China Bans Year of the Pig Ads - Have They Gone Bonkers?

For Centuries China has celebrated both the year of the Pig , but not this year. China has banned TV ads that display the Cartoon ads that display Pigs so it will not offend Muslims. What comes next banning of ads showing a Dog when they celebrate the year of the Dog?

Source

SHANGHAI -- Next month, China will ring in the Year of the Pig. Nestlé SA planned to celebrate with TV ads featuring a smiling cartoon pig. "Happy new pig year," the ads said.

This week, China Central Television, the national state-run TV network, banned Nestlé's ad -- and all images and spoken references to the animal in commercials, including those tied to the Lunar New Year, China's biggest holiday.

The intent: to avoid offending Muslims, who consider pigs unclean. "China is a multiethnic country," the network's ad department said in a notice sent to ad agencies late Tuesday. "To show respect to Islam, and upon guidance from higher levels of the government, CCTV will keep any 'pig' images off the TV screen."

Suddenly, companies reaching out to China's booming consumer market have a pig problem. The edict has sent Nestlé and others scrambling to adapt to the last-minute rule change, altering spots that had included pigs.

What comes next? Will Piggly Wiggly change its logo or Warner Brothers Cartoons Change their Porky Pig logo on some of their cartoons.

Just disregard my previous questions and answer these. Should other cultures change their traditions and culture to appease another? Is this going to far considering the fact that China has celebrated both the year of the pig and dog for centuries?


[edit on 1/25/2007 by shots]

[edit on 1/25/2007 by shots]

that doesn't make sense. how big of a muslim population do they have?

Just disregard my previous questions and answer these. Should other cultures change their traditions and culture to appease another? Is this going to far considering the fact that China has celebrated both the year of the pig and dog for centuries?

Question: (1) Should other cultures change their traditions and culture to appease another?

Response: Depends. Many migrants are persuaded by social disapproval within their host country to modify and/or change their traditions and culture. Also, many nations which have been overthrown by foreigners have had to abandon their own traditions and culture either to please the invaders or upon the invaders' orders.

Nations, culture, traditions etc. are in a constant state of change: sometimes subtly, at other times radically. People are adapaptable, generally speaking. All of us, from all different nations and cultures, borrow from each other, consciously or otherwise. Sometimes people change or abandon their traditions voluntarily, in order they will not offend those of other cultures.

As to whether people *should* change their traditions and culture to appease those of another culture -- well, it depends largely upon what the 'other' culture is capable of imposing upon them if they do NOT change.

For example, certain peoples practised cannibalism and enjoyed it, but when Christian missionaries arrived, the cannibals eventually ceased to eat other humans. Do you believe the cannibals should have refused to alter their tradition of eating humans ? Do you believe the missionaries should have respected the cannibals' tradition of eating each other?

Question (2):

Is this going to far considering the fact that China has celebrated both the year of the pig and dog for centuries?

Response: As example, we can again use the cannibals to paraphrase your question: ' Is this going too far, considering the fact that cannibals have eaten other humans for centuries ?'

Just because people have done something for centuries doesn't provide it immunity to modification and change. Quite often, nothing is lost when a tradition is discontinued. Maintaining a tradition just for the sake of it -- just because people are frightened of change -- just because no-one thought to challenge that tradition before -- amounts to stagnation.

Ok, I've responded to your questions, as invited. Now to my personal thoughts on the matter: yes, I think it's an over-reaction on the part of the cited ' higher levels' of the Chinese government.

Further, I find it surprising, because I wasn't aware the Chinese government was sensitive at all to minorities and until reading this news item, I was under the impression the Chinese government was, to put it mildly, rather inflexible and slave to tradition.

So there you go .... I was completely wrong about the Chinese government. It appears the Chinese are almost embarrassingly eager to pander to Muslim sensitivities. And I wonder why?

I also wonder how the Chinese population feels about having its traditions devalued overnight, in order its government might 'please' a minority ?

I guess if the Chinese population feels strongly enough about losing its Year of the Pig celebrations, it might make its displeasure known to the Chinese government. Or maybe not. Maybe the Chinese population is prepared to see its traditions devalued in favour of a foreign minority ?

I find the whole story very odd, almost unbelievable. I find it suspicious, actually.

Is Islam alone to be humoured in its unpreparedness to extend some flexibility regarding others cultures and traditions? Why ?

Really, we would need to speak with some average Chinese citizens, in order to learn if this reported ban on the Pig were true or false.

It MAY be that those with vested interests intended us to become incensed by this story, which may be an invention of the Western whore-media.

After all, ninety percent of the staff in our large supermarket delicatessen are MUSLIMS. And they slice and handle and weigh and wrap pork products all day long, without seeming to be in any way upset about it. No-one MAKES them handle pork products all day. They don't HAVE to work in the delicatessen. Yet they do. And when I ask them if it offends their religious sensibilities, they just smile and shrug. They like the money they're paid. So they compromise their religious teachings all the time, by choice, for pay.

That being the case, I really do NOT feel that the Chinese government has any reason to censor the Year of the Pig celebrations on behalf of Muslims.

