A Project to Take Root

Sitting on a plane is ample time for thinking. Cramped in a small space, lights dim, faint snoring behind you, the only real noises are your thoughts – and of course the occasional Arcade Fire song. It got me thinking about the corporate leaders, business owners, diplomats, investors around me, which led me to wonder: where are our mentality ill friends?

That’s when I realized, out of the four years I have lived here, I have seen not twenty, not ten, but two mentally ill people in China. TWO. In my public school in California, there were at least four attending the school and they were a vital part of our education and community. I see their posts on Facebook, selfies, pictures of them participating in pep rallies and football games. This is where dichotomy exists, in China, they are not given the chance to coexist and thrive in society. The fact of the matter is, mentally ill people are warded off into undeveloped suburbs, compounds, or even hospitals. Attached are stigmas and even worse, the government turns a blind eye to their rights, health, and living conditions.

According to a 2012 study in the journal Lancet, China has 173 million people with some sort of diagnosable mental disorder and of those, 158 million have never received any treatment. Where are all these people?

• China is extremely ill-equipped to provide the health care needed, China averages one psychiatrist for every 83,000 people.

These statistics display a stark truth and propose a question:

The truth: The nation requires a 180 degree change in their course of action: the first step being to stop ignoring this population of people.

The question: What came first, the ill-equipped care or the stigmatization?

Did the stigmatization create just cause to ignore this huge population of people and neglect their needs or did the lack of adequate care cause negative generalizations?  

HOWEVER, this is not a hopeless cause.

• Awareness of autism in China has grown in recent years, fueled by parental advocates and autism organizations.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

China also is carrying out its first two large-scale prevalence studies. One is an eight-city, 120,000-child undertaking expected to be completed this year, says Yi Wang, director of the department of neurology at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, who is involved in the project. The other an 11-city, 200,000-child study through a collaboration including Cambridge University, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, Peking University and the National Institute of Biological Sciences, says Liping Wei, a prominent autism researcher involved in that study.

Clearly, China is still in its preliminary stages in terms of adequately dealing with mental illness. China only has begun its research, however, this does provide that through legitimate organizations they are attempting to gain understanding and insight on illnesses. However, the progress will be undeniably painstakingly slow, and the hundreds of million mentally ill are still suffering, are being denied of their rights, and are not given the opportunity to exist alongside others in society.

No one in China has mentally ill friends, coworkers, rarely have people seen them enter stores or restaurants. When they do, however, the Chinese are scared. They are unaware of who these people are, they are unaware of how to understand them or to view them as equals.

THE PROJECT

1. Together with the Mental Health Awareness club leader at my school, we will be researching mental illness in China including:

• Institutions
  • Hospitals
  • Homes
  • Schools
• Treatment
• Stigmas
• Laws/Policies

2. Upon doing so, I will be conducting interviews in public areas in Beijing about the attitudes and awareness in Beijing, asking a series of questions to assimilate understanding regarding how the general public is exposed to mental illness and compile them into a documentary.

3. We will create a Sina blog (hopefully we won’t be censored), broadcast the video around our school, attempt to spread it throughout the local community

• I’m also thinking of printing flyers that point to the blog, distributing them and potentially build a following

4. Next, we will visit institutions, facilities, including hospitals, homes, and schools, gather further understanding and create a second documentary for the blog

5. As of now, the last video will aim to educate people on mental illness, how to accept them in society, etc.

Of course this will be an overarching and difficult process that will interfere with schoolwork and being a teenager, but this is a minority that is being overlooked and is thus suffering.

As someone who notices the absence of mentally ill individuals in society, I cannot simply be a bystander.

Chinese Economy: Deliberate Slowdown?

China’s economy plunges time and time again, igniting fear and backlash among stockholders, the general public, and, well, most of the world. Concerns have risen regarding the wellbeing of the previously rapidly growing economy. Just a few weeks ago, in the beginning of January, the stock exchanges plunged by 7% in Shanghai and Shenzhen. Less than simple, the decline can be attributed to foreign relations with the Middle East (President Xi recently visited the Middle East, in light of the dropping oil prices), rising tensions between Iran and nations in the region, North Korea’s nuclear test, etc.

With 3.2 trillion dollars being scraped off the Chinese economy, this further exacerbated the state of China’s currency which devalued once again.

