To be read as a direct continuation of Part 3;
https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-2022-winter-olympics-closing.html
Seriously, Who Else Are They Going To Call.
The action then shifted to a short Augmented Reality (AR) sequence.
Augmented Reality actually first emerged back in 1915. With the; "Rotoscopotry" technique. The hand-painting of images onto individual frames of celluloid film. To add special effects to silent movies.
However in the Digital Age. Augmented Reality really refers to any scenario where real life, Reality, is Augmented with Digital data.
A prime example would be the Head Up Display (HUD). Which has been used in military aircraft since the 1960's. It has increasingly become used in private motor vehicles.
I'm sure you know the thing. Where your instruments such as speedometer, fuel gauge and SatNav map are projected up onto a little screen in front of you.
Another widely known example of Augmented Reality is the Smartphone game; "Pokemon Go."
In which the GPS/SatNav on your Smartphone guides you to a location. When you view that location through the camera on your Smartphone. Little digital Pokemon monsters appear for you to catch.
The sequence began with an outside shot of the stadium. Showing these red AR 'ribbons' fluttering in the wind as they flew towards the stadium.
We then returned to a live shot of the inside of the arena. Where, on the giant LED screen that was the arena floor, the Child-Like Ciphers had carved these intricate knotted patterns. In the style of Traditional Chinese Knotting.
These intricate knotted patterns then took on AR form. Rising to surround the Olympic Cauldron in the shape of a single Traditional Chinese Knotwork.
By this time the 'ribbons' had flown into the arena. Where they seemed to be trying to attack the Olympic Cauldron. Only to collide with the AR Knotwork. Which took on the colour red, associated with good fortune, and began dripping (AR) fire. As it absorbed the 'ribbons,' protecting the Olympic Cauldron.
The 2018 Winter Games were held in the Republic of Korea (RoK/South). While the delayed 2020 Summer Games were held in Japan. South Korea and Japan regularly compete for the title of the most technologically advanced nation on Earth.
So at their Olympic Opening Ceremony South Korea showed off their technological prowess. Using Augmented Reality to reveal the Olympic Rings. The first AR Olympic Rings there ever been. In the section I entitled; "Beaten Black & Blue."
However, as is the common problem with AR, the people in attendance could not access the digital data. So while viewers at home were watching the spectacular reveal of AR Olympic Rings. The actual Olympians were left staring into the blank night sky.
So during the; "Athletes Arrive" section of the 2020 Olympic Closing Ceremony Japan went one step further.
Including an AR sequence which showed the colours of the national flags melt together to represent sub-atomic cosmic particles, waves and plasmas. They then flew around the arena like wind before pooling like water and rising like a beam of light communicating with a Quantum Encryption/Cryptography satellite.
The key difference is that Japan gave all those in attendance a special Smartphone app. Meaning they could use the camera on their Smartphone to access the digital data.
An example of Japan being that little bit more technologically advanced than their rival, South Korea.
During the external shot the Chinese AR used for the 'ribbons' was noticeably of very poor quality. However the Chinese AR used for the Knotwork was significantly better. Almost of the same quality as the South Korean and Japanese AR.
This was China acknowledging that it is not as technologically advanced as either South Korea or Japan. China is still an Economically Developing Country. The Workshop of the World it simply builds things which are designed by nations like South Korea and Japan.
However China sees itself as a rapidly developing country. Fast moving from simply building other people's designs to building designs of its own. Many people, including China, feels there needs to be a discussion about how these Chinese designs seem to look a lot like other people's designs. Intellectual Property Theft.
This Chinese sequence was actually a direct reference to the Japanese "Athletes Arrive" section.
Marking the start of a near decade long stay in Asia. For their 2018 Games South Korea introduced us to things which are common throughout Asia. Such as traditional Asian Animist Belief Systems/Religions. Taoism being the dominant form in South Korea.
Japan built on this by introducing us to aspects of Shinto (The Way Of The Gods). The dominant Animist belief system in Japan. Followers of Shinto themselves don't view it as a religion.
Central to Shinto are the; "Kami." Which literally translates as; "Gods." Although is better understood as; "Holy Spirits," "Holy Ghosts" or; "Holy Forces."
