I think my friend Julie said it the best over cold beers at Time Passage last week. She works at Wieden and was talking about how some of her clients’ Olympics projects will not happen now because of all the torch hullabaloo. “It’s just sad for everyone,” she said. “Nobody is happy about anything.”
There really aren’t any winners in this whole tragic saga, and after the supposedly tainted games are over, things are going to pretty much return to how they’ve always been (except for the monks in the disputed region who threw everything on the line and those who suffered losses in the riots, of course). In the meantime though, it’s backlash after backlash, ignorant scorn masquerading as righteousness and wounded pride dressed up as nationalism. For a hint of this, check out the anti-French, I-heart-China movement happening within my MSN messenger list:
Over half of my Chinese-Chinese friends on MSN have put the badge on their contact names, in defiance of all the anti-China bullying that they’re undoubtedly reading about in the Chinese newspapers, watching on the Chinese news, and scouring over on the hundreds of blogs and BBS’s peppering China’s cyberscape and devoted to propping up this country’s national pride. Does anyone actually think a battle this mindless and solipsistic is going to have a clear winner, or even less likely, a clear compromise?
It’s just sad for everyone. Why can’t people just sing karaoke and drink beer like me?
Oh yeah, because the world still sucks.
[...] The icon, according to a number of blogs, is said to be in response to Western bullying over recent Olympic protests. Over the last weeks thousands of protesters have come out in force as the Olympic torch, destined for China this summer, has traveled through their borders. On a number of occasions the torch has been extinguished, and additional security measures have been taken in cities around the world. [...]
[...] sushipanda » Broken Heart China [...]
[...] Several blogs today report on a current trend with the popular instant messaging program MSN/Windows Live Messenger. Chinese internet users are adding a “love China” icon to their screen names in support of their country and in protest to perceived Western bullying seen in recent Olympic protests. [...]
[...] The icon, according to a number of blogs, is said to be in response to Western bullying over recent Olympic protests. Over the last weeks thousands of protesters have come out in force as the Olympic torch, destined for China this summer, has traveled through their borders. On a number of occasions the torch has been extinguished, and additional security measures have been taken in cities around the world. From SushiPanda, linked above: [...]
[...] 数多くのブログが伝えたところによると、アイコンはこのところ西側で起こった五輪反対運動に対する回答だという。今夏会場・中国目指してこの数週間、聖火リレーが国境をまたいで繰り広げられる中、現場には反対運動の人たちが何千人と駆けつけ実力行使を行った。聖火が消される場面も多々あり、世界中で警備施策が強化された。 [...]
[...] The icon, according to a number of blogs, is said to be in response to Western bullying over recent Olympic protests. Over the last weeks thousands of protesters have come out in force as the Olympic torch, destined for China this summer, has traveled through their borders. On a number of occasions the torch has been extinguished, and additional security measures have been taken in cities around the world. [...]
[...] Oh yeah, because the world still sucks. Sushipanda said. Now, the Chinese world is divided.. [...]
china (literally) stinks
Hi,
It might be interesting to know that a counter MSN viral already has been launched, stating:
Love (L) China & Human Rights
It is created for all those people who love their country, are sick of the China bashing in the press, but still like to speak out for human rights too!
For more info: http://www.boomerang.nl/boomerang/humanrightsenglish
Love,
Maeve