True, false or total bullshit quiz

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The special report in our Autumn 2018 issue of Index on Censorship magazine, The Age of Unreason, focuses on bullshit busting and what happens when emotion trumps facts. See how prone to bullshit you are by taking our quiz, based on articles featured in the magazine.

Take the quiz

The Turkish government are banning Charles Darwin from its textbooks. True or false?
A California-based university (USC) found Reddit is the main news source for young people. True or false?
US journalist Brian Williams was in a helicopter hit by a missile. True or false?
According to Consulta Mitofsky, trust in Mexican media has dropped by 12% in the last decade. True or false?
Donald Trump coined the term "fake news". True or false?
Cryonic companies sell death as optional. True or false?
Bumble bees use colour and spatial relationships to decide which colour of flower to forage from. True or false?
Research conducted by Columbia University found 40% of Donald Trump supporters relied on Fox for their news. True or false?
Brazil was the first Latin American country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2010. True or false?
Parenting forums are the websites people are most likely to lie on, according to research by Indiana University. True or false?
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[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”top”][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”The Age of Unreason” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:24|text_align:left” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2F2018%2F09%2Fage-of-unreason%2F|||”][vc_column_text]The autumn 2018 issue of Index on Censorship magazine explores the age of unreason. Are facts under attack? Can you still have a debate? We explore these questions in the issue, with science to back it up.

With: Timandra Harkness, Ian Rankin, Sheng Keyi[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”102479″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2018/09/age-of-unreason/”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1481888488328{padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Subscribe” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:24|text_align:left” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2Fsubscribe%2F|||”][vc_column_text]In print, online. In your mailbox, on your iPad.

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一段不应忘却的历史

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”中国政府最近新通过一项法律,该项法律将惩罚官方认为错误的历史叙述。林慕莲 为《失忆人民共和国—重返天安门》一书作者,她认为在当下的中国她将无法完成此书的写作。”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Tiananmen Square, 2013. Credit: xiquinhosilva/Flickr

天安门广场, 2013 年. Credit: xiquinhosilva/Flickr

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在写作《失忆人民共和国—重返天安门》时,我在快餐厅度过了很长一段时光。我其实并不喜欢快餐食品,但是我所采访的异见人士都十分喜欢快餐厅,他们认为嘈杂的环境会使警方难以监控。当我和鲍彤在麦当劳餐厅交谈时,他能轻而易举地认出跟踪他的便衣警察。鲍彤先生因六四事件而遭受七年牢狱之灾,他也是六四后被判处徒刑的最高阶政府官员。天安门母亲运动是一群六四难属组成的民间组织。当我造访该组织创办人张先玲女士时,她第一句话便是:“他们知道你要来。”警察已经与张先玲通过电话并询问了我此行的目的。警察可能是通过窃听张女士或我的电话得知消息。对我们监控是明确设计好的,其目的就是恐吓和骚扰所有相关人员。

我当时是美国全国公众广播电台驻北京记者,因工作之便我有机会采访到这些受访者。然而我还是十分谨慎,甚至我的孩子在很长一段时间都不知道这本书的存在。整个写作过程我十分紧张,我用一台不能上网的电脑写作,写完后便将电脑锁在卧室的保险箱里。

这样的书在当今中国的大环境下我无法完成的。2013年我在北京的四所大学里对一百名大学生做了一项粗略的调查,我问他们是否能认出坦克人的照片。这是一张著名的六四事件照片,一名身着白色衬衫的年轻男子在北京长安街上阻挡向其驶来的坦克车队。在受访的一百名大学生中, 只有十五人知道这张照片的拍摄地点。一年后一个法国采访团队试图在北京进行类似的街访,然而街访开始不到十分钟警察便到达现场。事后该采访团队被警方审问长达六个小时。如今在中国很难找到愿与外国媒体交流任何话题的人,更不用说这种中国近代历史上最具政治敏感性的事件了。

在绰号为 “万能主席”(the Chairman of Everything, CEO)的习近平领导下,对历史事件的阐释也被其控制。他编织出“中国梦是一个关于历史,现在和未来的梦想”的口号,这一口号在时间上有无所不包的本质。 他认为“中华民族伟大复兴”的梦想取决于对历史的正确理解,而这种对历史的理解越来越需要通过强制的手段实施。为此,中国去年通过立法将“历史虚无主义”引入民法总则,以确保任何针对官方历史叙述的独立质疑都将受到惩处以及经济制裁。如今,“诋毁侮辱英雄和烈士的姓名、肖像、名誉和荣誉”是一项民事罪行。

在官方不断压制历史研究的背景下,21世纪的中国统治者正向秦始皇的道路继续前进。公元前213年秦始皇下令焚书,销毁官方版本以外的所有的历史记录。在这场对知识的彻底破坏运动中,甚至连秦始皇自己的族谱都被摧毁。正如司马迁在一百多年后评价秦始皇其目的是让百姓无知并确保没有人用历史来批评他。为了强化其统治,在公元前210年秦始皇下令埋葬了一群向他提出批评的儒家学者。

今天的坑儒的手段就是长期监禁。去年维权人士陈云飞因“寻衅滋事罪”被判处四年有期徒刑。他唯一的罪行是祭扫六四遇难者。将坦克人印上酒标的四名民主活动人士也因“煽动颠覆国家政权罪”将面临终身监禁。这样的审判表明六四事件随着时间的推移而变得更加敏感。

