If a public poll from Chinese media means anything, here is one on the website of China's International Herald Leader titled "How to View Chongqing's 'Sing Red Songs' Upsurge." The questions and votes (as of this writing) are translated below:
- Is it still meaningful to ardently sing red songs in our new era?
- Yes, the spirit they represent is still worth promoting (39.02%)
- Yes, they are excellent musical works (6.13%)
- No, the background of the songs' time no longer exists (40.1%)
- No, most singers can't understand their connotation (11.04%)
- No, revised too much (1.54%)
- Don't know (2.2%)
- Can red songs arouse the lost belief?
- Yes (17.13%)
- No (55.89%)
- At least some positive effect (24.81%)
- Not sure (2.19%)
2 comments:
As you say, a Chinese public opinion poll only means so much. For starters, any scientific poll worth their salt would publish the number surveyed, when they were surveyed, where they resided, and at least some cursory reference to the fact that the numbers are point estimates with 95% confidence intervals.
That said, it is interesting that a similar plurality feel the songs are and are not pointless.
I wish they had asked, regardless of the songs, how many still share those "lost beliefs".
Ah, my error -- forgot to include the number of responses. At this point it is 10,586; it was about half that when I posted. (Because it is an on-line poll, there isn't the number surveyed.)
They are not going to ask very "sensitive" questions for sure (for example, "do you oppose the singing campaign"), but it is interesting enough how the questions are subtly phrased to allow the poll to capture dissenting opinions. And, as you noticed, the similar plurality says something.
Post a Comment