The media's love for a bizarre China

xiaophil

June 29, 2010, 09:06 AM posted in General Discussion

Perhaps it is just me, but it seems like every other day or more I see a story about China in the English press that basically says, "Hey, isn't China weird?" I just noticed that this article somehow made the front page of CNN's website. The other day I saw an article about a Chinese rap group that is composed of all fat people. The story: this strange group that made its fame off of being fat is now trying to lose weight. (Wish I knew the link, but I don't.) Then there is chinasmack.com, which can give valuable insight into Chinese thinking, but also seems to feed a need for people to smirk at "funny Chinese thoughts". Has anyone else noticed this phenomena, or is it just me? If I'm right, no wonder why Chinese people often don't trust foreign media.

danchao

June 29, 2010, 09:28 AM

Haha, that's definitely true. I think people automatically do this to a culture that they don't understand. Also, it doesn't help that Chinese words look really funny to English speakers.

I think China has it better than Japan, though.

zhenlijiang

Really? What all are they saying about us?

On second thought don't answer--I can guess!

suxiaoya

June 29, 2010, 10:02 AM

I have also noticed that there is a good deal of coverage that acknowlegdes China's growing significance across less "bizarre" subjects. For example, this recent article in the Guardian talks about China as an emergent supeconsumer. Again, the tone is: watch out, China's coming.

Maybe the bizarre and the threatening approaches are connected? That which is bizarre and unknown is threatening, so maybe best to make light of it with silly "China is weird" articles...

tvan

Re: threats, there was is an article in the May/June Foreign Affairs magazine (published by U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations), entitled "China's Grand Map." While (IMO) the conclusion was fairly sensible, the underlying reasoning of China is "pushing" this way, and what the U.S. must to do "protect out vital strategic interests" in Eastern Uzbekistan.

Somebody (IMO) needs to tell these guys that the Dean Acheson and the Cold War died about 20 years ago.

xiaophil

Judging by the news of late, we need to tell the Russians that too. The news is 间谍 crazy now.

xiaophil

I can't help but wonder if they really are having a hard time writing articles about China that are both newsworthy and interesting. There are only so many "China is rising at an incredible rate" and "human rights are bad" stories that people can read before they start saying to themselves, "Yeah, yeah, I already know that," so they have to start writing stories about China life. They cannot always talk about pandas and noodles because they are so boring. Ergo, in comes these stories that I suspect originated with some bored reporters hanging out at expat bars talking to other expats.

So you are a Guardian fan? (Actually, I read it occasionally as well.) Let me guess, your political views are center left, and you generally feel that out of the major parties, the Labour Party best represents your views, but Tony Blair and Gordan Brown left your support shaken? You don't have to answer. It is personal. I just find that Brits who read the Guardian are often this way.

pretzellogic

June 29, 2010, 10:11 AM

Hi xiaophil, I've seen tons of data and stories about the economic rise of China, as well as the lives of ordinary Chinese in the Wall Street Journal, Time, The New York Times, Reuters, National Geographic, The Economist, Yahoo Finance, and then read trade press regarding deals between Huawei and Cisco, IBM and Lenovo and so on. I've seen stories around the hutongs, and the living situation of people in them. The story you mentioned just seems like one of many ot me regarding China and the people, both flattering and unflattering.