Dark Sarcasm in the Classroom

Reader Mark Siefert points us to this AP gem about mandatory "patriotism" classes in Hong Kong. Is there any way more sure to create a disaffected, Mao-hating generation?

Student Jim Tse is dismissive of Pui Kiu's compulsory "Modern China" classes, including lessons on "Mao Zedong Thought."

"They taught us stuff from decades ago. It's useless," said Tse, 18.

Joe Fong, 14, calls the flag ceremonies "a waste of time" and admits he "slept through most of the classes" on civics.

Look for Jim Tse and Joe Fong to leading the resistance in another decade.

Whole thing here.

Comments

[Will Spencer]

This stuff only works if you start from a VERY young age.

Trying to indoctrinate children after they have reached high school is almost completely futile.

It looks like the Chinese could take a lesson from the North Koreans, who start hate-education in pre-school.

[kmw]

All in all it's just another brick in the wall

[Mo]

Hehe, introducing patriotism at the age when kids start of throw those shackles off. I love it. They sounded like me and my angst-ridden friends in high school. My favorite line is the kid said it was like being taught to love your family. Such a true statement.

[Patrick]

Look for Jim Tse and Joe Fong to be leading the resistance in another decade.

And look for Noel Lee ("patriotism runs in his family and his school has helped strengthen his nationalist feelings") to be there to crush them.

[D Anghelone]

They haven't broken the Hong Kongers of their practice of adopting English first names. When Marcus drops his is when to worry about him.

[D Anghelone]

Noel not Marcus.

[Patrick]

Jim, Joe, Marcus, and Noel all have Chinese names, I'm certain. They're just not likely to give them to the English-speaking press.

[David McElroy]

Those classes sound suspiciously like civics classes in U.S. schools in some ways, don't they? At least, it always seemed like that to me, along with the "sacred" Pledge of Allegiance.

[D Anghelone]

Jim, Joe, Marcus, and Noel all have Chinese names, I'm certain. They're just not likely to give them to the English-speaking press.

They surely have Chinese names but adopt English names to facilitate dealings (business) with the outside world. Don't know if that's caught on with the mainlanders.

[A Different Sean]

Uhh.. The comments about the course material are pretty similar to the things I hear from the mainlanders of that age. I've also heard more important people making derisive comments about those classes.

I guess the difference is that the Hong Kong people don't have to worry about getting quoted in a paper about it.

[Russ]

Uh huh. Bible thumpers think people want to hear it. Flag wavers think everybody loves a parade. Marx thought the workers wanted to work.

[Kevin Carson]

"Flag ceremonies"?!! You mean those dirty commies are making kids pledge allegiance to their government? How authoritarian!