“Between the feeling of individual failure and the conspicuous display of national prosperity lies an unbridgeable chasm. The result is a division of the population into two extremes: one side rebels against the government reflexively (sometimes without knowing what their “cause” is) and trusts nothing it says; the other side retreats into nationalism to give themselves the sense of mastering their own fate. The two sides constantly erupt into flame wars on the Internet, as though this country can hold only One True Faith for the future: things are either black or white; either you’re with us or against us.”
Can you guess who wrote this and what country she/he is writing about?
The Answer: Chen Qiufan (a.k.a. Stanley Chan) is a science fiction writer, columnist, and online advertising strategist. He has published numerous stories, and his debut novel, The Waste Tide, was praised by Liu Cixin as “the pinnacle of near-future SF writing”. Chan is the most widely translated young writer of science fiction in China, with his short works translated into English, Italian, Swedish and Polish. He made these remarks about China today in an article on Tor.com titled “The Torn Generation: Chinese Science Fiction in a Culture in Transition.”
Imagined Worlds | L.A. Barnitz 