Internet

Do you want to be Chinese?

Posted by Joel Martinsen, September 11, 2006 9:31 PM

Last week there was a report released that revealed that 67.8% of 8406 respondents to a Korean online poll answered "No" to the question of whether they'd choose to be Korean in a future life.

Patriotism demanded a similar poll in China. Netease took up the charge, and on 4 September launched a poll that currently has the following results:

In a future life, would you be willing to be Chinese?

38.1%: No, because Chinese people get no respect.
17.4%: No, because you can't afford a house in China, and the good life is too far off.
0.4%: No, because you can't see good cartoons in China.
0.7%: No, because you can't make spoof videos in China.
7.8%: No, no reason.
6.3%: Yes, I want to be a descendant of the dragon.
1.7%: Yes, because China's economy is developing and the future is bright.
6.7%: Yes, because China's long history and vast culture fills me with pride.
2.7%: Yes, because I'm currently pretty happy, and I trust it will be the same in the future.
18.2%: Yes, because I love my homeland, no other reason.

The blog Pro State in Flames noted the existence of this poll, but implied that it had already been closed. In the comments to that blog post, however, was the following chain email:

Some piddly reactionary Netease editor hatched this plan to do a survey asking "Would you choose to be Chinese in your next life?"

Currently, 64% of votes are for "no".

It is clear that this is the result of Netease using voting machines or even altering the data records!

If you receive this email and you are Chinese, immediately go to the following address and vote, "yes"!!!

Quickly - the vote ends tomorrow, and we don't want to become a joke to the Koreans and Japanese!

If you're Chinese, then immediately forward this to ten friends!!!

Top-rated comments to the Netease poll are relatively sober musings on the meaning of patriotism with swipes tossed in at ruthless businessmen and corrupt officials. "Don't ask what I should do for my country - ask what my country has done for me that I should love it" is currently the top comment out of nearly 750. The poll itself may be meaningless, but individual responses and the reactions they receive can be interesting, at least until the whole thing is finally pulled offline.

UPDATE: And it's been pulled offline. Two Netease editors have been let go, possible as a result of this poll. See Shanghaiist for details.

Links and Sources

Pro State in Flames (Chinese): In a future life, would you be Chinese?
Netease (Chinese): poll, article

There are currently 5 Comments for Do you want to be Chinese?.

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Comments on Do you want to be Chinese?

The best part about this slow-news-day story?

The Google ad that was attached to it:

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That AdSense engine is just too damn spooky by half...

Posted by: Shan | September 12, 2006 1:17 AM

I do not think "In a future life" is the correct translation for "如果有来生"，they are different meanings. in my opionion, "如果有来生" should be translated to "if you have a second life".

Posted by: eric | September 12, 2006 10:49 AM

i wonder what the results would be if they did this in HK and Taiwan. i think the cultural changes (driven by economics) may be causing lots of growing pains.

Posted by: nien | September 12, 2006 12:09 PM

This rocks -- I'm reading through the comments on the poll now and positively squealing with glee.

Posted by: Brendan | September 12, 2006 1:11 PM

I am a chinese boy. I am 14 ye old.In our country.Many many people are love own country.But a few persons are very bad, because he is break the chinese 名誉, and these :
38.1%: No, because Chinese people get no respect.
17.4%: No, because you can't afford a house in China, and the good life is too far off.
0.4%: No, because you can't see good cartoons in China.
0.7%: No, because you can't make spoof videos in China.
7.8%: No, no reason.
6.3%: Yes, I want to be a descendant of the dragon.
1.7%: Yes, because China's economy is developing and the future is bright.
This was page 's writed making spoof videos ,
6.7%: Yes, because China's long history and vast culture fills me with pride.
2.7%: Yes, because I'm currently pretty happy, and I trust it will be the same in the future.
18.2%: Yes, because I love my homeland, no other reason.

Posted by: A chinese boy | March 20, 2007 10:21 PM