Beijing based writer Xu Xing wrote following post on his Xintianyou blog, thanks to M. J.’s translation:
When I log onto MSN, an online buddy sends me a link. Thinking it is some sort of surprise, I click it – it is about some diplomatic incident involving our country and another country, arguing for the sake of saving face. My friend was furious, telling me that country X has stepped over the line. I was very surprised and asked her: I didn’t know that you cared?! She said that she was a “desperate housewife,” and I thought to myself, no matter how desperate you are, don’t be so desperate as to become patriotic! Drinking venom to relieve thirst – wouldn’t you just become more and more desperate?
Then I told her from my 50 years of experience: First, love yourself, then your parents and your husband and wife, love food and flavor, pretty girls and handsome men, love the beautiful scenery and the fresh air outside your window, love the petty thieves and hard laborers on the street, love the migrant workers and vendors by the side of the road, and through this love, your character will become more perfect.
But if you love your country blindly and indiscriminately, then you will love your character into defects.
