Oh lord fucksticks.
Could the Internet be totally free and should it be? The recent turmoil in the Arab world caused by a contentious video denigrating Prophet Muhammad shows the United States, which is busy promoting global Internet freedom, has paid a huge price with the lives of its diplomats.
That’s the first paragraph from this China Daily column today by Andre Vltchek, identified as an “American novelist, documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist,” which makes him a stooge of the professional variety.
A sometimes-columnist for China Daily — who has, strangely enough, been profiled by China Daily – Vltchek is your classic sociopolitical myopic who sees the world in blocs: West, China, Everyone Else. He’s an anachronism, a Cold War ideologue whose head would explode if he heard the Carly Rae Jepsen-PSY mashup. In elementary school, he’s the kid holding a copy of Mein Kampf just to be “different,” and running for class president. In middle school, he’s the bearded loner in the dark corner of the fall ball. In college, he’s the leering drunk who shoots ping pong balls five feet off the table and stares at girls’ elbows to make sure they don’t go over the plane. And as an adult, he’s exactly the type who would say (as he does in the above link), “The West has absolutely no interest in human rights in China or anywhere else. How could it, considering that it is violating them on basically all continents, worldwide?” Yes, how could THE WEST, considering THE WEST violates human WEST on WEST all WEST, WEST?
What a neat trick. Turn the argument into WEST and WESTERN, and why WEST WEST?
Unfortunately, it’s the only trick in Vltchek’s saddle. Incredibly, in the 745-word column, “When will West ever learn history lesson,” he manages to use “West” or “Western” 21 times. There’s also “West caught in the Net of double standard,” and “China offers vital alternative to West,” and “Irony of Western human rights agenda.” There’s no need to link any of these — the message is the same, which you can guess.
But we digress — amazed that a man like Vltchek exists, and can be allowed to publish words in a newspaper. (The China Daily, of course.) Let us help this old chap rewrite his first paragraph, shall we?
An offensive picture was posted on the Internet, and people across an ocean saw it. We should regulate the Internet. With a regulated Internet, nothing bad will ever happen. Because with an unregulated Internet, bad things did happen. That’s the West for you. Always letting bad things happen, because the Internet is unregulated. Oh, the West. Oh, you.
Anthony,
One of the points of the editorial is that an unregulated (uncensored) internet can result in rumours going viral. Wait a second…
Which country is most famous for these viral internet rumours? China.
The Chinese internet and media are so censored that fewer people believe the official line, which actually gives credence to the rumours.
So when the authorities say there is no risk of radiation, people go out and buy shitloads of salt.
Of course. One of many rational arguments against Vltchek.
I guess my point that got slightly lost up there: It amazes me how easy it is to get an editorial in a NATIONAL newspaper like China Daily just by using the word “West” a few times as a pejorative. Never mind that every other word is ridiculous and would shame any normal-thinking editor.
Getting a slot on CCTV9, CRI or anything similar is the same deal, you get paid a pittance in exchange for your soul.
If you look up Mr Vitchek’s credentials, you will find that his career has been bought and sold on his criticisms of The West ( that wonderful monolithic entity) so he is PRECISELY the kind of talking head that China Daily would want to employ – international credentials, US citizen, will write to the party line.
I don’t believe in this case there has been any soul-selling. He truly believes this.
The guy is actually an academic celebrity in “the West”. Which tells you a lot about “the West”. And about how he likes the monies and fame provided by “the West”.
(e.g. http://cgt.columbia.edu/events/terlena_breaking_of_a_nation/)