China, Consumerism, and the Red Pepsi Can

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  kenstoner08/13/08 Report as spam
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  RE: China, Consumerism, and the Red Pepsi Can

  The Chinese are basically happy. I heard that over 80% were happy with the direction of their government.
  
  They appear to ignore the constraints. They live in a cage - a very large cage.
  
  KWS

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  tonyob08/13/08 Report as spam
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  RE: China, Consumerism, and the Red Pepsi Can

  but what is their frame of reference? If one never had steak the blandest of gruel might make one happy. I know I wouldn't trade my way of life or freedoms to be a "happy" person in China. Besides, I hear the re-education process for those who profess to be unhappy is not very plesant. Do you remember 1989? The Tiananmen Square uprising? I'm sure if you interview the average person on the street in China, with the government censor looking on, they will tell you that they are "happy" with the way the Chinese government handled the protestors. Open your eyes and stop accepting the mental pablum that the media is feeding you.

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  marcus4708/13/08 Report as spam
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  RE: China, Consumerism, and the Red Pepsi Can

  I believe that it is a bit naive to claim that anyone could instantly shift a nation of a few billion people to democracy. The fact that there is a greater measure of free enterprise in China is encouraging; and a slow, stable retreat from totalitarianism is preferable to what happened in Russia or Iraq.

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  wushumaro08/13/08 Report as spam
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  RE: China, Consumerism, and the Red Pepsi Can

  Actually, there was a survey by Pew, whose results were published by the Associated Press that stated 86% of Chinese people thought their government was doing a great job with the country and their direction, as well as the way they have handled the Olympics.
  
  It showed an 80 some % approval rating for their government. Which ranks it as the number one country with highest approval rating in the world, according to that article.
  
  So much for us Americans trying to force our views of "freedom" down their throats huh? Sort of makes you think...
  
  If the media says China is so bad, why does an overwhelmingly majority (86%) of Chinese cheer on their government?
  
  So what if their frame of reference is different from ours. So what if we think our life tastes like a juicy meaty steak, and theirs is just a "bland gruel," if they are happy, then maybe their country can live with their restricted freedoms. Why try to change them?