There are over 300 categories of Kami within Shinto. When a member of Japan's ancient clans or families die they automatically become Kami. Adding to an almost infinite number of Kami.
However the most important Kami are considered the first two generations of Kami. The Kotomatukami (Distinguished Heavenly Kami) and the Kamiyo-nanayo (Seven Generations of the Age of Gods). It is through these Kami that the Heavens and then Japan were created.
At the 2020 Summer Games the Cauldron structure took the form of the Sun rising over Mount Fuji.
Mount Fuji is considered to be the manifestation of Kuni-no-Tokotachi (The God That Rose Like A Reed From The Soil). The first generation of the Kamiyo-nanayo. While the Sun is considered the manifestation of Amaterasu (The Kami That Brings Light From The Heavens), the sixth generation of the Kamiyo-nanayo.
The AR cosmic energy blowing like winds, pooling like water, rising like light in the "Athletes Arrive" section of the 2020 Olympic Closing Ceremony. They were supposed to represent the Kami. The Holy Forces.
In their Olympic Opening Ceremony. Particularly the fireworks that ended the "Opening Speeches" section. China introduced us to their equivalent of the Kotomatukami and the Kamiyo-nanayo.
Taiyi (The Supreme God of High Heaven) along with the Wudi (Five Deities) or Wushen (Five Gods). Who are equivalent to the Kotomatukami. Along with the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Which are comparable to the Kamiyo-nanayo.
However Chinese belief systems to do not have an equivalent to the other categories of Kami. Instead Chinese mythology has Dragons (Lung/Loo-ung).
I'm sure it has to be one of the most famous symbols of China Worldwide. The Chinese Dragon, the long snake-like creature with four legs and scales
However in Chinese mythology Dragons can take on the form of, really, any sort of animal. They are not animals themselves but the manifestation of the Five Forces of the Wu Xing. Just as how in Shinto Kun-no-Tokotachi manifests as Mount Fuji.
When Dragons manifest in their snake-like form they do so with 117 scales. 36 made up of the Yin (Objective) force and 81 made up of the Yang (Subjective) force. Both of which are multiples of the number 9. Seen as The Heavenly Number.
As manifestations of the Five Forces; Earth, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire. Dragons are considered the most powerful beings. The popular image of a Dragon breathing fire is actually fire manifesting itself as a Dragon. Rather than a Dragon producing fire. Both the heat giving warmth of a cooking fire and the destructive power of wildfire.
In China Dragons are particularly associated with water and the weather.
There are four Dragon Kings, which are normally depicted as men rather than snakes. These Dragon Kings are the rulers of China's Four Seas. The East Sea (East China Sea), the South Sea (South China Sea), the West Sea (Lake Qinghai) and the North Sea (Lake Baikal).
If the Dragon Kings are pleased with you they will give plentiful rain with which to grow plentiful crops. If you have angered them they will give you storms, floods, drought and all round destruction.
As was mentioned in the earlier section I entitled; "Lantern Festival." Some in China believe that one of the Five Emperors, Jade Emperor, mastered Tao/Dao becoming a god himself. He then defeated the girl Jiaozhi in her attempts to conquer the Heavens and all of the Universe.
This saw Jade Emperor rewarded by being appointed Supreme Sovereign. Tasking him with taking over from Taiyi and ruling over the Heavens and the Earth.
It is said that Jade Emperor became so busy with this task. That he didn't notice that the Earth was suffering from a terrible drought. It was the four Dragon Kings who travelled to the Heavens to make Jade Emperor aware of the suffering on Earth.
Jade Emperor promised the Dragon Kings that he would send rains the next day. If the Dragon Kings returned to Earth. Unfortunately Jade Emperor immediately forgot his promise.
After ten days without rain the Dragon Kings took matters into their own hands. Scooping up huge amounts of water from the seas and dumping it on the land. Ending the drought and saving the humans and other animals from thirst and starvation.
Jade Emperor was so angry that the Dragon Kings had acted without his permission. He ordered the Mountain God, or the Wushen that manifests as Earth, to trap the Dragon Kings in the Mountains.
However in their continued defiance of Jade Emperor. The mountains where the Dragon Kings were imprisoned sprung four rivers. Meaning that the Earth would never again suffer drought. The Yellow River, the Yangtze River, the Amur River and the Pearl River.
