"I always find it a little disturbing that people would not watch or read something because it clashes with their values. Don't they have any curiosity about a world beyond theirs? Are they afraid that they'll be brainwashed the moment they read it? Have they so little faith in their own values and mental faculties that they think they'll just capitulate immediately?" I think you raise some good points, Elizabeth. If different ideologies or religious beliefs stopped me watching things, I'd never watch anything. Everyone, directly or indirectly, is peddling some kind of ideology.
Most people just don’t travel outside of their own country. This is especially true of the US where many people don’t even travel outside of their state. We have preconceptions of what places are like because of what media tells us, and that leads us to either the savior mentality or the grass is greener idea, both typically are incorrect. Like China, is it authoritarian, yes, is it as bad as most people think it is for the average person, no, is it still bad, yes.
I personally find “The Battle at Lake changjin” movie hilarious and awesome. Is it historically or ideologically accurate, no, but neither are American war movies too.
That’s a movie on my to watch list for sure! Ugh my list is way too long. Someone explained to me why Americans don’t travel abroad and it’snot due to lack of interest but logistics (America is far away from many places), money (many American families are cash-strapped) and America already having so many things to see. In Malaysia, we can pay just US$200-US$500 or so to travel to China, South Korea, all the South-East Asian countries. We just take it for granted. But it’s also due to us being in the middle of so many nations that forces us to make it vital to understand other nations or else we’d be squished by them lol
This is accurate for why we in the US can’t travel internationally more often. But then, when I’ve traveled to different states or regions of the US, it’s still been culture shock/delight as there are an astounding number of subcultures here. Since it is too expensive to travel out of our country, at least humans come up with endless cultural permutations to be fascinated by within our boundaries….and we have books and TV and film and Newsletters ;) to gain some small sense of other places. Really enjoying your newsletter, always learning something. Thank you, Elizabeth!
My son and I watched this kids’ movie from China that I adored because it is about class and poverty and about the dignity of poverty, and the struggles of the poor. I would call this more about ‘values’ than about propaganda but it is not too unlike a propaganda movie. It’s also total tear-jerker and is funny and ridiculous.
25 years in Japan this years and one of the first things I learned to do quickly afyer all the Blackthrone Bitching is internally roll my eyes over a smile. I maintain that all of America's (my birth country) biggest problem is that it takes it's "freedoms" too seriously. Selfishly, I think, too, that a blending of Asian and American cultures would be bliss. Love reading you. Keep posting!
Since Malaysia's culture is kinda like a blend of East and West, I think it's pretty neat too. Because it exposes us to different POVs, and we get used to being mentally and ideologically flexible, so to speak. Well, some of us anyway, I can't speak for all.
Thanks for reading by the way I truly appreciate it!
I kind of feel the same way when I write about the Chinese contribution to the Philippine economy for the day job—I mean, we can’t escape it, they’re one of our largest trading partners, if not the largest. Between that and our working relationship with the Hong Kong trade promotion arm I sometimes feel people think I (a) believe everything I write about and (b) the fact that I have something positive to say about China means I’m pro-China and probably am happy to have Ayungin Shoal be under their command rather than ours.
It’s really fascinating watching things, western or not, and spotting the unspoken political leanings of the show. Admittedly a bit of it is “see, I can spot it, I’m better than you!” —but what makes me feel superior is that, in most instances, I can keep tabs on that and then decide on everything on my own merit. But I guess, for most of us, echo chambers are comfort zones.
Yeah. It is not easy for me to branch out and watch dramas that make me go GAH. For example, I’m going to watch te Netflix version of Three Body soon eventhough I KNOW I WILL HATE IT. Just because I like to torture myself, I guess.
I pretty much suspect that my friends think i’m not only pro-China but a undercover right-wing MAGA sympathiser because I let slip that i LIKED jordan Peterson’s lectures on Youtube. Psychology lectures, mind you, but the fact that I said I liked his lectures tars me in their eyes lol.
And about China, the more I study them, the more I admire their ruthless, pragmatic approach to governance. Not the whole “vanishing important peeople for a while” approach of doing things, but how they parcel out land, tweak their corporate-like 15-year plans, how they experiment their plans on some cities. Geez. Robotic ruthless efficiency.
Not gonna work for everyone though. It’ll be pandemonium in Malaysia lol. However, I do wish we practiced their method of ensuring every family has land to own in rural areas... ensures that nobody would end up homeless, in a way.
Ahaha～"we do have a red book." If you mention the red book to any Chinese Generation Z, they will likely respond with this sentence, as they will assume you are referring to "小红书" or Xiao Hongshu, which translates to "Little Red Book". Comparable to China’s Instagram, it is popular among young Chinese, who flock to the platform for shopping, travel, beauty, and lifestyle tips.
"I always find it a little disturbing that people would not watch or read something because it clashes with their values. Don't they have any curiosity about a world beyond theirs? Are they afraid that they'll be brainwashed the moment they read it? Have they so little faith in their own values and mental faculties that they think they'll just capitulate immediately?" I think you raise some good points, Elizabeth. If different ideologies or religious beliefs stopped me watching things, I'd never watch anything. Everyone, directly or indirectly, is peddling some kind of ideology.
