The following short CCTV report is actually a great summary of the key issues confronting America today. There are so much junk in the American press, it is difficult to make heads and tails of what is happening with them. America should demand and hold her leaders to account when they make promises or make lies. The current climate has no shame, no accountability. It is a sorry state of affairs. It is also difficult to see how American society improves from here.
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Black Pheonix says
Someone once remarked that China’s cultural system enforces individual responsibility through Shame, whereas the West does so through Guilt.
I really couldn’t understand the difference between “shame” and “guilt” in such a context. Although I have heard some define “guilt” as a feeling regarding one’s own identity, whereas “shame” is a feeling regarding one’s relationship with others. But to me, the 2 are not that distinct from each other, since one’s identity is mostly defined by one’s own perceived self as related to one’s surroundings, i.e. one’s social relationship. Even if 1 is a hermit, one’s identity is defined as prominently as one who is devoid of social relationships.
By regardless, in this context, shame and guilt are related to each other at the very least. And apparently US political culture no long has either.
Shameless politicians are just as guiltless, and they see nothing wrong with irresponsibility.
N.M.Cheung says
The CCTV report is quite accurate, but do ordinary Americans really care? Or do Congress really has the capacity to monitor and make any difference? Steve Colbert coined the word “Truthyness” in making fun of the official lies in Washington in his Colbert Report and generates lots of cynical laughs, but to most Americans it’s beyond their comprehension. That’s one of the reasons I found those call for democracy in China such a non issue. Democracy is theoretically best when the populace is educated and involved and conversant in all the issues, and the basic livelihood of food, housing, education and health are assured. The democracy in U.S. is essentially a beauty contest. Obama with his beautiful rhetoric is totally meaningless to ordinary people.