Authoritarianism and behaviorism on the rise in China, augmented by technologies without ethics

It's absolutely wild to me how increasingly dominant authoritarianism and behaviorism have become in China over the last decade.

The entire society functions as the ultimate Skinner’s box, augmented by technologies without ethics. The BUMMER machine has been having a blast in China, with over 96% population programmed to glue to their phone for daily essentials.* More and more often, walking around the city feels like walking among robots and digital addicts.

It is sad to witness the damages on the society and people, needless to say the environment and development.

A key characteristic of authoritarianism and behaviorism is that they attack different opinions as a threat to their existence. It’s like a reflex, programmed into their genes. Survival reflex. No amount of civil or logical conversations can make an impact.

Humanism is their NO. 1 enemy. Because autonomy, independent thinking, diversity, and spontaneity shake their foundations of control.

From the culture of authoritarianism and behaviorism (soil), only “plants and fruits” of authoritarianism and behaviorism can grow. Even the field of education and psychotherapy, the most humanistic fields in my opinion, are based on the philosophy of authoritarianism and behaviorism today.

Growing out of this soil: Education is collective condemnation; Therapy is individualized manipulation; Music is for face and ego.

Prove me wrong if you can, please. Because for the longest time, I tried to find evidence that shows a different picture. However, I can’t find them.

Accepting this reality is hard, yet necessary.

*BUMMER machine— a concept coined by Jaron Lanier in his “Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now”