I really enjoyed my study of Chinese, about 40 years ago. I especially enjoyed various Chinese essays and novels from the 1920's and 1930's. Against the backdrop of war lords, colonial arrogance and oppression and eventually Japanese invasions, Chinese writers explored their own feelings and described the struggles of individual Chinese people, including themselves, looking for a new way in a confused and changing world. I enjoyed it and it was a big part of the attraction of studying the language.
I also read the Communist propaganda, the writings of Mao, the constant propaganda about struggle, always struggle, against the enemies, always enemies, especially class enemies, especially capitalists. Today it is the former Communist party higher ups who are the biggest capitalists. I needed to read this stuff to learn the terminology. But it was not real. It was not the real feelings of people. It was all about shouting slogans from the rooftops, shouting louder than the next person. It was empty and hard, compared to the writings of the 1920's and 1930's, which were about people. So, here we are in the lead up to the Olympic Games of 2008. Who is kidding whom? What is sacred about the Olympics? Beijing wanted them for political reasons. Vancouver wanted the Winter Olympics in 2010 for commercial reasons. The athletes are spoiled elite people, many of whom earn large salaries from companies who want you to buy their products. Nothing wrong with that, but lets not make it out to be sacred. I see no ideals, no people helping people. Just pride and nationalism.
Now we have the public relations nightmare for China of the spectacle of bringing the Olympic torch to Beijing. China wanted the Olympics for their political reasons, to show off. The Tibetans are using the Olympics for their political purposes. Professional demonstrators are using them for their political purposes. Who can be surprised?
The statements by Chinese leaders, diplomats and commentators on various blogs around the world,are almost calculated to make non-Chinese people less sympathetic to them. The demonstrations are "disgusting "said the Chinese Ambassador to Canada. The demonstrations will "earn the hatred of 1.3 billion people", threaten the legion of Chinese people commenting on foreign language blogs. "The torch parades will continue no matter what" say the Chinese Olympic officials. The Chinese even sent a squad of special trained police goons to go to foreign countries and guard the torch and intimidate both athletes carrying the torch and demonstrators. Another public relations disaster.
In all of this, what strikes me is the power of the individual. Everything in life comes down to what you do, or can do, as an individual. It is not about numbers.
There is not one spokesman, not one representative of China, who has the charm, wit, and persuasive power of the Dalai Lama. At this stage of the PR battle it is Dalai Lama - 1 and 1.3 billion Chinese and all their leaders - 0. That does not mean freedom for Tibet. Nor am I in a position to judge China in Tibet. It just means that when the Dalai Lama speaks, many people want to listen. When the Chinese government and the oh-so indignant Chinese around the world speak with one voice, or claim to speak with one voice, few are sympathetic.
To some extent that comes with being powerful. It is the US/George Bush syndrome. But it is more than that. The Chinese arrogance, uniformity of views, and lack of common sense, make them appear machine like and almost inhuman, a far cry from the 1920's and 1930's essayists and novelists who tantalized me with Chinese language, culture and humanity. Today it is all pride, vanity and power.
The Dalai Lama is an outstanding spokesman. The Chinese should hire him. Maybe they should offer him the position of President of China.
