I am hooked on Quora!

I am now hooked on Quora, even though I have been blocked from contributing because of a rejoinder I made to a commentator in one of my answers. Quora is a platform that allows anyone to ask any question. I take my hat off to those who have volunteered to answer. The insights and knowledge shared were extraordinary in many cases – on history, geography and even science, technology and engineering. Of course, answers on political and social issues are basically opinions, but good answers do reflect the author’s wisdom and foresight.

However, I didn’t know that world out there is awash with China haters and bashers. Readers of my blog would notice that I have also been bashing China and Chinese a great deal. I do so because I am proud of my Chinese heritage. There is so much in Chinese culture that teaches one to practise good social etiquette, to act with humility, to be caring and benevolent, to keep to our word, and so on and so forth, I naturally take issues if fellow Chinese misbehave. But if people hurl fake news and unnecessary hatred or prejudices about China or Chinese, I also would not want to sit idly by. I am no Xi apologist, but I think he had some a great deal for his nation. So is China as a whole; it is not an evil empire, as many of China haters and bashers want us believe. Many of those who have visited or stayed in China have already testified this fact. I myself have visited China several times. I have seen it transformed. Of course, the rural areas are still poor and lacking in social graces. But urban China is a different world now. I had therefore also attempted to answer some of the questions posted in Quora until I was blocked out. It was in respect of this question “Should the USA pay to clean up China’s pollution?” that got me in trouble with Quora. I wrote that the questioner was too patronizing and said that China was certainly conscious of the need to clean up its own environment without expecting anyone, let alone the USA, to pay for it. A chap chipped in and accused me of not having been to China or the USA at all, since I did not know how polluted China was. I asked if he should do if I furnished proof, and this led to my “suspension”. Strange really! Notwithstanding, I continue to follow Quora.

But I think Quora’s Moderation Team should try to nip fake news and bigotry at their buds.