There is one thing I have always been trying to avoid on this blog, and that thing is politics.

It’s not that I don’t find that stuff interesting, or that I don’t enjoy talking about it. But I have my reasons to be careful, and I am going to tell you one today:

See the grey outline of China in the ending sequence of my weird-beard-video? Let’s be really generous and call it a „map“.

Why is Taiwan on the Map?

Believe it or not, but there have been people who found it necessary to scold me because I chose to include Taiwan on that map. Why on earth would I do such a thing? Do I really believe that the PRC should take over the ROC now?

No. I do not believe that.

Here’s what I do think though: Taiwan and China have more in common than just a language and a culture – they share a very complicated chapter of history. And this history will always be as flexible as the people who make it.

As of now, they are in a stalemate, and I don’t think that either side seriously wants to change this.

Now, would it be best for those two to be sharing a roof? Or should they rather be good friends with separate apartments? I am not sure.
But I do know that patience and understanding are obligatory in any long-term relationship, while being hot-headed and pushy is not going to lead anywhere.

So why DID I put Taiwan on the map? I could have left it out – no big deal, right?

Because of the Chicken!

Well, you see, the modern outline of China basically looks like a huge chicken. The Northeast part is the head, while the Western regions make up the chicken butt. Add the island of Hainan, and the thing stands on one leg, and if you add Taiwan, then it suddenly runs on two. Call me weird, but I just like my chicken better with two legs.

Why are the islands not on the map?

The argument doesn’t end here though: there were other voices who expressed their bitter discontent, apparently because I had left out a number of small islands in the South China Sea on said map. If those islands belonged to China, how come they weren’t on my map? Was I trying to indicate that they should rather be part of someone else’s territory?

Well, first of all, I wasn’t trying to indicate anything. And secondly, I could care less about any island that doesn’t have a beach chair with my name on it (i.e. all islands in the world).

On a video-editing level though, my design would have gotten really disproportionate if I had tried to include a large portion of the ocean on the map.

Because of the Chicken!

And finally, I just happened to like my chicken the way it was. Did it really need to be running around in something that looked like it was either grains or chicken droppings? Nope.

What was this all about?

There you go, a heated argument about a chicken.

And one reason why I have always been trying to avoid talking about politics on this blog.

If you are nice, I shall give you another reason next time.

Soundtrack: Geto Boys – “G Code”