Amazing Pictures! Pollution in China

Originally posted by jingjok
You know i tried to find images of pollution in America to give a counter argument that pollution can be just as worse in the states or any other country so i typed in the google image bar "images of pollution in America"
The first picture that came up was pollution in CHINA.
Me thinks there is a bit of hypocrisy and denial going on here!

Do you think we are looking at these pictures to criticise China?

A great Chinese photographer took these photos because his heart was breaking over the terrible things being done to his country. We respect him and look at these pictures with horror, sympathy and shame. - Shame because the wealthy countries have robbed the poorer countries, and contributed in many ways to the situation we are seeing here.

Yes, some people are saying this is the fault of the Chinese and millions of Chinese "need to die". They are morons, and will most likely reincarnate as powerless poor, in toxic towns at the mercy of greedy polluters, where they will have an opportunity to develop understanding. Such is the mercy of karma. ;-)

W know there is pollution all over the world. We know there are greedy employers everywhere who only keep their workforces alive because they might be hard to replace or because the law demands it.

China does not have worse people. It has less power, more difficulties, and is used by other countries to keep themselves rich and less polluted.

Those pictures are so sad, and remind me of the devistation caused in the West during industrial revolutions, it such a shame that coporates place profit over people lives, the enviroment and communities.. and governments allow this sort of thing to happen.

We in the West only get to see the clean end product being sold on our shelves while the cost to those people who live in these conditions is hidden...

In the same breath as allowing this stuff to be imported I get told by the establishment to drive 6 miles less a week to save the enviroment, the hypocricy is astounding.

Such, such, sad pictures..

Originally posted by Kailassa
China does not have worse people. It has less power, more difficulties, and is used by other countries to keep themselves rich and less polluted.

Well, I disagree. China has worse people in power who allow this to happen than you can possibly imagine. Of course, we are merrily having this discussion online while the Chinese Authorities who are complicit in all of this (and worse) ensure that the Chinese people don't see images like this, but only see (through the controlled press and internet) a warped view of China. "China the Great", "China the Advanced" and "China the Clean and Green, the new Superpower".

If China was more open and the Chinese people more empowered then there would be the motivation to change. This type of situation is the direct result of the Chinese Authority's abuse of human rights and their contempt for the Chinese people.

Of course, my comments will never be read by a Chinese citizen as they struggle to get past the pages on how their glorious "People's Republic" is "right up there with the West"!

Regards

Dr. Ron Paul wants to do away with government regulation, believing we can trust companies and consumers to solve or avoid these problems without government help.

Is he an overly trusting idiot?

Or is he a schill for big business, out to remove America's power for regulating such excesses?

Yes this is so sad
Yes we boycot China
Yes we will make a better environment

But worst of all

Yes - in 14 days YOU have forgotten these pictures, when you buy your next Plasma Screen...

so sad

Originally posted by Tom C
It is there country. If they want to poison themselves let them have at it.
There are too many of them anyway

Its appalling attitudes like this that have helped create the mess the world is now in. Also its their country not there .

Originally posted by tarifa37

Originally posted by Tom C
It is there country. If they want to poison themselves let them have at it.
There are too many of them anyway

Its appalling attitudes like this that have helped create the mess the world is now in. Also its their country not there

.

Have you noticed that these idiots post only once, then dont come back. Yes, they are stupid attention seeking trolls.

Greed destroys everything. It use to be the Chinese cared about the body and environment, and its hard to believe that they would abandon the things they use to live by,like healing with herbs,tai chi,balance of mind body and spirit. Just unbelievable,and terribly sad. Lets all pray for a better world to come.

Originally posted by Maslo
reply to post by EarthCitizen07

 

I hope you are being sarcastic...

China is a socialistic/communistic country only on paper. In reality, it combines authoritarian government and censorship of communism with social inequiality and exploitation of ruthless capitalism.

On the other hand, China is advancing very quickly in many areas, and I sincerely hope that things will get better in the future.

But censorship, pollution and corruption are still major problems in China, without a doubt...

