被举报的郭德纲：告密社会的成因和未来
Summary
This video discusses the repercussions faced by comedian Guo Degang for adapting a song during a performance, leading to an investigation. It explores the broader implications of censorship, the history of adapting
Key points- Guo Degang is under investigation for adapting lyrics of a revolutionary song during a performance, which was reported by a viewer.
- The investigation is framed as a procedural issue of not reporting the adaptation beforehand, rather than the content itself.
- The video questions the origins of "red classics" and how they were adapted from folk art, suggesting a double standard in adaptation.
- It highlights historical and contemporary examples of individuals facing severe consequences for jokes, parodies, or critical remarks, illustrating a trend of increasing speech control.
- The piece argues that the culture of whistleblowing, encouraged by the system, leads to self-censorship and a loss of freedom, ultimately damaging national character and creativity.
Chapters
Notable quotes (4)
“Beneath the guise of procedural compliance What it actually conceals is a knife of speech control.”
“True gold fears no fire True faith is not afraid of jokes.”
“and It disguises this evil behavior as a virtue.”
“That is aiding and abetting evil.”
0:03Guo Degang is in trouble again. The video you just saw is a clip from Guo Degang's performance in Wuhan on July 24th. It was because of these few seconds of dialogue This led to him being reported by viewers. It is currently under investigation by the Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. So, who exactly did Guo Degang insult?
0:29Hello everyone Welcome to Second Master's Story Guo Degang's latest performance is of the well-known story of the Living Buddha Ji Gong. When he got into the act He spontaneously performed a short skit. The term "improvisation" refers to acting on the spot. He adapted a small section of the lyrics. He played the theme song from the movie "Railway Guerrillas" on my beloved pipa with ease.
0:52It was changed to "The sun is about to set in the west". The Forbidden City was quiet. The sentence "Is this Buddha or Tathagata?" was added afterward. Mommy Mommy soothes The sun in the west
1:10It's almost sunset The Forbidden City was quiet. I played my beloved earthen pipa Singing that moving song, I know Buddha, I know Tathagata. Mommy Mommy soothes Hey hey hey ya well There was nothing inherently wrong with the scene. The audience below the stage burst into laughter. But what I didn't expect was... After the show A stay-at-home dad from Wuhan Possibly the brother of the Sydney dad I reported him with the video.
1:54The reason for the report was this song, "Playing My Beloved Pipa". It is a representative of revolutionary songs. Bearing the so-called memories of the War of Resistance and national sentiment Guo Degang's adaptation Distorting and vulgarizing red classics Violating public order and good morals And what was the result? The official response was swift. August 11th The Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism publicly announced Case filed for investigation In the official statement at the time It was not said that Guo Degang insulted the classic revolutionary works.
2:24Rather, it means that Guo Degang's adapted singing parts were not reflected in the filing materials. Suspected of violating the regulations on the administration of commercial performances Translated into human language, it means It's not that he made the wrong changes. He didn't submit a report before making the changes. But Comedy performances inherently include improvisation. How do you submit a report for impromptu performances?
2:46Requires immediate listing Report in advance It's like asking you to fill out an application form before you sneeze. You can print it after it's approved. Beneath the guise of procedural compliance What it actually conceals is a knife of speech control. so Today's episode Let's talk about three questions. First Whom did Guo Degang's joke offend? second Where did all those enthusiastic whistleblowers come from?
3:12third A country that cannot tolerate jokes Where will it go?
3:21Let's start with the first question. Who did Guo Degang offend? It offended Weishan Lake. Or did I offend Jingqiao? None This is an interlude from the 1956 Railway Guerrilla. No Which author or their family member should stand up and say... I feel offended. Veteran of the People's Railway Guerrilla of Weishan Lake No one said they were offended.
3:43so Those who are truly hurt A Wuhan dad who felt inexplicably offended And an authority that is willing to accept this whistleblower. To put it bluntly Guo Degang offended the authorities and some people's fragile egos. Speaking of which... Then I have to talk about the so-called "red classics". Can classic revolutionary works be adapted? Let's take a look first.