Which should give you an idea of how powerful Dragons are considered. They can defy even the Supreme Sovereign and the Five Gods.
At around 18:20 on 29/12/22 (UK date) I'll give my slower readers a day to process.
Edited at around 17:55 on 4/1/23 (UK date) to tidy the above and copy & paste;
So the AR 'ribbons' represented Dragons.
They intentionally did not take on the form of that well known image of a Chinese Dragon. Partly to make it appear as though China isn't technologically advanced enough to design and produce such sophisticated digital animation.
Mainly though it was done to remind people. That Chinese Dragons aren't animals. They are an elemental force of the Wu Xing, which can manifest in many different physical forms.
Coloured Red these Dragons were manifestations of the Wu Xing element of Fire. Not the good fortune of a warming and homely cooking fire. The destruction and terror of a Firestorm.
When this coming Firestorm was absorbed by the Chinese Knotwork. Protecting the Olympic Cauldron, wrapping it in its good fortune. China established the main theme of the Closing Ceremony.
China and Britain's relationship over Hong Kong. Particularly the Firestorm with which Britain attacked both Hong Kong and, by extension, mainland China in 2019.
As we learned during the "Athletes Parade" section of the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Hong Kong is not just an island.
During The First Opium War (1839-1842) Britain seized Hong Kong Island from China. Following The Second Opium War (1856-1860) Britain also seized the Kowloon Peninsula from China. The Kowloon Peninsula being a part of the Chinese mainland which reaches out towards Hong Kong Island.
Having been weakened by The First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). In 1898 China was forced to grant Britain a 99 year lease over Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. Along with a large section of the Chinese mainland north of the Kowloon Peninsula. Known as The Northern Territories.
That lease expired on July 1st 1997 (1/7/1997) and all the Hong Kong territory was returned to China.
A date which, coincidentally, was the 45h birthday of Dan Aykroyd. Star of the 1984 movie "Ghostbusters." Along with the 1989 sequel; "Ghostbusters II."
Having ruled out the feasibility of fighting a third war with China. Britain knew that it would have to return the physical territory of Hong Kong to China. However Britain was much less keen to return the Human Capital it had seized during the Colonial Era. The population of Hong Kong.
So in 1985 Britain created a unique immigration status for Hong Kongers. The British National (Overseas) Passport (BNO Passport). It is tempting to say that after the 1997 this made all Hong Kongers Dual Nationals. Citizens of both Britain and China.
However Britain has always been clear that Hong Kongers have a lower status than British people. So holding a BNO Passport doesn't give you the rights of a British citizen. Like the right to live and work in the UK. As holding a European Union (EU) Passport used to. However it does grant you a preferential route to apply for residency and work permits.
Almost since July 2nd 1997 (2/7/1997). Britain has been using its second-tier human capital in Hong Kong to communicate with and make life difficult for China.
Primarily this has been done by Britain fostering movements demanding Democratic rule in Hong Kong. Something which Britain never felt the need to grant Hong Kong in all the years it was Britain's Colonial Property.
Throughout all of Hong Kong's time as a British Colony it never had democracy. It was always ruled directly by the British Monarch. Through the Governor-General. The first being Henry Pottinger who was appointed by Queen Victoria.
Even before Britain had seized the Kowloon Peninsula, let alone the Northern Territories. It established the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo). However this was not established as, nor has ever served as a Parliament. Its role has only ever been to advise the British Monarch, through the Governor-General.
Likewise at no point under British rule were members of the LegCo elected. They were appointed by the Governor-General on behalf of the Monarch. Their appointments confirmed by the British Foreign Secretary (Chief Foreign Minister) on behalf of the British Parliament.
By the early-1980's pressure had grown on Britain to introduce democracy to Hong Kong. The most Britain was prepared to offer Hong Kongers was the "Green Paper: The Further Development of Representative Government in Hong Kong." Which was published in 1984, the same year the Ghostbusters movie was released. In Dan Aykroyd's birth month, July.
However the 1984 Green Paper did not propose allowing Hong Kongers to directly elect their leaders. Instead it only proposed an Electoral College. The membership of which would be appointed by the British Monarch and approved by the British Parliament.
