Jackie Chan suffers head injury on the set

[DGuller]

Jackie Chan: Chinese people need to be controlled
By WILLIAM FOREMAN, Associated Press Writer William Foreman, Associated Press Writer 1 hr 10 mins ago

BOAO, China – Action star Jackie Chan said Saturday he's not sure if a free society is a good thing for China and that he's starting to think "we Chinese need to be controlled."

Chan's comments drew applause from a predominantly Chinese audience of business leaders in China's southern island province of Hainan.

The 55-year-old Hong Kong actor was participating in a panel at the annual Boao Forum when he was asked to discuss censorship and restrictions on filmmakers in China. He expanded his comments to include society.

"I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not," Chan said. "I'm really confused now. If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic."

Chan added: "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."

The kung fu star has not been a vocal supporter of the pro-democracy movement in his hometown of Hong Kong. Since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997, voters have not been allowed to directly elect their leader. Several massive street protests have been held to demand full democracy, but Beijing has repeatedly said Hong Kong isn't ready for it.

The theme at Saturday's panel discussion was "Tapping into Asia's Creative Industry Potential," and Chan had several opinions about innovation in China.

He said that early in his career, he lived in the shadow of the late martial arts star Bruce Lee. He said that during his first foray into Hollywood, he struggled to establish his own identity, so he returned to Hong Kong. After spending 15 years building his reputation in Asia, Chan finally got rediscovered by Hollywood, he said.

Chan said the problem with Chinese youth is that "they like other people's things. They don't like their own things." Young people need to spend more time developing their own style, he added.

The action hero complained that Chinese goods still have too many quality problems. He became emotional when discussing contaminated milk powder that sickened tens of thousands of Chinese babies in the past year.

Speaking fast with his voice rising, Chan said, "If I need to buy a TV, I'll definitely buy a Japanese TV. A Chinese TV might explode."

God, people like that make me want to puke my guts out.  Serf mentality is a powerful thing.

[Queequeg]

Somewhat understandable.  Mainland China has never known Democracy, and combine that with the excesses of the Maoist period (which some Chinese would ascribe to an excess of popular enthusiasm for government) and the icky breakup of the USSR and you have a recipe for popular authoritarianism.   

[jimmy olsen]

False advertising, I thought he finally crippled/killed himself doing one of his crazy stunts.

[HVC]

If we let them do what they want they poison babies milk and make lead toys. maybe He's got a point

[CountDeMoney]

Some cultures are more disposed to autocracy than democracy.

Please see: Russians, Arabs, Monoriu

[DGuller]

False advertising, I thought he finally crippled/killed himself doing one of his crazy stunts.

That's what I though myself after reading that article.

[alfred russel]

It makes more sense than most of his movies.

[Siege]

Some cultures are more disposed to autocracy than democracy.

Please see: Russians, Arabs, Monoriu

Indeed. People calling for freedom in authoritary societies forget that in those societies, whoever believe in their flavor of autocracy, is perfectly "free". Back in the Soviet Union, russians that believed in comunism were perfectly "free" and happy. They had what they wanted, and didn't want at all the freedoms we enjoy in the West.

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of chinese are perfectly happy with their regime, the same way that most mormons would be happy with a "Mormon Republic of Utah".

[Razgovory]

As a Russian, DG don't you also wish for the soft caress of the whip and the loving embrace of chains?

[Siege]

Did I just use the word "perfectly" three times in the same post?

[Razgovory]

Some cultures are more disposed to autocracy than democracy.

Please see: Russians, Arabs, Monoriu

Indeed. People calling for freedom in authoritary societies forget that in those societies, whoever believe in their flavor of autocracy, is perfectly "free". Back in the Soviet Union, russians that believed in comunism were perfectly "free" and happy. They had what they wanted, and didn't want at all the freedoms we enjoy in the West.

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of chinese are perfectly happy with their regime, the same way that most mormons would be happy with a "Mormon Republic of Utah".

Clearly not all Russians wanted that since the Soviet Union did collapse.

[Siege]

Some cultures are more disposed to autocracy than democracy.

Please see: Russians, Arabs, Monoriu

Indeed. People calling for freedom in authoritary societies forget that in those societies, whoever believe in their flavor of autocracy, is perfectly "free". Back in the Soviet Union, russians that believed in comunism were perfectly "free" and happy. They had what they wanted, and didn't want at all the freedoms we enjoy in the West.

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of chinese are perfectly happy with their regime, the same way that most mormons would be happy with a "Mormon Republic of Utah".

Clearly not all Russians wanted that since the Soviet Union did collapse.

Not because the russians rebelled though.

[Josquius]

The Chinese are worrying.
Sure they're under faux-communist totalitarianism kinda stuff now but...
they're so alien its hard to know if they think the way we do about this being bad....
Fingers crossed I suppose....

[Queequeg]

Some cultures are more disposed to autocracy than democracy.

Please see: Russians, Arabs, Monoriu

Indeed. People calling for freedom in authoritary societies forget that in those societies, whoever believe in their flavor of autocracy, is perfectly "free". Back in the Soviet Union, russians that believed in comunism were perfectly "free" and happy. They had what they wanted, and didn't want at all the freedoms we enjoy in the West.

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of chinese are perfectly happy with their regime, the same way that most mormons would be happy with a "Mormon Republic of Utah".

Clearly not all Russians wanted that since the Soviet Union did collapse.

Not because the russians rebelled though.

[The Brain]

10 years ago then Swedish PM Göran Persson praised the "stability" of China. Him and Jackie should date.

Of course my personal opinion is that Chinese democracy should indeed be pretty low on our list of priorities. Even though I think China maybe could handle a switch to freedom the cost of failure would be enormous.

Also, fuck Axl Pose and his irrelevant music.