Highest Rated Comments


ZimbaZumba25 karma

It is fantastic to have you chronicle your experiences. They are unusual and at a interesting time in history. Do you have opinions on any of the following points?

  • I have lived in China and visit as often as I can. I have many Chinese friends, including many in the Communist party, who will talk politics with me frankly. Many experienced the Cultural Revolution in a profound way. Not one person I have spoken to has anything close to a positive opinion of the event and it is referred to as "the mistake"; they otherwise are very proud of their country. Do you find the same in talking to Chinese friends? If so how do you reconcile this with your own opinions?

  • The most common western explanation for the Cultural Revolution is that MaoZeDung started it to grab power back from the technocrats and more pragmatic party members. Again how do you reconcile this with your opinions?

  • The Cultural Revolution did not erase 1000s of years of Chinese culture as some have are saying here. Living in China for a few years will make that clear to anyone. Modernity is more of a threat. Also it is true many did die, but before people from the USA lecturer others, an honest analysis and body count of USA global activities should be made.

ZimbaZumba19 karma

Did N. Korea correspond to the impression we get through the media. I realise you were carefully chaperoned, but it is still possible to get a general sense of the place.

ZimbaZumba17 karma

The term Alt-Right has been rendered meaningless by its overuse as a pejorative. No amount of definition after the fact will now change that.

ZimbaZumba3 karma

This is a serious and well intended question, I am sure you are very well meaning.

Have you, or your co-workers, ever considered that this is neo-Colonialism? ie, that you are imposing Western value systems on others.

Your curriculum is very Western, uses a feminist symbol and you are funded by USAID. The missionaries from the 1800's thought they were doing good things as well.

ZimbaZumba2 karma

Do you really think Tommy Robinson is a profit making imposter?

For a man to speak with such force and gather such a following almost always comes from a place of true passion. This is reinforced by his willingness to suffer multiple jail sentences and that his views are not unusual for a man of his background. I also think dismissing Robinson in this manner is dangerous, it gives license to ignoring the social forces that created him.

It has become really popular these days to simply label and smear political opponents. This gets us no where and is a habit of even the educated classes. By the same logic, could not similar charges of profiteering could be made against you?

(note: Please do not interpret my question as supporting Robinson. I am raising a genuine point for purposes of discussion.)