The Electoral College would then elect people. Not to serve on the LegCo itself. Only to the Executive Council (ExCo). Which only advises the LegCo in how it goes about advising the Governor-General and the British Monarch.
However the British Monarch and the British Parliament weren't even prepared to give Hong Kongers that much say in how they were ruled. So the 1984 Green Paper was sent to the LegCo.
With its membership entirely appointed by the British Monarch and approved by the British Parliament. The LegCo rejected the idea.
So it was Britain that crushed the Democracy
Movement in Hong Kong. Four years before the Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) crushed the Democracy Movement on the Chinese mainland.
The closest Hong Kong has ever come to democracy was after it was returned to China. When the Chinese Communist Party changed the LegCo's rules to allow 30% of its members to be directly elected by the people of Hong Kong.
At around 18:25 on 4/1/23 (UK date) I'll pick this up tomorrow.
Edited at around 17:10 on 5/1/23 (UK date) to tidy the above and copy & paste;
Obviously when Hong Kong was returned to China the role of Governor-General was abolished. Replaced with the similar role of Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
However in doing this the Chinese Communist Party still gave Hong Kongers much more say in how they were governed than Britain ever did. They didn't go as far as allowing the Chief Executive to be directly elected.
However the Chief Executive is/was elected by a 1,200 member election committee made up of people who live in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive is/was not appointed by some unelected official on the Chinese mainland. Let alone a Monarch all the way over in Britain.
In 2007 the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing proposed going even further. Publishing, essentially a Green Paper, suggesting that in 2017 the Chief Executive be elected directly in a public vote. Universal Suffrage.
As Britain had done with its 1984 Green Paper. The Chinese proposal for the 2017 election was opened up for wide discussion and consideration. Unlike Britain's 1984 Green Paper this was genuine discussion and consideration.
Britain's intention was always for its Green Paper to fail. So announced that outcome in less than a year. However the discussions over China's Green Paper didn't reach its conclusions until 2014.
The Chinese Communist Party decided not to introduce Universal Suffrage to Hong Kong, for the very first time, in 2017. However they did leave open the possibility of introducing it at the 2022 vote for Chief Executive.
Although I don't think it was a factor in the Chinese Communist Party's decision. In 2010/11 there was an almost unprecedented global leap towards Democracy. The people of Tunisia rose up in revolution and overthrew their long-time, nominally elected, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
In no small part due to its large reserves of fossil fuels. The Middle-East, North Africa (MENA) region or; "Arab World" was long a Cold War battleground. With many nations having authoritarian governments and centrally planned Keynesian, Communist-style economies.
Something the nations of the Capitalist First World were prepared to tolerate. Provided the leaders stayed authoritarian enough to stop their countries becoming fully Communist and start giving those fossil fuels to the Communist Second World instead.
The Opening Ceremony took place on Chinese New Year's Day. This Closing Ceremony was supposed to mark the Lantern Festival. Showcasing that big national holiday in China. The 15 day holiday between Chinese New Year's Day and the Lantern Festival.
It's perhaps appropriate that it's taken me until now. Just after the Western equivalent. That 7 day holiday between Christmas Day and New Year's Day to cover it.
I genuinely think that was one of the main reasons why the Tunisian Revolution was able to succeed. It occurred between Christmas Day and New Year's Day. When all of the Western governments and intelligence agencies were on holiday. So weren't able to interfere with or stop it.
I even found the time to spend an evening with my mothers. Where it had already been decided the 2012 Summer Games would be held. That's just how far the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have to go. For talent to even notice they exist.
My main memory of that evening was playing with one of my mothers' cats, Jasmine. Jasmine very much liked me. So much so that she even clambered into my bag and hid. In the hope that I'd take her home with me.
Eventually though. I decided to let the cat out of the bag.
So when the Western governments and intelligence agencies finally came stumbling back into their offices. Tunisia's Revolution became known as; "The Jasmine Revolution."
Although no-one in Tunisia recognises, let alone uses, that name. I, myself, am pretty sure we'd all already moved on to Egypt by that point.
By the Spring of 2011 the girl Jiaozhi had started to recover from the shock it had received. So Libya was invaded. Then Syria was invaded. Although it took until the Summer of 2014 even Iraq got invaded. Again.
However in their initial shock. The stumbling Western governments and intelligence agencies attempted to open the events in Tunisia and Egypt to wider, global, discussion.