已故诺贝尔和平奖得主刘晓波《在亡灵目光的俯视下—六四十四周年祭》中写道“记忆,被精致的无耻言说所切割”:
压抑了太久,
但那秘密的预谋仍然禁闭在谎言的堂皇之中

多年来,阿里巴巴的马云和还未当选美国总统的唐纳德特朗普都声言同情中国政府的血腥镇压。与此同时北京当局在强化官方历史表述上取得巨大成功:事实上在1989年的镇压中四川成都同北京一样也有平民伤亡,然而成都的伤亡事件鲜有报道。我只是在为本书调研的过程中发现这一史实(此间笔者查阅了大量海外资料,这个过程十分艰辛)。中国国内对六四事件的描述存在着大量明显错误,大学教科书同样如此。

众所周知,中国政府的档案很难查阅,如今情况变得越发困难。最近哈佛大学历史学这宋怡明教授(Michael Szonyi)教授发布的一张照片,照片中显示在四川省档案馆有关1949年后的档案架,除了一个”开放目录“ 的牌子外,空空如也,什么都没有开放。胡佛研究所(Hoover Institution)研究员谭安(Glenn Tiffert)最近的研究表明,北京当局正在系统性地审查中国学术期刊,其目的是篡改对历史敏感事件的表述。历史资料的严重匮乏同被列入中国签证黑名单的恐惧意味着西方学者常常会回避像六四事件这样的敏感话题。

六四受害者如张先玲女士和鲍彤先生年事已高,我们有随时失去历史亲历者的危险。对六四的记忆存在于深锁的大门里,警察的高压警卫下,流亡社区的争吵中,尘土飞扬的大学图书馆书架上,— 至少现在— 还有每年在香港举办的六四烛光悼念晚会。我写这本书的目的是尽可能地填补其中的空白,虽不完美,但为时不晚。四年以后也许就来不及了。

六四事件很重要。中国领导人能发动国家政权机器来扼杀最微小的纪念活动。同时对史实无知也很重要。这种强迫无知也有其代价,借用一位参加我在美国大学演讲的一位中国留学生的话来总结:“我在中国生活了十八年,现在我意识到我对自己国家的历史一无所知。我上的是最好的学校,管理最严格的学校,然而我对任何事都是一无所知。”

本文最初发表于《审查指数》2018年春季刊 ,作为关于篡改历史的特别报道的一部分。点击这里查看更多信息

林慕莲是一位屡获殊荣的记者,曾任美国全国公众广播电台(NPR)及BBC驻华记者。著有《人民共和国失忆症–天安门再访》(2014年)

This is a translated version of an article that originally appeared in the 2018 spring issue of Index on Censorship magazine as part of a special report on the abuse of history. Click here for more information

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Subscribe”][vc_column_text]In print, online. In your mailbox, on your iPad.

Subscription options from £18 or just £1.49 in the App Store for a digital issue.

Every subscriber helps support Index on Censorship’s projects around the world.

SUBSCRIBE NOW[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Listen”][vc_column_text]Index on Censorship magazine produces regular podcasts in which we speak to some of the most interesting writers, thinkers and activists around the globe.

Click here to see what’s in our archive.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Read”][vc_column_text]Through a range of in-depth reporting, interviews and illustrations, Index on Censorship magazine explores the free speech issues from around the world today.

Themes for 2018 have included Trouble in Paradise, The Abuse of History and The Age of Unreason.

Explore recent issues here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

China blocks Index on Censorship articles in Sage journals database

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Index on Censorship magazine’s publishers Sage have informed Index that 115 articles from Index on Censorship magazine, some of which mention Tiananmen Square, have been blocked on the Sage database of academic journals in China (a paid-to-view platform for academics).

Index has responded by making all articles immediately and freely available to access for anyone around the world.

These articles will now remain free on the open web, for all to access at any time. We are also in the process of translating the articles into Mandarin and placing them on our own website.

Index continues to monitor the situation in China, and is consulting on further steps.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”top”][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”91419″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2018/08/student-reading-list-china-censorship/”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Student reading list: China and censorship

Index has covered censorship in China since 1973. While the government’s approach has evolved in today’s digital era, in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989, key themes surrounding the suppression of political dissent and free expression remain as pressing as ever. Explore them in this reading list featuring prominent Chinese academics, activists and writers.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”top”][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”100842″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2018/06/trouble-in-paradise/”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Trouble in paradise

Escape from reality: What holidaymakers don’t know about their destinations

The summer 2018 Index on Censorship magazine takes you on holiday, just a different kind of holiday.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”12″ style=”load-more” items_per_page=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1535642274480-ae4a69f5-c844-0″ taxonomies=”6534″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Google’s collusion with China’s oppressive regime

Index on Censorship condemns the apparent decision by Google to do business in China.

According to a report published by the Intercept, leaked documents disclose the Google is planning a censored search engine in the country.

“We’re appalled that Google — which has repeatedly stressed its commitment to freedom of expression – should effectively collude with one of the world’s most oppressive regimes in this way. We will be urging Google to drop Dragonfly and resist attempts by governments worldwide to restrict freedom of speech rather than providing those governments with tools to further undermine democracy,” Jodie Ginsberg, Chief Executive, Index on Censorship said.