Depiction Of China According to Evan Osnos

Ideology in theory and in practice are two greatly varied entities. When physics is taught, students are given an “ideal plane,” which is frictionless, adhering to the perfect dimensions and necessities for the equation. Students are taught in this way because the real world is too difficult to consider. There are extraneous complications that must be factored in. An ideal theory is much the same as learning physics; in a frictionless plane with minimal complications, an ideology is sure to be the answer to all problems.

However, the world is messy, and so in practice ideologies become tarnished and less than ideal.

When implementing an ideology, one of these complications becomes lack of understanding. Policy makers and enforcers become employed as such because of their ability to fix and compromise issues. Often this does not translate to the general population, and so it appears to be the ideology being maneuvered and cheated for the benefit of those in charge. While this is sometimes the case (and corruption is yet another real-world complication), policy changes are frequently met with frustration, debate, or worse by the general public.

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It is difficult to perceive the needs of an entire country from the standpoint of a singular member of that country.

Yet another complication that arises, and this is particularly the case in China as we see in Evan Osnos’ Age of Ambition, is maintaining efficient control of a massive country. Pair this with the effort to advance as a nation and to keep the population happy with a sense of freedom, and this feat suddenly appears to be impossible.

Certainly, it is not an easy task. Through his study of the country and its people with interviews and being immersed, Osnos successfully attempts to relay the numerous complications of a country that only continues to grow in every way.

Age of Ambition

Evan Osnos cannot be accused of being unthorough. He took the time to detail the complexities that many do not understand about China today. Beginning with Part I, titled “Fortune,” Osnos describes one of the first major goals for post-Mao China; become rich. While many enter into processes for this to happen, some are left disappointed, some are found outside of the law, and some are successful. The goal was met by the fact that some Chinese were able to become very wealthy. However, this is seen as a break from the true communist mantra, and was met by backlash because of it. Deng Xiaoping and the people advising him took measures to make the country strong and more successful, but had to break from the ideology in order to do so.

Part II, titled “Truth,” then discusses the repercussions of pursuing such wealth so quickly. Corruption gains momentum, gangs form, gambling becomes an alternative route for prosperity. It is reasonable that if someone else becomes wealthy I would want to as well. And if this is difficult for me to do holistically and honestly, why should I hinder myself by following such rules? It could not be understood by many that this new ideal, having some gain wealth and others follow more slowly, was a track to make the country better as a whole. Unfortunately, people often have tunnel-vision, seeing only unfairness when in fact there is a bigger picture. This is not only China’s problem, it is a plague in every country. It was also not helpful that the government was still so in charge, to the extent that the population knew only what the government wanted them to know. The government is the model for how a society will behave. If the government acts sketchy and withholds information, the population will in turn be dishonest and unethical.

Osnos’ Part III, titled “Faith,” describes how such corruption in Part II could become so widespread in a country where the whole is ideally greater that the individual. After enduring the Cultural Revolution, faith and religion were dismissed, replaced by economic and political rigidness and structure. The thinking behind it was to keep people from being distracted by their other priorities, keep the public focused on the Revolution and the growing ability and might of the country. Again, though, repercussions caught up. Having a faithless country and then reintroducing certain freedoms is a bad recipe. Morality is trumped by greed, because humans are only human. Rediscovering faith, and therefore a moral compass, is a necessity.

Osnos’ experience and way of writing, as well as his personality, combine to create a detailed and fair account of modern goings-on of China. He is sensitive to the complex world that China exists in, and he is optimistic (not naïve) for the country’s continued success. Living in the place he studied and wrote about made him understanding to the way of the people and the country. Compared to the other authors we have read this semester, Esherick and Pa Chin, he is perhaps more passionate. Like Esherick he is an outsider, but writes as an insider. Like Pa Chin, he is fervent for the advancement of China. But he speaks in an optimistic tone that is respectful and admiring of the Chinese people.

Perhaps the greatest strength Osnos has is his perspective. He writes as a journalist, and therefore approaches his work as such. His interviews are with a wide range of people, a varied and diverse cast. He is knowledgeable about the broader scope and the context of which is writing about. As for weaknesses, a journalist’s goal is generally to rally people with knowledge of what is going on. It is a driven work, airing on the side of subjective rather than objective. As a reader, though, I do not take this as a negative. As an unbiased and objective scholar, perhaps this would be less desirable.

Conclusion

After reading this book, and also seeing Evan Osnos’ interview with Stephen Colbert, one thing seems clear. The ideal country is one in which the people’s goal is parallel to what is best for the country. This day in age, with the world as branched, complex, and huge as it is, a country full of individualistic people will be weak. People will only have self-interests, and these will deter from the ability of the state to run smoothly. Because of this, ideals will never be successful or efficient.

Osnos argues that the strength in China comes from the people’s willingness to be better so the country is better. Because there is such will power to be a powerful nation, China is advancing at an unprecedented rate with no signs of stopping. Perhaps the fact that the government is far stricter with its people is the cause. When compared directly to America, it certainly seems like the case. We have China, a country that is only growing, becoming wealthier, smarter, and more efficient. On the other hand, we have America, a country that did its growing, and then seized the opportunity to act like the biggest dog the world had. But we have ultimate freedom, the government does not get to run our lives. And we are selfish, self-involved, and declining.

Who knows what the future will hold. Evan Osnos has exposed the fire that China has. It is large and fueled by the entire country. America’s fire has become divided and turned in towards itself. Maybe it is better to be less than free.