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I think many Chinese citizens are taught from a very young age a carefully crafted ideology that tells them that their country used to be oppressed by the west,

I think many Chinese citizens are taught from a very young age a carefully crafted ideology that tells them that their country used to be oppressed by the west, that the west despises them and looks down at them because they are Chinese. At the same time they are taught Chinese people couldn't handle the kind of "freedom" that exists in the west because politically the country would fracture and chaos would ensue, also if weapons were available as they are in many western countries people would be killed on the streets etc. If personal freedoms were respected criminals and terrorists that hide behind them couldn't be dealt with effectively and the only thing that stands between the people of China and anarchy is the communist party. This ideology is a mix of national pride with intentionally planted feelings of being inferior and resentment towards the west for their historic "crimes". This results in a mindset that acknowledges democracy and freedom is better in the west, but it could never work in China and West's attempts to bring it to China are actually cynical attempts to destroy everything China's achieved in recent decades wealth and military power-wise. When the majority of the people think as described above the only thing that can bring change is an economic downturn, but would that change be for the better or would it be in the direction the North Korea is taking?

cestith 7y ago
To be fair, the Chinese have in fact been treated horribly many times in many places by many other countries including at least the US and Japan.
- hasntotherp 7y ago
  But hasn’t other people been treated worst? The country of India, the entire continent of Africa, and how about all the Native Americans? Do we need to hold grudges from our grandparents parents? According to that logic, the world forever would be in a mode of revenge seeking. I always find this argument preposterous as someone ethnically Chinese hearing it from a nationalistic Chinese, 10 years younger, from China full of fervour. What exactly have they experience in life that is so full of hardship? To me, it seems like a convenient excuse to brush away any criticism of their actions. No one can criticise them because of what X and Y did to them 150 years ago. Seems like a cop out to me. I suspect the Chinese government has something to do with this mentality.
  - cestith 7y ago
    Our grandparents' parents? Excuse me, but I think you may be misjudging my age a bit.
- tin7in 7y ago
  Don't forget the Opium Wars and the Eight-Nation Alliance against China. Almost all powerful states in Europe fought against China in the 19th century. My mainland Chinese friends know those conflicts in detail from their history classes, something that is not taught in much detail in schools in continental Europe.

cestith 7y ago

To be fair, the Chinese have in fact been treated horribly many times in many places by many other countries including at least the US and Japan.

hasntotherp 7y ago
But hasn’t other people been treated worst? The country of India, the entire continent of Africa, and how about all the Native Americans? Do we need to hold grudges from our grandparents parents? According to that logic, the world forever would be in a mode of revenge seeking. I always find this argument preposterous as someone ethnically Chinese hearing it from a nationalistic Chinese, 10 years younger, from China full of fervour. What exactly have they experience in life that is so full of hardship? To me, it seems like a convenient excuse to brush away any criticism of their actions. No one can criticise them because of what X and Y did to them 150 years ago. Seems like a cop out to me. I suspect the Chinese government has something to do with this mentality.
- cestith 7y ago
  Our grandparents' parents? Excuse me, but I think you may be misjudging my age a bit.
tin7in 7y ago
Don't forget the Opium Wars and the Eight-Nation Alliance against China. Almost all powerful states in Europe fought against China in the 19th century. My mainland Chinese friends know those conflicts in detail from their history classes, something that is not taught in much detail in schools in continental Europe.