The podcast delves into the world of Chinese Twitter equivalent, Weibo, discussing viral content, academic pressures on elementary school kids, trending social issues, bot interference, and the unique allure of microblogging. The host, Molly, provides insights into why Weibo keeps her up at night and how social issues gain attention on the platform.
Weibo functions as a primary news source in China, allowing diverse content to go viral.
Chinese students face immense academic pressure with a focus on mastering characters and narratives.
Deep dives
Insight into Weibo as a Chinese Social Media Platform
Weibo is described as Chinese Twitter, a major platform where official government announcements are made. Users often rely on Weibo for news more than traditional sources. Unlike Twitter, Weibo allows for longer posts to go viral, ranging from essays to news snippets, capturing a mix of social aspects. Molly's observations offer a window into the diverse content and user behaviors on Weibo.
Challenges in Chinese Education System Revealed
The podcast delves into the intense pressures faced by Chinese students, especially regarding education. Anecdotes highlight the rigorous syllabus expectations, with children needing to master a large number of characters and stories early on. The economic implications of private tutoring and the societal norm of pursuing government jobs due to educational investments are explored.
Weibo's Role in Fostering Societal Conversations
Weibo serves as a hub for discussing societal issues, sparking debates and conversations around various topics. Gender discussions, economic matters, and government censorship influence the trending topics on the platform. The nuances of moderated discussions and efforts to manipulate narratives through bots are also discussed, emphasizing the platform's impact on public discourse.
Chinese Doomscroll, which faithfully records happenings from the wild west that is Weibo (China’s Twitter/X equivalent), won the ChinaTalk award for best China-focussed Substack on 2023. Today we have on the brain behind the newsletter: Molly, who’s been doomscrolling for us since early 2023. We discuss:
Why Weibo keeps Molly up at night;
Chinese elementary school kids’ academic prowess;
How social issues gain attention on the trending list;