Read on Twitter
An overwhelming torrent of criticism coming towards Wuhan-based female writer Fang Fang because of her decision to publish her Wuhan Diary in English and Germany.
The criticism can be summarized as: you're aiding the enemy's narrative that China messed up (initially).
Bullshit.
The criticism can be summarized as: you're aiding the enemy's narrative that China messed up (initially).
Bullshit.
One high-profile representative of the criticism comes from 苏群 Su Qun, an NBA commentator on CCTV, who wrote 方方这个英文版，发得不是时候 (The English version from Fang Fang, coming at a bad time) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/0X9ugNylmymJo5W0lhgU6g
Such stupid criticism
Such stupid criticism
These voices basically say because U.S. and a big part of the West are now trying to ask China to admit it made mistakes and bear responsibilities, what Fang did - publishing in foreign languages - is aiding and abetting the enemy.
Ridiculous argument on numerous levels
Ridiculous argument on numerous levels
They think a writer's personal diary could be so powerful as some kind of evidence or weapon to the enemy. But:
if China is really flawless, would a personal diary be able to change anything?
if China isn't really flawless, what extra harm could an extra diary do?
if China is really flawless, would a personal diary be able to change anything?
if China isn't really flawless, what extra harm could an extra diary do?
While Western liberals and politically-correct corps. try to make a difference, here on Twitter and in mediasphere, between China as a country, Chinese as a people, Chinese govt as a govt, Party as a party, the default way of thinking of the Chinese elites and Main Street do NOT
That despite Wuhan as a city, Hubei as a province and China as a country suffered tremendous consequences because of initial mess up, this school of thought is fully willing to disregard the consequences and rushing to defend something utterly indefensible
It's either-you-are-with-us-or-against-us
it's 家丑不可外扬 the problems and laundry at home(land) must not be exposed to the outside
it's we will sweep everything under the carpet to hide it from outsiders
You can be China's conscience one day and a traitor the very next day
it's 家丑不可外扬 the problems and laundry at home(land) must not be exposed to the outside
it's we will sweep everything under the carpet to hide it from outsiders
You can be China's conscience one day and a traitor the very next day
It's some shallow, brainless patriotism/nationalism/national pride at its worst, thanks to a century of humiliation (sorry for bringing up a cliche) from the West and decades of Party-shaped education
They don't know upholding some basic rights such as the freedom to publish will ultimately do much much more good to Motherland than bad; that certain basic freedoms must be cherished dearly, overriding their cheap, fake sense of national pride
I do have a caveat here.
In my opinion, Fang did a terrible job in differentiating between facts and non-facts, which is in itself not blameworthy since she is just a human being. But she doesn't realize this and made no effort to differentiate
In my opinion, Fang did a terrible job in differentiating between facts and non-facts, which is in itself not blameworthy since she is just a human being. But she doesn't realize this and made no effort to differentiate
Her diary, from the Chinese versions I wrote, is full of unsubstantiated rumors, apparent exaggerations, unreliable hearsay which have no factual basis to trained eyes.
It's neither non-fiction, nor fiction, and that's the worst part: readers will never know
It's neither non-fiction, nor fiction, and that's the worst part: readers will never know
So while I wholeheartedly champion her rights to publish in whatever language at whatever timing of her like and vigorously defend the publication against the brainless detractors, I urge you to NOT read it as a preprint of history.
It of course still has significant value as a survivor's first-person account at the outbreak of the unprecedented outbreak, but don't rely on it as facts.
With that, I'm finishing this thread, with the knowledge that I've made enemies on both sides.
With that, I'm finishing this thread, with the knowledge that I've made enemies on both sides.
