this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2024
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I'm literally a westerner in China and all I can tell you is you have no fucking clue what you are talking about.
It's staggering how propagandised westerners are. That you can look at the history you yourself have lived through and proclaim yourself as free is proof of that.
It truly is sad.
Hey, where do you live? I have friends from Shanghai who would disagree with you. Also, my Chinese wife and their family would disagree.
But that's fine, plenty of room for different opinions online.
I'm currently in 兴义市。What does your Chinese wife have to say about China? My experience is that Chinese expats who have criticisms of China tend to be from rather wealthy families who have issues with the regulations in China. They move to the west because it's a lot easier to exploit the working class, both in their adopted country, and in the global South.
I find that their sob stories about lack of freedom revolve around their lack of freedom to do whatever the hell they want. My girlfriend's brother fits into this category. A millionaire crypto bro who thinks China is an authoritarian hellhole because it puts limits on his outrageous and unproductive speculation and ambitions to be a landlord. That's ok though, because he's able to exploit as many Western workers as he likes, stealing their labour value and "providing" them housing by buying it all up and selling it back to them at outrageously inflated prices. What freedom.
Ehm.. Exploiting the lower class is easier in China? There is literally a very high youth unemployment rate right now. Why do you think I take my vacation in China? Because taking a cab from Beijing airport to Beijing center costs like 3-4 EUR. Foods cheap, stores are always open, vibrant night life, and all because people are working so much.
Hmm yes, cheap food, and a vibrant night life. Coupled with 90% home ownership. All hallmarks of an oppressed working class.
I'm sure they're dying to pay £4.50 for a shitty ham sandwich and forking over half their wages every month to a landlord.
I think you missed safety as well, huge difference here in the West compared to China
Indeed. It's remarkably safe here. According to some people another hallmark of freedom is the freedom to be robbed.
You do understand that if workers are paid less in China but the cost of living is also lower then the level of exploitation isn’t necessarily greater right?
I suspect this account is a sock puppet. Brand new account made of greek letters that immediately wades into a debate about socialism.
Langley ain't sending their best.
They’re probably just your average imperial core labor aristocrat or petit bourgeois.
We can exchange numbers and have facetime, so I can destroy your illusion :)
You can do it here with your words you weird freak
0527651f60637641504aa8e40773ce981b59c60d2ea728d26c65a567b94c34c72d
Add me on session and we can educate each other. I am more of a talking guy than texting anyway.
You do understand that many people work more than 40h a week, because they have to?
Don’t just ignore my questions. It’s relevant to the conversation and your perceptions of China.
I’m aware that work hours are long in China. I don’t think that’s a good thing. However, it’s not unique if you take into account China’s level of development.
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/annual-working-hours-vs-gdp-per-capita-pwt
It’s also not as if western countries like the US are great either. Full time workers in the US work more than 40 hours during a standard work week.
https://www.bls.gov/charts/american-time-use/activity-by-work.htm
All in all, the fact remains that for most Chinese people, quality of life has improved significantly within a very short time span. It’s likely why most Chinese people believe their government is democratic because they believe it’s acting in their interests to improve their lives.
The Economist, 2021: At 54, China’s average retirement age is too low
Those damn retirees probably get a full pension too! Don’t they know it would be much better for the economy if they had a 401k instead?! That way they could lose it by random chance every 15-20 years and work as a Walmart greeter until they die like the invisible hand intended!
Jokes aside, that explains why whenever I go to China there’s always lots of older people hanging out in public parks having a great time. I just hope that can be me one day.