I'm going to tell you all a secret. You have to have a very special and pure heart to see it, but, if you go to the ancient tree in the middle of the Tsinghua university campus, and touch it, and really believe, you will be transported from this world to another.
When you come out, one of the first things you'll notice is that Tsinghua, instead of being full of fuerdai (2nd generation rich) boasting about their companies and how they wouldn't marry a girl who isn't a virgin, but they'd fuck her, is made up of pure-hearted students dedicated to the country. They wear long robes and are deeply interested in Confucianism, like so many other young people in this wonderful land.
But beyond the campus walls, you'll see even more splendid things. For instance, the country is run by dedicated meritocrats, who call upon the wisdom of the past to guide them in their long-term goals for the good of all. In this land, corruption is a rare and wicked canker, and cadres are shining examples that inspire the common merchants and farmers to put aside their ill-thoughts.
Whereas in our world one rises to the top in the Party through scheming, bribery, patronage, and the ruthless use of power to crush your enemies, in the other world it's an impartial and disinterested series of assessments and examinations. Wise viziers explain the operations of the process to those who might doubt it, increasing their respect tenfold for the great minds that established such a process. Strangely, in this world talent is also passed, like midichlorians, through the blood, which is why such a remarkable number of those chosen through this meritocratic scheme are the children of existing memebrs of the elite.
It sounds like a wonderful dimension. I'm just wondering how often Daniel Bell visits ours.
The magical deer reference practically redefines 'niche'. Bravo.
Posted by: CoalhadaTM | July 30, 2012 at 12:12 PM
Oh, go on, let us in on the secret.
Posted by: a3t | July 30, 2012 at 12:37 PM
There's a roleplaying game called BLUE ROSE, designed to emulate the romantic fantasy genre of Mercedes Lackey, etc. The good guy kingdom is called Aldis, and is a non-hereditary monarchy (with, naturally, enlightened sexual politics and very clean and happy peasants) where the king/queen is chosen from the contenders by a magical deer that appears after the old monarch dies and looks deep into their hearts to make sure they're pure.
Posted by: JamesP | July 30, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Aaah, thanks.
Posted by: a3t | July 30, 2012 at 12:57 PM
"The good guy kingdom is called Aldis"
And exists in a state of uneasy peace with its rival, the Dark Empire of Lidl.
Posted by: ajay | July 30, 2012 at 03:37 PM
BLUE ROSE is surprisingly controversial in some gaming circles, specifically regarding the magic deer.
The fights are so fierce because the stakes are so low, and all that.
Posted by: CoalhadaTM | July 30, 2012 at 03:50 PM
Also not the 'End of Ideology' Daniel Bell, cos he's dead. While the thesis seemed consistent with his ideas, I couldn't understand why he'd have to whore himself out to Beijing quite so blatantly.
Also not the olympic swimmer, in case anyone was wondering.
Posted by: Cian | July 30, 2012 at 05:57 PM
Perhaps one solution to China's problems (and, indeed the world's) would be a return to the old Chinese class system which insisted that the next rung up the ladder of social aspiration after being a highly successful self made business person was to become a solitary hermit living on top of a mountain.
Posted by: johnf | July 31, 2012 at 09:57 AM