The Red Big Brother: propaganda in China

Two months in China and I've had a taste of what life here is and can be. Though obviously I am very privileged as a foreigner as my income is much higher than an average person's: I'm earning roughly three times more than my fellow Chinese teachers - for doing pretty much the same job. Also my apartment is a spacious, modern studio and I have a personal driver who takes me to school and back safely. So I realize I'm much better off than an average Chinese person.

So during my time here I have seen and experienced things to understand just how privileged in life I am - and all of us Westerners for that matter.

Is China the real land of the rising sun?

For the Chinese people the Chinese government does not guarantee anything. No benefits, no real support from the system. That's where family comes in, and that convenient "one family, one child" law really becomes useful. As parents devote themselves to their one child throughout their lives, it is a social fact and the correct order of things so that when the parents grow old the child is responsible for the parents. No government support needed as it's all kept within the family. Ingenious? I think so! One point for the Chinese government, the Red Big Brother.

As for the quality of life, it depends on your perspective. In other words, how much money you make. Chinese people in my province can earn as little as 500 RMB (equals 70€) per month if they work in a factory, or perhaps 2000 RMB (280€) per month for a teacher or a doctor. If you have a very good job as a CEO or a highly educated private entrepreneur you just might earn a whopping 4000 RMB (570€) per month.
To put that into perspective I will say the cost of living in China is low, but if one is a low-paid industrial worker one will struggle to support oneself. Only well-paid people can afford to eat out in restaurants regularly, have their children highly educated or go traveling. As the government doesn't pay benefits but, quite on the opposite, charges people for unconventional behavior, it's another point for the Chinese government. Or how would you feel about paying a 10 000 RMB fine if you wanted to have a second child? To be fair the "one family, one child" policy has been modernized a bit: if the parents themselves don't have any siblings they are legally allowed to have two children of their own.

The Chinese government does make it very difficult for its citizens do anything or even think outside the box. To begin with, the propaganda and censorship is very real. I'm not saying West doesn't have its own propaganda, because our media surely is influenced by money and corruption, but in China the Big Brother is more clearly observing and monitoring everyday life. If we in the West question whether our media is free or not, here it's not even a matter of discussion. For an outsider it's as clear as day. Us Westerners all have heard of the Western media ban in China: no Facebook, Google, or pretty much any other foreign websites. The official reason for it? I've asked some Chinese people and mostly all reckon it's due to the government "protecting" the Chinese citizens. So again, one more point for the Red Big Brother: obviously the brain washing has succeeded if the Chinese people are convinced this is for their own benefit!

I don't follow the Chinese news for two reasons: first of all because I can't understand any of it (my Chinese still on beginner level) and secondly, even if I did understand I wouldn't be able to trust any of it, so why bother. Out of curiosity, someday I will. But that is the part of China that I resent: lack of freedom in every aspect.

One ingenious part of the Red Big Brother's plan is to keep all its citizens in the country at all times to minimize safety risks. Traveling for Chinese people is hard for at least for two significant reasons: it's beyond their price range and they don't have enough consecutive holidays to travel abroad. The biggest holiday of the year is approaching, the Spring Festival, when everyone gets two weeks of holidays. The tradition is to travel to your home town and spend that special time with your family. As for me: I obviously decided to travel. :)
My good friend from work offered to travel with me, so we started to book flights before prices went through the roof. As we're doing a three city tour all over China the flights ended up costing us about 1400 RMB (200€) and I thought that was quite reasonable: I didn't think that for an average income worker it might be quite expensive..
So my friend and I started talking about traveling and she told me that she would've loved to live a life like mine: traveling from one country to another, working in different cultures and exploring. Unfortunately for a woman in China the path of life is quite different compared to a Western equivalent.
When a Chinese woman is in her early 20's and without a boyfriend, her parents will start introducing suitable men to her and will encourage marriage and a child. As respecting your parents is very important in the Chinese culture and you are responsible for making your parents happy and proud, there are not many options for a woman. Some young women are "lucky enough" that if they choose not to find a boyfriend and marry, their parents will allow this and the daughter will continue to live at home with her parents: eventually as they grow older the daughter will have the responsibility to take care of them.
And in case you didn't think this far yet, let me reveal this much: virginity for a Chinese woman is very important. A girl must be a virgin when she marries, and she is to have only one boyfriend in her lifetime: later that boyfriend will become her husband. Anything other is unheard-of.
You can imagine my Chinese girlfriends' surprise (or shock) when I told them that I have had quite a few boyfriends in my life and I have not once been married - nor do I want to get married, ever.

So the cultural differences are rooted deep between East and West. Though I must confess I have begun to ponder that the Chinese culture must have some greater sense and intelligence behind it: how else can one explain that their way of life has flourished for thousands (!!) of years virtually unchanged? Our Western culture is a toddler, no, more like an embryo compared to the Chinese culture.
In saying this there are still many things about the Chinese culture that do not make sense to me or which I don't approve - but at the same time so many things I admire about their way of life and the history.

China surely is a great land of old traditions, modern wonders and plentiful conflicts. It's impossible to stay neutral: you will love it or hate it - I think most likely you will do both! I recommend everyone to experience China themselves :)