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‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

nytimes.com

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Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#21

Post by Xi_Jinping »

throwawaysea wrote: post #4

This is exactly the same playbook China used to Han-ify (Sinicize) Tibet and Xinjiang. I feel very sad that the people of all these areas are powerless to stop their culture, way of life, and right to self-determination disappear. To a lesser extent, I also see elements of the same - attempts to to police culture, thought, speech, and dissent - appearing elsewhere in the world. While the approaches may be softer and…

Anyone who values diversity or civil rights has to acknowledge that the Chinese Communist Party is the largest scale force seeking to destroy diversity and civil rights. Conquered people with culture different than the majority Han culture like the millions of Tibetans, Mongolians, and Uyghurs are often punished for practicing their culture or speaking their language. Uyghur families are forcibly separated, Uyghur adults are forced to labor in sweatshops far from home for little pay, and Uyghur women are forced to get abortions. These people used to learn their cultures and languages in local schools, but now are forced to learn Han culture and speak the language of the Han majority, Mandarin. If you are serious about civil rights and diversity, then you have to be fundamentally opposed to the Chinese Communist Party and their policy of violent forced assimilation of their minorities.

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#22

Post by narrator »

danrocks wrote: post #8

I live in Hong Kong. Arrived here right when the second wave of protests started, in 2018. The speed with which China is changing the face of the city since then has been incredible, if disheartening. In a mere three years, we went from having a free press, district council elections, a vibrant online community, a combative but reasonably effective LegCo. All that is gone. Head over to the South China Morning Post an…

Human rights are not a thing in communism. The only thing that matters is success of the party. Its accumulation of power is the measuring stick. Capitalist economics are only allowed because it helps the party succeed and not for any other reason. That's why they execute and fire billionaires all the time. If they are not helping the party succeed in its quest for global domination, they get fired and lose all their assets, rights and even their lives.

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#23

Post by syops »

narrator wrote: post #22
danrocks wrote: post #8

I live in Hong Kong. Arrived here right when the second wave of protests started, in 2018. The speed with which China is changing the face of the city since then has been incredible, if disheartening. In a mere three years, we went from having a free press, district council elections, a vibrant online community, a combative but reasonably effective LegCo. All that is gone. Head over to the South China Morning Post an…

Human rights are not a thing in communism. The only thing that matters is success of the party. Its accumulation of power is the measuring stick. Capitalist economics are only allowed because it helps the party succeed and not for any other reason. That's why they execute and fire billionaires all the time. If they are not helping the party succeed in its quest for global domination, they get fired and lose all their…

Isn’t this a property of autocracy? It’s true that pretty much every implemented communist society became autocratic but there are systems - like the one in Iran - that similarly care only about the success of the party in power. The problem is not communism as such but of unchecked, concentrated power.

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#24

Post by Cyph0n »

cletus wrote: post #7

So here's a fun fact about the "security" laws China forced down Hong Kong's gullet recently: they apply to everyone on the planet. They're vague and "subversion" pretty much includes anything you want to include. It's anything that makes the Chinese government or Chinese officials look bad, basically. So, if you're not even a citizen of China and you're sitting in Europe or the USA and you make some critical post ab…

It’s not just Qatar. All of the Gulf monarchies operate in a similar fashion, with the possible exception being Kuwait (closer to a constitutional monarchy than the rest).

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#25

Post by whoaisme »

missedthecue wrote: post #6

China's ability to completely control the domestic narrative is really really underappreciated in my point of view. Not that it is positive from a personal liberties standpoint, but in that sense that it is an incredible strategic asset. Imagine if the second world war had been fought today in the era of entertainment journalism, twitter reactionism, and professional punditry. It would be laughable. The war effort wo…

I dont agree. If the Chinese ever kill a bunch of americans like the Japanese did the whole country won't rest until the whole of Asia is a wasteland. 3000 americans died and it took us 20 years until we decided we killed enough Afghans.

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#26

Post by chrisco255 »

syops wrote: post #23
narrator wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Human rights are not a thing in communism. The only thing that matters is success of the party. Its accumulation of power is the measuring stick. Capitalist economics are only allowed because it helps the party succeed and not for any other reason. That's why they execute and fire billionaires all the time. If they are not helping the party succeed in its quest for global domination, they get fired and lose all their…

Isn’t this a property of autocracy? It’s true that pretty much every implemented communist society became autocratic but there are systems - like the one in Iran - that similarly care only about the success of the party in power. The problem is not communism as such but of unchecked, concentrated power.

Turns out when you philosophically align your country around the idea that the state and the collective are more important than the individual, autocracy always flourishes.

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#27

Post by guardiangod »

cletus wrote: post #7

So here's a fun fact about the "security" laws China forced down Hong Kong's gullet recently: they apply to everyone on the planet. They're vague and "subversion" pretty much includes anything you want to include. It's anything that makes the Chinese government or Chinese officials look bad, basically. So, if you're not even a citizen of China and you're sitting in Europe or the USA and you make some critical post ab…

1. The 'princess' of Huawei, Meng Wanzhou, was transferring flight in Canada when she was arrested on behalf of US.

2. China realizes this is a serious advantage and want to arrest foreign dissidents when they transfer flights in China. But no one transfers flight in any Chinese territories except in...Hong Kong, with its international airport.

3. China pressured the HK government to pass a security law that allows HK government to arrest anyone on behalf of PRC for extradition purposes, even for transferring flights.

4. The HK civilians revolted against the law for obvious reasons.

5. PRC flipped the table, suppressed HK, declared the Sino-British Joint Declaration to be invalid, and changed all the HK government's security officials to ones from the mainland. Oh, and the brainwashing starts.

Meanwhile, Meng Wanzhou is relaxing in her multimillion dollar mansion in Vancouver arguing Huawei has no ties to the PRC. roll eyes

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#28

Post by TeeMassive »

syops wrote: post #23
narrator wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Human rights are not a thing in communism. The only thing that matters is success of the party. Its accumulation of power is the measuring stick. Capitalist economics are only allowed because it helps the party succeed and not for any other reason. That's why they execute and fire billionaires all the time. If they are not helping the party succeed in its quest for global domination, they get fired and lose all their…

Isn’t this a property of autocracy? It’s true that pretty much every implemented communist society became autocratic but there are systems - like the one in Iran - that similarly care only about the success of the party in power. The problem is not communism as such but of unchecked, concentrated power.

Taiwan used to be an autocracy too yet turned itself into a liberal democracy. At least "right wing" autocrats have goals, albeit misguided ones, and power is a mean to an end; but communist are obsessed by power and power alone.

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#29

Post by refurb »

vco3340 wrote: post #2

I realize this isn't a high value comment, but I lived in Hong Kong for a couple years during the handover. The socio-political turmoil over the past few years has been painful to observe.

Underrated comment.

It’s interesting to live long enough to see a (relatively) free and open society like Hong Kong get consumed by an authoritarian country that is growing more bold every year.

Re: ‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

#30

Post by TechnoTimeStop »

danrocks wrote: post #8

I live in Hong Kong. Arrived here right when the second wave of protests started, in 2018. The speed with which China is changing the face of the city since then has been incredible, if disheartening. In a mere three years, we went from having a free press, district council elections, a vibrant online community, a combative but reasonably effective LegCo. All that is gone. Head over to the South China Morning Post an…

Notice how the global plague to free speech and innovation dictates anyone critical of this murder legion gets the on no no negative karma online? Why don't we change that? Every day. For the rest of our lives?
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