Pretendism, Part II–Can You Breathe, Beijing? Of Course You Can! The Air is Clean.

I wrote an earlier blog entry on how Chinese, especially wealthy and powerful Chinese, practice a type of “pretendism” that in effect is an order to subordinates to believe the opposite of what the truth is. It is sort of a perverted use of the Confucian “respect your leader” concept.

My law firm, Zhong Lun, used pretendism, as I explained in that blog entry, to try to “explain” why they didn’t have to pay money that is obviously owed to me, despite a clear simple contract. That was what gave birth to this blog.

Now, it seems that the Beijing mayor is engaging in his own sense of “pretendism” about how pollution here will affect the Olympic Games next year. A month ago, foreign reporters noted the odd juxtaposition of unbreathable Beijing air and statements by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge that events may have to be rescheduled with statements by Chinese officials at the same event that the air was not only clean but actually getting cleaner. Can’t breath or see, but clean? Right.

Now, in an article from today’s Financial Times, the Beijing Mayor is on record as saying that he has decided not to close factories near Beijing and that–I’m going to quote this, since it is so incredible to read–“We are completely confident that Olympic athletes will be able to take part in their competitions normally next August. The main thing is to strengthen factories’ management of gases and reduce emissions of pollutants.”

I am living and working in a city operated by people who pretend. And so it goes…