Moby Drives China Over the Edge

Katherine Mangu-Ward | August 20, 2008

China has been working hard to maintain a delicate balancing act of putting on a nobody-here-but-us-freedom-loving-semi-capitalists act for the Olympic tourists and athletes, while keeping its citizens inside the cone of silence. And this week they finally cracked.

iTunes is blocked in many parts of the country today. And who drove China to distraction in the end? Why Moby and Alanis Morissette, of course. Singing about the Dalai Lama (or something) on the Songs for Tibet album just released on the site. On Monday, "the US-based Campaign for Tibet organisation claimed on its website that "over 40 Olympic athletes in North America, Europe and even Beijing" had downloaded the album." As usual, China offers a hilariously illogical explanation for its hugely disproportionate response to 40 downloads via its quasi-official news site:

Angry netizens [internet users] are rallying together to denounce Apple in offering Songs for Tibet for purchase. They have also expressed a wish to ban the album's singers and producers, most notably Sting, John Mayer and Dave Matthews, from entering China.

Gee, those angry Chinese netizens, they sure have a lot of power over China's Internet policy.

Of course, maybe the regime is right to freak out. Your people get ahold of a few good tunes, and the next thing you know, you might have a Singing Revolution on your hands. 

Comments

Kolohe|8.20.08 @ 3:58PM|#

But is this ironic?

|8.20.08 @ 4:12PM|#

Moby's music could drive anybody over the edge.

ZING!

(come on, it had to be done)

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:14PM|#

There's nothing wrong with Moby's music . . . when you're on E that is.

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:15PM|#

Wait, does he still do techno club music or am I way older than I was aware of?

ed|8.20.08 @ 4:16PM|#

Moby's a dick.

Sorry.

Citizen Nothing|8.20.08 @ 4:17PM|#

I thought Moby's "Play" was brilliant. And I was only on W.T. (Wild Turkey)

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:19PM|#

Citizen Nothing,

Whiskey Tango. No one calls it Wild Turkey. Throwing some hip cool slang your way, that's all.

Citizen Nothing|8.20.08 @ 4:23PM|#

Get off my lawn, already, Naga! (waving cane).

|8.20.08 @ 4:24PM|#

Suzanne Vega is still alive? I had no idea.

Citizen Nothing|8.20.08 @ 4:24PM|#

I thought Whiskey Tango was Jim Beam mixed with that astronaut breakfast drink.

|8.20.08 @ 4:25PM|#

No one calls it Wild Turkey

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:26PM|#

Astronaut breakfast drink? WTF? Tang and Beam? Hmmmmmm . . . delicious!

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:28PM|#

Yes, Epi. It's military slang that has bled over to the staff where I work. Keesler Air Force Base is roughly a mile away from the Beau Rivage.

|8.20.08 @ 4:29PM|#

I once walked past Moby's vegan restaurant in NYC. It was 8pm on a Friday night. There was one guy in the entire place. He looked miserable and was eating with the grim determination of a man walking to the gallows.

Citizen Nothing|8.20.08 @ 4:29PM|#

Moby actually looks a bit like Phil Silvers.

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:32PM|#

SugarFree,

Fess' up already! That "one guy in the entire place" was you. I won't judge, Epi probably will but not me.

|8.20.08 @ 4:34PM|#

Naga,

No, if I wanted cashew "meatloaf" I'd make it myself. And then throw it away.

I tried to take a picture of him, but my wife pulled me away. She's the only one with some fucking tact in the relationship.

|8.20.08 @ 4:34PM|#

NutraSweet can't be a vegan, all he eats is cockmeat.

|8.20.08 @ 4:35PM|#

Kickin' Chicken? That's what we called it back in the Before Time.

Didn't Led Zep do a song called "Whole Lotta Lama"? "Shake for me girl; I want to be your celibate man. . . ."

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:36PM|#

Episiarch,

I know a few vegans who drink milk and eat eggs. Just sayin . . .

|8.20.08 @ 4:37PM|#

I bet you eat coq au vin too, Epipocrit.

|8.20.08 @ 4:37PM|#

Cmon, who can blame them for wanting to keep Sting, John Mayer and Dave Matthews out of their country? If I had my own country, that's the first law I'd pass.

|8.20.08 @ 4:39PM|#

How can a vegan girl give a blow-job? It's the product of an animal, after all.

Even if she spits, would anyone call a person who chews a piece of steak and then spits it out a vegan?

Lesson: Don't date a vegan chick.

|8.20.08 @ 4:40PM|#

They have also expressed a wish to ban the album's singers and producers, most notably Sting, John Mayer and Dave Matthews, from entering China.

