Chinese dissident warns Americans you’re already in an authoritarian state … you just don’t know
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Chinese dissident and artist Ai Weiwei has warned that political correctness is starting to show nuances of similarities to Mao Zedong’s infamous Cultural Revolution in China.
Weiwei spoke to PBS reporter Margaret Hoover on “Firing Line” on Friday to discuss authoritarianism in China. During the discussion, Hoover noted a quote from his book when he referred to former President Donald Trump.
Paramilitary soldiers stand guard in Tiananmen Square, where the portrait of the late Chinese President Mao Zedong is seen on the 50th anniversary of the start of the Cultural Revolution in Beijing, China on May 16, 2016. REUTERS / Kim Kyung-Hoon
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“In your book, you describe Mao Zedong’s guidelines during the Cultural Revolution that would be released publicly every night. were the direct communication of a leader’s thoughts to his faithful followers, strengthening the sanctity of his authority, â€Hoover said.
She then asked, “So do you see Donald Trump as an authoritarian?
Although he referred to Trump’s tweets, Weiwei disagreed with the comparison, although he said the United States, in many ways, behaved like an authoritarian state.
“If you are bossy, you have to have a system that supports you. You can’t just be a boss on your own. But certainly, in the United States, with the current situation, you can easily have an authoritarian. In many ways, you are already in the authoritarian state. You just don’t know it, â€Weiwei said.
FILE PHOTO: Chinese artist Ai Weiwei poses for a portrait in front of his new work titled “Pequi Tree,” a 32-meter-tall iron tree on display in the grounds of the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art as part of his exhibition ” Intertwine “in Porto, Portugal on July 22, 2021. REUTERS / Violeta Santos Moura / File Photo
(Reuters)
When Hoover insisted more, Weiwei replied that efforts to have people “unified in a certain political correctness†proved to be more dangerous.
“It’s very philosophical. With today’s technology, we know so much more than we really understand. Information [has] to be stuck. But we don’t really – and really have the knowledge, because you don’t work. You don’t – You don’t have to do anything. You just think that you are purified by certain ideas that you agree with. This presents dangers for society, for an extremely divided society, â€Weiwei said.
When asked how the United States could fall into authoritarianism, Weiwei said, “I think for a long time the West is material. We have a lot more than we needed. And we don’t care about the world situation. But, ultimately, all the politics and politics that we play must be looked at in the context of the world situation, such that China has become a very powerful state. And how the West should deal with it. “
Freshmen take part in military training at Southeastern University on October 22, 2021 in Nanjing, China’s Jiangsu Province. (Photo by Yang Bo / China News Service via Getty Images)
(Yang Bo / China News Service via Getty Images)
Weiwei has frequently criticized China’s policies against cultural dissidents and has spoken out against the authoritarian government. In 2020, he infamously created a secret film documenting China’s brutal measures in an attempt to control the coronavirus outbreak.
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