However, there is a level of doubt regarding the accuracy of the Chinese economic statistics over the years. This is because reports and information released by China are far from transparent and may not assimilate a full perspective regarding the economic situation. Most economists consider China perhaps understating the state of the economy, only touching the surface of the Chinese economic decline. Thus, leading the economists to predict an imminent recession or economic crisis. One less popularly considered perspective is the likelihood of China deliberately displaying a gradual economic decline, and to consider this the following questions must be asked:

1. Does China have the means to portray a specific economic portrait? Yes, China is entirely capable of manipulating reports on the economic situation and the pace of which it rises or declines.
2. How does economic decline benefit China? This answer is less straight forward. First of all, an economic decline allows for China to direct its industry to other nations and improve pollution (something they are under global pressure for), an economic decline also allows China to focus greater on corruption, tackling inequality, and other measures described in the newest five-year plan. An economic decline allows the government to focus power on restructuring aspects of the nation overlooked when overshooting for a high GDP. This will empower the middle class, previously overshadowed by the upper class.
3. Why would China redirect its attention when it had previously been successful but is now facing speculation? Of course this task is daunting, and a task that will be carried through generations of leaders, but it is essential. The Communist Party roots itself among the middle class, something China has neglected in its struggle for a high GDP.  As a result, inequality has stricken the country and threatens political stability. In order to achieve true development, China requires a level of social harmony, something achievable by returning and smoothing over the inefficiencies overlooked in rapid development. Legal institutions are weak, welfare often falls under criticism, the nation does not offer a safety net economically and socially for anyone but the privileged minority. 

Take it from an expert:

Damien Ma of The Atlantic says on March 12, 2012:

The central priority for the Chinese government is no longer simply about economic growth. Rather, the chief challenge is dealing with the sociopolitical tensions and inequalities that are products of that growth. On these two fronts, the Wen administration record has been far less than stellar. Moreover, facing the unprecedented ferocity of public opinion, the government is increasingly having its feet held to the fire on issues of social equality and quality of life…

… After 35 years of breathless expansion of the economy, the growth story is less compelling for the Chinese public. Growth alone is no longer the panacea that papers over structural problems or ensures political legitimacy of the regime.

Why? Because the Chinese public, particularly the rising middle class, has started to notice that for all the talk of the Chinese economic miracle, they have not miraculously grown wealthy. Some have indeed become obscenely rich, which only serves to reinforce the sentiment that the system is tilted towards the few and stacked against the many. Adding fuel to the fire is that those who have been blessed by the growth miracle happen to be the political class itself or just one degree removed…

Furthermore, as stated by Yukon Huang in the Financial Times on March 3rd, 2012:

For all of China’s economic successes – which lifted some 600m out of poverty – income disparities nevertheless have ratcheted up with the gini coefficient now at 0.47 compared with around 0.25 in the mid-1980s. This has fostered a sense that the system is uncaring, and that opportunities are now being determined by one’s status rather than initiatives.

There is a strong link between the growth in social unrest and the reality that the reform process launched by Deng Xiaoping three decades ago has stalled. Rising social tensions come broadly from two forces, namely limitations of China’s national budget and banking systems in addressing distributional needs and distortions arising from controls over use of land and labour.

These quotes are from 2012, but still are relevant despite the radical changes in the Chinese politics and economy (one change being Xi Jingping’s leadership as compared to Deng Xiaoping). As stated previously, the undertaking of improving conditions in China through a deliberate economic slowdown is a task that must be assimilated by generations of leaders, and as we can see the task has been carried through President Deng to President Xi – where we can see what seems to be the first stages.

Of course the idea that China would deliberately instigate an economic slowdown is absurd, until evaluating the possibility of doing so, the potential benefits of doing so, and comparing it to predictions regarding an economic slowdown in the past.

Is China undertaking a new means to finally turn the nation from “developing” to “developed”? Or are these economic crises simply displaying the government’s inability to maintain its steadfast growth?

Sources:

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/why-china-wants-to-slow-down-its-own-economy/254374/

http://www.chinausfocus.com/political-social-development/chinas-state-of-the-union-a-more-equal-society/

http://blogs.ft.com/the-a-list/2012/03/05/china-must-rethink-its-economic-model-to-calm-growing-social-unrest/?Authorised=false#axzz1ow41TU3Y

 

**UPDATE**

As this blog is for documenting personal experiences, opinions, and perspectives, I was very pleased with myself upon discovering that a post I wrote on May 1, 2015 (9 months prior) actually conferred a similar perspective on China’s economic decline. Of course it would be easy to change my perspective due to the influx of backlash towards China’s economic slump but ultimately I seemed to have retained this belief – this could display foolish stubbornness or intuition, only time will tell.

Check out the post here:

China’s Slowing Development May be the Time to Solve Underlying Issues

 

 

Documentary About Beijing Locals

This is slightly relevant and slightly irrelevant. Here is a documentary type film I made as a project for school. Essentially I interviewed a couple of locals about what makes life in Beijing difficult, and interestingly enough – none of them were from Beijing. They were all migrants from other places in China, so whether or not they truly are locals depends on if you’re an expat or not. Also quite interesting was the fact that many people were fearful of being on film to talk about life in Beijing, even if it was for a teenager’s school project. There isn’t a lot of specific and groundbreaking information, but this was eye opening to me in terms of the effect of oppression and censorship on the locals as I was creating the documentary.

