Tell it to Steven Hawking. A person's physical stature does not limit his/her potential for work that does not rely on his/her physical stature (e.g., English teaching, as well as physics). The cultural attitude that those who are discriminated against because they do not fit the culturally desired norm should be outcast or should be provided for by special environments that can be sold as entertainment venues to those who will not deal with their own prejudices is a cultural attitude that perpetuates discrimination against all who are 'different'. The problem here, as elsewhere, is a matter of dehumanizing those who are 'different' - prejudicial culture that regiments anything that deviates from its standards, rather than dealing with the prejudice itself. Why not have a theme park within which 'foreigners', with all their funny habits, can be kept, so that they do not disturb the 'normality' of cultural prejudices? Actually, there could be many: one for 'black people', one for Tibetans, one for Japanese, one for gay people, one for Han Chinese people who have given up their 'traditional' clothing for 'western-style' clothing (e.g., the great majority of Chinese, over the past century or so) - in fact we could subdivide and subdivide until nothing was left but mutual nonrecognition. All these would help to maintain the narrow identities of 'normality' that can be relied upon to advance support the cultural attitudes that promote the continuing inability of people to recognize each other as human, and to celebrate and accept their differences - not as entertainment items, no matter how 'cute', but as full human beings. How different is all this from apartheid?
This effort to maintain prejudice can, of course, be profitable to those who invest in it, and convenient for social engineers and political elites who want to maintain an elite power status by reliance on it.
The place is an insult to our common humanity and a spotlight on cultural attitudes of exclusion. Those who find that they enjoy such displays should take a good look at the nature of the culture that has formed them so narrowly. Cultures change; cultures have always changed; cultures are presently changing and will continue to do so; there is nothing sacred about cultural attitudes. Our common humanity is an ongoing project, and those who imagine they are not part of such a project are simply contributing their own blindness to it, and limiting themselves in the process. It's not the 'dwarves' who are the problem, its the people who will not accept them as within the boundaries of 'us'.
A glimpse into the life of a Kunming fruit seller
发布者@Yeah, it's always necessary to consider the question of yields of...what, exactly? The point of view of the individual farmer, who must live on a relatively low income, is bound to be different - understandably so - than that which might arise out of the broader concerns of those who have the privilege of being able to afford to think beyond more immediate concerns - so the farmer dumps on more chemicals, etc.
Another argument against skewed 'development' and its exaggerated economic inequalities.
Kunming launches first sightseeing bus
发布者@Kate: you got a point there.
Kunming launches first sightseeing bus
发布者@Kate: however, Chinese brand names do not necessarily mean outdated, non-environmentally-friendly technology: E-bikes? Almost as good as bicycles, of which a tremendous number are still produced in China.
Kunming launches first sightseeing bus
发布者My guess is that it will work, especially for tourgroups, as tourists who tour in such groups aren't too bright and tend to behave like sheep.
Kunming police now permitted to carry sidearms
发布者The link above about the trucker - well, okay, not merely speculation. The other link I couldn't access - Mindcops on patrol, or just a bad link?