Great Leader Mao and the Cultural Revolution

[Malikon]

Yet again I find myself wondering why I never actually learned anything in school, and that only through constantly studying on my own do I actually learn about the world.

WTF School? Why you suck so bad?

Been reading a lot about China and the Cultural Revolution lately. Looking up documentaries and books. It's really frightening but fascinating stuff. Especially because it almost was happening within my lifetime.

So in the sense of history, this was very recent.

It's really amazing reading about people being completely stripped of their rights and property "For the greater good." Fearing their neighbors and their own children. Being 'blacklisted' because of their family relations or connections.

Being told what to wear, where to go, what to eat, what to read.

Jeez,...it just boggles the mind.

Communism is one of those weird things where on paper, it kinda makes sense. You think, "Sure,...everyone working for the greater good. What's so bad about that?"

But then when you start reading first hand accounts of it being implemented, it's actually really scary.

So much history to catch up on. It's so hard educating yourself when you're a victim of the American public school system. When all you've been taught is how to pass standardized exams. ....but I digress.


If anyone reading this has no idea what I'm talking about, look up The Chinese Cultural Revolution. It's fascinating.

[SKATTERBRANE]

It is fun to learn, school does its best to drum that out of you.

[PraXis]

[Chilli]

Luckily you seem well able to learn on your own.

Communism does sound good, but its been shown to be as corrupt/corrupting as all the rest.

Its about time someone had another go... maybe capitunism(!), all the incentives of capitalist culture, but with the things we all need run by the state.

[FrankieOliver]

Being told what to wear, where to go, what to eat, what to read.

Reminds me of the United States of America today.

Let's get this thread moving, yeah?

[Thumpalumpacus]

The exaltation of the group above the individual almost always results in great evils being done.

[Grand Toad]

I know an artist that was imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution.

He was forced to paint pictures of Mao, and had to use only red and yellow. He was jailed for making a crack at a party meeting about Mao. He looked at the various paintings on the wall as they went from Marx, through Lenin, Stalin, and then Mao. He said, "you notice how the leaders get worse as they get get less facial hair."

This is one of Uncle Chen's deer painting.

[Fardwark]

BOO!

[bertzie]

Because learning leads to thinking, and thinking leads to ideas, and ideas lead to revolution. The powers that be can't have that. They want us just smart enough to be a cog in the machine.

[KSG_Standard]

Originally Posted by bertzie

Because learning leads to thinking, and thinking leads to ideas, and ideas lead to revolution. The powers that be can't have that. They want us just smart enough to be a cog in the machine.

Depends on what's being taught. Some schools today are actually teaching revolution and how to participate in the occupy movement. There are those on the left in America that are hell bent on indoctrinating the youth to force change...like an end to capitalism and a more "socially just" society. It won't end well. We'll see some examples of this type of behavior tomorrow as the malcontented and indoctrinated youth participate in May day "activities".

We should be teaching things like economics, American history, Constitutional history and history...all from an unbiased perspective. Kids in secondary and post secondary school should learn how to think and not what to think.

[Drew224]

Originally Posted by SKATTERBRANE

It is fun to learn, school does its best to drum that out of you.

Indeed.

Communism is fascinating. And it scares the hell out of me. People consider that system as good because of MONEY and POSSESSION... While equality is a good thing, I don't believe that freedom is really a fair trade for it. I don't want my potential limited to serve everyone else. That system is as much ruined by greed as ours is, but at the least, we get something that we work for, even if it still isn't really fair.

[Axis Bold As Fuzz]

Just bear one thing in mind, if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow!

[bertzie]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Depends on what's being taught. Some schools today are actually teaching revolution and how to participate in the occupy movement. There are those on the left in America that are hell bent on indoctrinating the youth to force change...like an end to capitalism and a more "socially just" society. It won't end well. We'll see some examples of this type of behavior tomorrow as the malcontented and indoctrinated youth participate in May day "activities".

We should be teaching things like economics, American history, Constitutional history and history...all from an unbiased perspective. Kids in secondary and post secondary school should learn how to think and not what to think.

Always gotta make it about left vs right, don't you? There are people on the right just as bad as people on the left. Your little fringe group of righties is about as culturally relevant as the fringe groups on the left that want to tear the country apart. Your 1% and the left 1% are collectively ****ing the other 98% of the country that just want to keep on living in peace. The fringe groups are the ones ****ing it up for the rest of us and until all of you cut that shit out, everyone else is going to suffer.

