summercomfort (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
summercomfort) wrote2009-07-21 09:29 am
summercomfort) wrote2009-07-21 09:29 am
The Onion -- China edition
When all the China stuff started showing up on my Onion feed last night, I had to double-check that it wasn't April Fool's. But I guess every day is April Fool's at the Onion, eh?
Quick rundown from my (limited) perspective
Things that are hilarious:
- Nothing at all happens to 28 Protesters...
Funny because there is a lot of denial of violence and government actions. It's always "look at how good they have it!" "Look at how peaceful we've made everything!"
- Yu Wan Mei and the Government
I really like the blend of commercialism and state media -- the "Yay China!" "Buy Stuff!" combo is very appropriate. Of course, it probably wouldn't be a sole sponsor like Yu Wan Mei. But I especially like the subtle ones in the American Voices section. :)
- "Clear American Sky a constant reminder of industrial inferiority"
There is definitely a pride in China's industrial might. Environment is important, but Industry is more so. Especially as China tries to move out of the cheap toys market and into the cool technologies market.
I also just like the different reading of that image.
- Yao Ming! Table Tennis!
Haha. Yeah. Pretty much.
- Positive messages about Chinese people as strong, self-sacrificial people
Hey, that's how propaganda works here. China pride and all that. Setting forth the moral example.
- "Productive, Obedient Woman"
This one is complicated. On the one hand, Communism says that women and men are completely equal. On the other hand, traditional culture looks for chaste, productive mothers. (No spaghetti straps here). But yeah, a lot of 贤妻良母 stuff here.
- Pristine shipment contaminated by Americans
During much of the poisonous toys scandal the government/media was like, "well actually we just made it to the specifications of the buyer. It's the FDA that changed the code and the buyer who didn't tell us."
Things that are off the mark:
- "Following approved article..."
Hah. News media in China is not that blatant. The censorship and self-censorship is never explicitly stated. Just like an American ad won't say: "following ad has socially approved levels of nudity and violence."
- "Tibetan Protestors"
This singular focus on Tibet annoyed me. What about Uighurs? I think that's my most serious beef about the Free Tibet movement -- most of them don't know a thing about Xinjiang and the Uighurs*.
- All the air pollution stuff
I've seen so many signs and ads about saving the environment here -- especially ones not tied to commercial products, but just, "Hey, we have one earth and we need to do good by it." stuff. Or "Cut down on white pollution, bring a basket/cloth bag when you go shopping." Stores are required to charge you for plastic bags.
- Negative messages about the weakness of Americans
No, no, the way to do it is to only show cases of American failure (and how it adversely affects China). Given that English is a required subject on par with Chinese and Math, there is no dissing of primitive 26-character alphabets here.
-----
* I had dinner with a Shanghai Uighur friend and asked him if he's heard from his relatives in Xinjiang, and he very cautiously said that:
(a) His dad told him not to call/contact because the phone lines were probably bugged
(b) He knows some info about what's going on in there but that speaking out about it is futile "because who do I talk to who has the power and who will believe me?"
(c) 2 examples he was willing to share: Most Uighurs are banned from government jobs. (Han people count for 40% of the population and 95% of the government posts). Uighurs are also banned from internet cafes for fear that they'd spread news online.
Quick rundown from my (limited) perspective
Things that are hilarious:
- Nothing at all happens to 28 Protesters...
Funny because there is a lot of denial of violence and government actions. It's always "look at how good they have it!" "Look at how peaceful we've made everything!"
- Yu Wan Mei and the Government
I really like the blend of commercialism and state media -- the "Yay China!" "Buy Stuff!" combo is very appropriate. Of course, it probably wouldn't be a sole sponsor like Yu Wan Mei. But I especially like the subtle ones in the American Voices section. :)
- "Clear American Sky a constant reminder of industrial inferiority"
There is definitely a pride in China's industrial might. Environment is important, but Industry is more so. Especially as China tries to move out of the cheap toys market and into the cool technologies market.
I also just like the different reading of that image.
- Yao Ming! Table Tennis!
Haha. Yeah. Pretty much.
- Positive messages about Chinese people as strong, self-sacrificial people
Hey, that's how propaganda works here. China pride and all that. Setting forth the moral example.
- "Productive, Obedient Woman"
This one is complicated. On the one hand, Communism says that women and men are completely equal. On the other hand, traditional culture looks for chaste, productive mothers. (No spaghetti straps here). But yeah, a lot of 贤妻良母 stuff here.
- Pristine shipment contaminated by Americans
During much of the poisonous toys scandal the government/media was like, "well actually we just made it to the specifications of the buyer. It's the FDA that changed the code and the buyer who didn't tell us."
Things that are off the mark:
- "Following approved article..."
Hah. News media in China is not that blatant. The censorship and self-censorship is never explicitly stated. Just like an American ad won't say: "following ad has socially approved levels of nudity and violence."
- "Tibetan Protestors"
This singular focus on Tibet annoyed me. What about Uighurs? I think that's my most serious beef about the Free Tibet movement -- most of them don't know a thing about Xinjiang and the Uighurs*.
- All the air pollution stuff
I've seen so many signs and ads about saving the environment here -- especially ones not tied to commercial products, but just, "Hey, we have one earth and we need to do good by it." stuff. Or "Cut down on white pollution, bring a basket/cloth bag when you go shopping." Stores are required to charge you for plastic bags.
- Negative messages about the weakness of Americans
No, no, the way to do it is to only show cases of American failure (and how it adversely affects China). Given that English is a required subject on par with Chinese and Math, there is no dissing of primitive 26-character alphabets here.
-----
* I had dinner with a Shanghai Uighur friend and asked him if he's heard from his relatives in Xinjiang, and he very cautiously said that:
(a) His dad told him not to call/contact because the phone lines were probably bugged
(b) He knows some info about what's going on in there but that speaking out about it is futile "because who do I talk to who has the power and who will believe me?"
(c) 2 examples he was willing to share: Most Uighurs are banned from government jobs. (Han people count for 40% of the population and 95% of the government posts). Uighurs are also banned from internet cafes for fear that they'd spread news online.
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I wonder if the attention given Tibet relative to Xinjiang would be diminished if the Dali Lama had been disappeared by the KGB or died in a mysterious plane crash like the ETR leaders were. But between prejudice against muslims and the red scare in the US, maybe it was/is less about personalities and more about political realities.
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http://www.yuwanmei.com/home_ch
is it different than the english?
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The Chinese is far more awkward than the English in conveying satire.
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yrs--
--Ben
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I didn't know about Uighurs being banned from internet cafes. That's really depressing...