But then, I'm not Chinese, nor a member of the Chinese government.

If MY government altered my nation's traditions supposedly in order to avoid offending the Muslims whom --- in my experience -- choose NOT to be offended as long as you PAY them to violate their own religious beliefs, then I would protest energetically.

I've seen Muslims eat pork, by the way. I think this entire 'Muslim' agenda is something our Western governments are using to provoke us AND Muslims as well.

Our governments began using 'Muslims' as Number One Bogey Man, once they had worn threadbare the 'Commie' Bogey Man. We have to learn to stop reacting to this BS.

You have voted Dock6 for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

Very well constructed argument... couldnt have explained it better myself

how is a certain people's religion in which they celebrate a pig offensive to people of another religion?

if they were going around butchering pigs left and right on the street and what not sure, that's offensive, but celebrating the New Year with a certain animal offensive?

Originally posted by Dock6


Response: As example, we can again use the cannibals to paraphrase your question: ' Is this going too far, considering the fact that cannibals have eaten other humans for centuries ?'

Oh come on now there is no comparison to canabalisim and using a picture on a calendar. You are really stretching it.

i don't think that the chinese have changed their culture drastically in order to "appease" (as one thread on ATS has called it) the muslim peoples in china...

they are just not going to air commercials, right???

if so, the chinese can still, most definitely, celebrate the holiday (or whatever they do, i don't know much about this)...

maybe this is like certain stores ('best buy' just last month) banning the use of "merry christmas" in order to not offend god knows who

of course, china is not a democracy so what they do may be country-wide and more harshly constructed...

do i seem to be on the right track with this

EDIT:

here is the thread i was referring to above:

www.abovetopsecret.com...




[edit on 29-1-2007 by they see ALL]

Originally posted by they see ALL
do i seem to be on the right track with this

I would say you were right on target.

And allow me to point out unlike DJs thread mine asks the question should China change its culture where as DJs implied they have already appeased them by denying/banning the adds.

I think they should hold their ground based on historic events China and its calendar has been around centuries before Islam/Muslims even existed so why should they change now?

[edit on 1/29/2007 by shots]

Originally posted by shots
I think they should hold their ground based on historic events China and its calendar has been around centuries before Islam/Muslims even existed so why should they change now?

i don't know if they should change, but i can see why they would...

of course, maybe they are afraid of terrorist attacks in their country (have there been many attacks in china recently???)...

this threat might cause any leader to revise something that may anger the "other side"...

i still don't believe that banning commercials is a huge change though (and i will say again that i know just about nothing about this)...

i mean, the chinese will still celebrate right

i still celebrated chrsitmas even though stores were saying "happy holidays" and were calling christmas trees "holiday trees," in fear of being "political correct" i guess

Originally posted by they see ALL
this threat might cause any leader to revise something that may anger the "other side"...

How can a cartoon of an Animal Anger someone?

Muslims also think dogs are dirty animals as pigs are yet no one has ever complained about their being on the screen or how about Piggly Wigglys Logo? has or Does it anger Muslims also? The answer of course is no, so why should china ban the use of an animal cartoon knowing they have used the symbol for centuries?

I understand your arguement as to why they might but my question is should they?

Edit to add:

Frankly I see what they have done is actually a sign of weakness that may lead to bigger problems in the future. Keep in mind up until recently no one batted an eye at a cartoon or logo if a pig or a dog for that matter, whatsoever.


The best way to some that up is use the phrase "If you give them an inch they will want a foot."

Now apply the phrase in the curent context China gave them an inch on their own out of fear which I think is wrong and they will only have themselves to blame when they come and ask for the foot.

It is not as if the whole Muslim religion might be offended here, we are only talking 1 or two percent that are fanatics who are the ones making the fuss.






[edit on 1/29/2007 by shots]

Originally posted by shots
How can a cartoon of an Animal Anger someone?

anything can anger anyone

what i just stated was so short and so general, yet so true...

some christians and jews were offended with 'the passion of the christ,' some women get offended with rap lyrics, some people are offended when presented with dirty silverware in restaurants, etc...

i can't believing i am defending these whiners, but, yes, anything can anger anyone...

I understand your arguement as to why they might but my question is should they?

i would say no...

but, china is not a free state so the leaders are free to do just about anything...

Frankly I see what they have done is actually a sign of weakness that may lead to bigger problems in the future.

me too...

i agree with this completely...

It is not as if the whole Muslim religion might be offended here, we are only talking 1 or two percent that are fanatics who are the ones making the fuss.

i didn't know this, thanks for sharing...

but, maybe it is possible that this one or two fanatic percent are capable of many suicide-bombing deaths or the like...

i am not familiar with terrorism in china, but this makes sense to me...

The officials are trying to push their policy of "Zhongguo Minzu" which is a belief that the Chinese nation transcends all ethnic divisions.

In my HUMBLE opinion, the officials have pushed it WAY TOO far. The ancient celebration of the year of the pig is PART of China, part of Chinese culture. How the hell can the officials let a few Muslims in the country hinder the celebration?

Seriously... something is WRONG with those officials...