CCTV FOLLIES: 9/27 (thread)
The unbearable lightness of being on the Politburo.
It's show-and-tell time under the helmsmanship of teacher Xi Jinping
Xi gives the most powerful men in China a lesson in humility with a guided tour of him.
It gets pin-drop quiet the moment the great leader starts to talk.
Even a clearing of the throat or a cough would attract reverent attention.
Hey fellas, let's look at some pictures of me in this exhibit designed to bolster my historical reputation.
That's me in the middle...
Xi proudly leads a walking tour at an exhibition of the glorious accomplishments of his first ten years held at the Beijing Exhibition Center, a delightfully anachronistic Russian-built relic that was once the only serious exhibit hall in town.
The deftly curated exhibit looks like it's aimed at kids (cool vehicles, 3-D models and dioramas, but on this day the men of the Politburo must follow Xi from room to room in exultation.
Ground rules: Not necessary to take notes, but don't get caught not paying attention.
While Xi pauses to admire his own accomplishments, Premier Li Keqiang abjectly looks upon the real ruler of China with a mix of fear and admiration.
There are animals in China.
Extra points if you can you spot the panda.
Model boats are a child's delight, but here they are being viewed by a handful of grownups who can actually command nuclear attacks using the 1:1 scale versions of the same ships.
If Xi finds something interesting, everyone finds it interesting. Could it be any other way?
Hands should be clasped reverently, in front, or as in the passive aggressive premier, behind the back.
Wow. The PLA aircraft look like they are really flying!
Spoiler alert: They are actually suspended by thin wires.
Hong Kong which has been put in place politically, and continues to get put in place, is also put in place on this map. It's the stuff in the lower right hand corner of the frame.
One suspects Xi Jinping went to similar low-tech exhibits as a boy in this very hall next to the Moscow Restaurant when Mao ruled.
This whole homage to "forge ahead" thing is a tip of the hat to what Geremie Barme calls
"totalitarian nostalgia."
And like a dream come true, China is indeed becoming more totalitarian by the day.
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