I’d rather live right here in Hong Kong. Despite all the ongoing drama. At least as long as we still have all our freedoms. Change that and maybe I’ll change.
So, given that we’ve brought on ourselves a Beijing-drafted Security Law and more Beijing interference because of the street fighting of “democracy activists” and their pan-Dem enablers, I ask myself: compared with other places, would I rather live in that place or in China?
I take an easy one:
Does choosing China over (some) democracies make me a Marxist-tyranny lover? A “Chinazi” sympathiser? A hard leftist? An alt-rightist? Not really. After all, I’m considering only daily life in each of these places. I’d have a more fulfilling life in downtown Shanghai than central Wupwup.
For me, China works as long as I can choose where to live: Shanghai, or Xiamen, Chengdu, Chongqing, or even Qingdao or Dalian in the north, or some places in Yunnan, in the south. Any of these would be preferable to me, than Madras, Mumbai, Chennai, Srinagar, Delhi, Mahablipuram, in India, much as I love to visit them. Or Boise, Baltimore (w), Chicago (s) in the US, or Nagoya, or Wagga.
When you visit or live in China, the fact that it’s a nasty dictatorship hated by the West impacts your daily life exactly zero. I’ve lived there and visited often. People are happy and open and optimistic. I know that goes against the image many in the West have of a “police state”, brutally oppressing a tyrannised (sometimes “enslaved”) people. But it’s nothing like that. People are quite willing to discuss and mock politicians. The only time Xi Jinping apparatchiks will crack down is if you get challenge him publicly. In reality, most people just get on with life, as in China. With plenty to get on with and plenty of things to do, with plenty of things working well, plenty of life to live, plenty of opportunity,... with no chaos.
So, given that we’ve brought on ourselves a Beijing-drafted Security Law and more Beijing interference because of the street fighting of “democracy activists” and their pan-Dem enablers, I ask myself: compared with other places, would I rather live in that place or in China?
I take an easy one:
Would I rather live in the world’s largest democracy, India, or the world’s largest marxist dictatorship, China?Answer: China. And it’s not even close. I know both countries pretty well. I’ve lived and worked in China for 40+ years, and travelled and worked in India. I’d way more rather live in the vibrant, lively, working society of China, than in the chaos of India, much as I love it when I visit. But live there? No thanks.
If it’s a choice of Japan and China, I’d pick China,but it’s more of a toss up. It’s the rigidity of the Japanese society that would swing it for me, against the much more flexible and lively society in China.
If it’s the US or China, I’d likely pick the US,but I’d have to have a choice within the US. I mean, South Chicago, West Baltimore, areas of LA and even Washington, are pretty horrid (I’ve seen them all)? Or a midwest town, with one street of strip malls -- Boise Idaho, say? Then I’d then pick China, in a heartbeat. New York v Shanghai? Well, believe it or not, it’s not a slam dunk. I had a wonderful, a golden year, in Shanghai, the like of which I could never have had in New York. I lived two years in NY, as a kid, but recently things are not trending so well, while the trend in Shanghai is lively and positive and active. So.... it’s a toss up. Jackson Hole, Wyoming, then I choose it, for sure, even I haven’t been there. Aspen? There’s another winner. So, sum: choice between China and America to live, very much depends on where in the US.
And if it’s Australia v China, of course it’s Australia, but again,has to be somewhere I’d chose, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, North Coast, Byron Bay, maybe. But not the dusty outback, rather dreary, for then China’s going to win again....
If it’s Hong Kong or the mainland, then it’s Hong Kong.And remains so, as long as the marxist apparatchiks don’t stuff it up.
Does choosing China over (some) democracies make me a Marxist-tyranny lover? A “Chinazi” sympathiser? A hard leftist? An alt-rightist? Not really. After all, I’m considering only daily life in each of these places. I’d have a more fulfilling life in downtown Shanghai than central Wupwup.
For me, China works as long as I can choose where to live: Shanghai, or Xiamen, Chengdu, Chongqing, or even Qingdao or Dalian in the north, or some places in Yunnan, in the south. Any of these would be preferable to me, than Madras, Mumbai, Chennai, Srinagar, Delhi, Mahablipuram, in India, much as I love to visit them. Or Boise, Baltimore (w), Chicago (s) in the US, or Nagoya, or Wagga.
When you visit or live in China, the fact that it’s a nasty dictatorship hated by the West impacts your daily life exactly zero. I’ve lived there and visited often. People are happy and open and optimistic. I know that goes against the image many in the West have of a “police state”, brutally oppressing a tyrannised (sometimes “enslaved”) people. But it’s nothing like that. People are quite willing to discuss and mock politicians. The only time Xi Jinping apparatchiks will crack down is if you get challenge him publicly. In reality, most people just get on with life, as in China. With plenty to get on with and plenty of things to do, with plenty of things working well, plenty of life to live, plenty of opportunity,... with no chaos.
