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Thread ID: 69160	2006-05-24 00:16:00	George Orwell 1984 "Newspeak"	somebody (208)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
457249	2006-05-24 11:05:00	I suppose then it's a good thing that many Chinese are learning english. But considering google.cn also censors english search results... Though it does make you wonder: the Japanese covered up some of their wartime attrocities, the Chinese do it to their political history, how do we know that Western governments aren't doing it too? How do we know we're being told the truth about the view on history as we see it in Western liberal democracies? I suppose we don't. [/strange philosophical outlook]	somebody (208)
457250	2006-05-24 20:53:00	The safeguard in the west is that we have a multiplicity of news agencies, journalists and sources. It is difficult for a western government to be able to control everyone. We have seen Bush try by constant repetition, but apart from gullible yanks who believe that Mr President assumes a god-like status upon taking office, look at the widespread disbelief in what he says. If the Chinese learnt English in large numbers, then instead of a little red book, they would be able to wave a little blue book of the gospels according to Bush 'n Blair :) Also it is very presumptious of Chinese students in this country to protest about any perceived lampooning of Mao. That is our way of doing things, we lampoon our leaders, we always have done so.... The cartoonists in the 18C were particularly viscious by todays standards. Their behaviour illustrates how they have been thought controlled over generations.	Terry Porritt (14)
457251	2006-05-24 21:22:00	Fair enough. Also it is very presumptious of Chinese students in this country to protest about any perceived lampooning of Mao. That is our way of doing things, we lampoon our leaders, we always have done so.... The cartoonists in the 18C were particularly viscious by todays standards. Their behaviour illustrates how they have been thought controlled over generations. Exactly - its very concerning that these people are so blindly following their "leader" and jumping up and down about a small joke being made. I wouldn't even say that it's "our" way of doing things - it's something which is done in just about every free and democratic country worldwide - whether they are Western, Asian, Middle-Eastern or whatever.	somebody (208)
457252	2006-05-24 23:14:00	However, according to Wikipedia, the efforts to simplify Chinese writing goes back a long way, and pre-dates the Peoples Republic: en.wikipedia.org	Terry Porritt (14)
457253	2006-05-24 23:48:00	There is a difference though - the simplification by previous groups of people were to reduce the amount of writing needed for each character (ie. simplifying the pictographs themselves), rather than eliminating words being used. Simplifying the pictographs is no different to writing the letter a in this format <- or in the a which schoolkids are taught. What the PRC is doing now seems to be vastly different - removing "unnecessary" words, which has a severe risk of them removing words which they consider undesirable, or threatening to their rule. I don't know if they are doing this or not, but it is very very possible given the amount of censorship and brainwashing they do already.	somebody (208)
457254	2006-05-25 02:52:00	I think there's a bit of Yellow Peril paranoioa here . ;) All governments try to brainwash their populaces . The US is the most extreme example of this . Removing words which "they consider undesirable, or threatening to their rule" would be a nice trick if it was possible . :D I believe there is a version of English called "Basic English", simplified and with a restricted vocabulary . This is to help in adult literacy campaigns . China is doing this to help their huge illliteracy problem . In the past, autocratic governments (and institutional religions) have actively resisted the spread of literacy, because it is a major threat . "Teach the buggers and they start to believe they have rights" .	Graham L (2)
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