What is a bathhouse? I assumed it was a place people would go to get a luxurious bath, but there is nothing like that in the video. Is bathhouse another name for hotel?
Oh no, sorry for the confusion! To be clear, there's totally a bathing section, but filming isn't allowed inside, so he didn't show it. From the bathhouses I've went to (granted, I've never went to anything this fancy), it's got rows of showers that you go through, and then there's a big hall with all kinds of different onsen pools. Fancy places will have each pool be slightly different (different temperatures, some uses carbonated water, saltwater pool, etc, etc).
Hello Moly, I like your idea, and it is interesting what people are saying. I have not "surfed" your site, so I don't much know what you come up with, you say randomly. Before I have dived into "sixthtone". It is a site dedicated to Chinese non-fiction writing. They are longer pieces of course, and there are a lot of touching stories. Much of it is young people, so it must lay out a future vision.
Social media has certain undeniable characteristics, not all that positive. Some years back I happened on this video from a Tech Guru. He was big then and has grown immensely since then.
What On-Line Life Does:
1. Highlights only other people's lives, and/or exaggerates yours.
(makes people more and more insecure and jealous).
Always looking out never looking to the interior.
2. Echo chambers designed to keep you scrolling down as long as possible. (polarized rabbit holes)
3. Strongly stresses negative viewpoint bias, (they get more click-through).
4. Builds false confidence about things you really know nothing about.
Strong views that have no basis in reality. Search engines give you only what you liked before.
5. Promotes Isolation, so you don't need anyone else,
(A.I. will take over; desire for human contact will fall) And Isolation is not forced: We are choosing it!
6. Chaos with the Cancel Culture, desire to take people's opposing views down a peg (everyone becoming unsatisfied and bitter).
7. Surveillance becoming widespread and accepted,
(not about crime, but you can't even dare to think differently).
8. This is not about how to mitigate internet traps? He is a TECH GURU, where he coaches how to fall more deeply into them, with more and more tech. But he at the same time is a penetrating observer.
Oh, doomscrolling isn't a healthy habit by any means. Of course social media gives a biased view into any society. But at the same time, short of being native-born there, any experience of a society is going to be biased. Me coming on here and telling personal stories would be even more biased than translating weibo, because it's just one person's anecdotal experience. Looking at Chinese social media is the best way out of a whole bunch of unrealistic or even worse ways to get to know China.
But yeah, obviously, all internet communities are going to have their problems.
Hi Moly and thanks for the reply. I see you understand perfectly well. My only question is that there are likely many (unsophisticated) readers who don't understand. If they think that your posts are a true reflection of China, they may think that China is really a crazy and dangerous place. That might potentially fuel international hostility. (I think you said you just take the first random chats, as they come.) Anything might be in them.
Frankly, I don't even follow western threads or feeds and I haven't followed yours. So I don't really know.
IMO the world is in dire need of understanding. Things are already exploding in Europe and the Middle East. The last thing we need is for Asia to be lit on fire. With a domestic audience, sure you can make jokes and show how so many weird people think. We all get a good laugh.
But on an international audience, I would think caution is due.
That's why I try to do FAQs every month and write essays every now and then, so I can try to give insight into those areas of China that you don't really see on social media, and try to explain that some of the craziness makes perfect sense the way Chinese society is structured.
But you know. I can't really stop myself from addictively doomscrolling on weibo, and if I have to suffer daily SAN damage, then by God I'm gonna inflict it on everyone else too :P
Yeah, it's all here. I think you can find them if you go to "Top Posts", since they tend to be my more popular content. I really need to go through and properly tag my posts or something. Whenever I can find the motivation.
fall -> full or fully
Feex
What is a bathhouse? I assumed it was a place people would go to get a luxurious bath, but there is nothing like that in the video. Is bathhouse another name for hotel?
