Unsurprisingly, The Economist’s article peddles a false narrative. Livestreamers and video games are merely the surface of a deeper phenomenon. TikTok and Xiaohongshu thrive only because China’s middle class isn’t impoverished. What makes these platforms persuasive is that they undercut Western myths by contrasting middle-class life in China vs the US.
China has a positive image in the world because it’s leading in sustainability, building world-class infrastructure, pioneering tech in emerging fields, and maintaining safe, clean cities at scale. Its foreign policy, while not flawless, is far more benign than the America’s. No constant wars. A major ally for developing nations. Growing global brands. Standing firm against a bully in the tariff dispute. Meanwhile, tourists who document their visits, are dismantling claims of a police state or genocide.
lol, lmao even
These videos sound fun, but not sure which, if any, of them are good. Anyone know any good travel vloggers? In this list or not?
I used to watch a couple bald and bankrupt videos because he traveled places I had never seen before as a young lib, especially in the post post-Soviet states. But then I heard he was a creep or sex pest or something, plus stopped watching those kinds of videos in general when I got political, and discovered video essays and early Breadtube.
It’s been awhile but it might be nice to throw one of those travel vloggers who are having fun while destroying Western propaganda on the background while doing dishes or something. Any other good travel vloggers in that style? I tried one of iShowSpeed recent China streams but he was way too GenZ-streamer-personality for me, even to my ADHD-ass, he came off kind of annoying.
Let me find a good one, good idea to disregard pretty much any one with a blindingly white tourist in the thumbnail
These ones could be cool
https://youtu.be/_Wl2clD-f1Q
https://youtu.be/eQPRfIoOYtY
https://youtu.be/ykZZocm1nmE
Hilariously bald and bankrupt just made an identical video on “the China Western Media doesn’t want to show”
I found YouTube links in your comment. Here are links to the same videos on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
Link 1:
Link 2:
Link 3:
I watched the last one (josieliftsthings). It’s pretty good. I don’t know if it’s that video or another where she visits XJ that her partner(?) recounts an experience where he was stopped by armed police ij the street of Urumqi and asked to present his passport. He’s pretty matter-of-fact about it*. The rest of the video is super normal - visiting tourist streets, markets and cafes.
The reason her video has so many views is that she was singled out as ‘doing China’s propaganda work for them’ by the Australian media, following her vlog from her first trip to China after the COVID travel restrictions were lifted. So naturally people were like, okay well let’s watch her video then.
*(Though this guy goes on an anti-Roma sidebar in another video)