Sigh... big cars in the Chinese media. The global oil suply will last
a *few* more years, until the level of affluence, and the commuter
class which drives (sic) that affluence reaches a point where EVERYONE
in China can afford a car.
My regret on Eric's leaving is not being able to discuss issues like
that with him, no matter WHAT he initially thought.
I have a few words for Doug, Louis, and you too John...
Simple minded Vicious Assholes.
I'm out of here for a while. I have more important things to do than
read these vapid critiques instead of learning, teaching... The
impressing on other people of your own ideas/concepts about how thing
work without a moronic piling-on to anyone who thinks otherwise.
How fucking 'American' can you get.
On Feb 18, 2008 5:38 AM, John Gulick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Eric Sommer's parting words:
>
> >Hi there, Thanks to those who put me in touch with Michael
> >Lebowitz, my reason for joining the list. I'm now leaving the
> >list and will carry on communication with Michael.
>
> JG sez:
>
> I for one am profoundly dismayed to witness such an exponent
> of acute ideology critique and social scientific insight leave the
> list. And just as I was getting all wound up and ready to enter
> the fray...
>
> Strange ('tho not so strange) how the guy properly cautioned
> us against taking "Western" (sic) corporate press coverage of
> all matters Chinese at face value, then proceeded to equate
> CCP public pronouncements about various policy turns with
> actual commitment to and successful implementation of said
> policy turns. Surely he would not prefer that we judge Clintobama's
> devotion to "universal health care" by checking out their respective
> campaign web sites?
>
> There is indeed a tiny core of principled eco-socialists
> in the PRC's Environmental Ministry that desperately promoted
> the "green GDP" (warts and all) concept, but Beijing bigshots
> appropriated the concept mainly because 1) it fit well with the
> Third Way/"sustainable development" reimaging of party ideology
> and 2) they knew in advance that local cadres and enterprise
> managers would never actualize the scheme, nor could they be
> forced to. In any event I recall reading something recently about
> the scant few "green GDP" pilot projects being abandoned because
> (among other reasons) they were raising the expectations and
> hence encouraging the independent mobilization of China's scores
> of militant anti-pollution movements (movements that put the
> foundation-infested "environmental justice" movements in the US
> to shame, by the way!!!)...
>
> For me Eric's credibility was shot when he opened his mouth, but
> he truly and really lost it when he talked up Zhang Zemin's vaunted
> "three represents" "theory" (sic). In any context other than that
> requiring ritualistic pietizing, most members of China's technical-
> professional salariat (a class fraction that overall has made out like
> bandits in the age of "market reform") readily skewer the "three
> represents" "theory" as Zhang's pathetic attempt at securing his
> place in the pantheon of Sino-"Marxist" (sic) "intellectuals" (sic),
> even though the "theory" (sic) is low-grade casuistry of the most
> flagrant sort. Especially among those whose status is lionized by
> "three represents" "thought" (sic), to treat it seriously is to turn
> oneself into a laughingstock...
>
> Appropriately enough the gentleman's signature included insipid
> quotes from "capitalism with a human face" CEO's... it brings to
> mind the fact that several years ago Jack Welch's "how to" and
> "tell all" autobiography topped China's bestseller list, as have
> subsequent tomes by the likes of Bill Gates...
>
> Anyway, I insist that you take my word for it because I too have
> a Chinese spouse and I too have lived and worked in China ;)
>
> Doug Henwood said of CCTV:
>
> >I've watched a fair amount of it. It comes off like propagnda, with
> >not quite the technical skills or polemical genius of the Fox News
> >Channel.
>
> JG sez:
>
> At least with respect to its coverage of domestic issues, I've found
> CCTV's mode of propaganda to be quite subtle and quite effective,
> if not entirely predictable. There is frank discussion of a wide range
> of national ills (of course certain subjects remain taboo) -- a good
> deal more so than one would encounter on network news broadcasts
> in the US -- but such candor is always a set-up to the punchline that
> the party is vigorously tackling it (be it regional inequality, tainted
> food,
> corrupt customs agents, what have you...).
>
> ________________________________
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>
