Have you ever been bullied by someone bigger and stronger than you? Of course, you have, we all have. But what do you do when that bully is replaced by an even bigger one? Do you try to defuse the situation? Well, one guy suggested that and got shut down quicker than a faulty vending machine.
“Don’t be a capitulator,” the bully responded, leaving our little hero in a pool of embarrassment. But this exchange wasn’t just between two friends, it’s also emblematic of the damage China is inflicting on Taiwan without firing a single shot. Talk about being efficient!
The threat of Chinese aggression is causing a major divide in Taiwan’s society, with people accusing each other of being traitorous “Communist lickers” or dangerously anti-China. Even political experts are getting caught in the crossfire, like a group of scholars who recently called for a middle ground between China and the U.S. But were they praised for their suggestion? Of course not! They were attacked as being naïve and soft on China. Because apparently, being reasonable is a bad thing now.
All this division and distrust is exactly what China wants. It’s tearing at the seams of Taiwan’s democratic society and causing civil unrest. Fear of conflict with China is the perfect smokescreen for them to sneak up and surprise us, like a ninja in a movie.
So, what’s the solution? We don’t know, we’re not politicians. But we do know that pitting friend against friend is not the answer. Maybe we can all just agree to disagree and find some common ground. Or maybe we can all just blame the weather instead. “Sorry, I can’t hang out with you today, I’m too busy being rained on.” See? Problem solved.
Serious News: nytimes