Comments by "Peter Jacobsen" (@pjacobsen1000) on "China’s Massive Nearsightedness Problem" video.

@xelaxander Probably the first. It's common for new policies to not be explained, just implemented. Then people are left to read the tea leaves to find the reason.
2
China should mandate outdoors video game parlors.
1
I live in China and follow the news. At the time this crackdown happened, there was no indication that the reason was fully or partly due to eyesight problems.
1
@qwkl2450 Gaming is considered by some to be a major social problem, but it probably depends on who you ask. After all, gaming has become a profession in itself. As for social problems, the government has their views and others may have their views. What is in the news is ONLY the governments view.
1
@qwkl2450 It depends on the topic. Some topics are considered very sensitive and only the official explanation can be given. Other topics are more open to a variety of opinions. The origin of Covid-19 is one example of a sensitive topic where some opinions/explanations are not allowed. You could also compare it to the current situation in Russia, where the term 'war' is not allowed, only the term 'special military operation'. In the west, or particularly USA, we see a strong social (but not legal) pressure to allow only some viewpoints. Case in point could be the conversation around gender expression, trans issues, etc., where individuals can be strongly chastised for expressing certain alternative viewpoints. At least in the west, the conversation keeps going, since the worst that can happen is that you get ostracized from 'polite society'.
1
However, it should be noted that in private in China, people will discuss even the most sensitive topics among people they know and trust.
1
@qwkl2450 Re. video games, as I remember, there were several explanations or reasons given: It takes time away from studies, it's bad for the kids' physical health, it fosters a bad national culture (the govt. wants people to appreciate traditional culture). I think those were the main concerns. Re. freedom of speech, yes, in private you can say what you want. Online, you may get censored or your account shut down, and if you persist, you could be arrested and charged with "Picking quarrels and provoking trouble" (寻衅滋事), which is a crime in China. Social stability is very high priority in China, which is another way of saying that you're better off conforming.
1
@qwkl2450 Yes, I think most Chinese people agree with you in principle, but when the restrictions hit them personally, they also tend to get angry, as we saw in Shanghai recently. As always, it's a choice: Do you want freedom and chaos, or stability and repression. If we could have both freedom and stability, that would be nice, but those two work in opposite directions.
1
@qwkl2450 First, I'm not Chinese, I just live in China. (I'm from northern Europe) 1.) My view is that the Zero-Covid Policy is a mistake. My view is that locking people up in their communities is more harmful than it's useful. And certainly, in my community, many people agreed with me. Those people were all Shanghainese. The Shanghai government was not interested in a long lock-down, the order came from Beijing (and you-know-who). I wouldn't say it's evil, it's just wrong. 2.) We can certainly have a balance between freedom and stability, and most countries have such a balance. But all countries differ slightly in whether to emphasize a little more freedom, or a little more stability and I prefer a little more freedom even if it means the occasional street riot or crazy anti-government demonstration. Personally, I like the balance found in the Nordic countries, Singapore is fine, HK was very fine, Malaysia a little too strict, Thailand a case study in itself with a constant change between military coups and democracy. China is much, much too strict. Your view will differ, as will the views of everybody. As for 'strong government', I only want one that has the mandate of the people. Otherwise, 'strong' just means oppressive, like a father who beats his children and wife when they don't behave the way he wants.
1
I have already made my position on the pandemic management clear: NO lockdowns, NO Zero-Covid policy, anywhere. As for Shanghai specifically, I think the Shanghai govt. was right and the central govt. was wrong. They should have let the virus run through the population, just like they've done in most other Asian countries. In the long run, that's the right way to go, in my opinion. As for the US, I prefer our Nordic system with a good social safety net and our political system of representative democracy which usually results in coalition governments. USA has a different political and economic system, but I don't think it's oppressive, not even a little bit. I would say it emphasizes personal liberty and personal responsibility. That makes it more chaotic and potentially more dangerous, but also more free. Some people like that, others don't. Most Americans seem to like it. Those who don't are free to write articles criticizing the system, and they do that all the time, in all the big newspapers. Lots of freedom = lots of debate and disagreement.
1
I am a little skeptical of the 'study hard' theory as the main cause of myopia. One should compare rates of myopia among graduate- and PhD students in different countries and continents, not just within East Asia. A quick Google search reveals that in Israel, adult ethnic Jews have rates of myopia around 60%. Jews are also known to have a tradition of high academic achievement. This rate is higher than the global average, but lower than in East Asia. The 'time spent outdoors' aspect does look like a very important factor, but I cannot help but suspect that genetics is also a strong factor.
1
@bobweiram6321 But if genetics is not a factor, then what is the reason that 'Asians do much better in visual discrimination', as you claim? Surely, that couldn't be genetics, either.
1
@bobweiram6321 It should not be excluded as a possible explanation, but it should also not be accepted without 'rigorous scientific validation'. After all, that's how we get to the truth of things.
1