/jk

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I've lived an worked in China for going on 3 years now. Married into it even. I've developed a kind of bitter resistance to it by now, but yes it's crap. I know opinions are like assholes and all but I do have some things to back this up.

First off, not talking about the gov at all as I'M STILL LIVING HERE. I will tell you one thing though, if China's gov had any faults, the locals would ignore them. Or make up excuses, or say "I don't want to talk about this anymore" like my wife does. Other than possible fear I suppose the reason for this is that these nong ming have never had life so good during the "5000 years of Chinese culture". If you treat a pig like a dog, the pig is happy.

Let's talk about something else, the supposed 5000 years of (Han) Chinese culture. First, I like history and I am ignorant about most of Chinese history, so I ask about it. You want to know how much of that 5000 years people know about? Very fucking little. But they are so proud of what there parents tell them is a glorious history. If what you are talking about it's Han culture but some other ethnic group? Forget about it. I live in Shenyang, a city of 5 million (7 if you count around the city) people. You ask 99.9% of them about the Manchu history of this city and what it used to be called before the Han took back over and you will get nothing but blank stares.

Knowledge of cultures outside of China? Spotty and distorted at best. I have to educate my wife about the world. She's a Master's degree student and very clever to boot. Chinese schools (and culture) just does not bother to learn about anything that isn't China. Chinese schools are very good at rote learning though. And high pressure tests that decide your entire future. They are also good at encouraging huge amount of cheating and copying. I guess you now know where Chinese industry gets that from.

Other problems with China: The "don't rock the boat" attitude, or the "mei shi" (doesn't matter) attitude. This is extreme and results and the Chinese putting up with shit that a westerner would complain about. This runs up and down the whole length of Chinese culture and leads to dirty nasty cities, very poor public (and work)safety standards, and just a piss poor performance and appearance of China in general.

In China, the apron strings NEVER come off the necks of the kids. Ever. You may call it parental devotion. I call it parental greed and foolishness. I know people who where going to get married, but had to call it off because momma said "oh you can't marry her, your kids would be too ugly".

The Chinese have no concern for anyone they aren't related to. That is blood or guan xi type relationships. So if you ever have to wait in line in China you will quickly realize that there is in fact no 'lines' in China only mobs all waiting for the same thing. People always litter. Nobody does anything to help the less fortunate. The outside of apartments look like shit, but the insides of their apartments are spotless. All of that is because "not my concern".

You know what, fuck this, I'm going to stop wasting my time. I could rant about this place all damn day. If you think China is so hot come here and live here for a while. You might just be one of the crazy expats who like it here. Myself, I'd rather be a poor man in the US than a rich man in China and I'm glad to be leaving in 6 months with my beautiful wife.

Personally, I would only recommend visiting for maybe 6 months. That way you can see some (very odd at times) sights, soak and some other culture, and get the FUCK out before all the bad things pile up in your psyche.

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If the Chinese Government wanted to be proactive, and not reactive, they could always find a way to make China's recreational opportunities better than the mere escapes that are offered online.

It's one thing to take a "Von Stuben" method and enforce it upon these gamers, but it is another to offer alternatives that may turn out fun.

Even socialist countries have "social centers".

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It's a hobby and some people take their hobbies too seriously. The kid quoted here sounds like someone that just needed a kick up the arse but his parents never gave it to him so he ran away like a spoiled brat.

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I've come to think of it as "reading between the lines".

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Dude, 15 days STRAIGHT, only eating during breaks? There's life outside of gaming dude, even in China.

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In the United States, as well as other countries, we all have places where we can play league sports in an intermural fashion, can gather and commiserate, meet up for discussions on various forums, etc. It is proactive cognitive therapy.

The reactive approach, however, shows the opposite end of operant conditioning, and the concern I have here is that you'll have "patients" that will construe this as meaning that fun = bad & punishable, under primitive terms, of course.

The reactive method, as such, seems rudimentary in method IMHO.