4:06Where did these classic revolutionary texts come from? Take the most sacred song, "The East Is Red," for example. The East Is Red, the Sun Rises China produced a Mao Zedong Where did this melody come from? It comes from the folk song "Sesame Oil" from northern Shaanxi. The original lyrics went like this: Sesame oil, cabbage heart To eat green beans without removing the tendons Three days without seeing I want to die, oh my god!
4:29Oh, my third brother! This was originally a very down-to-earth little ditty from northern Shaanxi, about a boy missing his wife. According to today's standards That's absolutely vulgar content. As a result, it was adapted into a song praising revolutionary leaders, and thus became a sacred object. It became a hymn that hundreds of millions of people sing three times a day.
4:50you say Who offended whom here? This is not the only similar example. The familiar "Ten Send-Offs to the Red Army" It is an adaptation of the folk song "Tea Picking Tune" from Jiangxi. Model Opera The White-Haired Girl It is adapted from the folk legend of the White-haired Fairy in Hebei. Originally all vegetarian dishes It has nothing to do with revolutionary songs So you see The Birth History of Red Classics It is itself a history of adapting folk art.
5:15Folk songs can be adapted into revolutionary songs. Red songs cannot be adapted into folk songs. This is just a case of "only the magistrate is allowed to set fires." Are ordinary people not allowed to light lamps? In earlier years Back when China didn't have so many stay-at-home dads who were keen on reporting... It was normal at first The comedic effect brought about by the contrast It's common for people to mock classic revolutionary works online.
5:37For example, at the beginning of 2018 Videos of adapted versions of the Yellow River Cantata are flooding the internet. Many companies use it to warm up the atmosphere at their annual meetings. There are many short videos. It's also used for humor. This deconstruction of red classics It's actually similar to the enthusiasm of ordinary people during the Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao eras for the dirty jokes told by high-ranking officials.
5:57Just for fun There is no deep political meaning. But around 2018 The wind direction suddenly changed. May 1, 2018 The CCP promulgated the so-called Law on the Protection of Heroes and Martyrs. The first to run into this line of fire was Rage Comics. Because they altered Ye Ting's prison song. He was sued in court by Ye Ting's descendants and asked to apologize.
6:19Compensation and rectification Since then Parodying classic revolutionary works has officially escalated from a matter of taste to a legal issue. Red classics are no longer just works of art. Rather, it is a sacred object. Regarding its parody No longer a battle of interests Rather, it is the sin of blasphemy. Desecrating heroes and martyrs In fact, there is a specific term in human history.
6:41It is called blasphemy. This crime still exists in many Islamic countries. It is not surprising that religions have established blasphemy. They were just upholding divine authority. But you, who talk about atheism every day... A regime that advocates materialism It's astonishing that they need a de facto blasphemy law to protect their hymns and icons. What does this mean?
7:02This shows that you have also turned your own ideology into a religion. Moreover, it is a religion that is particularly insecure. Even the CCP itself He also doesn't really respect his own revolutionary classics. Let's talk about the song that Guo Degang got into trouble with this time. The Song of the Railway Guerrilla during the Cultural Revolution The line "The sun is about to set in the west" is suspected of alluding to the sun in the east.
7:25Mao Zedong was also denounced as a major poisonous weed. Everyone involved in this film, from the director to the actors, was subjected to criticism and forced labor. Several of them were even forced to commit suicide. This film and its theme song were only unbanned after the Cultural Revolution. You're now calling other people's adaptations blasphemous. You banned this so-called classic back then.
7:45When the actor was driven to suicide That's what you call blasphemy, okay? True gold fears no fire True faith is not afraid of jokes. It will not be destroyed by jokes. For thousands of years How many people repeatedly make fun of or even ridicule Buddha and Jesus? Buddha is still Buddha Jesus is still Jesus Only those who masquerade as faith are afraid of jokes.
8:07Because laughter makes people straighten up and look straight ahead. Looking at someone at eye level is the mortal enemy of worship. Moreover, the most ironic thing about Guo Degang being reported is that... He was performing as Ji Gong on stage that day. Who is Ji Gong? That's a representative of anti-traditionalism, just like Sun Wukong. Wine and meat pass through the intestines Buddha remains in my heart This is an offensive deity created through generations of Chinese folklore.