I can believe that.

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:41PM|#

Thanks for making a blow job from a vegan chick seem weird, SugarFree. Beggars and choosers and what not.

|8.20.08 @ 4:42PM|#

I know a few vegans who drink milk and eat eggs. Just sayin . . .

Then they're not vegans. Vegetarians, maybe, but certainly not vegans.

I bet you eat coq au vin too, Epipocrit.

When you suck dick you do it with wine in your mouth? Your perversion sickens, yet intrigues, me.

Lesson: Don't date a vegan chick.

Duh.

|8.20.08 @ 4:43PM|#

Wow. I like a lot of the artists on this album... I guess I am more of a hippie than I care to admit.

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:45PM|#

Episiarch,

I'm to diplomatic to point out the flaws in people's way of life. I'm not above exploiting it to my advantage either. Refer to stories I told about ex that liked horrorscopes.

Anonymo the Anonymous|8.20.08 @ 4:46PM|#

They have also expressed a wish to ban the album's singers and producers, most notably Sting, John Mayer and Dave Matthews, from entering China.

As the U.S. slides toward Chinese-style authoritarianism, when can we expect to see some of the good parts like this?

Anti-Globalism|8.20.08 @ 4:48PM|#

Any sane society keeps destructive information away from its citizens, with a possible exception for those smart enough to handle it.

For example, we ban certain nuclear secrets from dissemination.

However, China's motive appears to be saving face, which is kind of silly. If they just said LOL MOBY SUXORS and banned it, people would applaud.

|8.20.08 @ 4:50PM|#

Epi,

You seem awfully turned-on by the notion of me orally pleasuring another man. It can only be because you desire to be that other man. Your sick obsession with me has finally become a full blown psychosis.

Sad, really.

|8.20.08 @ 4:52PM|#

Well, it's only because you look like a chick.

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:53PM|#

Anti-Globalism,

Did you just compare nuclear secrets with simple minded rhetoric for a freer society?

Zerg|8.20.08 @ 4:54PM|#

on the more important subject of Whiskey Tango

Whiskey Tango means "White Trash."

|8.20.08 @ 4:54PM|#

Yes... a fat, bearded chick. Really, a lost cause. I must go before inflaming Epi's passions further.

I leave you news that Alex Proyas is planning to adapt Robert Heinlein's The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag.

db|8.20.08 @ 4:55PM|#

joe | August 20, 2008, 4:40pm | #
They have also expressed a wish to ban the album's singers and producers, most notably Sting, John Mayer and Dave Matthews, from entering China.

I can believe that.



Oh yeah.
FTW.

Cool Cal|8.20.08 @ 4:58PM|#

Has Reason yet pointed out that Tibet, in fact the Dalai Lama himself is engaged in the same type of brutal religious persecution that China perpetrates on them, which we're constantly throwing up our skirts over?

It's worth looking up folks, and it's a shame the Western media's remiss in reporting it. I guess it would complicate this otherwise black and white cause.

db|8.20.08 @ 4:59PM|#

I leave you news that Alex Proyas is planning to adapt Robert Heinlein's The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag.

excellent.

db|8.20.08 @ 5:00PM|#

cool cal: link? interested.

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 5:01PM|#

Zerg,

I live in Mississippi. Trust me, it means wild turkey. You know what we call white trash here? White trash. No acronym necessary.

Citizen Nothing|8.20.08 @ 5:01PM|#

I don't have time to parse it all now, but there seems to be some weird shit doing down at "Anti-Globalism"'s Web site.

Dagny T.|8.20.08 @ 5:04PM|#

I know a few vegans who drink milk and eat eggs. Just sayin . . .

Then they're not vegans. Vegetarians, maybe, but certainly not vegans.

So the stars of Milk Nymphos could be vegetarian but not vegan, making it an important distinction, after all.

Citizen Nothing|8.20.08 @ 5:04PM|#

And I think Cool Cal, like so many before him, has confused the Dalai Lama with Phil Silvers (or Moby).

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 5:04PM|#

Citizen Nothing,

Thanks for the heads up but I rarely click on links with names like "Orange Line Special" and "Anti-Globalism". I'm always on the lookout to avoid getting rick rolled.

Dagny T.|8.20.08 @ 5:06PM|#

But for Stagliano's sake, I hope no raw milk was used in the production...

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 5:07PM|#

Dagny T.,

I think you're on the wrong thread but your comments fit nonetheless.

