A Stitch in Haste

The phrase, “the games are over” can have multiple meanings in China:

Around four million Chinese youngsters are addicted to the Internet, mainly attracted by “unhealthy” online games, state media reported Friday, citing a top legislator.
…
The [standing committee of the National People's Congress] has called for stricter monitoring of Internet games that have illegal or inappropriate content, the report said.
…
“Unhealthy” games by Chinese government standards could refer to those featuring violence and pornography as well as “unpatriotic games” that make Chinese soldiers or agents the enemy.
…
In 2006, it ordered all Chinese Internet game manufacturers to install technology in their games that demands players reveal their real name and identification number.

What good is economic growth and increasing wealth if you can’t spend it on anything pleasurable? If you want a printing press, then you not only need the money to buy one, but also the freedom to buy one. This is worse than “you can have any color you want, so long as it’s black” — it’s “you can have any color that we decide isn’t ‘addictive’ or ‘unhealthy’ — and not for too many hours in the day, and of course not anonymously.”

(And remember: In China, “unpatriotic” and “unhealthy” are synonymous. On which side of “market Communism” does that rule fall — “market” or “Communism”?)

The old saw is true: There are some things money can’t buy. Especially Communist money.