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In China… well, in China, many weird things happen. The Chinese government, in another strange episode, has decided to ban time travel. Well, at least when it comes to television shows and movies.
With the way things are run, the state controls and monitors everything shown on your television or your computer. So yeah, China can randomly go back in time and say Marty McFly never existed. Scary, huh? Fortunately, that’s not what they’re saying.
Somehow, though, the government has taken a sudden disliking to the idea of distorting certain historical events, things and people. (Cough.)
The idea of time-travel has soared in popularity recently, and it seems like the authorities have just gotten sick of it. Common themes revolve around protagonists going back to ancient times, with script writers often taking liberties with plots and events. Even worse than just being an annoyance, some people fear a real disrespect for China’s history.
The decision was made earlier this month, with the country’s State Administration for Radio, Film & Television stating that “The producers and writers are treating the serious history in a frivolous way, which should by no means be encouraged anymore.”
What’s wrong with these shows? They “casually make up myths, have monstrous and weird plots, use absurd tactics, and even promote feudalism, superstition, fatalism and reincarnation.”
With the way things are run, the state controls and monitors everything shown on your television or your computer. So yeah, China can randomly go back in time and say Marty McFly never existed. Scary, huh? Fortunately, that’s not what they’re saying.
Somehow, though, the government has taken a sudden disliking to the idea of distorting certain historical events, things and people. (Cough.)
The idea of time-travel has soared in popularity recently, and it seems like the authorities have just gotten sick of it. Common themes revolve around protagonists going back to ancient times, with script writers often taking liberties with plots and events. Even worse than just being an annoyance, some people fear a real disrespect for China’s history.
The decision was made earlier this month, with the country’s State Administration for Radio, Film & Television stating that “The producers and writers are treating the serious history in a frivolous way, which should by no means be encouraged anymore.”
What’s wrong with these shows? They “casually make up myths, have monstrous and weird plots, use absurd tactics, and even promote feudalism, superstition, fatalism and reincarnation.”
Making TV Safer: Chinese Censors Crack Down on Time Travel
China’s television censors have issued new guidelines that all but ban TV drams that feature time travel. The problem: a lack of “positive thoughts and meaning.”
archive.nytimes.com
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