Citizen Nothing|8.20.08 @ 5:07PM|#

It's www.corrupt.org, naga. I'm not suggesting you visit, and I'm sure it's just some strange, easily explained "ism," but I couldn't instantly put my finger on it.

|8.20.08 @ 5:08PM|#

But for Stagliano's sake, I hope no raw milk was used in the production...

Like Al Capone, they'll get him on a lesser charge...of raw milk sales?

|8.20.08 @ 5:09PM|#

If China would also ban Coldplay, I'd have to seriously consider moving there...

Naga Sadow |8.20.08 @ 5:14PM|#

Thanks Citizen Nothing. I'll try it on the universities computers in an hour or so.

Dagny T.|8.20.08 @ 5:23PM|#

Naga,

Just tying all the really important news of the day together, is all. I'm helpful that way. ;-)

Dagny T.|8.20.08 @ 5:25PM|#

Like Al Capone, they'll get him on a lesser charge...of raw milk sales?

Precisely. Well, that and failing to correctly label the aforementioned milk for the sake of nymphos counting their calories.

Neu Mejican|8.20.08 @ 5:51PM|#

Citizen Nothing,

Whiskey Tango. No one calls it Wild Turkey. Throwing some hip cool slang your way, that's all.

I thought it was "Chicken Beer."

Cool Cal|8.20.08 @ 5:58PM|#

http://www.france24.com/en/20080808-dalai-lama-demons-india-buddhism-dorje-shugden

db,

This is the most comprehensive one I found regarding the Dalai Lama's persecution of religious sects in Tibet. But if you search for the terms Dorje, Tibet, Ban ... etc., you'll find many more articles. Here's another better one from Brendan O'Neill at Spiked-Online:

http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/5170/

Travis|8.20.08 @ 6:42PM|#

Cool Cal,

Very interesting.

Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 6:44PM|#

You FOOL! WTF! Citizen Nothing, I would have prefered to be rick rolled than read what little bit I did read! A "New" Scopes trial, and why this Brett Stevens guy is writing it? If there wasn't a picture of a monkey with a gun I would smack you one!

Jay: In this world gone mad, we won't spank the monkey! The monkey will spank US!!!

Just Sayin\'|8.20.08 @ 7:03PM|#

They have also expressed a wish to ban the album's singers and producers, most notably Sting, John Mayer and Dave Matthews, from entering China.

I can believe that.

Well, the ladies seem to like them that John Mayer. So I found that feining an interest in his work has neglible cost and non-neglible benefit. And the same was true for Dave Mathews a decade ago. Heck, it was also possibly true for Gordon Sumner back in the day, but that was before my time

Anonymous|8.20.08 @ 7:11PM|#

In fascist China, weekend lives for morning monkey!

|8.20.08 @ 7:34PM|#

Cool Cal:

"I have meditated and considered (my decision to put aside the Shugden) at length in my soul and spirit before coming to the right decision", he said. "People have killed, lied, fought each other and set things alight in the name of this deity. These monks must be expelled from all monasteries. If they are not happy, you can tell them that the Dalai Lama himself asked that this be done, and it is very urgent."
...
"Can the Dalai Lama really ban an entire religion?" asks one. "We are in the right, he's the one who is being incoherent. On one hand, he's always preaching freedom of religion and compassion, but on the other he's forbidding us to worship the god we choose", says another."

Saying that the Dalai Lama is involved in "persecuting" these devotees of Dorje Shugden and forbade them from worshipping in Bhuddist monasteries is pretty misleading. It's the same as the way Catholic churches don't allow Satanists to worship in their churches.

And even if "persecution" fits, which it doesn't, it's hardly comparable to China's evisceration of pretty much every religious practice (with a nod to Christians). AFAIK, the Dalai Lama has never imprisoned, tortured or exiled into forced labor even a single Dorje Shugden follower.

They can worship whomever they choose, they just can't worship Satan/Shugden in the Bhuddist monasteries. Is that so confusing?

|8.20.08 @ 7:37PM|#

Oop ... "Buddhist" and

"Saying that the Dalai Lama is involved in "persecuting" these devotees of Dorje Shugden because he forbade them from worshipping in Buddhist monasteries is pretty misleading."

GILMORE|8.20.08 @ 8:26PM|#

dolly lamma aside,

I think china has overall pooped itself in its mission to put on the Most Harmonious And China-Endorsing Perfectly Staged International Celebration of Olympic Spiritedness. In almost every respect. The message that seems to come through every day is that they are a huge nation constantly wetting itself in fear and anxiety. The very desperation reveals a kind of fundamental incompetence. It produces the opposite impression that they aim for. They're not even *effective* totalitarians...which i guess is always the downfall of totalitarians = by trying to control everything, they quickly lose the ability to do any one thing without looking like idiots.