[FloydPink]

[TheRover09]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Depends on what's being taught. Some schools today are actually teaching revolution and how to participate in the occupy movement. There are those on the left in America that are hell bent on indoctrinating the youth to force change...like an end to capitalism and a more "socially just" society. It won't end well. We'll see some examples of this type of behavior tomorrow as the malcontented and indoctrinated youth participate in May day "activities".

We should be teaching things like economics, American history, Constitutional history and history...all from an unbiased perspective. Kids in secondary and post secondary school should learn how to think and not what to think.

"some" schools being the key part of that sentence.

I agree it should unbiased truth. But it's incredibly difficult to teach "truth" when it seems that for the most part , no one in this country can agree on one god damn thing.

[MineGoesTo11]

I think originally, they were hoping for a communist revolution in the more well to do nations of Europe, but they had to settle for Russia...

What I took from it was that it was never really meant to work in poor, underdeveloped nations.

[bscenefilms]

Mal, if you found that interesting, give this a read:

Ten Days that Shook the World - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[morrow]

Originally Posted by Omar291

"some" schools being the key part of that sentence.

I agree it should unbiased truth. But it's incredibly difficult to teach "truth" when it seems that for the most part , no one in this country can agree on one god damn thing.

There are lots of things people of ALL political parties can agree on, and those things never get done or talked about. We're distracted with bullshit "political hot topics" while getting ****ed-over year after year.
REAL subjects are ignored.
Occasionally a (or both) political parties will pretend to get a hot issue moving but in the end it's all a bunch more payoff bullshit to their lobbyists. See Obamacare and The Patriot Act.

[KSG_Standard]

Originally Posted by bertzie

Always gotta make it about left vs right, don't you? There are people on the right just as bad as people on the left. Your little fringe group of righties is about as culturally relevant as the fringe groups on the left that want to tear the country apart. Your 1% and the left 1% are collectively ****ing the other 98% of the country that just want to keep on living in peace. The fringe groups are the ones ****ing it up for the rest of us and until all of you cut that shit out, everyone else is going to suffer.

Yes, there are some loons on the right...but they aren't ones teaching "social justice" and a revolutionary end to capitalism...they aren't the ones following Marx's and Mao's teachings....and there are far fewer fringers on the right. I myself am a Libertarian and am not participating in screwing anyone. I pay my taxes (a sh!tload of them) and follow the law. I work, you should try it. Isn't it peaceful in your mom's basement?

[SteveGangi]

Originally Posted by FrankieOliver

Reminds me of the United States of America today.

Let's get this thread moving, yeah?

Some of us are old enough to remember those days and that is one of the things that poison us, or at least me, against communism, socialism, AND China (which is still as repressive and monstrous as ever, but is sometimes more clever at hiding it now). We know how evil it truly was.

We seem to be headed that way, a piece at a time...

Just look at the pot 9/11 hysteria... People clamoring for more security and protection, and to hell with privacy and rights. Spying on library records and reading habits. Rendering. "Enhanced interrogation". Secret tribunals issuing secret warrants (if any warrants were even requested). Indeterminate detainment at GITMO without trial. The "if you have nothing to hide..." TSA conducting random "unreasonable search and seizure" with no warrant or probable cause and others arguing "if you don't like it don't go anywhere".

It all makes me sick.



Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Damn right we are.

[TheRover09]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Yes, there are some loons on the right...but they aren't ones teaching "social justice" and a revolutionary end to capitalism...they aren't the ones following Marx's and Mao's teachings....and there are far fewer fringers on the right. I myself am a Libertarian and am not participating in screwing anyone. I pay my taxes (a sh!tload of them) and follow the law. I work, you should try it. Isn't it peaceful in your mom's basement?

Yes because all left wing people are anti-capitalists OF COURSE. That fits the agenda so run with it. They also don't hold jobs, don't pay taxes, and live in mom's basement.

[KSG_Standard]

Originally Posted by Omar291

Yes because all left wing people are anti-capitalists OF COURSE. That fits the agenda so run with it. They also don't hold jobs, don't pay taxes, and live in mom's basement.

Didn't say that. The OWS crowd is mostly left of center, many are avowed Socialists and Communists (according to their banners/signs and rhetoric), many don't work (according to their own words) and many don't pay income taxes (no job = no income taxes), they are planning a national day of strikes and disruption on MAY DAY....AND Bertzie doesn't work and lives in his mom's basement.

Thanks for playing!

[bertzie]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Yes, there are some loons on the right...but they aren't ones teaching "social justice" and a revolutionary end to capitalism...they aren't the ones following Marx's and Mao's teachings....and there are far fewer fringers on the right. I myself am a Libertarian and am not participating in screwing anyone. I pay my taxes (a sh!tload of them) and follow the law. I work, you should try it. Isn't it peaceful in your mom's basement?

