U.S. students losing interest in China as dream jobs prove elusive

[studychinese]

I don't know if there is democracy but I am pretty sure there is communism. A trip that I took to North Korea immunised me to communism for life (still had a great time there, though).

[imron]

But, but, North Korea is a democracy. It's right there in the name - Democratic People's Republic of Korea

[Angelina]

What was North Korea like? They have been isolated for so long. South Korea is a better place to live despite their social problems. 

 

I have met one North Korean, he was very shy and withdrawn, he reminded me of children who come from families with domestic abuse issues. Did you notice anything similar? Maybe it was only him. Were the people you met there nice? Did they look oppressed? Did they have enough to eat? 

 

On the other hand, Allende's Chile was a democratic communist state. 

 

Since the 2011 Arab Spring, the Chinese government has tightened control of the media and internet and cracked down hard on dissent (arresting many activists). After Xi came into power two years ago, this trend has only accelerated.

 

 

Activists are politicians. I am not sure if I know enough about politics to understand the fight for power between different political groups, therefore I would not endorse any parties involved. 

 

The problem in China is that sometimes normal people are afraid they will be labeled as activists, so there is not enough freedom of speech and freedom of thought. I don't usually get the chance to discuss social issues with Chinese people. There is not enough debate. People mostly talk about their field of study or their jobs., maybe about their family lives. This lack of debate is suffocating. You can't have a thriving intellectual life without critical thinking. Do you feel the same way about China? What can be done? 

[Guest realmayo]

What can be done? 

• 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Is_to_Be_Done%3F

• 2. erm

3. that's it 

[Angelina]

[Simon_CH]

 

 

Activists are politicians.

 

I'm sorry Angelina but that's just nonsense. 

[Guest realmayo]

I dunno, while this is all very off-topic, I think she has a point, or at least, I think it applies to places like China where you can't be an opposition policitian without breaking the law.

[Angelina]

I know what is happening in my country and know what some activists there are doing. 

 

I don't know much about China and I would not want to get involved. If I know more in the future I might decide to back an activist or to support a proponent of a different kind of a political model for China. For now, what I don't like about China is the lack of debate in general. 

 

But I have seen some talk on opposition parties in China. 

[Shelley]

The opposition is usually against the existing powers, until they succeeded and become the power when the old power now become the opposition.

 

The degree of illegality depends on the type of political system in place. Some systems disallow any opposition and this is where it is hardest to oppose and some systems encourage opposition and this leads to a free for all of political groups vying for power.

 

Remember history is written by the victors and political policies are written by the existing powers.

 

IMHO the weaker the existing power the less inclines they are to encourage opposition for obvious reasons.

 

@Angelina when I was your age I too had an idealistic wish for peace, equality, health and happiness for all the people of the world. I now have different ideas

 

But this is off topic.

[889]

To bring this thread back on topic, if I may:

Tell the average under-25 that they won't have access to Google, YouTube, or their favorite social networking sites for a month, much less a year, and you know the reaction. If anything, the surprise isn't the fall in students heading to China, but that there are any at all.

[anonymoose]

Except that most people who care about those things use a VPN in China to circumvent the restrictions. An annoyance, but hardly a deal breaker.

[889]

Well, that's great if your VPN works in China. With the latest crackdown, mine certainly does not. A lot more than a mere "annoyance" it is. Bing is no substitute for Google, e.g.

[Angelina]

I am over 25 and I am outraged by recent problems accessing Gmail. 

 

@889 There is a free app for Android still working 

 

I am also outraged by political posts on Facebook. How can people fall for propaganda that easily? Of course, censorship is not the answer. 

 

Hm. Dream jobs and dream studies don't exist anywhere. Maybe people thought China is better and have now realized it's not. 

[stapler]

I'm glad my interest in Chinese isn't tied up with my job prospects/plans!

[Angelina]

This. 

 

 

[imron]

Tell the average under-25 that they won't have access to Google, YouTube, or their favorite social networking sites for a month, much less a year, and you know the reaction

Ironically, preventing access to Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and the like is almost certain to remove time wasting distractions that lure students away from their studies.

[889]

Sounds like a quote from a Ministry of Education official.

[Angelina]

Or an Orwellian Ministry of Freedom

[imron]

Sounds like a quote from a Ministry of Education official.

Maybe it's all part of their plan

[Simon_CH]

 

 

This article is like the description of my life right now.

 

Care to explain?