From the fake-singing more cuter ceremony girl to the underage gymnasts to the gangs of state-sponsored happy clappers and concerted effort to restrict any attendance at the events that isnt strictly rubber-stamped (e.g. the 'sold out' events that have nearly no audience?)... i think these olympics so far are mostly notable for their cheapness, a complete lack of 'international comity', a posturing attempt to seem grand and respectable, but sending off the impression of a party where the hosts are such annoying, control-freaks that no one is really having any fun.

One detail i dont think anyone has remarked on is that in all the hundreds of hours of coverage of the events, nobody has gotten anything other than political soundbytes from the actual residents of Beijing. the whole thing seems to exist in a bubble. As if Disney were hosting the games in HappyLand.

(not related to LoneW)!#@$)

GILMORE|8.20.08 @ 8:33PM|#

Zerg | August 20, 2008, 4:54pm | #

on the more important subject of Whiskey Tango

Whiskey Tango means "White Trash."

1 = pretty gay to call a whiskey "whiskey tango", and think it's hip slangology

2 - in my brief experience in the armed forces, "whiskey tango foxtrot" (often shortened to whiskey tango) meant, "what the fuck...??" - commonly used to refer to orders that made no sense. Or response to radio messages that were garbled and needed to be repeated.

Deus ex Machina|8.21.08 @ 12:22AM|#

Somewhat on-topic: the successor to Mao died today.

Anti-Globalism|8.21.08 @ 12:44AM|#

Naga Shadow,

"freer"

Please don't use marketing terms in place of argument.

|8.21.08 @ 2:12AM|#

Moby's music is mediocre and he is a short and bald headed middle age guy. If you have seen his live performance, it is corny as the dancing guy in the six flag commercial.

dpsc|8.21.08 @ 2:16AM|#

I guess Reason finally closed the arbitrarily long comment via preview bug/feature. Proof that the free market works, if in fits and starts. I guess I'll have to give you the short unqualified version.

China didn't need to do this. Young Chinese are the most insanely nationalistic people I've met. All hearing Moby bitch about Tibet is likely to do is make them burn Moby in effigy.

When I talk to young Chinese they all know Richard Gere, and they all think he's a cunt (can't really argue with that). He's far more famous among young Chinese than among young Americans.

China may be oppressive, but the oppressed are singing in their chains like the sea. They are pretty convinced that Tibet is part of China.

dpsc|8.21.08 @ 2:34AM|#

The thing is that while you might want to get rid of the CP you would then have to deal with all these kids in China who would wind up running things.

I've spent thousands of hours over the last few years talking to them over the internet, often in Chinese when their English wasn't sufficient. They are insanely aggressive and nationalist, and they know that the CP's days are numbered.

I'm not crazy about the CP, but they are at least careful and calculating. What comes after them might not be.

|8.21.08 @ 4:36AM|#

Moby's pretty good, Sting used to be, Mayer's all right but I never liked Dave Matthews. Or Phish or the Grateful Dead.

|8.21.08 @ 8:40AM|#

I had the opportunity years ago to visit China. It is such a beautiful Country rich in history. Its such ashamed the government there chooses to suppress the its people. They are indeed beautiful, hard working people.

RD
http://www.decrypt.net.tc

ed|8.21.08 @ 9:24AM|#

Somewhat on-topic: the successor to Mao died today.

I thought for sure it would link to the Stephanie Tubbs Jones obit.

|8.21.08 @ 10:07AM|#

Those bastard semi-capitalists are very shrewd. They waited for the Olympics to get up a full head of steam, then they release the best anti-Moby software to date.

When will it be available in America, and how can I buy it?

J|8.21.08 @ 10:52AM|#

I love a lot of Moby's music. I did not love the ridiculously Marxist liner notes with some of them (although I appreciated the left anarchist parts).

But overall, he's done a lot of really good music.

|8.21.08 @ 12:10PM|#

China may be oppressive, but the oppressed are singing in their chains like the sea.

"like the sea"? Is this some kind of weird translation thing?

|8.21.08 @ 3:34PM|#

I agree with GILMORE.

Plus, all the bad press that the protests of the torch created, reminding everyone of China's "issues." And the Beijing air.

The Seoul Olympics showed the world that South Korea was more than they'd suspected. These Olympics are showing the world that China is exactly what they suspected.

dpsc|8.24.08 @ 1:38AM|#

RC Dean says: ""like the sea"? Is this some kind of weird translation thing?"

I've always suspected as much. Google's Welsh to English translation service was apparently on the blink from sometime in the late 20s until at least 1953.