I also thought the article was very interesting and im glad we were able to see a glimpse of Da Yao's family history even though there was not much written about the dad. I found the part about Yao not even living with his parents since he was a young teen quite sad and then having to share a home with them as an adult uncomfortable. Yao's family history is quite interesting and I would to see a movie about it at some point. I do think the author may have sensationalized some points but alot of authors do. It is still very interesting/insightful reading.. I feel like I learned alot about China in a few pages and found some new respect not only for Yao but also his mother. Who has gone through more than I can even imgaine. I think I am going to trust the opinions of the older Chinese BBS'ers who actually lived through this history and found many of the details quite accurate. Thank you hotballa for posting the article I enjoyed it very much. J
No need to be discouraged. Nobody is questioning your motive here. People here just have some discussion over the artical and the view of the author. You are not obligated to defend the WHOLE position of the artical you linked here. You can surely elaborate your arguments to support his view, meanwhile, maybe you should also allow others having a different read. Perhaps, a couple of words were harsh from 3 pages of replies, but I really don't see any aggressive attacking or insulting from fellow Rockets fans. It's not necessary to generalize fans disagree with you over a single article. Anyways, it's a long and interesting read to give us something to argue about in the boring offseason
Good point. no great. Its not brainwashed as much as it is people following who they think will do the best for them. As far as what Yao's mom did when she was 17, I think the writer is really trying to make her out as a sympathetic figure. Like the state turned this shy awkward girl into a monster. The article paints her as a very good concerned mother who wanted a better life for Yao than she had.
but if he's Chinese, he should be insulted that his country is labeled as a brainwashed population in this thread.
LOL look who's being sensitive here. Oh now you admit there is "vague language" in the article. By its very nature, vague language is subject to different interpretations -- whether it is taken as a matter of fact by uninformed readers or rejected as BS by those who lived through the said culture. Let me ask you this, did you post the whole article expecting everybody to accept it as educational material without questioning its objective and stated "facts"? If there is a piece of background story on the creation of Yao Ming that is presented as imagination by over-stretching bits of hearsays, don't expect people not dismissing it as garbage. Never intended. If Yao played soft or crappy, I'd rip him good.
Well, that would be something else better left out of here, but it's just my opinion. Go after it, folks. I'll read whatever it is, wherever it is.
maybe this thread should be moved to the D&D because it is obviously more than basketball and sports.
They would probably do it the same way it is done in the US...by looking for them all over the country and then trying to funnel them into sports. Obviously a big evil conspiracy.
I do appreciate you posting this article, as it does provides lots of background information on Yao and his family. I don't think anyone here is questioning the facts of the article. What I find annoying is the implication apparent in the first few paragraphs. You don't have to be a hypersensitive ultranationalist to see it. The writer plays on a baseless rumor to hook readers into his story.
Dude, you are way out of line and own hotballa an apology. We as Rox fans have great love and interest involving Yoa Ming and haotballa went to great lengths in two pages of refutation to state he did not find it to be offensive toward anyone. I don't either. This bbs does not tolerate bigotry and we're too American for the most part to be nationalistic. The language in this artice may imply what people here are freaking out about but it never comes out and says it. Kudos to hotballa and SI. Long live free speech and go Rox. And screw Yahoo. Oh, and many of us have wondered whether or not Chinese gov't officials have "lingered" on this sight. I have no opinion on this matter, but I'd like to quote a Canadian: "Buh buh baby yuh yuh you haven't seen nothing yet."
I never suggested the whole country was brainwashed. All I'm saying is that under oppressive regimes propaganda and fear/emotion are often used as controls and children are more easily led to believe things then adults. Heck we have that happening to us in this country....just turn on your local news or watch a commercial or two...LOL if you don't think that stuff coming out of the talking heads isn't scripted... Wow this thread has digressed badly......LOL>.....lock it up mods! All the people I have met from Russia are very nice but they all tell the same story about fear and propaganda and national pride being force fed to everyone. When did you live in Russia?
I don't know. I suspect that the people telling stories of 'weapons of mass distruction' two years ago will be telling dramatically differently versions twenty years from now.
Fair enough. Nevertheless I believe that various forms of propaganda (fear/emtions and what not) are not only used "often" in oppressive regimes. Just look at what happened after 9/11. You have as much likelihood to be brainwashed regardless of the country you live in. In any case, I think the problem is that, you can't imagine how many times something, perfectly logical, said by a pro - China source is ridiculed as being the product of "brainwashing." Lived in Russia for a while in the late 80's, returned there for a bit in the 90's. Had an ex fiancee who's Russian. She has this rather interesting theory on why the Soviet Communists weren't overthrown earlier. But I think I'll keep that to myself.
Apology for what? In fact, I was among the first to commend hotballa for posting the article, which, for the most part (volume wise), serves as a rather accurate review of many aspects of recent Chinese history. If I understand correctly, D&D is the only forum where posters are allowed to "fling poo at each other." As far as I can see, apart from a couple of inconsequential quips between voice and noize earlier in the thread, all the critiques were aimed at the article itself. Things didn't get really heated until hotballa got defensive with comments like these, which were directed to other posters: Look, unless one is a (bad ass) mod, it's not cool for one to call out other posters who have legitimate reasons to question an article and offer their opinions. BTW, did you say "This bbs does not tolerate bigotry" and "Long live free speech?" Sorry, it doesn't matter how many pages hotballa went into to try to refute the "perceived injustice" done to the article he posted. The effort is seen and appreciated, but that's it.
This is just a further continuation of the stereotype that Chinese are small in stature and are only supposed to excel as engineers, doctors, computer programmers, and accountants and not athletes. If there is an exception, then he or she (ie Yao) has to be a result of some kind of experiment. Also, I don't like the author's flirting with some Chinese terms as a ploy to show other people how much he knows about China. He might have done his homework on the Cultural Revolution, but he doesn't know much about the transition from Mao's death to Deng's rise to power. This is not to mention the transition between average height of Southern Chinese and Northern Chinese. Since the rest of the stuff has been discussed by others previously, these are my two cents about this article, which its main objectives are to spur controversy surrounding Yao and his family. Hopefully this will not affect Yao's performance on the court this season onwards.
So, the Commies went to all this trouble to perform this great genetic experiment, then allowed Yao's ma and pa to only have one kid, just like everyone else. Hmmm, very smart of them. I, for one, would have no problems if they actually tried something like this. For starters, they should relax the one-child-only rule for Yao and his girlfriend. That's some seriously good genes going to waste, man.
It won't be long before the Chinese government bans access to this site because of free thinking debate that goes on here.... Article about Chinese sensorship Discussion on it here in the D&D However Yao's parents got together, arranged, or introduced, I am happy we have him on the Rockets. DD
hotballa: You need to take a backseat and relax before you got defensive because a few posters find part of the article you posted as BS. Also, please stop labeling people who disagree with you as Chinese Only Fans. It makes you look narrow-minded. Trying to turn the sincere efforts of Chinese fans, who either lived in the Cultural Revolution or head about the era from their parents, to tell their version of story as based on nationalistic motive is misleading and incongenial. The author described Yao's birth as an experiment, and suggested it to be called Operation Yao Ming. If you can't smell any implication behind these outrageous claims, you need to take Reading Comprehension 101, seriously. I think you are being selective calling out the Chinese posters, they are not the only ones who think the article suggested a conspiracy/forced marriage/planned marriage by the authority. Peace.
