China is winning the culture war: From "galvanized square steel" to drinking hot water, why is the entire internet suddenly looking more Chinese?
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Over the past year, a massive cultural shift has taken place. From China-maxxing memes to TikTok migrations, Chinese tech, culture, and lifestyle have become aspirational in a way no one could have predicted a decade ago.
Twitch streamer and pop culture commentator Caroline Kwan joins me to break down how and why the internet became Chinese.
We discuss what these memes actually mean, and why US politicians are panicking. We talk about the TikTok ban, RedNote, Chinese tech dominance, cultural soft power, high speed rail, American decline, surveillance hypocrisy, and why Gen Z no longer believes what they were told.
We also talk about why American propaganda on China is collapsing in real time, and what that says about the future of politics, culture, and power in the 21st century.
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Topics Covered:
"China Maxxing" and "You met me at a very Chinese time" memes.
Why Gen Z is moving to Red Note (Xiaohongshu) after the TikTok ban.
The contrast between US infrastructure (crumbling) and China (high-speed rail).
The truth about the "Made in China" stigma vs. modern quality.
Why US anti-China propaganda is backfiring.
