"John D. Giorgis" wrote:
>> At 08:48 AM 6/21/01 -0000 Ritu Ko wrote:
>>>From: Christopher Gwyn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>>"John D. Giorgis" wrote:
>>>{snip}
>>>> Well, considering that 25% of the World is Chinese, and we
>>>> don't know how *they* really think. Its hard to tell.
>>> like every other human does John. Just like every other human does.
>> Bravo!
> I'm sorry, but comparing the vagaries of human opinion to the basic
> inability to even express opinions (as is true for the 25% of the world's
> population currently being repressed in the PRC) is incredibly depressing.
???
You said "we don't know how *they* really think" i said "like every
other human does" - and you say that this is depressing and somehow
involves repression???
Let's clarify a few things:
Your statement that "we don't know how *they* really think" sounds
to me as if it is saying that - by virtue of being 'Chinese' -
Chinese thought is 'inscrutable', that there is something different
about being Chinese that impedes comprehending 'their' thought that
does not occur with the various cultures, political systems, and
genotypes available in the other 75% of the world. Or that you are
under the misimpression that there is no communication available with
anyone who is Chinese. Whether the statement was made in denial of
the humanity of Chinese people or in ignorance of the amount of
literature, news, and research available on and by Chinese people it
seemed appropriate to me to either assert their humanity, or to
inform you that Chinese people are indeed just like everyone else -
just as one would expect. Given your reply I now assume that your
remark was not about 'Chinese' in general, but about citizens or
people within territory controlled by the People' Republic of China.
However I don't see any additional interpretations of your statement
than the two I described above. Therefore a few questions to see if
clarification will present me with other interpretations for your
statement -
1.) Do you agree or disagree that citizens of the People's Republic
of China are all - each and every one of them - fully human in all
respects?
1A.) If you do agree that '*they*' are 'fully human', and therefore
'think like everyone else', then why do you suggest that "we don't
know how *they* really think"?
2.) I fully agree that people in territory controlled by the
People's Republic of China are often repressed in a variety of ways -
ways that I deem unacceptable. How do you get from that shared
premise to "basic inability to even express opinions"? (i completely
agree that expressing an opinion significantly at odds with the
various power structures in the People's Republic of China can be
financially, medically, and socially dangerous (or worse) - but it is
a far cry from being unable to safely express a 'dissident' opinion
to having a "basic inability to even express opinions". hmmmm.... or
- i think this is unlikely, but i would like to be able to dismiss
the possibility - do you feel that being repressed makes someone
'sub-human' and therefore not really deserving of consideration?)
3.) Why do you find it depressing that someone would assert that
citizens of the People's Republic of China are as human as the rest
of us? (surely such a postulate would, in your eyes, justify
agitating for their having rights and freedoms at least as good as
what '*we*' rightfully enjoy?)
4.) What "vagaries of human opinion" are you referring to? (opinions
expressed by citizens of the People's Republic of China - approved or
disapproved of by the government of the People's Republic of China?
Opinions expressed by people who disagree with you? Your own
opinions?)
4A.) Do you feel that opinions expressed by people in territory
controlled by the People's Republic of China are not genuine opinions
if the expression of those opinions is being allowed by the
government or if they agree with a government position?
cheers,
christopher
--
Christopher Gwyn
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
