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As I walk the streets and roam the web of China, I share snapshots from my fieldwork on Bytes of China. My list of longer thought pieces can be found on my Writing Page. 

I am currently living in China, following students and migrants as they process information and desire, remaking cities and rural areas. I investigate media and memes in their collisions with markets, governments, and local thugs.   [More about Bytes of China.]

Here's a video of the most recent talk I gave about my research at LIFT in Geneva, Switzerland, "Dancing with Handcuffs: The Geography of Trust in Social Networks". In this talk, I analyze the changing conceptions of trust through the story of a college student who threw shoes and eggs at the government official who oversees internet censorship in China. 

Read more about my research. My analysis of culture and technology can be found on Cultural Bytes. And my personal blog is Hi Tricia.

The views expressed on this blog do not in any way reflect the position of any of my funders, past employers, the Chinese government, the US government or the Fulbright program. 

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My research is generously funded though a mix of university grant programs, state initiatives, or industry research.

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Monday
Oct242011

The New Luxury Consumer: White male serving Chinese couple in Toyota Highlander Advertisement

DateMonday, October 24, 2011 at 12:00AM

Oh how this Toyota Highlander advertisment is reflective of the new global order.  I saw this picture in Guangzhou's domestic terminal. A Chinese couple is getting out of their Japanese brand car into what appears to be a private yacht. A white male greets them, taking their travel items and appears to be eager  in their service. 

This advertisement reflects a new Chinese imaginary - one that is global, expansive, unlimited, and exploratory. It also tells us who has the power to live out this imaginary. 10 years ago or even 5 years ago, I don't think this advertisement would've existed. But now companies have turned to the Chinese consumer, encouraging them to participate in this lifestyle. The entire global economy right now depends on the Chinese elite and middle-class to spend. But how long can this go on for until we see the next crisis? For how long can each system create "value"?

As of right now:

“The ugliest part of the saga is that the well-being of many other countries is also in the impact zone when the donkey and the elephant fight,” Xinhua News

Comment2 Comments | |

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Reader Comments (2)

why "The entire global economy right now depends on the Chinese elite and middle-class to spend" when they spend just about "5% of the world’s ... consumption" (2010)? http://helenhwang.net/2010/08/china-may-become-the-worlds-second-largest-consumer-market/
China holds 1.16 of 2.1 debt? see china in http://innovation.cq.com/media/debt_components/ (use expand all) = in that time (march 2011) 1.15 from 14.27, the whole Chinese foreign reserves (about 3) are not enough even for America's external public debt (about 4.5)
can see also Chinese S&P rating http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_credit_rating and growing governmental (red&gray) debt as % of GDP http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2011/06/sovereign-debt

October 24, 2011 | Unregistered Commenterreal name

Funny. Especially considering per capita GDP in America is three times that of China.

It is nothing to be happy about, when you make money by raping your environment, your air is dirty, rivers poisened, etc

October 29, 2011 | Unregistered CommenterSean

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