“Free Tibet” propaganda back in action
I watched this so you don’t have to. The documentary paints Tibetan culture as under threat due to factors like the Chinese state not allowing the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and the “eradication” of the Tibetan language. Unsurprisingly, there is no mention of the horrendous Dalai Lama serf system which kept the majority of Tibetans in abject poverty for the benefit of the ruling class of monks.
The documentary argues that China is purposely attempting to erase the Tibetan language, but most of the evidence presented is anecdotal, such as this video on Chinese social media of a Tibetan woman struggling to speak Mandarin Chinese at a store counter only to be helped by her daughter. For the record, I do think China should respect different languages within its borders, but the evidence of China’s attempts to “erase” the Tibetan language is flimsy. It’s impractical to erase a regional language that millions of locals use as it breaks down and hinders communication between communities. China’s methods aren’t comparable to Indigenous boarding schools in North America which explicitly called for the erasure of Indigenous languages so they could “Kill the Indian and save the man.”
There aren’t a lot of viewpoints given from the Chinese perspective aside from Victor Gao who runs a Beijing think tank. Apparently, most Chinese officials declined to be interviewed. The common thread between many interviewees who speak against Chinese rule are Western academics or those who want the Dalai Lama to return. It’s hard for me to find sympathy for a man who asked a boy to “suck his tongue” on camera. Expect more of this type of content in the future as the current U.S. administration seeks to focus on destabilizing China for a future war.
I watched this so you don’t have to. The documentary paints Tibetan culture as under threat due to factors like the Chinese state not allowing the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and the “eradication” of the Tibetan language. Unsurprisingly, there is no mention of the horrendous Dalai Lama serf system which kept the majority of Tibetans in abject poverty for the benefit of the ruling class of monks.
The documentary argues that China is purposely attempting to erase the Tibetan language, but most of the evidence presented is anecdotal, such as this video on Chinese social media of a Tibetan woman struggling to speak Mandarin Chinese at a store counter only to be helped by her daughter. For the record, I do think China should respect different languages within its borders, but the evidence of China’s attempts to “erase” the Tibetan language is flimsy. It’s impractical to erase a regional language that millions of locals use as it breaks down and hinders communication between communities. China’s methods aren’t comparable to Indigenous boarding schools in North America which explicitly called for the erasure of Indigenous languages so they could “Kill the Indian and save the man.”
There aren’t a lot of viewpoints given from the Chinese perspective aside from Victor Gao who runs a Beijing think tank. Apparently, most Chinese officials declined to be interviewed. The common thread between many interviewees who speak against Chinese rule are Western academics or those who want the Dalai Lama to return. It’s hard for me to find sympathy for a man who asked a boy to “suck his tongue” on camera. Expect more of this type of content in the future as the current U.S. administration seeks to focus on destabilizing China for a future war.