Comments on: Interesting Times in China http://www.embracingchaos.com/2006/11/may_you_live_in.html Analysis of Trends in Technology, Business, Society Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:52:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Steve Schonberger http://www.embracingchaos.com/2006/11/may_you_live_in.html/comment-page-1#comment-414 Steve Schonberger Fri, 10 Aug 2007 01:25:02 +0000 http://wp.embracingchaos.com/2006/11/may_you_live_in.html#comment-414 <p>I've been to China too, a year before you were there. My impression is that China is, economically, the sort of capitalist heaven that business-wing Republicans dream about. But it has a dark side, and that's its repressive politics.</p> <p>The dictators are lifting hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty with their economic policies, so in that sense they're benevolent dictators, but they're still dictators. Religious freedom, Tibetan rights, political freedoms, and human rights in general are all dangerous thoughts in China.</p> <p>I think the repression is softening, but as long as the mainland remains a dictatorship I'll agree with Taiwanese who fear unification. Even if China eventually develops into a politically free country, I'd still worry about mainland dominance of Taiwan, unless the unification treaty included some guarantee of regional autonomy that the mainland refuses to grant to Tibet.</p> <p>(Finally, I found your journal through a link from Ignite Seattle. I enjoyed your talk.)</p> I've been to China too, a year before you were there. My impression is that China is, economically, the sort of capitalist heaven that business-wing Republicans dream about. But it has a dark side, and that's its repressive politics.

The dictators are lifting hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty with their economic policies, so in that sense they're benevolent dictators, but they're still dictators. Religious freedom, Tibetan rights, political freedoms, and human rights in general are all dangerous thoughts in China.

I think the repression is softening, but as long as the mainland remains a dictatorship I'll agree with Taiwanese who fear unification. Even if China eventually develops into a politically free country, I'd still worry about mainland dominance of Taiwan, unless the unification treaty included some guarantee of regional autonomy that the mainland refuses to grant to Tibet.

(Finally, I found your journal through a link from Ignite Seattle. I enjoyed your talk.)

]]> By: leodirac http://www.embracingchaos.com/2006/11/may_you_live_in.html/comment-page-1#comment-413 leodirac Tue, 07 Nov 2006 02:55:53 +0000 http://wp.embracingchaos.com/2006/11/may_you_live_in.html#comment-413 <p>There are panhandlers. I haven't seen many of them. I see more of them where foreigners hang out.</p> <p>And I've seen your tattoo -- it says "kick me."</p> <p>;)</p> There are panhandlers. I haven't seen many of them. I see more of them where foreigners hang out.

And I've seen your tattoo — it says "kick me."

;)

]]> By: Adam Rakunas http://www.embracingchaos.com/2006/11/may_you_live_in.html/comment-page-1#comment-412 Adam Rakunas Mon, 06 Nov 2006 08:55:04 +0000 http://wp.embracingchaos.com/2006/11/may_you_live_in.html#comment-412 <p>Ancient Chinese Proverb (actually, it isn't.)</p> <p>Great. Next you're gonna tell me that this Chinese character tattoo I got says "Kung Pao Chicken Special Number Six."</p> <p>One thing I wonder about: in the middle of all of this wealth, are there panhandlers?</p> Ancient Chinese Proverb (actually, it isn't.)

Great. Next you're gonna tell me that this Chinese character tattoo I got says "Kung Pao Chicken Special Number Six."

One thing I wonder about: in the middle of all of this wealth, are there panhandlers?

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