Oh no, sorry for the confusion! To be clear, there's totally a bathing section, but filming isn't allowed inside, so he didn't show it. From the bathhouses I've went to (granted, I've never went to anything this fancy), it's got rows of showers that you go through, and then there's a big hall with all kinds of different onsen pools. Fancy places will have each pool be slightly different (different temperatures, some uses carbonated water, saltwater pool, etc, etc).
Thanks for the explanation. I can certainly understand why they wouldn't allow filming in the showers. :-)
Hello Moly, I like your idea, and it is interesting what people are saying. I have not "surfed" your site, so I don't much know what you come up with, you say randomly. Before I have dived into "sixthtone". It is a site dedicated to Chinese non-fiction writing. They are longer pieces of course, and there are a lot of touching stories. Much of it is young people, so it must lay out a future vision.
https://www.sixthtone.com/
Social media has certain undeniable characteristics, not all that positive. Some years back I happened on this video from a Tech Guru. He was big then and has grown immensely since then.
What On-Line Life Does:
1. Highlights only other people's lives, and/or exaggerates yours.
(makes people more and more insecure and jealous).
Always looking out never looking to the interior.
2. Echo chambers designed to keep you scrolling down as long as possible. (polarized rabbit holes)
3. Strongly stresses negative viewpoint bias, (they get more click-through).
4. Builds false confidence about things you really know nothing about.
Strong views that have no basis in reality. Search engines give you only what you liked before.
5. Promotes Isolation, so you don't need anyone else,
(A.I. will take over; desire for human contact will fall) And Isolation is not forced: We are choosing it!
6. Chaos with the Cancel Culture, desire to take people's opposing views down a peg (everyone becoming unsatisfied and bitter).
7. Surveillance becoming widespread and accepted,
(not about crime, but you can't even dare to think differently).
8. This is not about how to mitigate internet traps? He is a TECH GURU, where he coaches how to fall more deeply into them, with more and more tech. But he at the same time is a penetrating observer.
Here is that video, see what you think. (25 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZvee3-PEzo&t=2s
.
Oh, doomscrolling isn't a healthy habit by any means. Of course social media gives a biased view into any society. But at the same time, short of being native-born there, any experience of a society is going to be biased. Me coming on here and telling personal stories would be even more biased than translating weibo, because it's just one person's anecdotal experience. Looking at Chinese social media is the best way out of a whole bunch of unrealistic or even worse ways to get to know China.
But yeah, obviously, all internet communities are going to have their problems.
Hi Moly and thanks for the reply. I see you understand perfectly well. My only question is that there are likely many (unsophisticated) readers who don't understand. If they think that your posts are a true reflection of China, they may think that China is really a crazy and dangerous place. That might potentially fuel international hostility. (I think you said you just take the first random chats, as they come.) Anything might be in them.
Frankly, I don't even follow western threads or feeds and I haven't followed yours. So I don't really know.
IMO the world is in dire need of understanding. Things are already exploding in Europe and the Middle East. The last thing we need is for Asia to be lit on fire. With a domestic audience, sure you can make jokes and show how so many weird people think. We all get a good laugh.
But on an international audience, I would think caution is due.
Here's my latest favorite book about China from Xiang Biao, an anthropologist: I lost my download link, so I just uploaded my copy here: https://brax.me/f/Self%20as%20Method.docx/T4AZ65a7823a09dd86.36615435
.
That's why I try to do FAQs every month and write essays every now and then, so I can try to give insight into those areas of China that you don't really see on social media, and try to explain that some of the craziness makes perfect sense the way Chinese society is structured.
But you know. I can't really stop myself from addictively doomscrolling on weibo, and if I have to suffer daily SAN damage, then by God I'm gonna inflict it on everyone else too :P
Are your essays here? Which one should I read. I want to know more about China. Thanks
Yeah, it's all here. I think you can find them if you go to "Top Posts", since they tend to be my more popular content. I really need to go through and properly tag my posts or something. Whenever I can find the motivation.