The NBA boycotted North Carolina over HB2 (the “bathroom bill”), but doesn’t have a problem doing business in China. I hope they go bankrupt.
This times a thousand!
NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
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Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#112Not all costs are monetary. The long term ramifications of our businesses cow-towing to mass-murdering authoritarians is far greater than potential profits.
Appropriately enough, the term you’re looking for is kowtowing (not towing cows), a Chinese term for a deep bow of respect.
> a Chinese term for a deep bow of respect
Not so much a "deep bow" as "prostration on the ground".
Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#113Earlier quoted context omitted.
Everything from that list is from within the last 60 years. While China was murdering between 60 to 100 million of its citizens, America passed the Civil Rights Act.
I don't have too much time to educate you on these things but just to note: Re: "60 to 100 million of its citizens" is just straight up wrong. There was a Great Famine in China* - Mao did not murder up to 100 million citizens. Are you serious? Your own source says as much. Re: Social Credit System (SCS) - By pretty much every metric the SCS has not resulted in massive discrimination on the scale of racism and sexism…
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Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#114I find it interesting that there isn't a Boycott / Divest / Sanctions movement for China, despite the human rights abuses they've always committed, in addition to more recently holding people in concentration camps. Surely their offenses are far more egregious than Israel's? Where's the movement for Hong Kong, for the Uighur? Does anyone know of such an effort?
Unlike BDS, decoupling from China will require real tangible sacrifices and effort and can create serious pushback. Israel punches way above it's weight both geopolitical and economically, but they are still not big player. Most people are activists only when it is safe, cheap and convenient.
Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#115Earlier quoted context omitted.
As Michael Jordan didn't say... "Republicans buy sneakers too." Billionaires didn't get to be billionaires by leaving money on the table. We need large scale political action against China.
We need to adopt an economic system that doesn't prize currency above human dignity.
So we should be like the Chinese and prize power over human dignity instead?
Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#116How about getting your morality and your values from organized religion or your personal spirituality and not from a bunch of multi-millionaires who throw a ball around? Organized religion is not allowed in China either.
You know something is allowed in China if it traces all its authority back to exist back to the party. That's how communism has always operated. The success of the party was the highest goal of highest goals that lead to all the purges and terrors throughout history.
Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#117The NBA boycotted North Carolina over HB2 (the “bathroom bill”), but doesn’t have a problem doing business in China. I hope they go bankrupt.
I hope they double their profits. It's a fantastic product, even though you seem to strongly dislike it, and I'm proud of the commissioner Adam Silver for publicly standing up for freedom of speech.
Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#118It's not much of a dilemma though, is it? Already-rich folks kowtowing to fascists for a quick buck is beyond pathetic. US companies should stop targeting China for growth. If they don't steal your IP completely, they'll eventually freeze you out like they just did the NBA. It's happened to many companies and will eventually happen to you too. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
> It's not much of a dilemma though, is it? Already-rich folks kowtowing to fascists for a quick buck is beyond pathetic.
This ignores human nature and basic incentives. Of course it's not much of a dilemma for you and me. We aren't the ones who stand to gain or lose hundreds millions of dollars. It shouldn't be shocking that many people with skin in the game feel differently.
And I don't think it has much to do with being rich. I suspect plenty of thousandairs would happily kowtow to fascists for a few weeks in return for a six-figure payday.
Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#119Re: NBA's China dilemma: $4B at risk as Chinese TV cancels game broadcasts
#120This reminds me of a story a teacher of mine told in a Advertising class, about a retailer that put pressure on a soda maker to lower prices, or they wouldn't give them share of shelf.
Well the soda maker didn't agree, so they pulled the inventory out.
Weeks later the retailer came back to invite them in at the same rates. Apparently the customers weren't happy that their favorite soda wasn't available, and made sure to let the staff know.
If China starts to pull the plug on unique products and services, I believe there's going to be a ripple effect. I'm pretty sure there are millions of people in China that still enjoy the NBA, despite NBA's stance on what ever the subject is.
This will add up. Maybe the fear of instability through Western propaganda should be matched by the instability that the actualization of censorship is alive and well, via the ban of content people like.
Maybe not.