Chinese living in mainland China enjoys a considerable degree of freedom, in many aspects more than the west. In general you enjoy the seemingly free life, but you know if you touch the lord's 'red line' you are in trouble. The Chinese can't identify themselves with the people in 1984 or "The brave new world", thanks to the current freedom they enjoy, hence these books are not forbidden.
It seems to every individual that the effort to break free brings in China offer little advantage. One cannot be sure freedom is a necessity or just a hobby.
Could you be more specific? More freedom to do what, exactly?
The "More" part is the Freedom of doing everything without much regard to law. (A true librarian wouldn't call it a freedom.) The red line is not to touch Lord's regime and not to get negative media attention. Media is growing power these days.
It's easier to explain by quoting. Gavin Elster in the movie "Vertigo":
"The things that spell San Francisco to me are disappearing fast. . . . I should have liked to live here then. Color, excitement, power, freedom. . . ."
The "More" part of Chinese freedom is the kind of freedom mentioned there. It's a time of heros, scoundrels and barons. People can be wealthy and as powerful as not to touch or damage Lord's regime, the state is not in their way. Unlike the western view, this game, despite being relentless merciless, is not even unfair, because everyone can be a baron and do have a chance. 90% of the wealthest started empty handed: Quote
http://thinkingchinese.com/index.php?page_id=284This time, the threshold for entering the rich and powerful list is wealth of 1 billion RMB, and altogether there are 56 up-and-coming rich and powerful on the list, who are all younger than 40. Among them, 11 own a wealth value that exceeds $1 billion, 44 who have started from scratch and 12 who have inherited wealth.
People can dream. Society structure in regarding to wealth is fluid. You can be what you want, if what you want is wealth (the only true want). The path to wealthy is open.
Small examples: Special businesses doesn't require special registration and regulation. There is a man who buildt his small mound on top of apartment buildings (he enjoys the view of mountain) and stopped at media pressure but not law pressure. Police dooesn't want to bother you or can be bribed, but unlike western imagination, the more usual case is "they don't want to bother you", not that "they can be bribed". Postive examples I mentioned above. I also have many provoking examples: you can drink on the street, eat in subway, block airport access in rage of delayed plane without worrying police taking you.
I keep referring the central government as the lord because:
If you are rich and powerful, the Lord can still take you down, doom your reputation and confesticate your business in an overnight, but you know the Lord won't do it without a good reason. The central is so efficient, that you better think it as a unified person with integrity, that he doesn't retaliate without reason and purpose, and he doesn't act on too small offenses or lack of briibe, he knows if you are loyal by the look, and he acts relentlessly - you can even love him for his integrity.
