Extract from Outside the Wall: Using Humor and Corruption to Expose Dictatorships
In a piece from The New York Times, columnist Nicholas Kristof explores three effective strategies for overthrowing authoritarian regimes. The first is to use mockery and humor, exemplified by the internet phenomenon 'grass mud horse' in China, which mocks censorship. While it appears as an innocent animal, it symbolizes resistance, and there are even songs illustrating the epic battle between the grass mud horse and the river crab, a pun for 'harmony'.
The second strategy suggested is to focus not on democracy itself but on the corruption and ineptitude of the rulers. The third is to emphasize individual power by replacing mass oppression with personal tragedies. Kristof highlights that Chinese people abroad can link with those inside through social media, challenging the CCP's narrative. These strategies put authoritarian regimes in a dilemma, as suppressing jokes makes them appear ridiculous, while ignoring them shows weakness.