8:31Offending the precepts Offending the abbot Offending the government Offending anything serious But the people have loved Ji Gong for eight hundred years. He was worshipped as a living Buddha Why do people prefer Ji Gong to Shi Yongxin? It's because a monk who dares to make people laugh is a true Buddha. Those who forbid people from laughing are mostly wicked monks.
8:52From Ji Gong to the Eight Immortals Then there's Sun Wukong, who wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace. Chinese folk traditions have never lacked this kind of deconstruction of the sacred. This is also one of the healthiest parts of our national spirit. But if Ji Gong were to live today... What do you think will happen? First He was working without a certificate and without a license.
9:11The performance was not reported. second Wine and meat pass through the intestines Buddha remains in my heart This is a violation of professional ethics. Violating public order and good morals third Talking nonsense in the street, mocking the government. That's a clear case of provoking trouble. so If Ji Gong himself lived in China today... Don't try to call him a living Buddha.
9:35You'll be investigated sooner or later.
9:42Everyone is very concerned Who exactly are the people who reported Guo Degang? It doesn't really matter who it is. Because of the Chinese tradition of whistleblowing After 1949 It has almost become a legally recognized virtue. Everyone should still remember 2015 Bi Fujian was reported for something. As a famous CCTV host He was at a private dinner party Singing revolutionary model operas, such as "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy" When you're happy while singing He added a few sarcastic comments about Mao Zedong.
10:08Workers' and peasants' sons and daughters join the army, hahaha! Arriving in the deep mountains What are you doing in the deep mountains? Hahaha To eliminate the reactionaries How could I possibly beat them? Transforming the land and changing the sky decades of revolution North-South turn battle oh That must have been tough. Communist Party Chairman Mao oops Don't mention that old bastard.
10:40They really put us in a lot of trouble, hahaha. Someone at the table raised their phone. He recorded it without making a sound and uploaded it to the internet. Within a few days Bi Fujian disappeared from CCTV. He was never able to return to the screen. This is just one sentence. It even implicated one person. A single sentence can ruin an entire industry.
10:582023 House, a stand-up comedian His real name is Li Haoshi He told a few jokes on stage. So what dogs do you usually see? You'll find it cute My heart is melting from cuteness! These words come to mind I saw these two dogs The eight characters "excellent conduct" flashed through my mind. We can win battles, hahaha! This one sentence was reported by netizens.
11:18Because of excellent conduct Capable of winning battles These 8 characters That's a special honorific title used exclusively by the People's Liberation Army. You actually used it on a dog? Uncle can endure Auntie can't stand it result House himself is under investigation by Beijing police. Complete internet ban His company, Xiaoguo Culture, was fined over ten million yuan. Punished until he vomits blood All live stand-up comedy shows across the country have been suspended.
11:42The entire industry underwent rectification for almost two years. Many clubs closed down as a result. Many young people make a living from stand-up comedy Just because of this short 8-character meme Lost my job A joke by one person The entire industry was buried with them This iron-fisted method of collective punishment Even Shang Yang praised their expertise. Recently Here's another example.
12:03Just a few days ago, the famous comedian Jia Bing... He went to a reunion with his veteran comrades. He drank some alcohol and got drunk. He swore a few times. This is a vulgarity that any man would inevitably exhibit when drunk. And he didn't even mention any political topics. This was secretly recorded by an acquaintance. It was uploaded to the internet.
12:22Forced to issue an apology overnight, Jia Bing, who was trembling with fear. Look In the future, we Chinese Even having a meal with your closest comrade-in-arms You need to remind yourself of that. Think about what happened to Bi Fujian and Jia Bing. certainly It's not just celebrities who are in danger. People in many other industries are also in danger.
12:39In December 2021 There is a teacher named Song Gengyi at Shanghai Aurora Vocational College. When she was lecturing in class Discussing the Nanjing Massacre with students She said There are some issues with the statistics in this historical record. Notice She did not deny the Nanjing Massacre. She meant there was a problem with the headcount statistics. She felt that when this history was being told in China...
12:59I didn't put in the effort to collect and organize historical materials. Often vague The exact number 300,000 Historical research could have yielded a more accurate result. And what was the result? She said this... A student secretly recorded a video from his seat. Then, after cutting off the beginning and end, it was uploaded online. I reported her The school expelled her overnight.
