I can post here
And I’m bloody well going to do so.
As I’ve just said over on my new main blog, I should be making some effort to read The Girl who Played with Fire, but I also feel that I should use and abuse my blogs now that all of them are accessible. On that matter, I’ve taken some steps which might get me round the petty paranoia of the current regime so that I can see the Internet as Al Gore invented it to be.
I have seen one or two articles in the past couple of months which have observed that the Web hasn’t brought democracy because it’s spurred various disreputable regimes to extend their degree of control on the channels of information. In fact, the Web won’t bring democracy, I think, but rather offer a channel for the next oppressive regime to make a bid for power. In truth, the Egyptians will get more of the same unless they end up with some nutjob theocracy. (That probably means more of the same, but with prayers and mindless chanting against Egypt’s supposed enemies; all right, the Hittites.)
I’m just reading an article on China Geeks called Chinese Overseas Students, Then and Now, which is about how Chinese students studying abroad have changed from those who wanted to effect some change in the Empire a century ago, to those who are merely interested in the personal benefits of a foreign education and the maintenance of the status quo today.
I’ve never really thought about what effect studying abroad might have on my little darlings. I do know that one who went to study law in the States was very interested in the rule of law, but the rule of law is never going to happen in the Empire any time soon. Most of my current lot are planning to go off and do engineering, business, and physics, and some of them get into good universities (two have managed to get into Oxford, and possibly some more might as well).
But what the effect of such opportunities might be, I don’t know. I expect that my little darlings will only use English when they have to; will never make a single non-Chinese friend; will contribute little or nothing in tutorials; and will show no real personal development. I doubt whether they’ll be able to think for themselves at the end of their degrees with any greater aptitude than they can do that now. (I told PAL 2 last week to amuse themselves, and more than one ask me what they should do.)
There might be a few who buck the trend, but I can’t imagine it.
The point is that I don’t expect them to come back chanting, “Down with the imperial government”, but it would be nice if the experience of being abroad could have some beneficial effect on their attitude, which might then affect others in some small way, thus provoking some gradual, positive change. The Empire is not a place which changes easily, and which, with the rest of the world, can’t afford to return to the bad old days of fragmentation.
I have seen one or two articles in the past couple of months which have observed that the Web hasn’t brought democracy because it’s spurred various disreputable regimes to extend their degree of control on the channels of information. In fact, the Web won’t bring democracy, I think, but rather offer a channel for the next oppressive regime to make a bid for power. In truth, the Egyptians will get more of the same unless they end up with some nutjob theocracy. (That probably means more of the same, but with prayers and mindless chanting against Egypt’s supposed enemies; all right, the Hittites.)
I’m just reading an article on China Geeks called Chinese Overseas Students, Then and Now, which is about how Chinese students studying abroad have changed from those who wanted to effect some change in the Empire a century ago, to those who are merely interested in the personal benefits of a foreign education and the maintenance of the status quo today.
I’ve never really thought about what effect studying abroad might have on my little darlings. I do know that one who went to study law in the States was very interested in the rule of law, but the rule of law is never going to happen in the Empire any time soon. Most of my current lot are planning to go off and do engineering, business, and physics, and some of them get into good universities (two have managed to get into Oxford, and possibly some more might as well).
But what the effect of such opportunities might be, I don’t know. I expect that my little darlings will only use English when they have to; will never make a single non-Chinese friend; will contribute little or nothing in tutorials; and will show no real personal development. I doubt whether they’ll be able to think for themselves at the end of their degrees with any greater aptitude than they can do that now. (I told PAL 2 last week to amuse themselves, and more than one ask me what they should do.)
There might be a few who buck the trend, but I can’t imagine it.
The point is that I don’t expect them to come back chanting, “Down with the imperial government”, but it would be nice if the experience of being abroad could have some beneficial effect on their attitude, which might then affect others in some small way, thus provoking some gradual, positive change. The Empire is not a place which changes easily, and which, with the rest of the world, can’t afford to return to the bad old days of fragmentation.
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