Yup, and I find it fascinating, these diverse points of views. I guess i’m a weirdo that way lol.
Most people just don’t travel outside of their own country. This is especially true of the US where many people don’t even travel outside of their state. We have preconceptions of what places are like because of what media tells us, and that leads us to either the savior mentality or the grass is greener idea, both typically are incorrect. Like China, is it authoritarian, yes, is it as bad as most people think it is for the average person, no, is it still bad, yes.
I personally find “The Battle at Lake changjin” movie hilarious and awesome. Is it historically or ideologically accurate, no, but neither are American war movies too.
That’s a movie on my to watch list for sure! Ugh my list is way too long. Someone explained to me why Americans don’t travel abroad and it’snot due to lack of interest but logistics (America is far away from many places), money (many American families are cash-strapped) and America already having so many things to see. In Malaysia, we can pay just US$200-US$500 or so to travel to China, South Korea, all the South-East Asian countries. We just take it for granted. But it’s also due to us being in the middle of so many nations that forces us to make it vital to understand other nations or else we’d be squished by them lol
This is accurate for why we in the US can’t travel internationally more often. But then, when I’ve traveled to different states or regions of the US, it’s still been culture shock/delight as there are an astounding number of subcultures here. Since it is too expensive to travel out of our country, at least humans come up with endless cultural permutations to be fascinated by within our boundaries….and we have books and TV and film and Newsletters ;) to gain some small sense of other places. Really enjoying your newsletter, always learning something. Thank you, Elizabeth!
My son and I watched this kids’ movie from China that I adored because it is about class and poverty and about the dignity of poverty, and the struggles of the poor. I would call this more about ‘values’ than about propaganda but it is not too unlike a propaganda movie. It’s also total tear-jerker and is funny and ridiculous.
Highly recommend. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CJ7
Yeah, it might make you a communist! But more likely will make you dislike extremes of economic inequality and economic deprivation.
25 years in Japan this years and one of the first things I learned to do quickly afyer all the Blackthrone Bitching is internally roll my eyes over a smile. I maintain that all of America's (my birth country) biggest problem is that it takes it's "freedoms" too seriously. Selfishly, I think, too, that a blending of Asian and American cultures would be bliss. Love reading you. Keep posting!
Since Malaysia's culture is kinda like a blend of East and West, I think it's pretty neat too. Because it exposes us to different POVs, and we get used to being mentally and ideologically flexible, so to speak. Well, some of us anyway, I can't speak for all.
Thanks for reading by the way I truly appreciate it!
Should love to visit someday then!
My pleasure!
This title got me thinking. In my years of Mandarin immersion I probably have. 😂
LOL naughty, you!
Ha, I love this, Liz.
I kind of feel the same way when I write about the Chinese contribution to the Philippine economy for the day job—I mean, we can’t escape it, they’re one of our largest trading partners, if not the largest. Between that and our working relationship with the Hong Kong trade promotion arm I sometimes feel people think I (a) believe everything I write about and (b) the fact that I have something positive to say about China means I’m pro-China and probably am happy to have Ayungin Shoal be under their command rather than ours.
It’s really fascinating watching things, western or not, and spotting the unspoken political leanings of the show. Admittedly a bit of it is “see, I can spot it, I’m better than you!” —but what makes me feel superior is that, in most instances, I can keep tabs on that and then decide on everything on my own merit. But I guess, for most of us, echo chambers are comfort zones.
Yeah. It is not easy for me to branch out and watch dramas that make me go GAH. For example, I’m going to watch te Netflix version of Three Body soon eventhough I KNOW I WILL HATE IT. Just because I like to torture myself, I guess.
I pretty much suspect that my friends think i’m not only pro-China but a undercover right-wing MAGA sympathiser because I let slip that i LIKED jordan Peterson’s lectures on Youtube. Psychology lectures, mind you, but the fact that I said I liked his lectures tars me in their eyes lol.
And about China, the more I study them, the more I admire their ruthless, pragmatic approach to governance. Not the whole “vanishing important peeople for a while” approach of doing things, but how they parcel out land, tweak their corporate-like 15-year plans, how they experiment their plans on some cities. Geez. Robotic ruthless efficiency.
Not gonna work for everyone though. It’ll be pandemonium in Malaysia lol. However, I do wish we practiced their method of ensuring every family has land to own in rural areas... ensures that nobody would end up homeless, in a way.
Ahaha～"we do have a red book." If you mention the red book to any Chinese Generation Z, they will likely respond with this sentence, as they will assume you are referring to "小红书" or Xiao Hongshu, which translates to "Little Red Book". Comparable to China’s Instagram, it is popular among young Chinese, who flock to the platform for shopping, travel, beauty, and lifestyle tips.
Great points! I’ve just started watching 漫长季节, also available free on YouTube, maybe I’ll look for Draw the Line next.
I think a lot of people who haven’t experienced it see China as a monolith, whereas in reality it’s anything but.