Zero-eight, zero-eight is a pretty interesting combination of numbers here in China. No, I'm not referring to the blood alcohol level required to be legally impaired. (though, that is a good combination of numbers, too!) I am referring to August 8th, the one-year anniversary countdown to the start of the Beijing Olympics.
In this country, it is considered somewhat rude and presumptuous to brag about ones self, and show cockiness. Modesty is the preferred style while interacting on a social level. That's why I consistently find it hilarious that the Chinese government continues to pump out the message that everything is rosy, China is rapidly developing and that this country deserves to have a major role to play in the world. Well, to be honest, I can't argue those facts. Things here aren't always 'rosy,' but they are a hell of a lot better than they were 35 years ago. And this country is developing and making major headway on a scale not seen before. However, I think this government is -- perhaps not shooting -- but slowly pushing a bullet into its foot.
The international state-run media organs in this country are creatures of habit and generally pretty tough to listen too when it comes to the news content. China Central Television's channel 9, where a number of my good friends work, is heavily scrutinized by the foreign ministry and -- I'm not making up the name, either -- the Propaganda Ministry. As such, the people in charge of the news content there want their bosses to be happy so that they can get a promotion. They won't get that promotion if their bosses don't get a promotion. Their boss’s bosses are beholden to the ministry officials, who of course, are beholden to the government officials and leaders that the news is talking about. So you see the trickle down effect here. It's the same thing at China Radio International. The 'party system' strikes again! But this time, I believe it's going to backfire.
Not a lot is known of China in the west. I would argue that there are way more misconceptions of this country than of anywhere else in the world. I mean, you really can't understand any place properly until you've lived there. But still, given the fact that China was so closed off for so many years and remains somewhat isolated because of its past, it's still a bit of an unknown quantity. As such, the government is doing what it can to put out its message that China is changing. But in blowing sunshine out its ass the whole time, it's giving the people around the world the impression that this country is a collection of clean, shiny new buildings and streets and that the people are all driving around in brand new cars, all wearing expensive suits and sipping designer teas. It also pumps out the message that all Chinese people are dignified and cultured, the ethnic minorities are all sugar and love, the culture across the country is beaming and, in the words of Chevy Chase in 'Vacation,' whistling 'Zippidy Do-Da' out their asses. But anyone who's lived here for 5 minutes knows this is a crock of shit. Walk a 里(li) (Chinese distance measure, which is the cousin of the kilometer) in my spit-soaked shoes and you'll soon see that this country is no where near the standards most people in the west are accustomed to. So, when the 'glorious' Olympics welcomes the world to see and experience China, me thinks they are going to be taking in and seeing a lot more than they bargained for. And, further to Cam's previous post, I think there might be a lot of people who come to this country and leave disappointed. And I believe that part of the blame will have to be laid on this government's international propaganda campaign. This, and the fact that the foreign media that come here are going to pick this place apart for stories like Oprah on a bag of cream puffs, is something the government here doesn't appear to be prepared for.
The last thing I'll say on this matter, for the time being, is about my previous reference to things here being much better than they were 35 years ago. This was no arbitrary date for this particular post. In the last hour before launching this post, I had the chance to have a 10 minute interview with a Beijing media veteran who came to this city in 1972. While he too agreed that there have been some great changes during his time, he too believes that the government -- quote -- 'Should sell itself short, and deliver high.'