I agree but I don't understand why you think I was being sarcastic.

China USED TO BE a communist nation much like russia USED TO BE a communist nation. Yes china has now turned into a capitalist nation but they are still keeping the authoritarian aspect and communist label.

They are starting to become great hypocrites indeed! At least russia changed their name to reflect the new conditions.

Everyone seems to be confusing "progress" with capitalism as though only a capitalistic system can/will bring change. They never mention WHAT KIND of change it will be. Sure 10 pair of shoes are preferrable to 5 and sure driving a Lexus is better than driving a Fiat but NO ONE ever considers what future sacrifices MUST BE MADE in order for them to indulge in better things. For example, more pollution&financial greed&more work hours&less family time&corrupt governments&less spiritualism..etc! It's always what do you have versus what do I have. If I have more I am better than you, or so people THINK!

With socialism and communism(although far from perfect) all of the above are greatly diminished. People do not starve nor are they miserable as western media portrays. Media has been bought-out by rich, powerful business "leaders" many decades ago and thus they are pushing THEIR MASTER'S WISH over the truth. I believe less than half of what western media pimps and then I always compare their version of events with what others say.

Mr. Gorbachev sold out russia 2 decades ago when he made "peace" with america and the west but they never told their people that instead of equality they would get inequality. Of course there is no such thing as total equality and there never was. Communism simply attempted to do away with the excesses of capitalism and to a large degree they were successful. Yes people sacrificed some of their freedom, especially the over-motived greedy ones, but under this system no vultures managed to pollute the government and desptie the fact it was a rigid, authoritarian regime things were in order. Unfortunately they had to spend a lot of money on defense to protect themselves from the west(especially america) and they also suffered a lot from the embargo. I believe that is the reason that communism ultimately failed. Every one was too busy kissing america's ass and living beyond their means in this global corporate plutocracy.

I can say more but I need an intelligent audience to motivate me...just kidding!

Originally posted by nighinfinite
I'm Chinese and I can confirm these. Up until late 80's a great majority of households still had mono-TVs, and many of the remote villages were still in poverty. Some provinces developed better than other but at least that was the case in my province.

A lot of people living in rural america also do not have all the luxuries that people living in suburban&metropolitan areas take for granted. If you live off the grid that means you need to take care of yourself rather than rely on a municipality.

You Americans never lack irony. Remember that most of your electricity comes from COAL and that still prevents your country from being a pioneer in energy saving...
point fingers on China, ok, but rmemeber you do the same

reply to post by EarthCitizen07

Oh please, spare us the bs! Even people in somalia eat meat more than once a year! And no heating system, black and white tv, no telephone..right!! I remember discussing communism with a self-declared cuban national here on ATS a few weeks ago and he didn't have one good thing to say about "his country". I wonder why.. Some of the bs propaganda here on ATS is really getting annoying because gullible people believe anything you tell them. If communism was really as bad as westerners think then why did last almost a century?? Why north koreans never complain but mainstream media makes them out to be "poor, starving souls"? If you think socialism and communism is/was bad wait untill you start drinking polluted water and breath carbon monoxide from the so-called capitalist revolution happening in china and russia.

Many people in somalia are starving to death, and can only dream about meat.
North Koreans never complain because the dont even have internet or basic things like electricity, just look at sattelite photos of their country at night. And there is no socialism in North Korea, by the way.
My family have lived for 40 years under communist dictatorship, you dont have to tell me it is not bad, because it definitely was.

That is why I thought you were being sarcastic.

But you are right in that it was not as bad as many of our western friends think, but it was a crime against humanity, nevertheless.

Altough unregulated capitalism can be as bad as the worst communism.

Originally posted by Epsilon5
Those pictures were immensely disturbing and emotionally draining. It's shameful beyond words that there are people who are forced to live in such conditions. I'll count my blessings that I'm a US Citizen.

A citizen of the US consuming goods manufactured in China.......DUH!

and this is the trash hole that Obama praised during the olympics? The very same trash hole "economy" that he said we should look up to and emulate?

