Second, do you think 2/3 of China are uniquely brain-washable, in that they're living in really bad conditions yet believe they're good because of the TV programming?
Or is it possible that, while foreign to the US, their bad conditions are actually way better than 30 years ago, let alone 50?
> 600 million is not "90 percent"
600 million are people making 1000yuan or less a month.
> do you think 2/3 of China are uniquely brain-washable
Yes. Everyone is brain-washable.
> ..that they're living in really bad conditions yet believe they're good...
No. It’s more complicated than this.
> is it possible... way better than 30 years ago
Yes. Due to Deng’s policy, which Xi has been reverting. My parents have both experienced the cultural revolution. We know how bad it was. My grandfather (who I never met) committed suicide.
Xi is more a fusion of traditionalism with nationalism for political convenience. None of that is compatible with banning monasteries, struggle sessions and sending people to the countryside as he personally was.
The biggest threat from Xi, imo with a crystal ball and huge error bars, is a brezhnev-like stasis where he stagnates the country in order to stay on top for multiple decades. Hopefully he isn't allowed to do that.
Also you can look at the average income in Tier 2,3,4 cities in China adjusted to inflation, as well as deterioration in food quality. You don't need a middle age taxi driver from Hubei working in Hangzhou to tell you that.
Also maybe look at the pollution levels in most rural areas too?
Middle and Lower Income [1] classes (>90% of the population) in China tend to work really hard for little returns (so long as they're convinced they are gaining lots, which is why hyped-up nationalism and state-sponsored dezinformatsiya are rampent).
This is not healthy.
[1]: Quote from Li Keqiang, "600 million people earning a medium or low income, or even less. Their monthly income is barely 1,000 RMB yuan." http://english.www.gov.cn/premier/news/202005/29/content_WS5...