Collective Forgetting

As a history major, I am acutely aware of how different governments and people twist history for their own ends. Governments, in particular, constantly revise and rewrite history textbooks and other mediums that are used in public classrooms to effect how future citizens will view different issues. No where was this practice more apparent to me then when I was studying abroad in China last semester.

Although my experience in China gave me a deeper appreciation for Chinese culture, I have to admit I was often disturbed by how the Chinese government affected the flow of information to its citizens. Beyond just censoring material that was critical of the CCP, the government also banned a host of other information, including documents and videos pertaining to the Tienanmen Square incident in 1989. Even trying to access videos on You-tube about the event would lead to a short interruption of one’s internet. More than just irritating (especially if one is trying to do a project on that event), I found these restrictions morally troubling. Many Chinese people that I talked to were either unaware of the significance of the event or had not heard of it at all. Coupled with the endless censoring on the part of the government, one could also make an argument that for the Chinese, it was like Tienanmen had never happened.

Now, I know that the textbook mentioned how in Chinese culture, riots and political strife were not as serious issues as in Western culture. And, given that many in the West tend to demonize whatever the Chinese government does, especially here in America given the government’s Communist history, I also know that my own view of China must be skewed to some degree. However, going back to the issue of universalist versus relative values that I was talking about last week, I have to admit I was having trouble swallowing what the Chinese government was/is doing. When I was walking around my Chinese campus, talking with different students, I could not help but question their views or opinions on different issues because of the restrictions placed on public knowledge and written publications. I do not know if I am being ethno-centric or just a good critic.