4 ms·

Is John Oliver any more important than all the other things that China has banned? Or is this just something that happens to be popular which creates outrage e

Is John Oliver any more important than all the other things that China has banned? Or is this just something that happens to be popular which creates outrage even when it's not nearly as bad as other things that China censors?

anoncoward111 8y ago
The interesting thing is that because John Oliver is not really a big deal, the Chinese government shouldn't waste its time silencing him. And yet they did!
- rm_-rf_slash 8y ago
  In a way his segment is a big deal. The Chinese can censor anything they like. During the Arab Spring, which inspired Chinese protests and at the time was sometimes referred to as the “Jasmine revolution”, the word “jasmine” was effectively banned from the Chinese internet. From the rice itself to the Disney character, “jasmine” disappeared overnight. The implication of such a strict censorship system is that any uncensored content is endorsed by the Communist Party. So if anybody says anything that China doesn’t like, into the censorship bin it goes. This comment would probably get censored.
- AznHisoka 8y ago
  Yep, Mr. Bean, for example is a much bigger deal in China than John Oliver.
Tharkun 8y ago
I guess a lot of people enjoy his style of "humour" where he randomly insults people, countries or cultures for no apparent reason.
- PaulRobinson 8y ago
  If you'd watched the segment, you'd realise there was a reason for it. Specifically he used the segment to point out that Xi Jinping has more power and influence than almost anybody in China's history, that a personality cult has started to form around him, and that he is using that power in ways that has a wide range of long-term profound domestic and international consequences, including America's place in the World and perhaps even democracy's. Yes, he used comedy. Yes, he referenced Winnie the Pooh and Xi Jinping's hatred of being likened to him. It's an entertainment show. The fact it is a comedy entertainment show doesn't make the point he makes any less true. He had a point. He made it. China reacted to the point, not because it was a "random insult", but because if Chinese people watched that segment they may start to raise questions. He was censored for the same reason that many other things questioning China's authoritarianism are banned from comments like this one I'm making here all the way through to many of the images at the top of this google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=tiananmen+square https://www.google.com/search?q=tiananmen+square Further, Oliver had used his show to make points about Trump, Obama, veterans, affordable healthcare, TV evangelists and a whole host of other social affairs using comedy to tell a story that would be hard to make entertaining using any other device. What exactly is your problem with that? Just because you don't like his style of humour does not mean he is "randomly insulting people, countries or cultures for no apparent reason". Also: next time, before throwing statements like that around, question whether you're doing it yourself. What _exactly_ were you hoping to achieve with this comment?
  - Tharkun 8y ago
    > If you'd watched the segment, you'd realise there was a reason for it. I did watch the segment. And pretty much every other episode of his show. And while the serious bits are usually quite interesting and well thought-out, the "funny" insulting bits are ridiculous and childish. Call them humour if you will, but they don't sit well with my sense of humour. But yes, he does randomly insult people, countries and cultures for no apparent reason. You assumed, incorrectly, that I was talking about China or Xi.
    - PaulRobinson 8y ago
      I don't believe a word you wrote in that first paragraph, and completely disagree with your assertion in the second for reasons I've already given that you've chosen to ignore. There is no segment he's done where the insult is purposeless and random. Ever. I'm still curious what you were hoping to achieve with your own random and purposeless sleight, but let's move on. Have a great day.
  - mistermann 8y ago
    > Specifically he used the segment to point out that Xi Jinping has more power and influence than almost anybody in China's history, that a personality cult has started to form around him, and that he is using that power in ways that has a wide range of long-term profound domestic and international consequences, including America's place in the World and perhaps even democracy's. Having a mainstream liberal thought leader (in my opinion) like Oliver breaking silence on whether the rise of China, while it is still an authoritarian state, might pose some risk to America is a very welcome and I think significant change. I can't recall the other incidents, but this isn't the first time I've noticed a change in the mainstream information feed on this topic, hopefully this is the sign of things to come. I would love to see a bit on China still enjoying the benefits that come with developing nation status within the WTO, despite the massive economic transformation they've undergone (with a little help from Western CEO's along the way) since their original inclusion.
corysama 8y ago
Do you want people to invest the effort in even being aware of the "important" things? You first need them to be aware of the things that clearly affect them. Lots of people are aware of John Oliver. He affects them through his show. China banning things is "ambiguous stuff happening to ambiguous people literally on the other side of the planet" for most people. Showing them how someone like Oliver can be erased makes it real.
archgoon 8y ago
Most of why Oliver was banned was for highlighting those much worse things that China is doing.

