I am old enough to recall Soviet dissidents such as Aleksander Solzhenitsyn and Andrei Shakarov, who's travails received considerable attention in Western media. I have often wondered why no comparable anti-CCP figures have arisen. Having considered the tedious (and false) 'China is different', 'the CCP is all-powerful', and 'the West is racist' notions, I have come to a weighty conclusion: the answer is, I think, simply, not yet.
I suspect, or at least hope, it will be somebody like Jung Chang, with a compelling story, an easy manner and the simple unrelenting faith of (say) the Dali Lama. Oh, and a love for China, its people and traditions that transcends anything the CCP have to offer; which, it seems to me, is not so difficult.
Sasha- you have a complex worthy of a politburo member grousing over the century of humiliation. By your standard, who the f—k was Thomas Jefferson? As for Mainland Chinese, I dated someone who attended the school bearing his name. “Look it up on the internet “ she told me.
"He is probably one of the only figures lauded by both the Republic of China (Taiwan)" you see foreign commentators say this all the time... But no one in Taiwan gives two thoughts about him, aside from deep Blue KMT supporters (max 20%). Yes he has a memorial here, yes his image is on the currency and Parliament, but he's not revered or lauded by most Taiwanese, since he has little connection with the country.
I am old enough to recall Soviet dissidents such as Aleksander Solzhenitsyn and Andrei Shakarov, who's travails received considerable attention in Western media. I have often wondered why no comparable anti-CCP figures have arisen. Having considered the tedious (and false) 'China is different', 'the CCP is all-powerful', and 'the West is racist' notions, I have come to a weighty conclusion: the answer is, I think, simply, not yet.
I suspect, or at least hope, it will be somebody like Jung Chang, with a compelling story, an easy manner and the simple unrelenting faith of (say) the Dali Lama. Oh, and a love for China, its people and traditions that transcends anything the CCP have to offer; which, it seems to me, is not so difficult.
Sasha- you have a complex worthy of a politburo member grousing over the century of humiliation. By your standard, who the f—k was Thomas Jefferson? As for Mainland Chinese, I dated someone who attended the school bearing his name. “Look it up on the internet “ she told me.
"He is probably one of the only figures lauded by both the Republic of China (Taiwan)" you see foreign commentators say this all the time... But no one in Taiwan gives two thoughts about him, aside from deep Blue KMT supporters (max 20%). Yes he has a memorial here, yes his image is on the currency and Parliament, but he's not revered or lauded by most Taiwanese, since he has little connection with the country.