Liking China and its people has absolutely nothing to do with discussing its politics.

    Regarding the joke in your blog: yes, I completely agree, the US is a human rights violator comparable in many fields to the PRC (and in foreign affairs much worse than the PRC). However I don’t see how this is is connected to my criticizing the CPC’s policies.

    PS. TonyP4: if all this post was meant to be a joke, then sorry, I give you a smiley :) But I just wanted to make things clear because there are too many people out there that really believe what you wrote.

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  3. Life is a joke for me. If we do not laugh and look at the brighter side in life, we would be miserable. I do not believe a lot believe in me. Just in case, I’ll be more careful in my ‘writing’.

    I did not take any college classes other than the required in humanity. I just use common senses trying to explain why events happen in my world. Sometimes I may be accused of being too emotional or ignorant. It’s OK as life is a big joke to be enjoyed and not to be worried.

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  4. HKer says:

    “It’s OK as life is a big joke to be enjoyed and not to be worried.”

    Ok, so for anyone over 35, you would very likely have heard the following true-thee-ness, at least once ………

    “The universe itself keeps on expanding and expanding / in all of the directions it can whiz / as fast as it can go / the speed of light you know / twelve million miles a minute and that’s the fastest speed there is / so remember when your feeling very small and insecure / how amazingly unlikely is your birth / and pray that there’s intelligent life somewhere up in space / cause there’s bugger all down here on Earth,” sings the Man in Pink while the Grim Reaper goes: “Englishmen, you’re all so bloody pompous. None of you have got any balls. Shut up, you American. You Americans, all you do is talk, and talk, and say “let me tell you something” and “I just wanna say.” Well, you’re dead now, so shut up,” and finally the Headmaster after Bible reading announces: “Yay, and placed they the bits in little pots. Now, it has come to my attention that some pupils have been rubbing linseed oil into the School Cormorant. Now, of course, the Cormorant Commerates Empire Day, when we try to remember the names of the people of the town of Sudbury who died to keep China British. So the Cormorant is now OUT OF BOUNDS! And OH, Jenkins apparently your mother died this morning.” A~Men….

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