RYNSA: WORDS

I just love the game of basketball. It’s exciting, elegant, and always fun to watch. Even a bad basketball game has a certain chess-informed, dance-like quality to it that makes it hard to avert one’s gaze. Unfortunately, however, I don’t always have the technical access necessary to keep up with both the NBA and NCAA regular seasons, at least to the degree that I would prefer via traditional media outlets (ie, cable television). But, like a good point guard, I do what I gotta do to be where I need to be. So I try my best to stay abreast of all things b-ball through personal and commercial blogs, online video, a variety of print publications, and often simply by word-of-mouth interaction with my fellow ballers. It’s not ideal but it works for me.

So, being that we have just entered 2010, I think it’s only prudent to look back at the year-that-was and consider the game from a fresh perspective. A lot of compelling things happened in 2009 — Kobe won his first ring without Shaq, Calipari left Memphis (and an ass-load of troubles) for Kentucky, Hansbrough finally won a national championship in his senior year with North Carolina, owner Mark Cuban got fined for criticizing refs on his Twitter feed, top draftee Greg Oden went down again and thus substantiated the “Trail Blazer Curse,” AI returned to Philly, kissed the logo at center court, and renewed his relationship with the fans, Jazz-man and hall-of-famer Wayman Tisdale died of cancer, and much more. Once again, it was a remarkable year both on an off the court.

That said, for me the basketball story of the year is actually none of those described above. Unless you’re a fan of the political theater behind the game, in fact, you’ve probably never heard this story because it’s still unfolding even as I write these words. I am talking, of course, about the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, Tracy McGrady, and the specter of the league’s international online voting system.

In case you weren’t aware, as of Thursday, January 7th, Houston Rocket’s renowned shooting forward, Tracy McGrady, was second in line among all candidates to win a starting position on the Western conference All-Star squad — a somewhat prestigious accolade that is determined solely by NBA fans via an online, winner-take-all ballot system. That McGrady would be in the running for a starting position is not, in and of itself, all that unusual as he is a wonderful talent who has already played in the All-Star game on seven prior occasions. What makes 2010 special, however, is that the raw numbers just don’t add up, and McGrady doesn’t deserve the recognition. Due to injuries and the politics of back-room wheeling and dealing, etc., so far this season McGrady has only played a grand total of 47 minutes — that’s not even a full regulation game! Subsequently, as you might expect, his statistics are nothing near what a reasonable person would describe as “star-like.” In other words, Tracy McGrady really doesn’t belong. He just hasn’t earned it.

So what’s going on here? Why, you may ask, has McGrady been rewarded for his poor performance? What could explain such a obvious discrepancy between his admittedly pedestrian output as a player and the honor prize that is a spot in the All-Star game?

The answer is simple: China.

That’s right, the People’s Republic of China, an enigmatic and rapidly-developing nation of 1.4 billion people, really, really loves basketball, especially the NBA. China’s most well-known and successful player on the global stage is the 29-year old, 7ft 6in Yao Ming, now a kind of de facto cultural representative (e.g., he carried the Chinese flag during the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics). Unfortunately for the Chinese, however, the powerful center has been sidelined all season long with yet another foot injury, making him ineligible for the All-Star game. In response, Chinese “netizens” have come out in large numbers to throw their support behind the next best thing, namely Yao’s Houston Rocket teammate, Tracy McGrady. With over 300 million regular internet users, this massive Chinese voting block is proving to be quite the boon for an otherwise unworthy candidate, and a tremendous disadvantage for truly stellar guards like Steve Nash, Chris Paul or Deron Williams. It seems, to the average Chinese basketball fan, that little details like shooting percentage, assist ratios, and rebound totals are totally inconsequential. Apparently, they’re just eager to see a friendly and familiar faces on the television screen (or computer monitor) come February 14th.

