Posted on Sep 16, 2023
What anger over top influencer says about China today
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One of China's most popular influencers has come under fire for dismissing a young follower's complaint over high makeup prices as "nonsense".
Livestreamer Li Jiaqi's retort - that those who couldn't afford the 79 yuan ($11; £9) eyebrow pencil did not work "hard enough" - struck a raw nerve as China's youth struggle to find jobs in a sputtering post-pandemic economy. The 31-year-old has apologised but his remarks continue to fuel debate.
"What stung people was not the 79 yuan price tag, but your attitude and opinions on us," reads a comment on Weibo, which has been liked thousands of times.
"You don't know about the current economic climate. Many people are still working hard and struggling, just to keep their jobs," it read.
Livestreamer Li Jiaqi's retort - that those who couldn't afford the 79 yuan ($11; £9) eyebrow pencil did not work "hard enough" - struck a raw nerve as China's youth struggle to find jobs in a sputtering post-pandemic economy. The 31-year-old has apologised but his remarks continue to fuel debate.
"What stung people was not the 79 yuan price tag, but your attitude and opinions on us," reads a comment on Weibo, which has been liked thousands of times.
"You don't know about the current economic climate. Many people are still working hard and struggling, just to keep their jobs," it read.
What anger over top influencer says about China today
Posted from bbc.com
China
Economics
Social Media
Posted 8 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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Good article by BBC. While China is a totalitarian nation, it greatly improved its economy and social standing from 1990s through 2010s. Now it’s facing stagnation in 2020s for both economy and social standing due to Xi Jiping.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Following this week's uproar, Li issued a written apology on Monday morning, acknowledging his "inappropriate remarks". He wrote: "I am well aware that everyone's work is tough... I'm really sorry that what I said failed you all."
He addressed the issue again later that day via livestream, where he said that it was "not [his] place to judge" anyone on the Internet.
Still, the furore did not subside. Li's comments continued going viral on Tuesday, with many people calling for a boycott of his livestream channel. A Weibo user with the handle Baixiwen said they "do not expect Li to be empathetic to our situation".
"Many of us work just as hard as [Li] does. We are just not lucky enough to achieve his level of success. For many people, being broke is not a choice," wrote another Weibo user."
..."Following this week's uproar, Li issued a written apology on Monday morning, acknowledging his "inappropriate remarks". He wrote: "I am well aware that everyone's work is tough... I'm really sorry that what I said failed you all."
He addressed the issue again later that day via livestream, where he said that it was "not [his] place to judge" anyone on the Internet.
Still, the furore did not subside. Li's comments continued going viral on Tuesday, with many people calling for a boycott of his livestream channel. A Weibo user with the handle Baixiwen said they "do not expect Li to be empathetic to our situation".
"Many of us work just as hard as [Li] does. We are just not lucky enough to achieve his level of success. For many people, being broke is not a choice," wrote another Weibo user."
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