Orwell warned the World that when propaganda is truly successfully ingrained into society, people would not even realize propaganda for what it is. They would think it is normal and ordinary. When people read Orwell's "1984", it was clear from our own perspectives what propaganda was, in the "Newspeak" of the story. But we do not necessarily understand how such propaganda … [Read more...] about Rethink the US Government “Shutdown” Like George Orwell, And the Normality of Propaganda
领导人是怎样炼成的 – How Leaders are Made
I wanted to share a video that has gone viral on Youku, and has gotten the attention of western outlets such as Time Magazine, which will no doubt attract ample amounts of sneers and visceral comments from the West. I'm posting both the English (Youtube) and Chinese (Youku) versions, for everyone's … [Read more...] about 领导人是怎样炼成的 – How Leaders are Made
Opinion: On Bo Xilai and Rule of Law
This past weekend, the Jinan Intermediate People's Court found Bo Xilai guilty bribetaking, embezzlement and abuse of power. The trial has been widely publicized and discussed in China, with netizens on the blogsphere commenting from almost every angle, some in support of Bo, some in disgust of his alleged actions, and others neutral and looking at the bigger picture (see e.g. … [Read more...] about Opinion: On Bo Xilai and Rule of Law
Explaining the Gini Index Number, To Understand the Real China
Sometimes, numbers lie, because so often, a few numbers are summarized to generalize about a vastly complex landscape. "42"!! That's the answer for every thing. Well, don't complain to me if you don't understand the answer. It's the question you need to really understand, which is, what does that number REALLY supposed to mean. Take for another example, China's Gini … [Read more...] about Explaining the Gini Index Number, To Understand the Real China
Order vs. Uncertainty, Why History Repeats Human Struggles
This morning I heard a commonly repeated slogan among many Western politicians and academics, "Job creators hate uncertainties." It is as generalized as it is misleading and confusing. … [Read more...] about Order vs. Uncertainty, Why History Repeats Human Struggles