5 ms·

How does this "outrage machine" affect the actions of the Chinese government? If people get outraged enough, will they vote against the communist party?

bilbo0s 7y ago
No, because the government generally puts on a big show to satisfy the outrage machines if the machines red line on a given subject for too long. Nothing and no one is safe. The outrage machines demand blood, then just like in the US, those in power will give the outrage machines blood. They will jail, and have even been known to execute, any political or business leader if an "outrage machine" revs about the guy for too long. In this case, the volume of messages I was reading made clear mainlander disdain for the NBA's perceived position on Hong Kong. (The great irony being that the NBA actually has no position on HK, but just like in the US, that fact does little to stop the outrage machines.) In cases like this, the government tends to sit back, do nothing, and let American entities be embarrassed.
- SolaceQuantum 7y ago
  "They will jail, and have even been known to execute, any political or business leader if an "outrage machine" revs about the guy for too long." Wait, when did the US kill a political or business leader because of social media pressure?
- jessaustin 7y ago
  It doesn't seem plausible that Xi is worried about the opinions of neckbeards. It may suit his purposes to pretend that to be the case, but they certainly have enough control over the infrastructure to silence any counterproductive "outrage". As in USA, TPTB like to pretend that there are ways for the hoi polloi to determine national priorities.
motivic 7y ago
I am a Chinese American but my wife is Chinese. I have a large number of Chinese friends. You may be surprised to learn that vast majority of Chinese natives are very pro-China; and while they can be critical of the Chinese government at times, they tend to be united against any actions taken by foreign entities they consider anti-China or anti-Chinese government. Talk to a few Chinese immigrants and you will know. The younger Chinese generation grew up in an era of Chinese economic boom and are the benefactors of the efficiency in decision making that came with a more top-down (dictatorial if you will) government. The younger generation is much more focused on economic well-being and safety over liberty or freedom. So as long as China can maintain the economic growth it's been having the past two decades, the Chinese public will by and large support the government.
- mdpopescu 7y ago
  The same thing happens with the US: despite the problems that (most of) the rest of the world has with its government, the US citizens are very much supportive of their government. To paraphrase your last statement, as long as the US can manage to not destroy their economy completely, the US public will by and large support the government.
  - ericd 7y ago
    I would say that most Americans are actually very angry about the US government.
    - mdpopescu 7y ago
      Not in my experience. Most Americans are angry about the president or some senator. Medicare? FBI? The US Navy / Air Force / Army? The police? Most Americans love those. (When did you last see a group of people asking for the disbanding of the FBI? Heck, for the disbanding of the IRS even.)
- seemack 7y ago
  > The younger generation is much more focused on economic well-being and safety over liberty or freedom This is perfectly reasonable when you consider it a personal decision. Sure, trade away some of your freedom for better economic well-being. But how do they justify this when their personal economic well-being requires trampling the freedom of other people? By that logic, would pro-China people would support China going to war with and taking over other countries if it brought them "economic well-being"? (edited to make the last statement more clearly a question since it's something I'm genuinely curious about.)
  - dirtyid 7y ago
    >But how do they justify this when their personal economic well-being requires trampling the freedom of other people? There are 3 great evils in China: terrorism, separatism and extremism. HK/Tibet/XinJiang/Taiwan are not economic issues but security ones. People balance prosperity for security everywhere. The west sees HK as a large pro democracy movement, the Chinese see's this as fringe separatist violence by 0.001% of the population. They see HK as Chinese alt-right getting bold undermining domestic serenity: disenfranchised, social media savvy, economically anxious youth who see their culture being displaced and their privileged being eroded by mainland immigrants. They're acting accordingly.

bilbo0s 7y ago

No, because the government generally puts on a big show to satisfy the outrage machines if the machines red line on a given subject for too long. Nothing and no one is safe. The outrage machines demand blood, then just like in the US, those in power will give the outrage machines blood. They will jail, and have even been known to execute, any political or business leader if an "outrage machine" revs about the guy for too long. In this case, the volume of messages I was reading made clear mainlander disdain for the NBA's perceived position on Hong Kong. (The great irony being that the NBA actually has no position on HK, but just like in the US, that fact does little to stop the outrage machines.) In cases like this, the government tends to sit back, do nothing, and let American entities be embarrassed.

SolaceQuantum 7y ago
"They will jail, and have even been known to execute, any political or business leader if an "outrage machine" revs about the guy for too long." Wait, when did the US kill a political or business leader because of social media pressure?
jessaustin 7y ago
It doesn't seem plausible that Xi is worried about the opinions of neckbeards. It may suit his purposes to pretend that to be the case, but they certainly have enough control over the infrastructure to silence any counterproductive "outrage". As in USA, TPTB like to pretend that there are ways for the hoi polloi to determine national priorities.

motivic 7y ago

I am a Chinese American but my wife is Chinese. I have a large number of Chinese friends. You may be surprised to learn that vast majority of Chinese natives are very pro-China; and while they can be critical of the Chinese government at times, they tend to be united against any actions taken by foreign entities they consider anti-China or anti-Chinese government. Talk to a few Chinese immigrants and you will know. The younger Chinese generation grew up in an era of Chinese economic boom and are the benefactors of the efficiency in decision making that came with a more top-down (dictatorial if you will) government. The younger generation is much more focused on economic well-being and safety over liberty or freedom. So as long as China can maintain the economic growth it's been having the past two decades, the Chinese public will by and large support the government.

mdpopescu 7y ago
The same thing happens with the US: despite the problems that (most of) the rest of the world has with its government, the US citizens are very much supportive of their government. To paraphrase your last statement, as long as the US can manage to not destroy their economy completely, the US public will by and large support the government.
- ericd 7y ago
  I would say that most Americans are actually very angry about the US government.
  - mdpopescu 7y ago
    Not in my experience. Most Americans are angry about the president or some senator. Medicare? FBI? The US Navy / Air Force / Army? The police? Most Americans love those. (When did you last see a group of people asking for the disbanding of the FBI? Heck, for the disbanding of the IRS even.)
seemack 7y ago
> The younger generation is much more focused on economic well-being and safety over liberty or freedom This is perfectly reasonable when you consider it a personal decision. Sure, trade away some of your freedom for better economic well-being. But how do they justify this when their personal economic well-being requires trampling the freedom of other people? By that logic, would pro-China people would support China going to war with and taking over other countries if it brought them "economic well-being"? (edited to make the last statement more clearly a question since it's something I'm genuinely curious about.)
- dirtyid 7y ago
  >But how do they justify this when their personal economic well-being requires trampling the freedom of other people? There are 3 great evils in China: terrorism, separatism and extremism. HK/Tibet/XinJiang/Taiwan are not economic issues but security ones. People balance prosperity for security everywhere. The west sees HK as a large pro democracy movement, the Chinese see's this as fringe separatist violence by 0.001% of the population. They see HK as Chinese alt-right getting bold undermining domestic serenity: disenfranchised, social media savvy, economically anxious youth who see their culture being displaced and their privileged being eroded by mainland immigrants. They're acting accordingly.