13:20Connect these things together You will see a concentric circle Comedy Theater University classroom Private dinner party Comrades' drinking table Speech Taboos for Chinese People Shrinking inwards in circles Received at the end Every Chinese person There might be a Sydney dad sitting there. Jokes from ordinary people The Art of Offense Normal discussion Even ordinary complaints Because of fear of being reported Everything has become a prison of fearful speech.
13:49So here's the question... These enthusiastic whistleblowers Is it because I was born with a cheap streak? In the genes of Chinese people Does it possess a unique chromosome for whistleblowing and informing? Not at all Whistleblowing and informing are not things that are innate in human nature. It is a monstrosity carefully cultivated by the system and power. The Shang Yang Reforms have been praised in Chinese textbooks for decades.
14:14It was once written in black and white that whistleblowing and informing were legal responsibilities of the public. Written into Qin Law Those who report traitors will be rewarded the same as those who behead the enemy. Those who harbor traitors will be punished the same as those who surrender to the enemy. Coupled with the system of collective punishment One family broke the law Neighbors are equally guilty This forces neighbors to report and monitor each other.
14:32From that time on Reporting secrets In this land, it is no longer a moral flaw. Rather, it is a legal requirement. The next two thousand years Wu Zetian set up a bronze box Ming Dynasty Yangchangwei The Qing Dynasty instigated literary inquisitions They are essentially the same. What is the pinnacle of performance? It was during the Cultural Revolution I once told a story about a tragic little man.
14:51Zhang Hongbing from Guzhen County, Anhui Province A name that reflects a person He really was a Red Guard. February 1970 Zhang Hongbing's mother Fang Zhongmou She is a doctor When she picked up a barefoot doctor's manual and started reading I saw a quote from Mao Zedong printed on it: "The noblest are the most foolish." The lowly are the wisest.
15:10Fang Zhongmou I pointed to this passage unintentionally and said This statement was not actually made by Mao Zedong. That's what someone else said. He is not the original author. And what was the result? These words immediately alerted Zhang Hongbing, the 16-year-old son, and his father. They threatened her to admit her mistake Otherwise, we will report and expose them.
15:27And what was the result? This mother is also a tough nut to crack. Faced with threats from her husband and son She just wouldn't apologize or admit her mistake. She added that Mao Zedong is currently cultivating a personality cult. Liu Shaoqi was wronged. Hearing this Zhang Hongbing and his father actually recorded her remarks on the spot. Then they forced the mother to sign a confirmation.
15:49Holding this report I went to the police station to report her that very night. In his letter of complaint to the Public Security Bureau, Zhang Hongbing wrote the following passage: In the fierce struggle I thought of Chairman Mao. My whole body was filled with boundless power I turned on the radio. Listen to Chairman Mao's voice Let Fang Zhongmou tremble.
16:08Down with Fang Zhongmou, the current counter-revolutionary Fang Zhongmou was executed. As expected Two months later His mother was sentenced to death on charges of being a counter-revolutionary. Execution by firing squad in public The one who sent his own mother to the execution ground was not some beast. Instead, he was taught from a young age that Chairman Mao was more important than his own parents.
16:28Young people who truly believe they can betray their own family for the greater good Although Zhang Hongbing sent his mother to the execution ground However, he himself did not gain any benefit. He and his brother were considered family members of counter-revolutionaries. Not only did I not get the opportunity to attend high school And they can't join the army.
16:44Cannot enter the factory He was eventually sent down to the countryside. He lived his life in a daze. Zhang Hongbing, who woke up more than forty years later I will spend the rest of my life repenting running around I am applying to have my mother's grave listed as a cultural relic from the Cultural Revolution. Let future generations remember this.
17:06It hurt me so much I cried His mother could never understand. I reckon even in the afterlife, he would find it hard to forgive him. That's what makes the whistleblower culture so terrifying. It not only broke the most basic ethics and morality Tolerating everyone doing evil and It disguises this evil behavior as a virtue. To paint it as an act of justice I'll also put a little red flower on your head.
17:37Some people might say Isn't this just the inherent weakness of the Chinese people? Love to tattle Internal strife cannot be changed Actually, it's not the same in China and abroad. Let me tell you a few more real-life examples from abroad. Look at how devastating the alienation of humanity is caused by the system. As is well known During the Berlin Wall period East Germany, which belonged to the socialist camp It has a famous organization called Stasi.