anoncoward111 8y ago

The interesting thing is that because John Oliver is not really a big deal, the Chinese government shouldn't waste its time silencing him. And yet they did!

rm_-rf_slash 8y ago
In a way his segment is a big deal. The Chinese can censor anything they like. During the Arab Spring, which inspired Chinese protests and at the time was sometimes referred to as the “Jasmine revolution”, the word “jasmine” was effectively banned from the Chinese internet. From the rice itself to the Disney character, “jasmine” disappeared overnight. The implication of such a strict censorship system is that any uncensored content is endorsed by the Communist Party. So if anybody says anything that China doesn’t like, into the censorship bin it goes. This comment would probably get censored.
AznHisoka 8y ago
Yep, Mr. Bean, for example is a much bigger deal in China than John Oliver.

Tharkun 8y ago

I guess a lot of people enjoy his style of "humour" where he randomly insults people, countries or cultures for no apparent reason.

PaulRobinson 8y ago
If you'd watched the segment, you'd realise there was a reason for it. Specifically he used the segment to point out that Xi Jinping has more power and influence than almost anybody in China's history, that a personality cult has started to form around him, and that he is using that power in ways that has a wide range of long-term profound domestic and international consequences, including America's place in the World and perhaps even democracy's. Yes, he used comedy. Yes, he referenced Winnie the Pooh and Xi Jinping's hatred of being likened to him. It's an entertainment show. The fact it is a comedy entertainment show doesn't make the point he makes any less true. He had a point. He made it. China reacted to the point, not because it was a "random insult", but because if Chinese people watched that segment they may start to raise questions. He was censored for the same reason that many other things questioning China's authoritarianism are banned from comments like this one I'm making here all the way through to many of the images at the top of this google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=tiananmen+square https://www.google.com/search?q=tiananmen+square Further, Oliver had used his show to make points about Trump, Obama, veterans, affordable healthcare, TV evangelists and a whole host of other social affairs using comedy to tell a story that would be hard to make entertaining using any other device. What exactly is your problem with that? Just because you don't like his style of humour does not mean he is "randomly insulting people, countries or cultures for no apparent reason". Also: next time, before throwing statements like that around, question whether you're doing it yourself. What _exactly_ were you hoping to achieve with this comment?
- Tharkun 8y ago
  > If you'd watched the segment, you'd realise there was a reason for it. I did watch the segment. And pretty much every other episode of his show. And while the serious bits are usually quite interesting and well thought-out, the "funny" insulting bits are ridiculous and childish. Call them humour if you will, but they don't sit well with my sense of humour. But yes, he does randomly insult people, countries and cultures for no apparent reason. You assumed, incorrectly, that I was talking about China or Xi.
  - PaulRobinson 8y ago
    I don't believe a word you wrote in that first paragraph, and completely disagree with your assertion in the second for reasons I've already given that you've chosen to ignore. There is no segment he's done where the insult is purposeless and random. Ever. I'm still curious what you were hoping to achieve with your own random and purposeless sleight, but let's move on. Have a great day.
- mistermann 8y ago
  > Specifically he used the segment to point out that Xi Jinping has more power and influence than almost anybody in China's history, that a personality cult has started to form around him, and that he is using that power in ways that has a wide range of long-term profound domestic and international consequences, including America's place in the World and perhaps even democracy's. Having a mainstream liberal thought leader (in my opinion) like Oliver breaking silence on whether the rise of China, while it is still an authoritarian state, might pose some risk to America is a very welcome and I think significant change. I can't recall the other incidents, but this isn't the first time I've noticed a change in the mainstream information feed on this topic, hopefully this is the sign of things to come. I would love to see a bit on China still enjoying the benefits that come with developing nation status within the WTO, despite the massive economic transformation they've undergone (with a little help from Western CEO's along the way) since their original inclusion.

corysama 8y ago

Do you want people to invest the effort in even being aware of the "important" things? You first need them to be aware of the things that clearly affect them. Lots of people are aware of John Oliver. He affects them through his show. China banning things is "ambiguous stuff happening to ambiguous people literally on the other side of the planet" for most people. Showing them how someone like Oliver can be erased makes it real.

archgoon 8y ago

Most of why Oliver was banned was for highlighting those much worse things that China is doing.