this post was submitted on 05 Feb 2026
375 points (89.5% liked)
Memes
54252 readers
1923 users here now
Rules:
- Be civil and nice.
- Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.
founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Change nothing lemmy.ml
Can you enlighten us as to how China is authoritarian in a way that Europe isn't? Because as far as I can tell, even if literally every single thing China is accused of by anyone is true, this is what their major crimes amount to:
Let me know if I missed any.
Meanwhile, (mainly Western) Europe definitely has done the following in the past 50 years:
I think there's probably more I could go into, but I think that's at least enough to make my case. If you want to believe China is authoritarian because you believe every point in the upper half is true, then I won't stop you. But you're on some craaaazy wypipo logic if you think the points in the bottom don't mean that the same label ought to be applied to Europe.
In other words, you've got no argument, but you're too stubborn to admit it.
Okay, I spent like 10 minutes searching my mind trying to fully understand where you're coming from and meeting you halfway by listing things I don't even believe to be true about China. If you can't engage with people who disagree with you under those circumstances, then what level of engagement did you expect?
How is it fair to anyone reading your comments that you spend 20 seconds writing them (evidently that means you didn't read my response)? How's that fair to me? That's really disrespectful.
Yup.
Ignorance and lies do not inspire respect my good sir.
Le good sir
You didn't read my comment.
Why would I call lies something I did not read? That would seem dangerous.
Okay, so you read my comment. Presumably that means you think I lied somewhere in that comment. What did I say that was incorrect?
You did not read mine, did you?
None of your comments have been longer than 2 sentences. The one you left replying to my long one explaining why I don't think it makes sense to call China authoritarian unless you also apply that label to Europe suggested that you didn't read my comment, yet you said that I am posting ignorance and lies. I am trying to understand why you think that I wrote lies and ignorant things without reading my comment.
The ability to preternaturally know when someone is lying to me without even hearing what they say sounds like a really cool superpower and if I could learn how you do that, it'd be great.
There is one I explain why. The fact you don't like its content does not invalidate it.
Yeah, that one's 3 sentences. My bad. I've read it like 15 times. I don't think I understand your reasoning as to how I'm lying yet. You don't know that I'm not a bot and you don't want to talk with me. Fine. But you're saying that I lied, when it appears you didn't read what I wrote.
Maybe a 16th time and you will get the difference between "lie" and "willful ignorance"
But you are the ignorant one? You don't understand China at all.
And you have something stuck in your teeth. It is unsightly.
Funny how you say replying to people is just robbing your time and then keep replying for dozens more comments
Oh please, don't rob yourself of your time, you're not adding value to the conversation anyway
How much time have you spent studying the Chinese system?
How many Chinese people have you discussed politics with? How much time have you spent there?
I met people from China who unlike you understand their government is a proletarian democracy (which is different from a liberal democracy in many ways), you can even meet Chinese people here who'll tell you that their government is democratic, but it's not THAT hard to learn about a system you don't understand by at least watching YouTube if you don't have the patience or habit of sitting down to read.
I haven't been to China because I'm poor and on the other side of the globe, have you been there yourself? There are nice videos by tourists that show that China is just... a country. Very advanced, great infrastructure, but not what you seem to believe it is.
I have been there, to several places. I have friends there. I know Chinese outside of China. They are not hard to find.
If you live in a big city, there are Chinese places. Go there and try to talk Chinese politics with anyone there, see what's the general feeling. Sample that with a random European place and see how more easily you can talk politics with a French or an Italian. Thing is, China sends policemen to check the Chinese abroad behave correctly. Even outside China, they are on their toes.
That's your homework before you try to explain to people online things about a country you never experienced.
China is far more advanced than most westerners believe, even though they start updating their views a bit. I also heard Dubai and Tel Aviv are very nice city to live in. Which tells you nothing about the ills of their governments.
There are Chinese people here, surely their opinion is more trustworthy than yours. If you're gonna propagate conspiracy theories at least do the work of sourcing it. Finally, I've met Venezuelans who celebrated their own country being bombed, I've met Cubans encouraging brutal sanctions against their own people, same with diasporas from every other country that's not a US neocolony or vassal. Them having roots from a place doesn't mean they're necessarily informed. If you meet them in the west then your sample size is people who left and people who were born to people who left. Many diaspora communities are literally connected to far-right dictatorships, militias, counter-revolutionaries and so on and on. But I'm sure your opinion matters more than the opinion of Chinese people living in China, chauvinist.
Go meet Chinese people IRL then. And judge from there.
Sure, when I save enough to visit China in a few years.
Read the comments of the people you pretend to engage with.
Damn, in my days trolls were at least trying.
I know Chinese people in my city, but it's not the same as talking to people LIVING in China, surely you understand that?
I've interacted with 5 - 7 Chinese users over Lemmy recently ish. Haven't been, but one of my close friends went to Hong Kong pretty recently and enjoyed their time.
LOL. Worked with Chinese, discussed politics with Chinese (outside of China, for obvious reason to anyone who met any Chinese citizen). Try to get first hand accounts before praising one of the strictest censorship in the world. And learn a bit about the specifics of Hong-Kong, or better, meet activists there if this is your sample of China
I'm Chinese in China and you're uneducated and lying.
Huh, ok. Sounds convincing.
Believe it or don't you chauvinist ass doesn't change the reality. I talk politics online and in person with everyone from DiDi drivers to friends and family to small talk with strangers. I and my parents have seen our hometown go from desperate poverty to a semi affluent area with good connections to nearby major cities. You are an arrogant loser who talks with such authority with an understanding thinner than a sheet of paper. The vast majority of Chinese people support/trust the government even western institutionsbseebthat and put it at 70-95%. So take your uneducated vendetta and fuck off.
"verifiably true" just like "social credit score" and Winnie the pooh being banned completely from China.
Chauvinist losers like you used to try harder. I hope you reflect on yourself and become a better person.
Lmao I was right you don't know shit. I sincerely hope you either reflect and become a better person or follow your leader lmao.
Big Wet President, is that you?
If these things are so easily verified, why must we take your word for it? Why can't you just show us the evidence that you're correct and what we're saying isn't true?
I never said you lied about being to China that's impossible for me to know. You are lieing about China and how everything is like here however. Please try to do less strawmen you ignorant bastard.
Lol. Them: Okay but you clearly have an axe to grind, what makes you trustworthy?
You:
Lol. "You should listen to actual Chinese people, but only if they agree with me!"
Ok so you don't even read the comments of the people who reply to you but you know enough that you can determine this person isn't Chinese? Just because? You can literally check their profile and their profile on Hexbear, @QinShiHuangsShlong@hexbear.net
That person said they somehow knew I am lying when I said I went to China.
Sounds fair to disregard anything they say after that. I mean, they are not even trying to be convincing.
Lol the Chinese person you're talking to who disagrees with you is totally fake but "the Chinese" (not Chinese people, just "Chinese") people you talk to who go to another school in Canada and totally back up everything you say, honest, definitely exist.
Between you and the guy in this thread lying about being aboriginal, why are liberals such pathetic liars? Don't you believe in your own ideology, you don't think it can stand up for itself without going AsABlackMan?