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The issue raised within the selection you are arguing with is the habit. The issue that I am raising is the rudimentary approach to the method of reactive treatment, when China would (IMHO) be better off offering a more proactive and progressive method of treatment with better social events and recreation programs. In the G8 countries, as well as those currently progressing, recreation is one of the various things that people hear and talk about. With exception to Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan, we (collectively) don't hear much about China's entertainment. Even as well travelled as I am, even I can't really tell you how Joe and Jane China spend their recreation time.

I can, however, tell you of alot of other countries, and how they (some/many) spend their recreation time.

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I've been to China many times, once for 4 months straight. I'm not Chineese (I'm Dominican, furthest thing from Chineese) and even I found plenty of things to do in China while on a business trip. There are plenty of night clubs, skate parks, malls, and hang out spots.

The government doesn't need to give this guy any recreational opportunities, they need to give him help for his addiction.

I've gamed for 6 hours straight once in a while and I feel like total crap afterwards. If someone can do it for 15 days straight....they have a big problem.

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@Hyperlite: I didn't word it correctly (at all, I just re-read it). There are certain things that AREN'T addictions since they don't really affect your body chemistry in any way.

Please read The Last Psychologist on this issue:

[thelastpsychiatrist.com]

PS: Please read.

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The concern that I have (again) is the method of treatment, which seems to involve an operant conditioning method stacked against various uses that would potentially shy those away from various mores that are deemed critically "dangerous" to the State Government's way of life.

QUESTION: Even if you got one person who shows a classic example of symptoms, how do you treat it? Do you use the "Von Stuben" method? Maybe the restrictive practices of mental health (meds, ward restriction, seraquil injections, etc.)?

...or would a more proactive method be plausible?

The danger that I see in the "addiction treatment centers" is that is sets a precedent that anyone who goes against the mores that the State Government feels threatened by (with their taboos) can be subject for reprogramming. While there are those who need sought counseling, the method of how I see this addiction center is quite troubling to me.

Afterall, people *do* game. They also have sex, but would probably be committed to this "addiction center" for sexaholism (That was part of the article)

People shop, and as they make more money (and nice things become available, shopaholism becomes a qualifier for this rehab center.

If you want to afford those nice things, you might work more and longer. Workaholism is now a furthered qualifier.

See the problem there?

As for the "recreation" that they provide, I find it funny if those who are against "The Army Experience" that just opened up are for this "recreation center". Lazer Tag weapons dressed as AK-47s are a pretty suspect form of recruitment, if you ask me.

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Here, let me clarify it:

ISSUE: Whether or not a "reactive military rehabilitation" system" is the most effective way to treat addiction in the long-term scale and can be used to create a productive citizen of the state, without inhibiting the "patients'" ability to progress in a progressively high-tech society."

Maybe that might clarify the issue a little more.

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NEW QUESTION: Based on the method of "treatment", would a state facilitated treatment center like this be a "gateway" for those who fail the mores established by the Chinese State Government (i.e; Public dissent, expression given via blogging & social sites, etc.)?

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My issue still stands, however, when I look at the fact that it is a military-system with the PLA, which automatically screams "PSYOP" to me.

And with that, my concerns remain with the concern that there could/would be a precedent for putting other conditions (in addition to workaholism, shopaholism, sexaholism,) like dissent and other forms of expressing one's own opinion as a basis for entry to this "rehab center".

My greatest concern is that this becomes a gateway for "social reprogramming for the 21st Century". While it happens already in various ways (media, is a great form of a conformity tool, for example.), this seems to be a way that can "humanize" what would happen to future future dissenters and other nonconformists of the State rule.

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You see, until they explain their method of diagnosis (like "Six Axis", for example -- NOT THE CONTROLLER.), I have a hard time believing that this weren't a case of pre-diagnosis made by the "experts".

I feel that in any case, there may be a deeper underlying cause, and to "cookie cut" the treatment is not to look at the individual causes that occur with each case. It is as if the State's solution is to cause parity in all cases, when each case should be treated with different solutions, best fitting the individuals at hand.

I believe there is more to this than the story is telling...

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No less, I will agree to disagree. :)

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