This country is one of quiet contradiction. In the name of "harmony", people continually bypass their regular/constant impulse to speak their mind, share their worries, and express their inner anxieties or their inner dreams. They don't want to ruffle feathers, or in the most extreme cases they fear prison or legal incrimination. There is an endless amount of rote regurgitation of party line and nationalistic nonsense living on the lips of Chinese people and the true thoughts of many Chinese are never known but to their closest friends/family members. As I enter my third year here, I see the same surface of the students I teach, all following the jargon-based platform that has been placed inside their head since the moment they began speaking. It's rare that we get real, honest insight into what they muse/worry/fret/dream about. Although not impossible, such moments are fleeting. But they're worth chasing.
A co-worker of mine came across a fantastic photo-based e-project that allows a small (and likewise honest) peek at what people around China really think about life and the world without worry of judgment or incrimination. I've always believed that we're at our most... real in private, safe moments and places. And I think this sort of project provides just that sort of environment. These people were given a piece of paper and encouraged to write whatever they want/feel on it. Then they had their photos taken. The website is simply a collection of photos and mini-bios of people from across the excessively vast landscape while inhabits 1.4 billion people.
Spend some time here.
T
No comments:
Post a Comment