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Q: Do Chinese believe in choice?
I am interested in concepts of freedom, agency and choice. It is really intriguing how different human beings understand their role in the world and relate to power, autonomy etc. Any thoughts on the topic?
They believe in the idea of choosing between different options. They call it 选择 and if you'll allow me to demonstrate:
Should I have the pork or the chicken? I will "选择＂(so to speak) the chicken, because it is so delicious.
They do, that's how the changes in this society will ultimately take place.
Choice of which meat to shove into their hot pots? Which shampoo to buy? Sure they do.
Choice of ideas of how to live their lives? Choice of government? They don't know how. They've never, as a society, been afforded that... priveledge. But as individuals get that taste, that understanding, and can convince others... they will start changing the... world.
Do girls from rural traditional families have a choice about the arranged marraige by their parents. Yes and no....how do you define choice?
Does the businessman have a choice as to have a mistress and screw whores on the side, while the wife and kid wait at home. Yes, but maybe they are pressured by other factors...colleagues, expectations...I don't know.
Does a poor factory worker have a choice as to eat rice and veggies for dinner, or go out to a nice restaurant and blow a 1/4 of his monthly wages? Yes and no.
Do they have freedom or speech? Yes and no, depending on how the powers that be interpret the message.
Do they have choice in government? No, but they have never had this choice, and may not even understand the concept.
But I will say that with the explosion of social media, and internet use, they are becoming more and more informed all the time. Only time will tell how this new found power will affect their lives.
