As IF Times

link AFP: China bars English words in all publications.

Oddly, I will bet lots of money that in barely a generation, the use of English will become as common as Chinese as the operating business and cultural language of that country.  That’s  a pretty bold prediction since at the moment, the population of China at an estimated 1.3 billion Chinese speakers, is more populous than any other nation in the world.  The reality though, is that the jungle drum-like lure of English is pervasive and persistent.  While China may have the edge as far as descriptive and lyrical language, English has the advantage of being the preferred language of most popular entertainment and technology. 

The reach of American media and entertainment extends far beyond the defined boundaries of the U.S.  Whether people like it or not, entertainment innovations still sprout from American shores.  With the proliferation of media devices such as Iphones, IPads and Blackberrys, the influence of American and therefore English speaking culture hits every corner of the globe, including China.  The popularity of You Tube, Facebook and Google all create a need for a grasp of English to enable plugging into the modern world. 

This recent measure by the Chinese government to stem the tide of “English creep” into popular use is futile.  They may as well try to ban nose picking.  The French found out as much decades ago when they tried to maintain the ‘purity’ of French culture by insisting on the use of appropriate French words and adjectives for common cultural things.  As we know now, this didn’t work since they are not an isolated nation.  Even in that bastion of snobby cuisine, a hamburger is called a hamburger, mais avec une accent.  I’ve never been to a McDonalds over there, but doubt that anyone orders pomme frites instead of french fries.   As it happens, the French have more cause to worry from the creep of Muslim culture into that society than they do American culture.  Nevertheless, the influence of American pop culture shows up in their music as well in the form of hip hop music, at the moment, tres au courant.

This same type of cultural hegemony will happen to China as well.  Via the social and cultural media conduits mentioned earlier, Chinese kids will be exposed to the novelty and lure of Western entertainment.  It’s tough to keep the kids focused on the party line when You Tube videos depict fast cars, fast women and unfettered hedonism.  In addition, they will have to master some semblance of English in order to navigate the social networking apps and be conversant with the associated lingo.  A Blackberry is not called a ‘hei shiguo’. Let’s face it, who are the kids going to idolize more, Jason Statham in the latest shoot ’em up or their national table tennis champion Ma Lin? Yao Ming and Jet Li may be big name stars, but arguably largely  because they are big stars in the West.  As the younger generation becomes more accustomed to the cultural ‘offerings’ from the West, English will start to become more pervasive in China.  In the meantime, we get to enjoy a few more years of mangled English, or Chinglish as the transition moves forward.

One more compelling reason in support of my prediction is simply the will to learn.  Chinese kids have a thirst and a capacity to learn.  There is a mentality of curiosity to learn and adapt there because they are an emerging economy.  As discussed in previous postings, Chinese students will learn what’s neccessary to ascend to greater things.  We would never see the mass learning of Chinese by kids over here.  Heck,  it’s enough of a challenge  for them to learn proper English.

link Analysis: Khodorkovsky verdict confirms Putins grip on power – Telegraph.

It’s always been of great curiosity to me as to how despots get into power.  As interesting are the images they portray to the world.  Not that I’m claiming Putin is a despot, but there have been many anecdotal stories of his somewhat strong armed edicts during his career.  This latest news of the imprisonment of a political foe only underscores a history of such power moves.  In addition, over the past year, we’ve been treated to images of Putin riding bare chested on a horse, fishing in a stream and holding rifles, again bare chested as if he were posing for the cover of some bodice ripper.  The most recent imagery is of Putin in judo garb, presumably subduing an opponent.  In politics, but especially in communist/totalitarian type regimes, image is everything.  The West has been treated to a steady stream of G.I. Vladimir for quite some time now, so we know there is propaganda being foisted upon both their domestic population as well as the West.   Most recently, as if to augment his studly stature, there have been carefully leaked rumours of Putin squiring around a lovely young model. 

On that note, what aspiring dictator can blame him?  There’s no point wielding absolute power over a nation if you can’t get a hot chick as your consort.  As far as that goes, why not indulge a bit and to heck with what others think.  If Hugh Hefner can marry someone young enough to be his great granddaughter, why can’t Putin live a little?  Why should just the Capitalists have all the fun?  Putin is at least enjoying the fruits of a lifetime of scheming, subterfuge and political maneuvering to get where he is today.  If he wants to express himself a bit, who can blame him?  When you look at other iconic despots of our time, they look like comparitively miserable people.  Kim Jong Il, Castro, Hugo, Mahmoud; they all have that serious, no fun look about them all the time.  Surely it must be boring to wear the same old drab military fatigues all the time, or in the case of Ahmedinejad, the same suit.  There is that sameness of demeanor when you are the icon of totalitarian rule.  It must be tiring constantly having to appear stern and serious. Invariably, photos of them always depict them in mid-rant with their mouths open, an annoyed visage and a threatening finger stabbing the air for emphasis.

So refreshing to have someone like Vladimir living the life publicly that the other dictators wish they had the guts to emulate.  Riding horses, playing with guns, fishing, wrestling and dating hot women, all with with shirt optional.  In the West, people are even more repressed, as far as politicians anyway.  If there was any hint of these fun things occurring in the lives of Western politicians, the media and public would be all a-titter and the sqwawking would be heard clear to the next decade.  There would be big dollar investigations and scandalous revelations.  Just ask Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Mark Sanford etc etc etc.  Someone like Sarah Palin gets seen wielding a gun and shooting caribou and she gets labelled as a redneck.  Vladimir does it, he’s a strongman.  Here’s another case in point:  Silvio Berlusconi, the over hormoned Prime Minister of Italy who in a candid moment said,

“… I work extremely hard and, if every now and then I look at the face of a beautiful girl, then it is better to be passionate about beautiful girls than be gay…”

That didn’t play too well in a predominantly Roman Catholic society.  I imagine it wouldn’t play well in New York or San Francisco either.  So much for honesty.  Undaunted, there are reports that he bought gold rings for all of his 37 female cabinet members for Christmas.   Those Italians sure know how to treat women.

World politicians must look at Putin enviously.  In comparison to the West where they have to maintain the veneer of piety or in banana republics where they are obliged to portray strong humorless authority,  it must be so much more fun to be able to do what Putin does;  which is apparently, whatever he wants.   There’s a man who likes his job.