They did this by sponsoring small pro-Democracy protests in around a dozen cities on the Chinese mainland. Lasting for around a month, starting on February 20th 2011 (20/2/11), this too was named; "The Jasmine Revolution."
Continuing to be stunned and confused by these demands for Democracy. In September 2011 the Authoritarian Capitalist factions of those stumbling Western governments and intelligence agencies launched The "Occupy" astroturf campaign.
The objective of the Occupy astroturf campaign was to consolidate the Authoritarian Capitalist's power. By manufacturing support for their preferred political candidates. While exploring the mechanics of how the people of Tunisia and Egypt were able to expel Authoritarian Capitalists from power.
Particularly within the US these Authoritarian Capitalist astroturf campaigns seem to get re-laid in fresh colours a couple of times a year. For example "Women's March," "March For Our Lives." Despite its unnatural roots "Black Lives Matter" seems to have been particularly effective in spreading beyond the US.
Of course the rainbow hued; "Gay-Rights-For-Gays!" is always popular. As is; "Climate Change!" Not the actual Climate Change of course. Just the one with all the empty slogans such as; "Net Zero!" and; "Keep 1.5 Alive!"
At around 17:45 on 5/1/23 (UK date) I'll probably wait until Saturday to pick this up again.
Edited at around 18:10 on 7/1/23 (UK date) to tidy the above and copy & paste;
The 2012 Summer Games were held in London, UK. Essentially in Jasmine the cat's backyard.
As I mentioned in the previous section; "Those Poor, Troika-less Children" which really blended into this one. The 2012 Para-Olympic Closing Ceremony was built entirely around the idea that it was My Wedding To Rihanna.
Following an unpleasant honeymoon. In 2013 Rihanna embarked on her Diamonds World Tour (DWT). The objective behind this was twofold;
Primarily it was to drive Rihanna into some sort of
meltdown/mental health crisis whilst in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This was supposed to serve as a sort of sacrificial apology from the US
to the Arab World for the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. As the most
liberal of the group the UAE were taking the hit for the whole team.
For reasons that I still do not follow. The US had convinced itself that the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt were caused entirely the video for the Jay Z, Kanye West and Rihanna song; "Run This Town." Something which was heavily referenced in the 2012 Para-Olympic Closing/Our Wedding Ceremony.
I'm sure the people of Tunisia and Egypt are glad to
finally learn. It was the vaguely Middle-Eastern/Arab imagery in that
video which made them demand Democracy. Nothing to do with their economies still being stuck in the Keynesian Consensus.
Secondarily it was hoped that the shocking collapse, possibly even death, of Rihanna would trigger such infighting and acrimony. That it would cause the COP19 Climate Change Summit to collapse. Blocking global action to combat Climate Change.
It was the final third leg of the Diamonds World Tour which took Rihanna to the UAE. As I previously mentioned this third leg began in Macau, China.
Rather than playing along with the US' plan to sacrifice Rihanna like a lamb to the slaughter. China stepped up to protect Rihanna. Giving her an edible arrangement including the Chinese characters of her Chinese birth year. Tricking her into confirming that she'd safely arrived in China.
Although we are all grateful for it. Even without China's assistance the US' plan for the Diamonds World Tour was a complete failure.
Rihanna survived unharmed. COP19 went ahead amid only the usual levels of acrimony and infighting. Egypt even went and had a second revolution. While I only had to spend a little bit of time in prison.
In August 2014 the Chinese Communist Party held its annual National People's Congress in Beijing. There they agreed on their conclusions of the 2007, essentially, Green Paper. They concluded that Universal Suffrage would not be introduced at the 2017 election for Hong Kong's Chief Executive.
This wasn't China making Hong Kong less democratic than it was at the time. It was simply China declining to make Hong Kong more democratic. It was still more democratic than it had ever been under British rule.
China even left open the possibility of Hong Kong taking a huge leap forward in Democracy. At the 2022 election for Chief Executive.
Despite this Britain responded by unleashing a Firestorm against Hong Kong and China more widely. In the form of The 2014 Hong Kong Protests.
This campaign of marches, sit-ins and riots began on September 28th (28/9/14). With the establishment of the; "Occupy Central With Love And Peace" camp. In several locations across Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula.
