living, thinking and writing
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| PRACTICE living, thinking and writing |
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Wednesday, March 12, 2003 Do it, don't sing it. I'm still surprised to know Rolling Stone get censored in China. I was listening to a Canadian radio, while a DJ comments that China is still in 1955. I don't really agree. Thrity years ago, most people even never listened to any songs in English, but now Rolling Stone came to Beijing. Thirty years ago, sex is such a taboo in Chinese society, people seemd not to have it in mind at all; but now college students move in with their girlfriends or boyfriends; writers of new generation explicitly depict their sexual experience in best-selling books; mid-aged men have very young lovers outside home; Tens of millions of prostitutes swampped in city of any size ; underground strip show is so popular that they just perform any where even in public park; even AIDS spreads in amazing speed. Law is still the law: prostitution and strip show are illegal, no porn in any mass media, though eveyone know how easy you can get access to these things. But indeed, I really don't know any Chinese song about sex! So what, even you can't enjoy Mick Jagger singing "brown suger" live on stage, you heard it long time ago in pirated CD. Are we calling this society hypocrisy? well, maybe a little bit: banning a harmless little song is really making way to big scene, not to say most of people don't care (or don't understand) lyrics in foreign language. However, even I'm among the generation growing up in 1980s, I could not image Rolling Stone could be allowed to performe in national theater or arena (I remember Michal jackson was banned once). It just makes me feel China is so "not China" any more. I believe that's the concern of the people on authotrity too. Yes, if you go to China, you will find eveyone complaints to you how degenerating th whole society has gone since 1990s, but people still try to preserve a little poor traditonal values or social norms, even it is so vain and superficial. I completely understand the authority's concern and stand by them. I still like the China where sex is something you do and feel a secret joy, but don't talk about, not to mention sing about.This is not hypocrisy, it is a part of the culture. posted by lmeimei @1:42 PM| permanent link| | |
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