• nednobbins@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    4 hours ago

    OK. How are you measuring the ability to criticize your own government? Is there any metric, besides gut intuition, about criticisms you can make here that you can’t make there?

    • starik@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      4 hours ago

      It’s not just vibes. The censorship in China is unparalleled. Try being Chinese and going on their equivalent of YouTube or Twitter and posting simply “I don’t like Xi JinPing’s policies. I think we need a new leader.” Your posts will be removed, and if you keep it up, you will be imprisoned.

      Also, they’re not a democracy. They don’t get to choose or change who is in power. There is basically no mechanism for pushing back against anything the government does in China.

      In the US, we’re getting a little taste of that kind of unaccountability with ICE, and there is outrage, which is still legal to express. Hopefully, the whole top of our government will change hands in a couple years. I’m thankful I live somewhere that is possible.