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Anyone else curious about the ages of the defendants? 59, 73 and 62 years old respectively. Is it harder for the PRC to recruit younger "spies" or are older one
by bsdz 5y ago
Anyone else curious about the ages of the defendants? 59, 73 and 62 years old respectively. Is it harder for the PRC to recruit younger "spies" or are older ones just more reliable?
- spacemanmatt 5y agoYounger spies are more careful?
- bsdz 5y agoah! indeed that's another possibility, they simply don't get caught (at least this time)
- spacemanmatt 5y agoI am totally shooting from the hip on all this, but I do wonder if/when there is a trade-off point between the expertise and energy youth can put into the trade versus the benefits and efficiencies of experience.
- dirtyid 5y agoYes, I noticed that too. Seems like they're tapping older people with connections and resources. I imagine there's going to be more younger gen assets to tap in future, a lot more nationalist PRC diaspora in west now vs older gen who fled PRC/China when it was a shitshow.
- bsdz 5y agoI've been surprised how nationalist some older Chinese expats are. In particular, I found some older HKers were very pro PRC. This was all before the Umbrella Movement. I put it down to becoming more conservative as you age (anecdotal evidence).
- dirtyid 5y agoMy feeling is older Chinese diaspora comes in roughly two flavours, dissidents who still see PRC as politically repressive shithole (fair) or economic migrants who left broke China but are now proud of rich China. I think folks intuitively group Chinese diaspora together with ex Soviet State diaspora, people who fled failing communism states that remain stagnant. But modern China is more "new country" than "old country". Combine with influence of pro PRC media ecosystem = resurging nationalism.
- ugh123 5y agoOlder ones are likely more susceptible to bribe/pay the closer they are to retirement if they're not financially secure.