201–210 of 217 posts
“Providing a gateway for ‘toxic apps’ is hurting the feelings of the Chinese people" Awww, your feelings got hurt? Care to think about the feelings of a million Uighur people that are being tortured in concentration camps? Or the 7 million Hongkongers that you've been trying bully into submission?
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You're of course entitled to your opinion on the HK protests, but I don't think that's what people are looking for. You're just one random person on the internet. What I think we're interested in is figuring out what public sentiment actually is, and what's causing it. For example, is it that most Chinese people are genuinely, organically outraged? Or is it a small, vocal minority that is being amplified by state med…
I appreciate your level-headed response. To address your first point: are most people genuinely outraged? That I do not know tbh. I can only represent my own opinion. However, I have Chinese friends that have voices their discontent with the NBA and Hong Kong situation. That's all I can tell. For me personally, I'm against Hong Kong protest, but again, it's my own opinion. About the news reports in China, ofc they ar…
But the problem is that, internally, Chinese people don't have access to all that. They pretty much -- as you well know -- just have access to what the government allows. If the government tells everyone that the protesters in HK are doing terrible things, they have nothing to compare it to to check those "facts".
Regarding the video you linked, I got a good chuckle out of it, but I don't think it really suggests what the speaker thinks it does. He asks:
"Is it laziness that causes reporters to copy each other?"
In some cases, yes. Many (most?) news reports are based on one of several feeds. Often the end publications who write up pieces about it will use a lot of the same language. And in any case, journalists talk to each other, probably a lot, in the course of getting their work done.
"Is someone coordinating the message?"
Maybe? But the implied conspiracy angle here requires extraordinary evidence, and a bunch of news outlets all using the word "bracing" to describe how HK feels about the coming weekend is, well, circumstantial at best.
"Are these reports all just coincidences?"
Probably not, but that doesn't have to indicate that something nefarious is going on.
He goes on to state: "Freedom of speech means you can finally feel free to trust the media."
Wellll... kinda, but not really. Freedom of speech means that you, personally, can express your opinions without government interference. That also means the media can do the same. It means that you can feel free to trust that the media is saying what it says without the government pulling the strings. But, as you point out, everyone has their own biases, so you can't trust what the media says to be the hard truth, or at least to not be heavily slanted or spun in order to promote a particular narrative. Again, as you pointed out, reading from difference sources, from different places, can give you a better idea of what's really going on.
The news compilation at the end was also pretty funny, but not all that surprising. Remember that most television news in the US is owned by... maybe five(?) parent corporations. I'm not particularly happy with that, but the reality of the situation is that, for the most part, individual stations have a ton of freedom to report on whatever they want to report on. Sometimes -- as in this particular case -- the parent company will require that they run a segment on a particular topic, and I guess even provide suggested wording (which I figure most will probably just take as-is, if they don't find anything too disagreeable about it). And yes, this can be used for sketchy purposes. In this particular case -- talking about how spreading lies and incorrect information as truthful news is harmful to democracy -- well, that's true, and I don't really mind them passing along this message. But we have to be vigilant to spot an evil required message if and when one comes through.
Regarding "a different form of censorship", I don't really agree with that. It's very different for a government to not allow you to say something on the threat of jail, versus you saying something and your peers telling you you're wrong and you should shut up. I wish people wouldn't be so shitty about that, and try to engage in a more productive discussion, but... well, humanity isn't really all that great sometimes, I guess... to put it mildly.
I'm not sure why you're being downvoted either. I hope it's not just because people disagree with you, but unfortunately that does happen sometimes on HN. I really appreciate that you've taken the time to have a conversation with me here!
That didn’t take long. NBA, American Airlines, Blizzard, Marriot.. the list grows. Soon they will have to ban rest of the 6 billion people.
I wonder how much of this is because they know there is going to be a crash soon and need to consolidate power and control the narrative internally before it happens
If this is the series of events that triggers the next global recession, it gives both the US and Chinese govt enough fodder for propaganda about "national security concerns" and how this is the other side's fault. Oy
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Even as a pretty heavy Apple user, I feel so sorry for people that have to identify with a product. If someone asked me to describe myself, my choice in computer/phone/whatever would not be a part of that description.
Not a device or product but open-source though... for me as a dev, or tech nerd, or advocate of freedoms / defender of rights, or just as an aware citizen, you know... open-source matters to a fundamental layer of our digital-izing civilization.
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One man? If you are just trying to sound dramatic, sure. However, I'd urge that you go and actually read more about how CCP works and the actual reaction of Chinese people on Weibo and other Chinese social media. The reaction to NBA and Hong Kong is not merely the government's manipulation, tho I'm sure there are some being done. When people see the news and make a judgement, it's often times the judgement the media…
> the actual reaction of Chinese people on Weibo and other Chinese social media People are censored and punished for disagreeing with their government and its dictator-for-life.
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Most people can afford a used car or a handbag from a vaguely popular brand, but they're still a status symbol. The status it symbolises isn't particularly high, but it's still status.
A status symbol is something that shows that you can afford something other people can’t. Almost anyone in the US who is on one of the four major carriers can afford an iPhone. Have you ever thought that people might actually prefer it’s functionality?
These days I just keep quiet on the topic and organise my tech life to the best of mine and my family's convenience. And the Apple ecosystem is so far unbeaten in that regard.
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Most people can afford a used car or a handbag from a vaguely popular brand, but they're still a status symbol. The status it symbolises isn't particularly high, but it's still status.
A status symbol is something that shows that you can afford something other people can’t. Almost anyone in the US who is on one of the four major carriers can afford an iPhone. Have you ever thought that people might actually prefer it’s functionality?
I quite like the iPhone and I've considered switching on the basis that it seems to have a better security model.
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But do you see how the protesters treated this old lady? Pointing lasers at her eyes. Giving her the Chinese flag to make her look pro China. You still only seem to see how frustrated this lady was being while ignoring the behaviors by the protestors in this case
I think it's a pretty understandable reaction on the part of the protesters. "Hey, we're here fighting for our freedom -- and yours -- and you're pissed off that the road is blocked? Get bent, lady". Sure, perhaps they could be more patient with her (though I doubt I'd be in their situation) and shining the laser pointers in her face is not cool, but she's not exactly being friendly and nice to them, either. She also…