Irony is Good!
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/01/12/irony_is_good
No matter how swiftly authorities stamp out new criticism, however, it's too late. The brute removal of undesirable language from public discourse only works when ideas do not exist independent of language, but it is precisely irony that allows silence to speak as loudly as words. Wang Xiaofeng may be right in saying it will take another generation before any voices will be raised in direct challenge, but the government should be worried. Even now, each online report of disaster, failure, corruption, or injustice is met with a newly repurposed old Maoist catchphrase, perhaps angry or resigned, but above all, ironically knowing: "Our thanks to the nation."
Comments
Wicked excellent. I'm not sure if you've ever been on the FP website before, but don't worry about the comments -- big-publication websites with comment registration barriers tend to filter out everyone except ax-grindy basement-dwellers and professional PR types. The Guardian has the same problem -- commenters don't represent the readers.
Although it was pretty funny when they said this was your "swan song". You'll never work in this town again, bucko!
Nick, January 16, 2011, 9:47p.m.
Good Christ, my "swan song"? I stopped reading the comments after the first four or five. Guess I'll start wearing a false mustache when I'm back in China.
The commenters on the Yeeyan translation have been much more reasonable.
Eric Abrahamsen, January 16, 2011, 10:09p.m.
Yeah, those look more like actual people.
Compare:
"The article is made up of facts that many people know. But it's necessary to let the people know who don't know. It's also necessary to show to the people who know but pretend not to know. I endorse this."
to:
"His Chinese informants obviously share his views too. The truth, however, is that only a small portion of people in any society can consistently think in a meaningful way....don't underestimate China's intellectual power and pretend that a typical American can play as an emancipator in the middle kingdom."
But, I mean, I shouldn't be harsh, considering that I as well am just a typical guy and probably unable to consistently think in a meaningful way.
Nick, January 16, 2011, 10:40p.m.
I think the article is referring to "satire," as opposed to "irony." Satire is a form of ironic statement, of course, yet it's a misstatement to reverse the equation, considering the breadth and importance of irony in Western humanities. I know Americans have already begun to use the two terms interchangeably, and I wouldn't actually bring it up, save the fact that satire is the only form of irony that's consistently, noticeably present in China's literary tradition pre-1919.
Interesting comment by Nick regarding filtering habits on Western fora. I never realized that (though probably should have guessed).
Canaan Morse, January 18, 2011, 1:24a.m.