When are we all going to learn? Why are we so arrogant as to think we can continue living like this and that there would be no consequences? I guess it's true to say that Man's own worst enemy, and cause for extinction, is Man him/her self.

Wow those pictures are truly disturbing.

They remind me of some of the movies from the 70’s and early 80’s where some company has been polluting and it creates some mutant animals that come and kill people. Sort of like the movie Prophecy.
www.imdb.com...
A cool movie by the way.

Anyway back on topic. What is wrong with people (those running the companies) that they would do such a thing. I mean I am not a tree hugger by any means but come one that is just pure foul. The greed of mankind is devastating, no matter how many times I see it I cannot fathom that man would be like that. Some hearts are truly nothing more than black holes seeking to destroy every ounce of light that comes across their path.

Mankind deserves nothing more than death for committing such acts. Really no matter how many times I see the horror man can cause I cannot get over it. I honestly see this stuff and cannot imagine it is real even though I am looking right at it. It is sickening, depressing, and soul crushing to see how vile mankind truly is.

Raist

Originally posted by malcr

Originally posted by Epsilon5
Those pictures were immensely disturbing and emotionally draining. It's shameful beyond words that there are people who are forced to live in such conditions. I'll count my blessings that I'm a US Citizen.

A citizen of the US consuming goods manufactured in China.......DUH!

Right, blame the people who want to save a buck or a few pennies

Why doesn't the EU and the USA governments levy big tariffs on all imported goods from asia? What the hell are they waiting for?? Even without this global recession/depression european nations and the usa keep complaining about unemployment YET THEY ARE NOT DOING A DAMM THING TO PREVENT COMPANIES FROM LEAVING AND OPENING SHOP in second and third world countries where labor is ridicously low.

They expect people to boycott items? Haaha GET REAL!

Originally posted by Raist
Anyway back on topic. What is wrong with people (those running the companies) that they would do such a thing. I mean I am not a tree hugger by any means but come one that is just pure foul. The greed of mankind is devastating, no matter how many times I see it I cannot fathom that man would be like that. Some hearts are truly nothing more than black holes seeking to destroy every ounce of light that comes across their path.

Because capitalism is not based on what is fair, it is based on maximum profits even if that means dumping raw sewage in rivers or polluting the atmosphere with CO. Company executives are ruthless business men/women who are only responsible to their stockholders and themselves.

Sure they teach business ethics in college but who really gives a flying # if that means a small bottom line?? You still like capitalism? And if that isn't enough to convince you how bad it gets just consider politicians work for them, not us! The same bought-out, scumbag wanna-be "politicians" who wish to de-populate earth by 66%.

[edit on 17-1-2010 by EarthCitizen07]

reply to post by EarthCitizen07


Things are what we make them. It is the greed of man and what is in our hearts that is the blame. Capitalism is nothing more than a tool. Tools themselves are not inherently evil or bad, it is mankind that allows the tool to be used for evil.

As for ethics, I care and I listen. It does not matter if I become rich or famous, it only matters that I am happy and survive. My family brings me happiness that no worldly possessions could ever replace. No, capitalism is not the evil thing you see it as; you see the result of the evil of man’s heart.
As for me I could care less if I ever have the success/money to be able to travel from where I want when I want. I could care less if I have the money to buy anything I desired. Nothing can compare to the love of a family and the joy they bring. Money and things come and go. The love of a family is something that will never leave, so long as it is truly love.

Raist

reply to post by Maslo


At first I looked at the first 5 or 7 and thought this looked "not too bad." And, the pictures were altered somewhat for the documentary (effects added, like more contrast).

Then the more I continued on, it was just disgusting, deplorable conditions.

I don't know what else to say. Funny how those fancy Olympic buildings made China look sparkling clean. It's a huge country, with lots of room for other areas to safely be in ruins while other parts are far - out of sight, out of mind.

reply to post by glitchinmymatrix


Even during Olympic games, when the world was watching, air pollution in Beijing was significant, leading to gray haze over the city and breathing problems of the athletes...