the Great Sieve?
I know, it may sound like a lot of semantics, but words are important. So many of us here in China complain when people outside of the country have outdated or inaccurate views on China. If we use inaccurate, inapt catchprases just because they sound good on the tongue, not only are we propagating the wrong impression, we are setting the rest of the world up to take actions vis-a-vis China that would be inappropriate and wrong.I agreed with David's argument, but have some problems with the alternative he suggests: Checkpoint China. Sounds too much Cold-warrish, like Checkpoint Charlie. Any other bidders? The Great Sieve?
4 comments:
I tend to vote for the usage of the "Great Firewall". Two reasons for that. Technically, it is a firewall. Any IT firewall is filtering traffic... I like the reference to the Great Wall (长城) as this one crumbling and disappearing.
Maybe one day the UNESCO will claim it as world heritage ;-)
How does people outside of China think about this term?
I think we should just leave it at the Great Wirewall. The Great WAll obviously had leaks - just like the Great Firewall does. The point is, unlike most of the world, the Chinese government censors the news that people in China can get. Therefore, they have erected the Great Firewall. When they stop the censorship then we can retire the name.
Funny how nearly every comment by you on someone else's work is how wrong they are about China.
I was pretty mild here :-)
Anyway, I mainly comment when I disagree with somebody; if I would also comment on all those things I do agree with I would be very busy.
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