Check it out, it’s only 4 minutes long!

** Apologies for the quality, it suffers a little on youtube for some reason.

“Under the Dome”: Shocking Documentary on Chinese Pollution

This documentary was posted just a few weeks ago. The creator was fully aware of the consequences and censorship in China. However, this documentary became viral in China, with over 150 million views. The documentary begins with a woman, outlining the effect of pollution on her life. Accustomed to the pollution, she laments that she hardly wore masks or showed concerns about the pollution. It was only until she discovered she was pregnant to a baby with a tumor that she realized the dangers of pollution. From then on, she began to investigate further into the matter.

What can we take from this documentary? First of all, it might be one of the first documentaries that truly expose the harmful effects of pollution to the general public. As it has not been censored by the government yet, this will definitely create a large impact through this emotional standpoint. This documentary is not only a cry for help, this documentary offers solutions. The solution is not far fetched or impossible.

For example, the documentary outlines how local businesses such as restaurants and gas stations emit pollutants, (usually PM10), in comparison to less polluted regions (America) and why this occurs.The restaurant industry itself contributes to about 6% of the PM2.5 index. If this is not a cry for help itself, I don’t know what is. The documentary informs us of the legal regulations, restaurants and gas stations should all have an inexpensive device to prevent pollutants. The documentary then provides a number that anyone can call. Supposedly, the government will then provide an inexpensive appliance to counteract pollutants. These devices are government mandated, but this does not ensure anything. There are small businesses everywhere. The only way the police will take notice of these businesses is if we remind them to do so.

If 150 million people are even aware that this regulation exists, then perhaps 150 million people will call this number. China is known for the rapid growth and quick development. With 1.3 billion people, this is astounding. However, with this rapid development comes a price, that price is the environment. The vast population is immensely difficult to maintain. The only solution is mainstream media.

Before this documentary, I was unaware of the contributors of pollutants and inadvertently, the harms of pollution. I was told that “no one has died of pollution”. This stuck. I chose to believe what I wanted to believe. So despite the choking haze and the abrasive particulate matter in my throat, I neglected a mask and forgot more times than I remembered to turn on my air filter. But the pollution is no force to be reckoned with, and I am grateful I stumbled across this documentary. I am grateful that there are people who investigate the problems that no one wishes to face. So I urge you to watch this documentary, as this is a growing issue everywhere.

**UPDATE**

This documentary is everywhere in China, addressing the issues all Chinese people see daily. Even the Government has looked towards this documentary. This documentary could be a riveting game-changer for China’s relationship with the environment. China’s 1.3 billion citizens can solve this issue together just as they were able to cause this issue. There is a major difference in solving this problem rather than causing it, the solution will hopefully be for the long term.

Blog Update! {Travel Log}

After moving to Asia, my family began to travel more as we’re now closer to a range of interesting and diverse countries. It seemed to be a waste for me to have a blog and to be able to travel, and not reflect on the interesting encounters so I will begin documenting them and their highlights.

Although museums may not be as enthralling as snorkeling or parasailing, I find the history of a country extremely captivating and memorable. What better place to understand a country, than a museum where the history may be concentrated in one place full of artifacts and primary sources.

I’ll also be including some photographs taken from the trips.

APEC in Beijing

2014: Beijing is hosting the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation. In order to ensure a successful venture, China has gone to measures to ensure clean air quality, traffic control, and has even required public schools, state-operated businesses to close down. There has also been encouragement for the 20 million citizens of Beijing to leave town.

The month of October was nothing unusual for Beijing. Leaving the house consisted of breathing in lungfuls and lungfuls of smog. Staying indoors consisted of listening to the hum of air filters. Yet due to APEC, and the inconvenience for even international students, “holidays” or days off (of blue skies) have been juxtaposed into our calendars.

Smog and traffic are pretty much the epitome of Beijing, so it really makes no sense as to why they’re thwarting the lives of all 20 million citizens to seem like a halfway decent city to the APEC conference and the media it’ll bring. I guess pollution-less skies can be achieved, as we’ve seen with this conference and the Michelle Obama visit of 2014. But the means of achieving it aren’t so practical. So I guess haze and grey skies it is!

Update: The government has even removed the firewall on the internet in certain areas where the conferences will be held. So in addition to the unpolluted skies and lack of traffic, there will also be no censorship. Who is China trying to fool?