In the press, this phenomenon has been dubbed simply the “China effect,” a well-worn phrase that first came to being in 2003 when Yao (17.5 ppg, 9 rpg) was inexplicably voted into the Western Conference All-Star starting lineup ahead of Shaquille O’Neal (21.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg). The phrase reemerged in 2008 when another up-and-coming Chinese player, Yi Jianlian, received a surprisingly high number of All-Star votes despite his mediocre showing as a rookie. Put simply, when it comes to All-Star voting, everyone knows that Chinese players have their thumbs on the scale upon entering the league. And now even Tracy McGrady has slyly acknowledged the great influence of Chinese voters. Without directly mentioning the influence of Yao, McGrady recently hinted at the reasons behind his ballot-box successes:

“We have a great relationship. That started when I was in Orlando. I used to go over there [China] every summer. Those are great fans. I enjoy my time over there, and I’ve gotten to know them throughout the years. It’s been great. They’ve been very supportive through the good, the bad and the ugly. I appreciate them still sticking with me.”

Naturally, McGrady’s unwarranted awards have inspired much discussion on the internet from both professional sports writers and everyday basketball fans. As for the voting system, some really don’t care about results; the All-Star Game is primarily a show for the fans, they claim, and it has no real impact on either the remainder of the regular season or the all-important championship playoffs. But others see a travesty of justice (Denver Post, EndScore, Sporting News, NBA Noise, Valley of the Suns, News OK) wherein much more-deserving NBA players are relegated to the sidelines simply because they have not developed a relationship with the massive Chinese fanbase. Wherever they may position themselves in this debate, it appears that everyone seems to have an opinion on the matter. A few have started casting nationalistic aspersions at their opponents. What may have started as a quirky eccentricity from the world of basketball is quickly devolving into a referendum on cultural supremacy.

It’s interesting to note, also, that though there are a number of media scholars who are actively researching Chinese internet usage few have specifically addressed this “China effect” on the NBA. They have chosen instead to critique the overall relationship between the Chinese government and the internet. While there are a variety of opinions on the matter, the academy basically falls into two opposing camps: those who feel the internet is virtually unstoppable as a force for information exchange, social progress and political transformation; and those who feel the internet is increasingly less and less open as the Chinese authorities continue to clamp down on access in an effort to maintain control.

(See the writing and commentary of professors Rebecca MacKinnon and Xiao Qiang. More links below.)

That said, and putting both heated rhetoric and academic considerations aside, it’s fairly clear that China has come to play in the NBA in much the same way they have emerged as an agent in the Frankenstein project of neoliberal globalization. The same psycho-social aspects of gamesmanship that we see in the realm of international economics and political discourse also apply to the much less important areas of our shared cultural life, like voting to determine who will play in a simple game of basketball. The details of the “China effect” are, therefore, largely insignificant; it’s the big picture that matters. So, for instance, while I’m definitely irked that my favorite player, Phoenix Suns’ point guard Steve Nash, probably won’t make it into the starting lineup — despite putting up yet more MVP-like numbers this season (18.7 ppg, 3 rpg, 11 apg) — I must admit that I’m thrilled to see so many Chinese participating in the NBA’s online voting system. I may not agree with their choices, but this is perhaps the closest thing to direct democracy that the Chinese have experienced on either a national or international scale (possible exception being shows like “Super Voice Girls,” a hugely popular singing competition on Chinese television). Now that’s certainly nothing to scoff at!

Basketball has become (like many sports before it) a potent vehicle for positive cultural diplomacy. It’s a game that often transcends the harsh pettiness of international politics and gets right to the root of our common human values for joy, camaraderie and achievement. For example, when President Obama ventured to China this past November, among the many pointed and state-approved questions asked of him by the students in the mock town-hall meeting space in Shanghai was this playful request:

“Can you have a word with the NBA to let Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets win one championship?”

Clearly, the Chinese like our style, and I for one welcome them to the court. We must accept and celebrate a greater Chinese presence in the game even if that means our ideal of a meritocracy (inconsistent at best) is somewhat compromised. Online voting for the NBA All-Star game is, in my opinion, a large Petri dish for how we engage with the Chinese. It’s important to maintain the appearance of a transparent selection process, vis-à-vis the NBA’s online voting system, lest we risk undermining the image of democracy and alienating a huge population of Chinese “netizens.” We in the Western, so-called “developed” world would be wise to use such international athletic competitions NOT as an opportunity for regurgitating cultural stereotypes and aggravating old resentments, but as a resource for bridging the diverse perspectives of the world’s people.

Let’s start first with the ballers!

