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AP gets rare glimpse of jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai (apnews.com)
submitted 3 years ago by to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml
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[–] 0 points 3 years ago* (2 children)

Fair!

I'm honestly intrigued by the tankie strategy of pretending to be dumber than a fence post.

I cannot see it working to convince anyone, so is the idea just to waste people's time? The strategy effectively draws more attention to the issues China and Russia tend to try to suppress - if it wasn't for tankies, this thread would have been completely uninformative in regards to Chinese human rights abuses. So it seems counterproductive.

Another theory is that a lot of them were hired to be Trump supporters online until recently, and that they're just not very good at being Chinese/Russian apologists just yet. It's a learning experience - we all have our rough days at work.

It's interesting stuff. In either case it's somehow nice to have someone ask the dumb questions, making the facts come out in the open for anyone whose just too afraid to ask. So I've change my mind - you're not wasting your time. :)

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  • [–] -5 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    There is a third category. A lot of these people are legitimately edgy teenagers who haven't studied any history or political science outside of a very tiny socialist (and I use that term lightly, these are mostly anti-west reactionaries) information bubble and simply do not understand the enormity of their own ignorance. It becomes incredibly obvious once you've spent a bit of time engaging with them.

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  • [–] -3 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    Do you have any intuition where these kids come from? Are they mostly Americans?

    I guess I can see how dissatisfaction with the state of democracy, welfare, and media in the US could lead to the logical fallacy that things must be better in Russia and China. I just struggle to understand how the degree of sheer stupidity they often project can be genuine.

    At least the Trump supporters came across as genuine lunatics. These people just appear to be eating crayons.

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  • [–] -2 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    US and EU based on when they are active. I recognize the thought process precisely because I used to be like this too. It's easy to ignore nuance and tend towards extremism when you have no real stake in society or responsibility for others.

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  • [–] -1 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    What made you snap out of it? Age? Or did your curiosity about the subject eventually lead you to challenge your beliefs?

    Sorry if I come across as pushy, I just find this genuinely interesting.

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  • [–] -2 points 3 years ago* (1 child)

    Snap out of it isn't the right phrase. I would say a lot of my current views have similar origins, but what were once black and white ideas have been colored by experience and education. In particular, experience should naturally move most reasonable people past the easy, but simplistic idea that the modern era is so devoid of positive virtue that any evil is justified in tearing it down.

    The problem isn't socialism, it's making socialism the absolute bottom of your moral well, and that's what a lot of these people don't seem to understand, no matter how much you explain it to them. Which to me, simply suggests "edgy teenager phase."

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  • [–] -1 points 3 years ago*

    Hopefully they'll all get there with age.

    I know socialism itself is not the problem - most of the opportunities I have had in my life I owe to socialism. I just find it strange that young Western people look to China and (especially) Russia and consider them to be even remotely aligned with socialist ideals. I would have an easier time understanding it if they were rambling on about Cuba and Yugoslavia under Tito. Back when I was young that was what the edgy Commie kids were all about.

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