You can't end capitalism in America because it hasn't existed here in well over 100 years. You have never lived in a capitalist America. No one alive on this planet today has lived in a capitalist America.

Capitalism -------------------------- America -------------------------- Socialism

The fringe right are every bit as bad as the fringe left. They'd be happy with an America where the constitution and the bible are one in the same, where people are commodities to be bought and sold.

And yes, it's peaceful in my moms basement. But it's a party in your wifes basement and everyone's invited.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Being a farm-hand is hard work.

[TheRover09]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Didn't say that. The OWS crowd is mostly left of center, many are avowed Socialists and Communists (according to their banners/signs and rhetoric), many don't work (according to their own words) and many don't pay income taxes (no job = no income taxes), they are planning a national day of strikes and disruption on MAY DAY....AND Bertzie doesn't work and lives in his mom's basement.

Thanks for playing!

That's what the TV says right?

I've been to an Occupy rally, one in Houston and one in Austin. 90% of everyone I met was employed and were not "socialist" ( but the again you're socialist if you support Obamacare ) but rather people who feel government's concern lay in big business and not common man.

I agree with the post above discussing Capitalism not existing in America.

[KSG_Standard]

Originally Posted by bertzie

You can't end capitalism in America because it hasn't existed here in well over 100 years. You have never lived in a capitalist America. No one alive on this planet today has lived in a capitalist America.

Capitalism -------------------------- America -------------------------- Socialism

The fringe right are every bit as bad as the fringe left. They'd be happy with an America where the constitution and the bible are one in the same, where people are commodities to be bought and sold.

And yes, it's peaceful in my moms basement. But it's a party in your wifes basement and everyone's invited.

No. We have a capitalist economic system. It's not a free market capitalist system, but it's capitalistic nevertheless. What we have specifically, is a MIXED ECONOMY...there are regulations in place and not a pure free market. China now has a mixed economy too...with more central planning and control and more State owned and controlled businesses and industries than we do.

I don't know any folks on the fringe right and those that are on the fringe right aren't planning May Day activities and aren't in the news carrying commie banners and occupying...while the activist left is.

I myself, enjoy a secular gov't and the Constitutional Republic we were promised.

Y U mad bertzie?

[TheRover09]

They sure seem to have an infatuation with comparing Obama to Communism though. The fringe right or left are as dangerous as each other. Period.

[KSG_Standard]

Originally Posted by Omar291

That's what the TV says right?

I've been to an Occupy rally, one in Houston and one in Austin. 90% of everyone I met was employed and were not "socialist" ( but the again you're socialist if you support Obamacare ) but rather people who feel government's concern lay in big business and not common man.

I agree with the post above discussing Capitalism not existing in America.

I've seen the occupiers myself in Austin...many carrying communist banners. I've watched the occupiers on youtube talking about their desire to end capitalism and their desire for socialism. Certainly not all of them...but too many to ignore.

Just so we're all on the same page:

Capitalism: The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics | Library of Economics and Liberty

Definition of CAPITALISM

: an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market

Capitalism - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

[TheRover09]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

I've seen the occupiers myself in Austin...many carrying communist banners. I've watched the occupiers on youtube talking about their desire to end capitalism and their desire for socialism. Certainly not all of them...but too many to ignore.

Just so we're all on the same page:

Capitalism: The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics | Library of Economics and Liberty


Capitalism - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Communist banners like what?

I guess what I should have said is not pure capitalism and a mixed economy.

[bertzie]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

No. We have a capitalist economic system. It's not a free market capitalist system, but it's capitalistic nevertheless. What we have specifically, is a MIXED ECONOMY...there are regulations in place and not a pure free market. China now has a mixed economy too...with more central planning and control and more State owned and controlled businesses and industries than we do.

I don't know any folks on the fringe right and those that are on the fringe right aren't planning May Day activities and aren't in the news carrying commie banners and occupying...while the activist left is.

I myself, enjoy a secular gov't and the Constitutional Republic we were promised.

Y U mad bertzie?

I want my slaves back then. After all, the founding fathers ideas were perfect, and they were cool with slavery, so getting rid of slavery was obviously some evil leftist idea about social justice and we need to bring it back for the glory of the old republic.*

Except for the obvious fact that over 200 years have passed since the writing of the constitution and anyone that thinks the miniscule government from then would be sufficient to ensure the stability of the expansive nation we have is frankly an idiot that needs to kill themself. A centralized governmental power is necessary in this day and age because of the simple fact that states are no longer strictly independent entities. With the expansion of transportation technology and non-physical currency and commerce, it would be impossible for any one state to function within a unified country without a central power governing the interstate activities.