7 ms·

I dislike the sensationalist title, which is not really supported in the article. But the article itself is quite detailed, and have many interesting insights.

I dislike the sensationalist title, which is not really supported in the article. But the article itself is quite detailed, and have many interesting insights. While most of the issues mentioned in the article are not new, the tightening of the Internet is quite worrisome. Based on online comments, GFW is still passable through most VPN, although some have stopped working (banned presumably). I hope this is just a temporary crackdown instead of a growing trend, because it will be a serious blow to the economy and academia, and a step toward becoming North Korea. And back to personality cult thing, I don't think Xi enjoys as much support as the article claimed. I mean, of course you only hear good things about him from Chinese media, because talking badly about the leader is generally done in private, which is the case for all the leaders before him.

iliketosleep 12y ago
Previous Chinese leaders were respected in public, but Xi is a God-like figure. It's not just the media, a lot of normal Chinese people are very passionate about President Xi, whilst under President Hu they were simply indifferent.
- MollyR 12y ago
  Seems like Xi is modeling himself after the God Emperor (Dune reference)
  - smilekzs 12y ago
    +1 to the Dune analogy. He basically spoke what the people wanted to hear. And it's Hitler/Stalin all over again.
    - smilekzs 12y ago
      Wow all the downvotes. 50 cents is real.
hackuser 12y ago
> I don't think Xi enjoys as much support as the article claimed Thanks for the input. It would help us to know what it's based on. Do you live in China? Are you Chinese?
muddyrivers 12y ago
First, it is misinterpretation to say "personality cult thing". Xi does has much stronger support than Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin. There have been endless mockeries towards Hu and Jiang in the Internet. You won't find many towards Xi. People may disagree with Xi and voice their opposition. But they won't mock him. That is a big difference. Xi get more accepted and supported largely because he is open to new ideas. As mentioned in the article, Xi doesn't believe in implementing democracy in China in present days. His stance is not because he was told so, but from his studying and understanding of democracy and China. One might disagree with him, but one might have to admit he does have some valid points. Second, it is very easy to bypass GFW in China. There are many tools available in the Internet. It requires only basic knowledge on Internet. The young generations have no problem in browsing websites in western countries if they really want to.
- LiweiZ 12y ago
  You will have different opinion 5 years later. [edit]: After skimming your comments on HN, I decided to take this back: 50 cents granted.
  - muddyrivers 12y ago
    Another wow. Could you give your arguments, your point of views, etc. instead of resorting to personal attack?
- smilekzs 12y ago
  Someone flagkill this. All this is blatant lie.
  - muddyrivers 12y ago
    Wow. Could you provide your arguments instead of calling them lies?
    - smilekzs 12y ago
      > There have been endless mockeries towards Hu and Jiang in the Internet. You won't find many towards Xi. People may disagree with Xi and voice their opposition. But they won't mock him. Of course you won't see people mocking him on the surface. The regime has cracked down on pretty much all criticism on him. > Xi get more accepted and supported largely because he is open to new ideas This is where the hypocrisy lies. On the surface he poses to be "open" while below the surface his regime cracks down on media and tightens up control on videos/animation/publication. Also, propaganda on his "merits" are way over the top -- just short of Mao's. > it is very easy to bypass GFW in China. There are many tools available in the Internet. It requires only basic knowledge on Internet. The young generations have no problem in browsing websites in western countries if they really want to Lie. GFW just attacked GitHub. And AFAIK GFW is getting harder and harder to bypass every single day. The regime cuts off Google services (and throttles/cuts VPN connections) for no reason every now and then even when all you do is checking your inbox. --- And to you, presumably a 50-cent, [citation needed].
LiweiZ 12y ago
What your said is closer to what it really is.
zghst 12y ago
I would say his image is not as strong as the one of Barack Obama, circa 2009/9, who has arguably had a very strong and nearly global cult like following as well (which has diminished within a few years). Chinese leaders will always be disadvantaged to American leaders in this respect, firstly because their leaders will always be Chinese, there will never ever be a black / white / lat. am., etc., CCP secretary general leader and secondly China has not proven itself to the world in terms of global security. America has a global security empire, every country on the planet has an "insurance" policy (depending on the nation's value at certain times). China cannot ensure even regional security right now, no one trusts them.
pacofvf 12y ago
> I dislike the sensationalist title, which is not really supported in the article. > As the historian Mi Hedu observes in his 1993 book, “The Red Guard Generation,” students at the August 1st School “compared one another on the basis of whose father had a higher rank, whose father rode in a better car. Some would say, ‘Obey whoever’s father has the highest position.’ ” When the Cultural Revolution began, in 1966, Beijing students who were zilaihong (“born red”) promoted a slogan: “If the father is a hero, the son is also a hero; if the father is a reactionary, the son is a bastard.” Red Guards sought to cleanse the capital of opposition, to make it “as pure and clean as crystal,” they said. He is part of a generation that it's literally called "born red", I've heard that term before, I thought it was an analogy to being "born in Purple".

iliketosleep 12y ago

Previous Chinese leaders were respected in public, but Xi is a God-like figure. It's not just the media, a lot of normal Chinese people are very passionate about President Xi, whilst under President Hu they were simply indifferent.