LINKS:
HoopsWorld
RConversation (Rebecca MacKinnon’s blog)
Council on Foreign Relations: Xiao Qiang (MP3)
Wall Street Journal
China Digital Times
NY Times
Talking Points Memo

*For my picks for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, go to my media blog.

As part of my graduate studies I am required to design a ‘research’ project that somehow relates to the profession of Community Cultural Development (CCD).  Initially, I was hoping to actually go out into Melbourne and engage with some undefined group of people.  Potentialities included the Chinese, youth, migrant populations, and so on.  But after a more thorough look at my timeline, and a rather honest conversation with my prescribed tutor, it became clear that this goal was not really feasible.

So now I have embarked on a truncated literary review of creativity as a concept.  It is a subject I kind of stumbled into, ass-backwards, and have since taken up as one of the fruits of my graduate school labor.  Specifically, I am studying the difference between Eastern ideas around creativity and those of the West.  It’s a relatively small field, but highly intriguing, and there are potential consequences that reach into nearly every aspect of the human experience.

But don’t all academics make that claim about their work?!

Anyway, I am currently collecting books and articles about creativity.  One such book, and the foundation for my interest in this stuff, is entitled Creativity: When East Meets West, edited by Sing Lau, Ana N N Hui, and Grace Y C Ng. You can actually download a free copy of the first chapter (in PDF format) that describes the content of the book.

I’ve only read a few articles so far, but it has turned out to be especially fascinating. The perceived Chinese perspective on social responsibility as a precursor to creative expression is a relatively foregin concept in the West.  We tend more towards protecting the individual’s personal rights in creative endeavor (though not nearly as consistently as we think, I would add).

In any case, I recommend this anthology. It is weighted towards academic language, which is tedious, I know, but if you’re able to get through the science-speak and the numbers-heavy diagrams then you will surely be rewarded. The inherent optimism in each contributor’s writing is readily apparent. It makes me want to get back into the classroom–surrounded by all those emerging creative minds!

It looks as though the world’s multinational corporations have graduated from Maoist ‘reeducation’ camp just in time for the Summer games. According to this article in BusinessWeek, global companies, some from the United States, have recently taken a decidedly nationalistic approach to advertising in Chinese media, and all with the goal of wooing new customers to their brand. 

This is really not much of a surprise. Foreign companies wrapping themselves in the flag–in this case a bright, red one–is nothing new, and it was bound to happen sooner or later in China. There’s certainly a lot of money to be made from the emergent market that is the Chinese mainland, especially so during the Olympics. Corporate interests know this. They’re not gonna let a golden opportunity pass them by.

However, I do worry that corporations are stoking an already healthy fire. National pride is dangerous regardless of the nation in question. When that particular passion is combined with large numbers of disenfranchised people (China in a nutshell), it could spell future chaos in the form of violence, mob rule, or, in the American context, mass adoption of brutal foreign policies (ie, the asinine Bush Doctrine). 

In any case, it’s important to remember that flattering advertising does not a comrade Lei Feng make. Please believe me. As a well-seasoned serf in the global fraud that is economic neoliberalism, I know of what I speak. These corporations couldn’t give two chopsticks what happens to China.

A week ago, Ars Technica had a brief but interesting article on the meager unveiling of YouTube’s so-called ‘Citizen News Channel,’ a user-generated media project with aims of “…highlighting some of the best news content on YouTube.”  They’ve got a well-spoken young woman named Olivia Ma serving as the ‘News Manager.’ 

The fresh-faced Ma, a Harvard grad, appeared slightly awkward but enthusiastic in her jump-off post. The two-minute ‘welcome’ video was very optimistic, as you might expect from a corporate launch, during which time she proclaimed, ever-so-bubbly:

“This stuff is awesome, you guys! And we want to see lots and lots of it. Because we believe that you YouTubers out there are changing the world of journalism.”

Hmm. Well. We’ll see.

To Olivia Ma’s great credit, Dan Gillmor, director of a the Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the esteemed author of  We The Media: Grassroots Journalism By The People, For The People (which was released on a Creative Commons license, by the way), has given his hesitant approval of the project. Gillmore blogged his initial response to the online channel on the Center for Citizen Media website, stating: 

So far so good — another worthwhile experiment in citizen media. I’m looking forward to seeing how it works… But as they monetize this, I hope they’re going to find a way to reward the people who are doing the work. As I’ve said again and again, I’m not a fan of business models that say “You do all the work and we’ll take all the money, thank you very much.”

