A billion SCs, coming up!

[Gurndigarn]

Just heard on the news: China is going to have a new economic (sorta) indicator: a happiness rating. It's an interesting idea, but there are just a few problems:

How do you find out? The only real way I could figure out was asking people. BUT... the central government pays a lot of attention to stats and scores of the regional governments... who pay a lot of attention to the stats and scores of the local governments. Who have been known to, ah, influence scores as best they can.

My sympathies go out to the Chinese pollsters. Can you imagine how hard it's going to be to get accurate information? "Of course I'm happy! How could I not be happy? The Party is my friend! Do you have a laser I could requisition so I can keep it handy?!"*



* For the large number of people missing the reference, trust me**: it's funny, and insanely applicable.

** Of course you can trust me. I'm a loyal citizen.***

*** So don't trust me. Die, you capitalist**** mutant scum!

**** This is China, after all.

[Ringtail Z28]

Of course every one of those people are going to be happy. Anyone who would say anything else will probably disappear along with their families.

[Rapscallion]

I saw a program back in the days I watched the boob tube, and it showed a scene in a Chinese market with a translation.

A woman wanted a chicken, but it seemed to be traditional that she was to haggle by describing it as a paltry (paltry poultry!) specimen. The translator dutifully described her actions and words, but the vendor shooed her away and told her to bugger off unless she was being reasonable.

I have a suspicion that the cultural background will stop a number of SCs for some time

Rapscallion