Mandatory notice on xiaohongshu must read
This is a world historic event folks. You should be on it. By the way the name xiaohongshu is a reference to Mao. Decades and weeks and all that.
Edit: Oh also there's no private message or group chat on web version so you have to use mobile app!
Unironically, all those westerners going out of their way to go to a Chinese app and interact with Chinese peoples is the biggest blow to anti-china propaganda in a very long time. I've seen a lot of them talking about what they've been told about China by western medias were lies so they are definitely open to challenging all of the classic anti-China narratives I think.
Not to be a downer but imo it's not that challenging actually. There's prominent already a "love the people, hate the government" thread among "woke" sinophobes, if anything I feel XHS in particular might bolster that view. Why XHS in particular? It's turbo-charged instagram, it's very commercial and prone to "affluenza"-type influencer marketing content rather than #discourse or #progressive #activism (not that the last 2 couldn't be folded into 'love the people hate the gov' either)... I'm literally bracing for impact of westoid discourse pointing this out as "evidence" of Chinese censorship.
Honestly, I just really hope that this makes "woke" Sinophobes out themselves faster and show how little they know of (and care about) China outside of "muh Tinyman square" and other talking points
(I know she's low hanging fruit, but you get the picture)
Turns out that 小红书 isn't a reference to Mao. 红宝书 is Mao's book.
In English we use "little red book" to refer to Quotations From Chairman Mao, but in Chinese they use 红宝书 which literally translates to "red treasure book" (or "red treasured book" with treasure being a verb)
Although 小红书 can translate literally to the Western name for Mao's quotes, the name actually alludes more to an award or certificate, in keeping with the app's original concept as a social media platform for reviewing/previewing restaurants and services.
How dare you correct me. Just kidding thank you I jumped to conclusions.
was gonna comment this too thanks. It's funny or whatever to think haha the typically anticommunists are flocking to the app with a revolutionary name but no... it's just a very funny translation coincidence.
It gets weirder:
The Chinese name was inspired by two pivotal institutions in its co-founder Mao Wenchao's career journey that both feature red as their primary color: Bain & Company, where he worked as a consultant, and Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he earned his MBA.
The "Mao" in his name is the same character as in "Mao Zedong".
Source (via Wikipedia): https://web.archive.org/web/20250115024204/https://36kr.com/p/1724258762753
This little interaction where you corrected the translation is why I love this platform.
It's a simple translation misunderstanding, and when are corrected, we take it in stride and just say "oh that was silly". Turns out it's no big deal, and we laugh it off.
My brain is still too primed from the rest of the internet where, hypothetically, calling this out, even when it's true, would become a big controversy.
I only saw one weird post so far and it was from a TikTok (booktok specifically) refugee who was showing banned books we should read, the last one was 1984. In the comments the OP liked a comment that also recommended Animal Farm. Only person I blocked lol
It's always surprising that western Leftists can see Orwell as "theirs," when Animal Farm's central message is that Russian Workers are stupid, illiterate, and destined to be taken advantage of, no matter how hard they try to learn.
I have no idea if the people on that post were leftists themselves but yeah I get what you’re saying. I feel like people have a weird superiority when they admit to reading and liking Orwell, because that automatically makes them an intellectual. I feel like they’d change their tune if they knew the actual history surrounding the Soviet Union and Orwell himself as he sucked. The other books she showed weren’t that bad: Handmaids Tale, Fahrenheit 451, the Giver, and some others I cannot remember.
I think Chinese netizens should read Animal Farm and 1984. Not because it'll make them realize the ebils of gommunism, but because they provide an insight into the kind of propaganda burgers are fed.
Decades and weeks and all that.
I was just saying exactly what you are saying to some comrades on discord.
Can you elaborate? I know that it is Chinese instagram, but why is it a world historic event?
TikTok is set to be banned in the US and there is currently a massive influx of westerners signing up as a result, at the very least it is a major moment of international solidarity and a chance to break through western propaganda about China.
I think its because we havent had an app where any person from china and the US can interact with each other, people had to install VPNs to access each countries respective social media. I dont think its going to be a permanent thing, the US will immediately try to ban this too, so we have to enjoy it while it lasts.
Its awesome to see posts completely in mandarin followed by a post in spanish and them in English.
it's been really cool. I really like all the elaborate food videos and fashion videos a lot. And so many cute cats!
Help! What do I do here? I can't change the country code to +1. How do I sign up by email?
Edit: Am I forced to use my smartphone? 😮💨
I suspect gov is going to block XHS in a few days
It will just be the US playing whack-a-mole with Chinese social media platforms and losing a bit more credibility every time they do.
I have been trying to make an account but the SMS never comes in. I don't know if the servers are just overloaded or if there's an issue with sending it to Brazilian phone numbers.
Probably their server problem. Can't get code, I'm in Asia
It's the -1 authority debuff on Mazovian Socieconomics. You're failing the authority check. Save scum and try again
I don't really use most social media anymore except Lemmy, but I poked around on it a bit. It is kind of fun to see the Chinese and US interactions. I doubt I would stick with it, I just don't really "get" social media. I am glad it exists though and serves an audience that would benefit from it.
I've been on it for awhile now, this is awesome. Kuaishou is also a great app.
It's cute seeing Americans and Chinese people interacting in a non-hostile way, and a lot of Americans being forced to see a bit beyond their myopic worlds.
It's very nice, and here's to hoping it stays that way.
... Er, well I'm gonna prepare by popcorn anyway. Chinese netizens aren't known for pulling punches smiles serenely