MollyR 12y ago
Seems like Xi is modeling himself after the God Emperor (Dune reference)
- smilekzs 12y ago
  +1 to the Dune analogy. He basically spoke what the people wanted to hear. And it's Hitler/Stalin all over again.
  - smilekzs 12y ago
    Wow all the downvotes. 50 cents is real.

hackuser 12y ago

> I don't think Xi enjoys as much support as the article claimed Thanks for the input. It would help us to know what it's based on. Do you live in China? Are you Chinese?

muddyrivers 12y ago

First, it is misinterpretation to say "personality cult thing". Xi does has much stronger support than Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin. There have been endless mockeries towards Hu and Jiang in the Internet. You won't find many towards Xi. People may disagree with Xi and voice their opposition. But they won't mock him. That is a big difference. Xi get more accepted and supported largely because he is open to new ideas. As mentioned in the article, Xi doesn't believe in implementing democracy in China in present days. His stance is not because he was told so, but from his studying and understanding of democracy and China. One might disagree with him, but one might have to admit he does have some valid points. Second, it is very easy to bypass GFW in China. There are many tools available in the Internet. It requires only basic knowledge on Internet. The young generations have no problem in browsing websites in western countries if they really want to.

LiweiZ 12y ago
You will have different opinion 5 years later. [edit]: After skimming your comments on HN, I decided to take this back: 50 cents granted.
- muddyrivers 12y ago
  Another wow. Could you give your arguments, your point of views, etc. instead of resorting to personal attack?
smilekzs 12y ago
Someone flagkill this. All this is blatant lie.
- muddyrivers 12y ago
  Wow. Could you provide your arguments instead of calling them lies?
  - smilekzs 12y ago
    > There have been endless mockeries towards Hu and Jiang in the Internet. You won't find many towards Xi. People may disagree with Xi and voice their opposition. But they won't mock him. Of course you won't see people mocking him on the surface. The regime has cracked down on pretty much all criticism on him. > Xi get more accepted and supported largely because he is open to new ideas This is where the hypocrisy lies. On the surface he poses to be "open" while below the surface his regime cracks down on media and tightens up control on videos/animation/publication. Also, propaganda on his "merits" are way over the top -- just short of Mao's. > it is very easy to bypass GFW in China. There are many tools available in the Internet. It requires only basic knowledge on Internet. The young generations have no problem in browsing websites in western countries if they really want to Lie. GFW just attacked GitHub. And AFAIK GFW is getting harder and harder to bypass every single day. The regime cuts off Google services (and throttles/cuts VPN connections) for no reason every now and then even when all you do is checking your inbox. --- And to you, presumably a 50-cent, [citation needed].

LiweiZ 12y ago

What your said is closer to what it really is.

zghst 12y ago

I would say his image is not as strong as the one of Barack Obama, circa 2009/9, who has arguably had a very strong and nearly global cult like following as well (which has diminished within a few years). Chinese leaders will always be disadvantaged to American leaders in this respect, firstly because their leaders will always be Chinese, there will never ever be a black / white / lat. am., etc., CCP secretary general leader and secondly China has not proven itself to the world in terms of global security. America has a global security empire, every country on the planet has an "insurance" policy (depending on the nation's value at certain times). China cannot ensure even regional security right now, no one trusts them.

pacofvf 12y ago

> I dislike the sensationalist title, which is not really supported in the article. > As the historian Mi Hedu observes in his 1993 book, “The Red Guard Generation,” students at the August 1st School “compared one another on the basis of whose father had a higher rank, whose father rode in a better car. Some would say, ‘Obey whoever’s father has the highest position.’ ” When the Cultural Revolution began, in 1966, Beijing students who were zilaihong (“born red”) promoted a slogan: “If the father is a hero, the son is also a hero; if the father is a reactionary, the son is a bastard.” Red Guards sought to cleanse the capital of opposition, to make it “as pure and clean as crystal,” they said. He is part of a generation that it's literally called "born red", I've heard that term before, I thought it was an analogy to being "born in Purple".