Search for human flesh
- By Jonathan Jones
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China.org.cn, July 8, 2011
Of course similar practices have occurred in other countries but I have yet to find one that universally accepts this is best use of the concept in the way that Chinese Internet users have done.
Freedom of information and rights to privacy are hotly debated around the world but it is said that China's unique take on this is rooted in history. The baojia system created by Wang Anshi in the Song Dynasty was a community based form of law enforcement and the human flesh search is just a modern day equivalent.
The popularity of the online forums in China often sets the news agenda ahead of the mainstream media and this is so different to western countries. In the west these forums are known by different names, such as crowdsourcing, but in most cases they have become little more than simple chat-rooms with little impact outside their core group of users.
So when the Chinese equivalent is used for solution-finding or generating genuine open discussion these forums are to be admired and emulated. Unfortunately there is also a more menacing side that has to be faced.
Corrupt government officials and murderers are touted as the reason why things have developed the way they have here. They are 'legitimate targets' Netizens say and these dangerous people who try to hide behind their anonymity should be hunted down and made to pay for their crimes.
It is a powerful argument and has strong appeal to the vigilante lurking inside all of us but as any soldier or policeman will tell you when you fight against evil, the thing you must guard most against is becoming evil yourself.
The individuals sighted as legitimate targets now include the likes of cheating spouses and spoilt kids who brag about their wealth. People whose moral standards differ from the majority are now seen as worthy of exposé and punishment.
A Chinese citizen who is viewed as being unpatriotic by another can also be vilified and subjected to a hate campaign. The overtones of 1930-40s Fascism, where people were denounced by the whim of compatriot without proof or reason, are evident for anyone with a mind to look.
Charge without proof is a dangerous concept. It is the rule of law, that insists upon proof before trial that ensures societies function and don't disintegrate into mob rule. Although unpopular and far from perfect it has been proved throughout the centuries as the best way to protect the innocent and the first line of defence to prevent countries from destroying themselves.
Internet judgements should be avoided at all costs, especially as evidence needs to be verified before being accepted as the truth. Photo and film manipulation software is readily available, it is meant to be for creative, artistic use but can be used for other, less noble purposes.
It means I could accuse someone today of some hideous crime or socially unacceptable misdemeanor, backing it up with fake images, and start a witch hunt that could have terrible consequences.
As life in China becomes increasingly more complex and opinions and aims become more diverse, a polarization of views about the morals in society are all the more likely. It does not take much imagination to realize that one day, if human flesh searching continues along its current path, you could well find yourself being hunted by the mob.
Internet and media regulation are sensitive issues but wherever you are in the world, self-regulation should be as passionately pursued as freedom of speech. Without it we expose everyone, including ourselves, to the hideous specter of mass intimidation and irrational, populist revenge.
The author is a communications professional, film maker and published writer with a keen interest in life.
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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