This
was obviously part of the Occupy astroturf campaign which began in
2011. So brought with it all the issues of Occupy. Its objectives of
exploring and suppressing the mechanics of the revolutions in Tunisia
and Egypt.
You really should just take my word for it. When I tell you that Occupy is an astroturf campaign.
Wikipedia credits the original Occupy, "Occupy: Wall Street" as being started by the Adbusters magazine. Adbusters is also well known for promoting the; "Buy Nothing Day" campaign.
It's certainly been alleged that I launched the Buy Nothing Day campaign in Britain before expanding into Europe. Not that there's anything even remotely criminal about suggesting that people spend just one day without shopping.
Rather than carrying placards protesters at Occupy Central With Love And Peace carried umbrellas. Leading to the 2014 Hong Kong protests being dubbed either; "The Umbrella Protests" or; "The Umbrella Revolution."
This was done in reference to how the US tried to disrupt COP19 with Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour.
Rihanna's 2007 song; "Umbrella" was big hit in the UK. Topping the charts for some 15 weeks throughout the summer.
The summer of 2007 turned out to be one of the wettest summers Britain has ever seen. Which, if you're familiar with British weather, is really saying something.
I still remember having to pump out a flooded
basement. In a building beneath the Crystal Palace TV tower. So on the
highest hill in the city. Although that Community Mental Health Project did seem to struggle with all forms of Watershed Management. It wasn't just the one terrible little dyke.
As we were all stuck inside watching the rain fall, listening to Rihanna on the radio. Somebody decided to break up the boredom by claiming that it was the Rihanna song that was making it rain. The joke caught on and it became known as; "The Rihanna Effect."
Then some Quantum Physicists along with followers of Animist Belief Systems pointed out. That there might actually be a little something in that joke.
So the US arrived at COP19 adamant that Climate Change wasn't being caused by Greenhouse Gas (ghg) emissions. Instead it was being caused by Rihanna's mood swings. As Rihanna can control the weather.
So any extreme weather events that occurred between COP18 and COP19. Were the result of the emotional traumas that Rihanna had experienced during her 2013 Diamonds World Tour.
Global action to combat Climate Change follows the scientific method. That is to say that theories are devised. Then data is gathered to test the theory. Determining whether it is correct or not.
The theory that Rihanna's moods control the weather is so out there. That it is impossible to gather data to use to test it.
Even if I had Rihanna sitting on my lap now as I write this. I doubt I could get her to quantify her current mood in words, let alone in the form of an equation. Although I suspect we might all be able to detect her mood changing as she reads this.
Being unable to collect data to prove
or disprove the theory. We cannot rule out that Climate Change might be
caused by Rihanna's moods. Which is why you would think the theory
would lead to endless argument and disruption at COP19.
Obviously though we have been able to collect a vast amount of data proving that Climate Change is caused by Greenhouse Gas emissions.
In fact in this effort to disrupt COP19. The US couldn't even get the theory behind; "The Rihanna Effect" right.
The theory was never that Rihanna controls the weather. It was that one song being played on all those radios, TV's and stereos. Along with being hummed by all those people who had it stuck in their head. Generated an Electromagnetic force. It was that Electromagnetic force that was causing it to rain.
Although it is, partially, an electronic representation of Rihanna's voice. It doesn't actually have that much to do with Rihanna. I suppose if you were particularly struggling with reality you could simply replace Rihanna with, say, Miley Cyrus.
It was one of the good things to come out of Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour. That the US having to go that far to put forward an alternative explanation for Climate Change. Then failing in its effort.
Convinced even the most ardent Climate Change deniers to accept that they've gone completely beyond the absurd. Accepting the discussion is over. The science is overwhelming.
At around 18:35 on 7/1/23 (UK date) I'll probably pick this up on Monday now.
Edited at around 16:55 on 9/1/23 (UK date) to tidy all of the above, add Keynes and Mental Health. Copy & Paste;
At the time of COP19 global efforts to combat Climate Change were taking place under the Kyoto Protocol. Central to The Kyoto Protocol is the concept of; "Binary Differentiation."
That is to say that a nation is defined as Economically Developed and placed in Annex I of the Kyoto Protocol. Or it is defined as Economically Developing and placed in Annex II. A nation's obligation to cut Greenhouse Gas emissions is determined by which Annex they are in.
