The Safety Net

The crazy thing about living in a country as, well, off, as China is that it's safer here.
I know, it sounds weird.
In the wake of the Batman shootings in Colorado, I've had a few croppings of concern for safety while I'm out here. Of course, one has to remind people that these things are happening in the states. Not in China.
Those things don't happen here.
Think about it.
When was the last time you heard about something like that in China?
Sure there's supression of the media, but really, the government is the only worry.
Those Denver shootings made international news. Every person I meet here asks if I have friends or family here.
Of course, in this wave of discussion, I also have to explain different positions on gun control when I'm asked why the states allow people to have guns.
"Well, it's complicated. In essence, they will be on the black market if they are illegal and then citizens have no way of protecting themselves legally. It is one of the many issues that Americans fight about amongst each other."
It's difficult to simplify things down to a language they understand and trying to adequately represent both sides of an argument that, well, generally, I just don't care about.
There's a reason that people don't leave China. Sure, it's not my lifelong cup of tea, but I get it.
It's safe here.
They may lack a few freedoms here and there, but overall, it's not a bad trade.
Interestingly enough, my good friend Owen brought up North Korea. He said that "the people in North Korea are very happy, but that's because they don't know what is going on. They don't know anything else. They don't know how happy they could be if they had freedoms."
One of my long-term guests took a trip out to Seoul. While there, they visited the DMZ (demilitirization zone) between North and South Korea. At the south edge of North Korea there is a jiade town (a fake town), they call it "Propoganda Town," as it is a beautiful and modern town.
That no one lives in.
That's right.
No human lives there.
It's a facade.
A prop.
This should give you an idea of how "protected" the North Koreans are.
It was interesting to hear Owen say this, so I replied with, "Many countries think that, America especially."
He laughed and inserted "World Police" into the conversation.
Exactly.
We often have good intentions and so does Owen in saying that they just don't know. He's right. I asked him if he wondered if people thought the same of China.
"Sometimes," he said.
Remember how crazy it was when you first found out there was no Facebook or Twitter or even Google (by the book anyway)? I'm sure you thought the same as I did.
"How could they think this? They just don't know what real life is, it is ridiculous to be restrained like this."
But this culture doesn't see it like that.
Just like this culture doesn't produce people that run into movie theater's with semi-automatic weapons on a premiere night.