Demographic Debates!

[psych0squirrel]

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Researchers have expressed alarm about cultures that favor male babies, saying sex-ratio imbalances could destabilize society because more men will remain unmarried, raising the risks of anti-social and violent behavior

Comments

[gideonswake]

In some ways it is almost refreshing given the way that AIDS has been used as a weapon in Africa in order to eliminate tribe and cities by rampaging guerillas. You almost wonder how diabolical these bastards are getting with this virus. Censorship will cause more problems than it is worth, however it will probably cause other "interesting" economic changes.

For starters, you have to re-imagine advertising without the sex appeal of stars. Follow that with China porn industry - both above and below ground. Now mind you, their above will suffer from this - forcing it to become more of an underground idea. Remember that scene out of 8mm with Nicholas Cage? Porn of all depravity in the most disgusting part of the world? China isn't all roses and daisies, but I bet areas like this will begin to spring out like a mold.

Now I know I could be wrong. I could have let my mind spiral out of control. However, when it comes to worse case scenarios, fact is worse than fiction or delusion.

-Gideon's Wake

[psych0squirrel]

It seems to have more to do with stupidity then cunning. I can't imagine they did any of the stuff on purpose it seems largely to be a profit motive that got largely out of their control. Also the chinese gov't already censored a 20-something for striking silly poses on the internet, and making claims such as "she is so beautiful that boys get nosebleeds" when they pass her; sister Lotus was disappointed, she was all set to get her own tv show, but so much for unathorized celebrity. She was reputed to be somewhat average in looks but apparently was a lot balsier then the average chinese maiden

[gideonswake]

True - stupid over cunning has been a running theme, however (yes the conspiracy rears its curious eyes) what if it wasn't? Human beings have been known to do worse things to each other all in the name of "righteousness". AIDS is an equalizer to countries that lack chemical or biological warfare capabilities. Most films and television programs not how this happens many times through out the year and it does paint an interesting picture of these warlords. Yet, I am inclined to believe there is a greater planning going - beyond silly conspiracy but frightful truth. I won't discount stupidity but I won't toss away the darkness of a human heart

[psych0squirrel]

You really don't have to look for any sort of conspiricy, sadly there doesn't seem to be one although there does seem to be tension between the government and AIDS activists. As 90% of the blood is purchased from people directly and there is a bad economy with little to no HIV testing before donation in the countryside, the results were inevitable. The central government has more control on the cities, in the countryside the regional authorities were not interested in paying for AIDs testing; guess in which country you don't want to get a blood transfusion. In survey's of professional blood sellers the AIDS rate was quite high, there are some villiages in the Hanen province where the majority of adults are infected.

Most problems seems to come from donations in the mid-1990's, so here is a timeline if you are interested. The scandal broke in the early part of the 2000's. It's good to know about, I don't know how commonly known this is now as it wasn't something the Bush Administration had anything to do with so must not be all that

[psych0squirrel]

Heh. The culture wars have made me much more snappish then I used to be about politics. I don't have much of a tolerance for it anymore. :D

The stuff in China is pretty scary though. It's pretty surprising that very few people have heard about it.

[mordant7]

I think it really slips under the radar because the West has been dealing with AIDS for at least 30 years now (and got over the hysteria, in large part, in the 1980s). Its still got rather a stigma as being a disease of prostitutes, drug addicts and gay men -- in a country that still prosecutes for "crimes against humanity" and executes drug traffickers. So, basically, admitting that there was a problem with AIDS is admitting that there are problems with prostitution, drug smuggling and use, and that chineese gay men exist -- in a political culture that internalizes the notion that what is embarassing for them is embarassing to the country.

[psych0squirrel]

Yeah that seems to be what is spreading it now that it is already in the population. It's strange but a lot of blood donors have it now, as far as I can tell their economic circumstances have convinced a lot of normal people to take up the same unsafe practices as junkies.

[mordant7]

Or blood donors, in lands where "standard precautions" are another myth because its just too bloody expensive (to run an autoclave or even to throw away needles -- so they try to keep clean, but alas). And then there are the people who are trying to make some money through drugrunning; I think the drug use is kind of an occupational hazard. Not a good situation all around, especially when the government is not putting enough money into health care (for things like disposable needles ...)

Then again, guidelines for "standard precautions" were written largely in the early 1980s, largely in response to AIDS (even though Hepatitus B has been around far longer, and is actually MORE likely to infect from a needlestick accident). And the way the guidelines in the States are practiced generates a lot of medical waste, and is actually quite expensive to run the system that way.

But again: the cost of an infection is much higher than the cost of fifteen pairs of disposable gloves.

[mordant7]

China is sensitive to the issue because the chinese AIDS epidemic is a pretty clear indication that there is a failure in the system.

[psych0squirrel]

True, they are becoming quite capitalistic but the communists are still in charge; quite the delima. :D

[mordant7]

They are quite good at setting up a system to perpetuate their own control and make a buck doing it -- not really any different from most strongman dictatorships.

[psych0squirrel]

True, but they are doing it using the weirdest rationalle. It's a pretty bizzare combination.