Comments on: Obama Captures All Our Feelings About Chinese Politics In One Shrug

By: David S.

David S. — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 03:07:00 +0000

Beautifully written, highly entertaining and quite insightful. Well done, Sir.

By: jixiang

jixiang — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 03:31:15 +0000

Bridget, this idea that China can’t have democracy and proper human rights because otherwise the country will have “unrest” and descend into chaos is an idea which the Chinese government strongly promotes among its people. Many Chinese, including clearly you, have taken this as a fact. I live in China, and personally I think it’s nonsense.

There are lots of countries, including poor “developing countries” like China, which have democracy and a system which respects basic rights like freedom of speech and of assembly. Those countries have problems, but then so does China. I am sure that if China had a democratic system of government, it would not fall into chaos. There would be some new problems, but in the long term a move towards democracy would solve more problems than it would create. China currently may be “stable” and “safe”, but it’s the kind of stability which comes with repression, which is not a healthy kind of stability. It just means that people keep a lot of anger bottled up inside of them.

Another thing: democracy does not mean “absence of restraint” or absolute liberty. All countries have laws. Democracy means that there is a separation of power, so that the judiciary is not controlled by the government and it can make impartial decisions. It also means that expressing your opinions is never dangerous.

And finally, you say you’re very grateful you live in China? What do you base this opinion on? Have you lived in other countries so you can compare?

By: Awesome Jim

Awesome Jim — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 11:15:43 +0000

Sorry if I sounded a bit aggressive there; the Audi thing almost happened to me when I was out walking the dog. The I saw your ‘safe in China’ thing and blew a fuse.
I’m a lovely person really. A lovely person who lives in China. And doesn’t feel safe.

By: Awesome Jim

Awesome Jim — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 11:11:42 +0000

You know fine well that no-one’s talking about ‘absolute liberty’ but just the basic liberties which are denied the Chinese public. You may feel safe but I promise that others who have had their land stolen, their homes seized, their businesses destroyed by Chengguan; THOSE people don’t feel safe at all. I don’t feel safe every time I cross the street in this country because some arsehole in a big black Audi could run me over and then hush it up by paying the police money. Not safe at all.
And next time you should click on the ‘Reply’ tag at the bottom of Steve’s comment so that he has the right to reply.

By: Bridget

Bridget — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 05:31:31 +0000

Steven, maybe China is not so free to some extent. But I think it’s a must to have some restricts to the behaviors of citizens. Absolute liberty always means absence of restraint and it may lead to unrest to the country. At least we are very safe because of these restraints now. And I’m very grateful that I live in China.

By: Steven Knipp

Steven Knipp — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 13:01:27 +0000

Bridget, Obama SHOULD look down on the politics of China. China is a police state, it’s the largest police state in history. There is no rule of law there. There is no freedom of assembly, no freedom of the press. No freedom to travel unless you get government approval. Teacher are told what to teach and were they will teach it. Unions of any sort are illegal. If you break any law in China the trail will be closed — no media, no family members, and no court records are released. When buying a computer in China, you must register that computer with the PSB (the Public Security Bureau) and if you post anything on a website which the government dislikes, you can be sent to prison for a very long time. China has many tens of thousands of political prisoners. China is also the world’s worse polluters. The UN reports that 16 of the world’s most polluted cities are in side China. The CCP – the Chinese Communist Party is massively corrupt. Even by the Chinese government’s own report, some 2,000 Chinese flee China with stolen millions ($$$). So the look that Obama gave the Chinese was pretty much what anyone who knows the real China well would give in response to something that any government official says. China is not in the midst of crushing out democracy in Hong Kong.

By: jixiang

jixiang — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 01:27:15 +0000

Quite frankly, I think it’s impossible not to look down upon the politics of China to some extent.

Perhaps it’s a good thing if Chinese people realize how ridicolous Chinese politics can seem to outsiders?

By: FOARP

FOARP — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 13:38:42 +0000

Go on. Please enlighten us. Who, exactly, was Anthony Tao being racist against?

By: Bridget

Bridget — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 09:31:57 +0000

I think the image of the leader represents the image of a country. Leaders should be always keep that concept in mind and pay attention to their behaviors. That shrug, in my humble opinion, is inappropriate to some extent. That may let Chinese think that Obama looks down on the politics of China.
But in the other hand, it makes Obama a more substantial and real person, not just a symbol of America.

By: Cbert

Cbert — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 09:53:28 +0000

Wow. Racist much?

By: Eleven Jeenping

Eleven Jeenping — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 06:24:28 +0000

Stop shrugging farts!

By: DSLAM

DSLAM — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 06:19:57 +0000

Epic

By: Harland

Harland — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 06:16:01 +0000

It’s pretty hard to find things to write gushing prose about Obama, isn’t it? The old days were much better. Back then, writers could go on for pages and pages, but all we’ve got left today is 500 words about a reaction .GIF. The old Obama was better.

By: Jahar

Jahar — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 04:30:19 +0000

Beautiful~