So said a Chinese woman recently, reflecting on her husband’s infidelity.
A very good attitude to have in a country where, but for the stigma of divorce, an embryonic and not especially fair legal system, lower educational opportunities for females, and a patriarchal society, incidence of divorce would likely be higher than that in the States.
Expect an explosion of divorces in the next 20 years in China, together with riots in the poor and generally neglected hinterland. Sadly, expect no growing critical reflection in political matters involving other countrie. The Middle Kingdom mentality, fostered by the Central Government, will see to that, Internet or not, Internet censorship or not.
My wife, who reads Chinese rather better than I do, tells me that she got this quote from the editorial in HK’s best-selling weekly magazine, Next (owned by Hayek-quoting anti-communist Jimmy Lai). The context was a critical reflection on the Chinese Government’s manipulation of “Chinese patriotism” in the wake of the recent “spontaneous” anti-Japan protests. While agreeing that Chinese have the right to protest against the atrocities committed by Japan during their occupation of China, the Editor felt that adopting the attitude of “living well is the best revenge” instead of seeking revenge was the right path for this modernising country to take. He compared the actions of the Government with that of the Empress Dowager during the Boxer Uprising, when she encouraged “pseudo-Jesuit followers” to attack foreigners living in China.
FRASIER: You know the expression “Living well is the best revenge”?
NILES: Wonderful expression. I just don’t know how true it is, you don’t see it turning up in a lot of opera plots. “Ludwig, maddened by the poisoning of his entire family, wreaked vengeance on Gunther in the third act by living well.”