In Retrospect II – Go East, Young Man?

A QUICK DISCLAIMER BEFORE WE BEGIN:

The author, Xenahort Charybdis, is awaiting professional editing upon this article, and thus its neutrality, at least for now, may be in question. However, it may be subject to change when said professional reads and edits it. But in order to comply with his tasks deadlines, this article by Xena has to be posted. So it is purely out of unfortunate necessity. Apologies to all who have been caused inconvenience by the author.

New Mod, Loki Scylla

(and now on to the main essay)

Article Taken From: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2005/06/12/do1203.xml

I am somewhat impressed, while a little disturbed by this author’s viewpoints. Impressed by the fact that he was willing to break the mold when the global pendulum swung eastward, and Mao’s famous statement “The Chinese people have arisen” seemed to look fulfilled, albeit half a century late, but disturbed by the fact that he put it in such a critical fashion.

Although, I perceive, that is what editorials and columns are made of in places where the media isn’t censored.

In light of what the article has stated, I am somewhat reminded of 2 rather interesting issues concerning said country.

Given the recent events of product faults in China-made products, it would appear that either the government, for all its ostensible strictness and “conservativism”, has limited power over these events, or worse.

These same conservative policies have also led to high censorship of blogs, when interestingly enough, there is a serious lack of censorship of pornography, which is not only morally damaging, but reflects just as badly on society as blogs do. Recently, though, for better or worse, the Chinese government has just decided to attempt to stamp porn too, in addition to blogs. I surmise we will have to sit on the sidelines and watch this round.

Also, I have noted with some degree of concern that China’s great amount of growth, does not, in general, affect the vast majority of people in China. Instead, what we have resembles a centralized city system, expanded to fit a country with, just nicely, 1 billion odd people.

Maybe that’s why the thrice-renowned Manchu emperor Kangxi was said to have made incognito travels: because proliferators of such stories recognized that when one ask for reports, you hear “the good stuff”. Well, to be more understanding, in their position, I’d rather show them my Big Apple, rather than show off my Calcutta.

Yet, the trouble remains, and it is the prevailing mentality of powerful oriental landlords of dynasties past: if it’s nice, show it, if it’s bad, hide it; if it supports you, laud it; if it opposes you, silence it.

Yes, it’s damaging to one’s image, yes, it’s bad in UN meetings when it gets brought up. Yes, it’s bad that morals go down and yes, we all know that it’s not very nice to have people speaking up too much in their blogs or other media. No one likes that.

But the new age’s the age of ideas. Have them, or bust.

The new age’s the age of consumerism. “They want it all, they want it now”, and now they want it good, a la post-Sol Badguy age.

Morals can’t be tackled in a legalistic fashion. The less it’s had, the more it’s wanted. If one begs to differ, look at religion’s history in the former Soviet HQ.

Mindsets must change for progress to take place. If one thinks one can raise a revolution without changing mindsets, just stare the French Revolution down the face, and try saying that again.

500 words