The Big Picture: Opening Day

Very insightful Jeremy! I didn’t see that till you pointed it out, but unfortunately, it now seems obvious that was a “masked” show of power.

maybe i subscribed under false pretenses, but i thought good was a progressive magazine, not a mainstream liberal (or neoliberal?) one. as such, i was expecting the magazine’s writers and coverage of politics would be more fair and less vilifying. i love our nation (the united states, that is) but i also recognize that we, too, have a historical past as well as ongoing present of human rights violations (in the form of population disparities). i think a progressive magazine seeking to contribute to the political engagement of people – perhaps especially leftists – would know better than to portray china as “freedom-hating” or “evil.” frankly, it’s kind of ignorant, naive, and hypocritical. maybe even irrational.

so i’m not saying we shouldn’t be critical, but at least do it in a way that recognizes how nuanced everything really is. or maybe this is indeed like many other mainstream publications, only with pretty aesthetics. seeing how readily folks hate on china just feels too clearly ::gasp:: racist. it shows the kind of different privileges (including nationality, race, etc.) the staff benefit from and fail to recognize. it’s very easy to be an american hating on developing/lesser industrial countries without understanding the history and humanity of the country.

guess i was wrong about all that!

its true that it is ignorant to label the whole country of china as freedom hating and evil- for even implying that the whole country and its people are evil i am gravely sorry because i do not believe that.

as a mexican citizen i have to say my comments have very little to do with american politics. and i do stand by my comments that the chinese government is committing evils to human rights and that they are probably hiding some. for that matter i feel that most countries of the world do commit evil acts. now whether or not this opinion makes me progressive or not i really dont care, its my opinion and in addition i dont feel that this is racist. i have plenty of criticisms about the usa as well as most of the worlds countries who have also committed and commit great wrongs against humanity- so dont feel im targeting china-

now, i feel that the citizens of the world are good people, its just the governments of the world including my home mexico are twisted and corrupt. its up to individuals to live good lives and surpass the wrongs of their home land. its up to every person to contribute something good.

as an architect/urbanist many of my criticisms are about how urban planning over the world polarizes the poor and puts them at great disadvantage. part of the reason i love this magazine is that it tells the stories of people- individuals. and when it does comment on government its very frank.

oh yea, im not a member of the staff so dont think that the people of good magazine share my ideas— in fact im pretty sure they dont. at the end of the day im just a architect listening to himself type.

and to tell you the truth the reason i bought my very first copy of good was for the pretty aesthetics!

point well taken!….however

its true that it is ignorant to label the whole country of china as freedom hating and evil- for even implying that the whole country and its people are evil i am gravely sorry because i do not believe that.

as a mexican citizen i have to say my comments have very little to do with american politics. and i do stand by my comments that the chinese government is committing evils to human rights and that they are probably hiding some. for that matter i feel that most countries of the world do commit evil acts. now whether or not this opinion makes me progressive or not i really dont care, its my opinion and in addition i dont feel that this is racist. i have plenty of criticisms about the usa as well as most of the worlds countries who have also committed and commit great wrongs against humanity- so dont feel im targeting china-

now, i feel that the citizens of the world are good people, its just the governments of the world including my home mexico are twisted and corrupt. its up to individuals to live good lives and surpass the wrongs of their home land. its up to every person to contribute something good.

as an architect/urbanist many of my criticisms are about how urban planning over the world polarizes the poor and puts them at great disadvantage. part of the reason i love this magazine is that it tells the stories of people- individuals. and when it does comment on government its very frank.

oh yea, im not a member of the staff so dont think that the people of good magazine share my ideas— in fact im pretty sure they dont. at the end of the day im just a architect listening to himself type.

and to tell you the truth the reason i bought my very first copy of good was for the pretty aesthetics!