[murph-almighty]

During a trip to China, I got to talk to a citizen via a translator, and eventually the subject went to politics. They asked me how I felt about Trump, and I gave my answer, and was about to ask how they felt about Xi before I caught myself.

We couldn't talk about Xi the way we could talk about Trump because there isn't a way to honestly discuss it without allowing for criticism, or the idea that there's more than the image cultivated by the state. I didn't want to risk anyone's safety if the wrong person heard the wrong thing.

It's jarring to have this happen in real life and realize you suddenly can't have a fulfilling conversation with the other person. The chilling effect is real, and real enough that I'm not sure if I should be posting this, vague as it is.

[throwaway55721]

Hmmm...when I recently went to China, I talked to a bunch of people about Xi and heard good and bad things. We had very engrossing conversations.

Of course, I can speak Mandarin so perhaps that’s why they felt comfortable talking to me.

I’m also of Mexican descent, so that might be another factor.

The irony is that I feel more comfortable using a throwaway alt on HN for this comment because I’m afraid of trolls stalking me on my real account for saying nice things about my experiences in China.

[ksec]

It is impossible to explain that feeling to those who had never been through it. Once they plant the seed of fear in your mind, it is very hard to get rid of it.