The US never signed up to the Kyoto Protocol, primarily due to the Binary Differentiation issue. However within negotiations the US is, generally, seen as the leader of the Annex I nations. While China is, generally, seen as the leader of the Annex II nations.
It is this Binary Differentiation which is one of the main fracture points within Climate Change negotiations.
At around the time of COP13, 2007, I had to stop donating my time to that Community Mental Health Project. Even the other staff were so reality challenged. That they simply could not grasp the concept of Chain-of-Command.
This made it impossible for me to continue helping them. Whilst facilitating both the Annex I and Annex II positions. Through the medium of performance art.
After COP13 had finished and I'd given them a little bit of time to consider themselves. I took, what I felt was bordering excessive, steps to give them the chance to apologise and complete their remedial work. However they were adamant that they had no desire to return to reality.
I wonder if Britain is counting this as a big enough formal statement from China on the matter. It certainly hasn't been China's first statement on the matter.
So by invoking Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour, the Rihanna Effect and my experiences of 2007.The Umbrella Revolution was a particularly vicious British attack on Hong Kong and China more widely. One that threatened to open up the wounds of the previous year.
The 2014 COP Summit (COP20) was held in Lima, Peru. From December 1st (1/12/14) to December 12th (12/12/14). The Umbrella Revolution ravaged Hong Kong throughout COP20.
Then, on December 15th (15/12/14) Britain simply stopped its attack on Hong Kong. The Umbrella Revolution ended.
Efforts to replace the Kyoto Protocol began at COP17 in 2011. The process being known as the; "Durban Platform" in the jargon.
Almost immediately as work began on the Durban Platform it was agreed to do away with Binary Differentiation. If you look at the way that empires have risen and fallen throughout history. It's absurd to say that one nation will always be rich. While another will always be poor.
China is a prime example of this.
As we learned during the Opening Ceremony. In 1966 China adopted "Mao Zedong Thought by the Chinese Communist Party." An ideology more commonly known as; "Maoism."
This fetishised the life of the peasant farmer. Dragging China back to the levels of extreme poverty that existed before the Second Agricultural Revolution of the 17th Century. Let alone the Third Agricultural Revolution or "Green Revolution" that was happening in the rest of the World at the time.
So as recently as 2020 you still had significant numbers of Chinese people still living in caves. Known as Yaodong (House Cave). Not as a lifestyle choice. Out of necessity.
As we also learned during the Opening Ceremony. From 1978 onwards China started adopting "Deng Xiaoping's Thought by the Chinese Communist Party." Which can rather be summed up by the slogan; "Some Can Get Rich First." This has created vast wealth across a growing section of Chinese society.
China is now in the era of Xi Jinping who is focused on building a; "Xiaokang Society." One where although there is inequality and imperfection everyone at least gets the share that they need.
China frequently finds itself in the enviable position. Of setting itself ambitious development goals. Then having to set itself even more ambitious development goals. As its already ambitious development goals have been met, years ahead of schedule.
So while I don't think we're quite there yet. We are certainly fast approaching the threshold where China will stop being an Economically Developing nation and be an Economically Developed nation.
Although that was always one of my main arguments with Binary Differentiation. Economic development doesn't just stop.
Under the Durban Platform it was agreed to stop grouping nations together according to their economic development, Binary Differentiation. Instead look at each nation's own individual circumstances. A more; "fluid" approach if you will.
Then at COP21 in 2015. The US came along and ripped up the Durban Platform. Replacing the thing everyone had spent four years working on with The Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement keeps the concept of Binary Differentiation. It actually makes it worse.
The Kyoto Protocol was time limited. Meaning that it had to be renewed every 5-10 years. Although I can't remember it ever happening this gave the opportunity for nations to switch between Annex I and Annex II.
The Paris Agreement doesn't have any time limit. Unless it is revoked it will stay as it is for all eternity.
So it doesn't matter how rich China gets. Or how poor the US gets. China will forever be considered Economically Developing with much lower obligations. Not that anyone actually has any obligations under the Paris Agreement.
This huge advantage for China was insisted upon by the US.
To be continued in Part 5.
17:45 on 9/1/23 (UK date).
