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Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

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Re: Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

#11

Post by stcredzero »

jscheel wrote: post #4

I often see it advertised at Chinese restaurants around town. Whenever I ask the proprietors if it part of Falun Gong, they all claim not to understand, or they just say no. I can't tell if they actually know what it is and don't want to admit it, or if they legitimately don't know.

Whenever I ask the proprietors if it part of Falun Gong, they all claim not to understand, or they just say no. I can't tell if they actually know what it is and don't want to admit it, or if they legitimately don't know.

Don't know, don't care, they got a restaurant to run! [1] They're probably just getting past your question and getting onto the next task. My wife grew up in mainland China. She thinks of them as wackos and/or somewhat like "carnies." If they can live and let live, and they don't do something like human trafficking, then they can believe what they want and make whatever art and dance they want, as far as I'm concerned.

([1] I used to work at a local midwest bookstore chain that Borders seemed to steal its ideas from. Customers got a totally relaxed vibe, even from the workers. However, being a worker there was a workout! I probably did enough walking for that one activity to qualify as a fitness program. So if you go to a restaurant that seems hectic, there's a good chance it's not just hectic, but that just getting through your shift is a heroic feat of endurance and optimizing on your feet. (I've also worked in restaurants.))

Re: Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

#12

Post by stcredzero »

compiler-guy wrote: post #7
jscheel wrote: post #4

I often see it advertised at Chinese restaurants around town. Whenever I ask the proprietors if it part of Falun Gong, they all claim not to understand, or they just say no. I can't tell if they actually know what it is and don't want to admit it, or if they legitimately don't know.

They know. It is a strategic and extremely carefully phrased denial.

They probably don't have the time to waste on such a conversation/explanation.

Re: Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

#13

Post by forkLding »

For those who don't know, Falun Gong is perceived like the Chinese version of Scientology in China, although a lot of injustice was done to Falun Gong followers and most of their assets frozen, there isn't much sympathy for them and they're typically regarded as a bit weird, believing in Qi, faith healing and all that.

Re: Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

#14

Post by stcredzero »

badcede wrote: post #6

"The fact that both Falun Gong and the Communist Party communicate via propaganda makes it almost impossible to understand what’s really happening."

Generalized it for you:

"The fact that everyone in 2019 communicates via propaganda makes it almost impossible to understand what’s really happening."

"Social media" is a bit of a whitewash. It should really be called, "Everyone Propaganda!"

Re: Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

#15

Post by stcredzero »

forkLding wrote: post #13

For those who don't know, Falun Gong is perceived like the Chinese version of Scientology in China, although a lot of injustice was done to Falun Gong followers and most of their assets frozen, there isn't much sympathy for them and they're typically regarded as a bit weird, believing in Qi, faith healing and all that.

although a lot of injustice was done to Falun Gong followers and most of their assets frozen

No individual human rights in China. The government can squash them as they like, and if the public doesn't like that group, no one will complain. (Which makes propaganda very useful for both sides.)

First they came for the wackos, the conspiracy theorists, and the minority religions...

Re: Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

#16

Post by stcredzero »

compiler-guy wrote: post #10
hvs wrote: post #9

My family and I went a couple of years ago. It seemed fairly benign, if a bit corny/garish. The whole "evolution is evil" thing kind of comes out of nowhere. Afterwards I looked up the group behind it and read about Falun Dafa. It won't convince anyone to join their group, but it probably raises a fair amount of funds for it. As entertainment it is moderately interesting, but I wouldn't go again.

I've been once too. The acrobatics and dance and production values are quite professional and nice. But the side-trips into propaganda made me feel like I had been deceived by the advertising, which really turned me off.

I've been once too. The acrobatics and dance and production values are quite professional and nice.

But the side-trips into propaganda made me feel like I had been deceived by the advertising, which really turned me off.

Propaganda makes for mediocre art. I think one of the seminal essays to that effect was actually written by a prominent propagandist. It's a very important idea for 2019.

Re: Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

#17

Post by chb »

Embarrassed to say that my wife and I were duped into purchasing tickets to the show. We had thought it would be a highly choreographed, theatrical re-enactment of significant events in pre-Mao China, and had not done any research on it.

Instead, it was horribly amateurish propaganda (the entire "set" was a projected CG image). Heavy-handed plays for sympathy and the demonization of the Chinese state culminated in a spiritual Armageddon where a Christ-like deity leads his followers out of a world-consuming conflagration.

The audience lapped it up (this was Arizona, by the way). There were no misgivings or complaints voiced as we shuffled out of the theater. We felt suckered, and, to this day, share knowing looks of sheepishness and incredulity when we see billboards around the country advertising the show.

Re: Stepping into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

#19

Post by jerf »

Well, I guess my priors need a bit of tuning; they picked up from the pervasiveness of the advertising that this must be a funded propaganda push, but I assumed it would be from the Chinese government, not someone rather bitterly opposed to them.

(This is not an *-ist comment; that governments promote their cultures in other countries to create "soft power" is an established fact. I for one would love in many ways to live in a world where all our conflicts were solved with such soft power, rather than the harder kind.)

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