17:58That is, the Ministry of State Security Their slogan is that we are everywhere. to this end The Stasi assembled the most terrifying secret police system in human history. It has 91,000 official employees. Then there are 170,000 registered informants. A total of 6 million people in East Germany had secret files created for them. You should know At that time, the total population of East Germany was only 16 million.
18:22More than one-third of the population was secretly monitored. To what extent has this surveillance reached a perverse level? After German reunification in 1991 The Stasi archives are open to all citizens. Countless East Germans lined up to access their own files. Only after reviewing it did I discover For decades Those who informed the Stasi included family members, colleagues, and childhood friends.
18:44And has its own priest for example 著名的 dissident Vera She found it in her own file. The informant who betrayed her for years Her husband, who had always shared a bed with her And what about the west side of the wall? Also German They also rose from the ruins of Nazi Germany. West Germany had no culture of informing.
19:06Why? It's not that West Germans were of such noble character. This is because West Germany's power structure did not require informing. There is no benefit in informing. No future No market Only shame The same seed Different soils One side grew into a towering tree One side simply couldn't sprout at all. East Germans and West Germans Separated by the Berlin Wall It is essentially the same East Germans weren't born with a love of informing.
19:31The state asked him to inform on them. Similarly It's not that we Chinese are inherently inclined to report others. It is the system and environment that require you to report. Ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign Human nature is the same. It wasn't that a villain just happened to appear in a certain era. Rather, that era needed the emergence of villains.
19:50so what Petty people will then emerge. A line emerged This law of human nature Not only applicable in totalitarian countries Even in democratic countries It is also applicable. The Sydney dad I mentioned earlier A Trump supporter living in Australia Halfway around the world He's going to report me to the FBI. Just because I criticized his American Idol Actually in Australia Many people also criticized his idol.
20:15Why didn't he report it? It's very simple. Because Australia doesn't have that environment. You report other people's comments. People will just think you're an idiot. But the situation in the United States is different now. During this special period Even the Secretary of State personally led the way in encouraging whistleblowing. Shouldn't I hurry up and kill your second uncle?
20:35If it were during Biden's era Sydney Dad He didn't have the guts to report it. Because normal America It's impossible to give him the chance to hand over the knife. Therefore, human nature is inherent in any environment. They are all the same. How despicable is it? It all depends on the soil's pH level. Of course China is undoubtedly far ahead in this regard.
20:55We started taking precautions long ago. The legality of whistleblowing was validated through legal means. June 2022 The Ministry of State Security has announced reward measures for citizens who report acts endangering national security. Clearly stipulate Reporting is meritorious The highest reward is over 100,000 yuan. Report it? It has also officially become a nationally certified entity. A good business of government subsidies so Guo Degang was reported this time That's perfectly normal.
21:19Give 100,000 yuan to whom Everyone wants to love their country But ultimately A country encourages whistleblowing Its true purpose It's never about catching bad guys. Instead, it's about letting a policeman reside in everyone's heart. Self-censorship self-castration Before going on stage, the actors will think Can I say this? Writers also think before they put pen to paper Will this passage pass censorship?
21:41You and ordinary people like me Before posting on WeChat Moments We probably need to think about it. Will someone take a screenshot and report me? Over time This self-censorship then becomes a muscle memory. It becomes a subconscious Then their goal was achieved. Because of the shackles of this mindset It will trap you for life
22:05I wonder if anyone has ever thought about this? A country that operates on whistleblowing and self-censorship What will human nature ultimately become? Let me tell you a story about the Qing Dynasty. After the Manchus entered the Central Plains Starting from the Shunzhi Emperor Ended at the end of the Qianlong era Large-scale implementation of literary inquisition It lasted for more than 140 years.
22:24There are as many as 166 documented large-scale literary inquisitions. The breeze is illiterate Why the random translation of the book? Countless ordinary people who had no intention of rebelling A person could lose their head for writing or speaking the wrong sentence or even a single word. In this atmosphere The people were silenced. This led to many very funny and very tragic jokes.
