I've started to read a book that predicts the collapse of the communist party in China and have as a result brought it up in conversations with some of the friends here. Guess it is not a very tactful thing to do, but still I find it pretty interesting. They say that they find it interesting too, but I think it generally just brings up bad feelings, so I guess I should better shut up. Maybe I will write a little review when I'm finished with it.
When talking to WuZheJian, my former room-mate he said that if he ever came to a powerful position he would for sure also take bribes. He said that it is what everybody does and that is in fact the reason to strive for such a position. I understand that people could easily fall for the temptation, and I'm probably not different, but I still find it rather remarkable to make such a statement.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I think the general consensus is, if u dont take bribes while others are doing it, u r not only not able to change anything abt the status quo, but u r shortchanging urself. I wouldn't really say that it's a moral issue that requires much debating given the prevalance of corruption. People take it as it is. Maybe even when u dont ask for a bribe pple who need a favour from u wld throw money or gifts to u anyway. Just my two cents' worth.
Obviously I am not a human being who fights moral battles with herself all the time, but for a country whose people's top priorities are money and generally leading the western life they see in glossy magazines which tempt them so, im sure that is the case too-- money wins hands down. OF course im wrong to generalise without adequate research, but i can safely say that even for a relatively advanced n wealthy nation like Singapore, money and only money talks.
Sad huh. Deal with it.
Your money grubbing girlfriend (hiak hiak hiak)
I read a book written about 10 yrs ago by Pulitzer Prize winning Nicholas D Kristof. The interesting thing about the book is I didn't realise it was written that long ago; the problems of China he described in the book are so very real and present today. This does imply one thing to me: that despite all development in the coastal regions, esply in the south, many parts of China are in a time warp, remaining as primitive as it was prolly 50 yrs ago? And even though there are the "new rich", it's rather obvious that in ten yrs of rapid development many facts of Chinese life such as corruption, the thirst for and abuse of power, oppression of the poor and zero welfare are still prevalent even in the developed regions.
I mean, i dont wanna sound like I know anything about the whole China situation, after all I've lived there a total of one mth and one week. but there has to be a reason why there are peasants loitering in every street corner in Beijing, pple riding donkeys alongside cars into the city, pple spitting everywhere. Not that much has changed, has it?
Oh, the book also predicted the fall of the Communist Party.. well, it obviously hasn't. dont know if it's going strong, but hey, mebbe the new generation leaders are willing to allow more change in the political system. I dont know enough to comment as yet .. opinions baby? But like the ruling party in Singapore, its only claim to power seems to be the deliverance of a sound economy. so let's see if it is able to pull off the same hat trick for the next ten yrs ;D
Your bored and rambling gf.
We as Chinese, had not learnt anything from history and disasters.
We keep exploiting all the poor 800 million Chinese peasants like the old Soong dynasty era
and wait for the next imperalist power (the USA ? ) to attack and bully us again?..
Blame ourselves the Chinese people and people in power who refuse to eradicate the well known
poverty in the country side and dont educate the poor children so that they can be exploited as "Migrant workers" when they grow up so that the rest of the 1 million coastal chinese can live well? Blame ourselves
and our faulty "dynastic" system. Want to change it or
want to look for a scapegoat?
Heard of the historical classic "The Water Margin"?
It is no different then and now...just a different mask of the corrupt Soong Dynasty.
We have to look hard in the mirror first and recongnise
honestly our own face first.
And it is UGLY.
Start by reintroducing "Confucious Classics" in the
schools and teach the young morality and responsibilities to self, family, society
and country. What it really means besides money. Money is only a tool to get by
and a tool for the corrupt power to exploit the ignorant and poor.
Signing off
A loyal realistic Chinese
Sept 14 2005
Post a Comment