this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2025
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Casual Conversation

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It’s been nice to see ordinary Americans open up to life in China but everyone is acting blind to their censorship. Makes me thankful for the fediverse and being able to self host my own instance.

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[–] [email protected] 45 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This is it. Self hosting, federation, not for profit is the way. We need an internet that is made by just regular people for no better reason than it's fun. Not just social media either. We need an entire open internet, free and clear of all ulterior motives (or more likely still having bad actors mixed in, but at least they're not pulling any strings at the upper levels).

I don't know how possible that is, but I know we need it.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago (22 children)

Fully agree! Thanks for putting my thought into much better words.

The only issue I see now is how to surpass bad mods and admins? The balance between filtering off topic or bad content versus anything goes but then nazis come out seems to be a challenge plus power tripping.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 weeks ago

That's a never-ending process of everyone voting and discussing where the line is and where it should be.

There is no "final" solution, instead the solution is for people to collectively and continiously keep solving it every day.

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 weeks ago (35 children)

I've noticed a very pro-China shift on Lemmy since Trump became president. Yeah, Trump is awful, but it's not like that makes China or Russia better. It makes them all bad.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 weeks ago

That started well before he became president.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago

China is good actually.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

China is pretty sensitive about depictions of Mao, so it doesn't surprise me.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago

Ironically enough it's actually super popular in China to "Rent-a-Mao" or Chiang Kai-Shek or whoever else from China's modern history. There are a lot of Mao impersonators, just like we have impersonators of Elvis.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

Even positive ones? But what's up with that?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It's like how companies don't like satirical use of their trademarks even if positive. Brand control. Or for China, propaganda control. They don't want you to get comfortable using jokes about it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

Xiaohongshu does not tolerate political posts altogether, from what I read

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

I'm not really sure, it may be to do with how Jiang Zemin got called toad boy a lot.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Surprising to me too, it was a positive depiction of Mao.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 weeks ago

That app doesn't like gambling, politics, or sexually explicit material.

Your post probably fell under politics.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Posting anything about any Chinese leader is verboten.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Weird. Weird how I post about Chinese leadership quite often on Weibo and haven't been canned.

Here's a thought: maybe it's how you go about it that counts?

Criticism of Mao in particular is perfectly cromulent here. The Party itself criticizes Mao, especially for the Cultural Revolution, with some fairly harsh language.

But if you don't know how to do it or when, then ... ah ... yeah, you're going to get people pissed off at you.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

Xiaohongshu bans all politics, even references. There's more serious platforms for those type of people, whereas xiaohongshu is to have fun and connect with others.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago

I've been in a lot of political discussions on Xiaohongshu. It seems people learn a little Marxism even in high school and are happy to share about it.

Not everything has been super fabulous about China, but nothing critical of Mao, and a big consensus that living in China is kinder to people who aren't wealthy than the US

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago

Awwww, you poor thing.

They didn't see you as a useful idiot so they leveraged their hatred for what you are and banished you.

Leopards are hungry on both sides of the line.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

Well yeah, Mao Zedong is kinda like Chinese Muhammad or Chinese Charlemagne (not supporting the guy, but still). Were you not expecting to catch some passionate attention? I mean, I'd also ask that of everyone; China is kind of known for censoring things, like Italians and cheese or Icelanders and their elves, so it's weird to see people think the equivalent of "I'm going to a flock of crows dressed up as an owl because it's exercising freeeeeeeedom!"

I don't "support" that from a Chinese government perspective, as their journey for power and reach, like a lot of territorial groups, involved lots of death and domination over things that couldn't "ethically" be owned, but from a service owner's perspective, I mean, if it's rightfully the child of your own two hands, it's just your right to ban as you wish.

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