22:46During the Yongzheng era In Huilai County, Guangdong Province, there was a county school instructor named Qu Minghong. The county school instructor was equivalent to the current director of the education bureau. He discovered this while reading the "Great Righteousness Awakens from Delusion" textbook on united front work promulgated by Emperor Yongzheng. One of the criminals' confessions mentioned an admiration for Mr. Qu Wengshan of Guangdong.
23:07That sentence scared him half to death. Because his deceased father was named Qu Wengshan. Quweng Mountain His real name was Qu Dajun, and his pen name was Wengshan. They are the three most famous scholars of Lingnan in the late Ming Dynasty. Better integrity He devoted himself to the cause of overthrowing the Qing dynasty and restoring the Ming dynasty for a long time.
23:27Until I got older I feel hopeless He then retired to his hometown of Panyu, Guangdong. Devoted to writing history books To write biographies of the loyal ministers and righteous men of the late Ming Dynasty He never made a comeback. but Qu Wengshan did not tell his son about his anti-Qing activities. Instead, he stopped talking about it after going into seclusion.
23:45So when his son Qu Minghong grew up... I had no idea my dad was a traitor. And Qu Minghong grew up He has become the head of the education bureau of the Qing Dynasty. He only discovered this after reading the Record of Awakening from Delusion. It turns out that his father, who had been buried for decades, was now dead.
24:01He's actually the idol of the rebels. The Great Traitor This is outrageous! Terrified, Qu Minghong thought long and hard before acting. The fear of being implicated overcame the basic principles of human ethics. He immediately took the poems and essays left to him by his father. He ran to Guangzhou to surrender himself. publicly exposing her father That's what he said.
24:22He said he was still young when my father died. ignorant These reactionary articles by my father were kept at home. I myself was completely unaware of it. It was after reading the Emperor's Record of Awakening from Delusion I will go back and conduct a self-examination. Only then did I discover these reactionary articles left by my father. Disloyal and dishonest to the imperial court It violated the core values of the Qing Dynasty Therefore, I must personally submit my application to the Commissioner of Justice.
24:45Please uphold the law. Yongzheng was very happy He felt that this was precisely the result of my brilliant united front work. So they didn't kill this pathetic wretch who exposed his father. Instead, they exiled him, and then what? Destroy all of Qu Dajun's works. So you see In the absence of any reports Even a scholar could be so terrified that he wet himself.
25:07She even went so far as to report her own father, who had already been laid to rest. Thoughts and words It has only been through one generation of domestication It turned out like this. No ethics There is no justice in this world. China, the land of etiquette Humans in human clothing are everywhere So language censorship is something like that.
25:24It didn't actually kill off a few jokes. Several literati It destroys the thoughts, character, and integrity of a nation. Why did the Qing Dynasty last for over two hundred years? All the scholars plunged headfirst into piles of old books. A lifetime of studying classics Ignoring the plight of the common people That's the reason. Such a country How can it not fall behind?
25:43How can I avoid getting beaten? Some people might say A crosstalk performer, Guo Degang Jokes cause trouble You've gone off on a tangent. Is it really that serious? Actually, we can look at South Korea. South Korea is arguably our most painful point of comparison. Why is it so heartbreaking? Because it looks so much like us. The same Confucian cultural sphere The same civil war and division Park Chung-hee South Korea during the Chun Doo-hwan era The severity of the censorship No less than any authoritarian state The film must be submitted for review after filming is completed.
26:13Under the scissors Completely injured What's the turning point? It happened in 1996. South Korea's Constitutional Court ruling Pre-release censorship of films is completely unconstitutional From then on South Korean cinema experienced an unprecedented boom. Even more deadly is Look at what kind of content Koreans are making. Filming those coups during authoritarian eras Filming the Gwangju Massacre Filming student sports Collusion between conglomerates Filming judicial corruption They dare to film anything.
26:41They exposed this country's most painful wounds to the world. And the whole world is willingly footing the bill. South Korea's image has not been damaged by these reactionary films. Instead, cultural export has become a source of national strength. During the same period What are our filmmakers doing? Waiting for the dragon emblem Revision of the script Deleting footage Studying how to pass the review Stand-up comedians are reciting scripts word for word.
27:08They didn't even dare to add a single interjection on the spot. Our most popular crosstalk performer Now he's under investigation for a comment he made on the spot. Some people China can't produce good movies like Parasite, The Attorney, or Taxi Driver. Actually, it's a good movie. Chinese people can make films. They just don't want you to see it.
