Download WanWan Article1

Title of Article: ‘Lei Feng Day’ Draws Chinese Cynicism.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/world/asia/lei-feng-day-draws-chinesecynicism.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=Feng%20Lei&st=cse
One paragraph BRIEF summary of the article:
China’s intensive propaganda on national hero “Lei Feng” gives rise to collective cynicism. The Party’s
effort to resuscitate the spirit of Lei Feng exposed the limits of old school propaganda in the age of
the Internet. Many Internet users start to question the reliability of Lei Feng’s biography, the
Party’s intention to eliminate democracy and the practicability of Lei Feng spirit in modern
society.
Identifying the Knowledge Issue(s):
---Why can’t oldschool propaganda keep its
freshness through the passage of time? In what
ways does it contradict with the modern
society?
---To what extend/In what ways can
propaganda eliminate human rights or
democracy?
---Why is the general morality of modern
Chinese society completely out of touch with its
intensive propaganda on nation hero’s good
deeds.
Key quotes from the article:
“Mao Zedong sought to imbue China’s youth
with a passion for self-sacrifice and patriotism
— and perhaps distract them from the hunger
pangs of famine that followed his disastrous
effort to rapidly industrialize in the Great Leap
Forward.”
“My only ambition is to be a rustless screw for
the great cause of revolution,”
---In what ways can propaganda be discredited?
“Empathy is a minimal requirement of human
decency, not one that should be directed by a
political party.”
“And there just happened to be a
photojournalist passing by to capture the
moment,”
Identification and Treatment of Areas of
Knowledge (AoKs):
Identification and Treatment of Ways of Knowing
(WoKs): (Language, Reason, Emotion, Perception)
Ethics: the article questioned the relationship
between propaganda and human
rights/democracy. It queried if the right value of a
person should be following marching orders or to
be an independent critical thinker. The article also
pointed out the irony that even though China is
intensively spreading national hero propaganda,
people’s morality is still so aloof that they walk
past a mortally injured 2-year-old. This point
criticizes the effectiveness of propaganda.
Language: People perceive “Lei Feng spirit” by
reading Lei Feng’s diary and biography. Or through
means of propaganda like newspapers,
advertisements, school textbook and such.
History: “Lei Feng” spirit is a historical event. The
article proved that archaic oldschool propaganda
does not fit into the system modern society.
Language Emotion
Human: the article shows people’s response
towards propaganda and their struggles towards
democracy and molarity standard.
According to this issue, emotion is the most
important ways of knowing. Because the core of
propaganda is to evoke people’s emotions, in such
way people can be imbued with certain beliefs or
ideas which helps for the Party to manipulate and
exploit people’s minds. Emotion responds to
propaganda, it is the primary stage of the effect of
propaganda.
Emotion: Propaganda of “Lei Feng spirit” can
either trigger patriotic feelings or provokes
cynicism.
Reason: Reasons and logics are applied on
justifying the authenticity of Lei Feng propaganda.
OR Language Reason Emotion
Knower’s Perspective:
This issue is a remarkable sample of all the national hero propaganda made by the Chinese Communist
Party, either contemporary ones or historical ones. They all have an identical goal, which is to promote a
sense of self-sacrifice and patriotism, and to eliminate individuality. It can also be treated as a normal
propaganda, which is a way of provoking people’s emotion in order to infuse people with ideas and
beliefs. It is very important to know the tactics that are involved in propaganda so that one can be aware
of the mind manipulation and be a critical individual. This article inspires the youth to reconsider their
impression on national heroes and choose a neutral position to fairly judge propaganda.
Grading Criteria:
Criteria A:
Criteria B:
Criteria C:
Criteria D:
Total
Identification of knowledge issue(s)
Your understanding of the article/KI
Knower’s perspective
Connections and treatment of AoKs and WoKs
____/20
/5
/5
/5
/5