I’m a little more skeptical of YouTube’s ‘Citizen News Channel’ than is Mr. Gillmor, though I will withhold judgement for the time being.  But, and just to keep things in perspective, I do feel compelled to remind people that YouTube is owned by Google, a publicly traded multinational corporation and a global goliath in the tech industry.

As of late, Google seems to have strayed a bit from their much-publicized motto of ‘Do No Evil.’ The company has been called to task for participating in what some have identified as unethical, media-related human rights abuses in the ‘developing’ world. Many feel that Google, and other western tech and info firms, have given away their moral legitimacy in China, for example, in order to cash-in on growing economic markets overseas.

The NY Times Magazine had a fairly comprehensive article on Google in China. I don’t personally agree with the equivocation made between offenses of capital and that of the state, as presented by columnist Clive Thompson, but this text will give you a good start on what amounts to a very, very complex issue. 

That being said, then, some folks are rightly concerned that media are increasingly controlled by fewer and fewer people and with damning consequences on the quality of news journalism. Ironically, one of those concerned citizens is Dan Gillmor himself. In this YouTube video via PBS (will the irony never end?!?), Gillmor hints at the web censorship taking place all around the world (00:01:48). Though he doesn’t connect the dots as clearly as I would like, it is readily apparent that wide-spread restrictions on internet use by foreign governments are enabled in large measure by western (i.e., American) corporations that seek only to earn money abroad. And Google is right in the middle of this global phenomenon.  

For a more playful analysis, check out this animation entitled ‘iRepress’ from former journalist turned citizen animator, Mark Fiore.

So, in my mind at least, the potential in YouTube’s efforts to promote citizen journalism, incidentally or otherwise, is kinda behind the curve.  I mean, in Web 2.0 terms, they’re really, really late to the party. There are currently many well-established, NON-profit alternatives in the field of participatory news media, and their reputations haven’t been called into question with the fervor of a gazillion pithy tech writers. Here’s a brief list of the citizen journalism websites I frequent:

Indymedia
Witness: The Hub
Global Voices Online

The wisdom of the academics and media advocates notwithstanding, I guess I’d have to encourage people to avoid mainstream versions of citizen journalism. Start with what is already known to be truly humanitarian, not to mention supported by means outside the narrow agenda of capitalistic enterprise. Maybe Google (via YouTube) will make of a fool of me later on down the road. But for now, I will be holding the ‘Citizen News Channel’ at arms length.

My beloved mother offered this link from the New York Times:

http://tinyurl.com/5voyj8

Also, Ryan of the excellent blogs Lost Lowai, The Humanaught (a personal favorite), and The Hao Hao Report, has created a badge that you can put on your website to link to the Red Cross Society of China (along with information and links to other relief work in China):

http://tinyurl.com/647a94

Xu Yan has recently informed me that the Red Cross in China has received some flak about their strange policy on not accepting used clothing as a donation for earthquake relief.  I’m unable to track down any articles about this issue, so please let me know if you find anything.

However, over at Danwei, there is some minor discussion as to the lack of financial transparency within the Chinese Red Cross: 

http://tinyurl.com/5cxjqa

In any case, and despite numerous examples of corruption from similar non-profits, at this point the evidence against the Red Cross in China is hardly damning.  I will be placing Ryan’s badge on my site until/if I learn of anything wicked.  If you have concerns, though, I suggest contacting the Red Cross in your home country for more information and advice.

Recently, there was a massive earthquake in China.  Xu Yan and her friends and family have not been directly affected by the event, which is a tremendous blessing for us, but many, many others have.  The death toll is up over 12,000 now… and counting.

Though the Chinese government appears to have things under control (wish they were around during Katrina), I’m in the process of trying to locate information regarding how we can help from afar.  The Chinese have a long history of dealing with various natural and man-made disasters, so I suspect this will work itself out in the end.  They are an especially resilient people.

The purpose of this post, in any case, is to simply send some love to my Chinese brothers and sisters in Sichuan province and beyond.  You are in my heart.