27:26For example, Zhang Yimou's 1994 film "To Live" He won the Jury Prize at Cannes However, the ban has not been lifted to this day. Can't you still see it through public channels? Who would dare to take pictures now? so China has never lacked geniuses. What's lacking is the space for geniuses to flourish; the gap in creativity. It has never been because of racial differences.
27:46Rather, it's the gap in freedom. A recent example? Wang Hong and Deng Yu, who just won the Fields Medal in mathematics. If they stay in China Let's all think about it. Is it possible to achieve such success? People are all the same. Why go abroad to do research? That would be a complete transformation. Therefore, freedom of speech It is not ordinary freedom.
28:05It is the foundation of all freedom. You can't talk about social injustice. You will never be able to correct it You can't criticize the powerful and wealthy. Then the powerful and wealthy will inevitably lose control. You can't joke about the government today. Then the authorities will definitely make fun of you tomorrow. The famous writer Milan Kundera has a novel Its title is "Joke".
28:26The protagonist sent a postcard to his girlfriend. To make her laugh He wrote a witty remark: Optimism is the opium of the people. Just this one joke He was expelled from school. Dispatch to mine My life has been rewritten Kundera used this story to teach a lesson. Why do totalitarian regimes hate jokes so much? Because totalitarianism demands absolute seriousness.
28:50Grand ceremony Neat slogans Loyalty that brings tears to my eyes All of this is built on this foundation of seriousness. The laughter was specifically designed to demolish the foundation. Just kidding This could potentially render the so-called sacred fundamentally untenable under scrutiny.
29:10Finally? Let me be practical. Even a big name like Guo Degang can be reported at will. Randomly investigated What can ordinary people do? Should we seal their mouths? Let me first tell you an old story from my own experience. Before I went abroad I often write articles on my WeChat official account. On one occasion I published an article about the history of the Qing Dynasty.
29:28Using the past to satirize the present And what was the result? This article was reported by a reader. My account was banned that day. Then came the pandemic. I have arrived in the United States. The reader who reported me discovered my Twitter account. He specifically sent me a private message. I sincerely apologize for reporting me back then.
29:48He said he was during the pandemic locked at home I've figured out a lot of things. I only found out later. It was a mistake to report me back then. Let's look at this incident together with the one involving Jia Bing. You will see something quite precious. The person who secretly photographed Jia Bing Now he is being condemned by the entire internet.
30:06Netizens almost unanimously condemned his despicable behavior. What does this mean? This illustrates that although China's state apparatus has advocated for so many years... But the scales of justice still exist in the hearts of ordinary people. Chinese people's attitude towards informing Deep down, I despise it. Even in today's environment where everyone is in danger What many people think?
30:26I actually understand. Seeing bullying, robbery, and violent crime Go report it. That's to be expected. Because it has specific victims You are protecting the victim. However, if it's because of a single sentence, a joke, or an article... Makes you feel uncomfortable You may disagree You can refute this. They can even insult each other. Even blacklisting But if you report it That wouldn't be justice.
30:50That is aiding and abetting evil. Essentially, he's the same kind of person as Zhang Hongbing, who reported his own mother. Ordinary people must know You use your power to shut others up. Ultimately, you yourself might be shut up. Every ordinary person The most precious integrity It's about keeping a part of yourself in your heart that refuses to applaud.
31:12It wants you to clap. You can put your hand down. It wants you to report it. You can turn around and leave. We may not have the ability to protect others' right to speak. But at least don't be the straw that breaks the camel's back. What's truly terrifying for a society isn't losing a comedian. What's truly terrifying is losing the right to be funny.
31:33When even jokes need approval So it's not just humor that's dying. Rather freedom Hopefully many years later When we see this ten-second video of Guo Degang It felt absurd to me. It wasn't a joke of his. It was an era where even jokes were subject to criminal investigation. Today's Current Events That's all I have to say. Thank you for watching.
31:57See you next time The consequence is recognizing one's mistake. Perhaps you mistook me for someone else. Yes, the story is very painful. This is not a simple mistake.
32:17Cutting your heart with a knife hurts.
32:24My aunt and I arrived at my house. We both burst into tears.
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