Getting real tired of the endless media flip-flopping between "The Chinese people are brainwashed and indoctrinated to follow their 'Glorious Leader' no matter the bad decisions he makes" and "Opinion polling is made up, the Chinese people yearn to be free of the repression of the state and their boiling anger shall soon blossom into a revolution that restores democracy and freedom".

Like yeah, no shit people don't like being in lockdown, but people don't like being dead a whole lot more. It's just whether your government actually gives a shit or not, and manufactures consent that the economy must open up for the sake of The Line.

It's a lot easier to see all these contradictory takes coming out of the media now that I've essentially installed my brain into it. I try and organize the list in the updates to show how the narrative can be utilised to serve the same end, both because it's entertaining to watch one article go "there won't be a recession" and another go "there will be a recession", or "sanctions don't do anything" and "we must do MORE sanctions"; and also to hammer home that the event doesn't matter, the media will make it good or bad all the same