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Playing ping-pong with patriotism American media attack China then Chinese media
retaliate. American demonstrators denounce China's government for
suppressing Tibet. Chinese demonstrators retort that Americans should
consider their government's suppression of the Hawaiian independence
movement.
Americans denounce China's government for backing governments
committing atrocities in Darfur and Zimbabwe. Chinese denounce America's
government for backing regimes committing atrocities in Iraq and
Indonesia.
I'm equally offended by American and Chinese media and the governments
of both states. When flags fly, so does truth. Nationalism blinds even as
it binds.
And that is the point - us against them. Leaders everywhere know that
when anger is focused against others it is not directed against
themselves.
Nationalism is a diversionary tactic. Patriotism worn on the lapels and
wrapped in the flag is most often the resort of scoundrels.
Check your wallet.
Leaders start wars and play along with blackening the reputation of
other countries when their own is plenty dark enough to divert attention
from their own misdeeds.
If a government can convince its population that all they do is right
and "their" nation is best in the world, then the people will
accept taxes and war and abuse by the rich and powerful.
My team is better than yours. So there.
The reality is "the team" is not yours. It belongs to someone
else and they take the profits. But if they can convince you to become a
fan, you'll support
The rich dominate all countries and nearly every media. Remember that. So far, only blogs provide a medium open to all, so long as you are literate and can afford access to the internet, computers and electricity. So even that fairly democratic and universal medium filters out the hundreds of millions of illiterate and desperately poor people. As a cosmopolitan democratic (look it up), crankily independent academic and ardent human rights supporter, I do not accept national standards as absolute measures of anything. When I watch the Olympics, I don't notice who comes from what country. I'm looking to see who breaks records or puts in a spectacular performance. I'm interested in stories of dedication and talent, in a person's skill and daring and risk and sacrifice for achievement. And I'm as interested in the architecture and engineering of the venues as the sports held within them. Where the competitors come from matters little, unless it's the Jamaican bobsled team. That was such an unlikely and delightful story precisely because they came from a tropical island without a single flake of snow. Now that is success over every obstacle, a story of incredible determination and unlikely achievement. It was a triumph of the human spirit, not Jamaicans as such. In a way, that's the story of the Beijing Olympics. Maoist ideological blindness cut China off from the rest of humanity for a generation. At one point, China became so isolated and insular it had relations with exactly one other country: Egypt. Centuries of wondrous cultural artifacts and marvelous accomplishments fell prey to destructive anti- foreignism and anti-historicalism. Soviet-style architecture and art bereft of every possibility of inspiration and imagination dominated a bleak physical and mental landscape. Closed China stood alone, and miserable. Then Deng Xiaoping began opening China up. The Chinese people faced an arduously difficult task, one nearly incomprehensible to those who did not witness it first hand and at length. Modernization and internationalization have transformed China. The Chinese people appreciate that intensely. It has not been easy, for anyone involved. The Olympics, a celebration of the openness and competition and internationalism that diametrically opposes everything Mao stood for, has become a symbol of China's acceptance of the world and of China by the world. It is less a patriotic celebration than a celebration of internationalism. Even the architecture and engineering of Olympic sites was opened to global competition rather than jealously restricted to Chinese nationals. And so with a sense of shock and betrayal, Chinese witness their country subjected to demonstrations and protests and see the Olympics threatened with boycotts in the very countries whose openness and internationalism they once admired. 2008-04-26 |
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