Chapter 195: A Discussion on Freedom

Many people learning a foreign language have a habit of using Chinese phonetic annotations to pronounce foreign words, making learning more convenient but often resulting in a Chinglish accent. This method evolved into a phenomenon known as "earplay" in internet culture, which might not have been anticipated by its early users.

The reason everyone started laughing was because Zhou Ming had used this technique in a humorous way.

Zhou Ming could now be certain that the white girl was speaking German, as the two phrases he picked out were among the most popular German earplay phrases online in later years.

On the stage, the white girl, visibly displeased, said, "Are you mocking my pronunciation?"

Zhou Ming shook his head and replied, "No, this is just one of our ways of having fun. We have a habit of directly converting foreign pronunciations into our own language."

"But this is sacred; you shouldn't make jokes about it!" the white girl insisted, not backing down.

Zhou Ming shrugged, "Well, I thought Westerners would accept such jokes. It seems I overestimated you. Perhaps the mutual respect you tout is just a façade, like diplomatic niceties with no real credibility."

As soon as Zhou Ming finished speaking, there was a burst of enthusiastic cheering from the audience. Zhou Ming's words had perfectly mocked the white girl and defended the students of Yanda University. Even though they didn't know Zhou Ming or whether he was a student of Yanda, his actions as a fellow Chinese were enough for them to cheer for him.

The white girl's face turned cold as she looked at Zhou Ming. "So, it seems you're the next challenger?"

Zhou Ming shook his head and, as he walked down the steps, said, "I don't want to be any challenger. It's just that your statements amuse me. Hello, charming lady."

"Hello," the white girl began, but then paused as she looked at Zhou Ming coming closer, seemingly recognizing him.

Zhou Ming said, "Do I seem familiar to you? Do you want to ask 'how are you' or 'how old are you'? Why does it keep being you?"

Confused by Zhou Ming's mixed English and Chinese with a future-twist, the middle-aged white woman beside the girl was at a loss for how to translate. The white girl looked puzzled and said, "Oh my God, what are you saying? I just wanted to ask if you were the person I met while asking for directions. What are these questions? Don't you know that such questions are taboo for girls?"

Unlike the baffled white girl, the students at Yanda quickly understood and burst into laughter. "So those phrases can be interpreted like that? This student is a genius! I'm impressed by how you came up with such an explanation. It's literally correct!"

Some Yanda girls even shouted "I love you" to Zhou Ming, despite not knowing his name yet.

Seeing the laughter, the white girl realized what was happening and asked Zhou Ming, "Is this your form of entertainment? It's simply vulgar."

"Vulgar? Maybe, but I think it's because you don't understand our way of thinking. You kept accusing us of slandering and mocking, but aren't you doing the same to things you don't agree with?"

The students at Yanda cheered for Zhou Ming once again, impressed by how he used their own tactics against them. This student played his hand very well!

"You seem different from others," the white girl said, her tone becoming serious. "I do advocate freedom and demand respect for it, but the freedom I speak of is not about evading the issue or using petty tricks."

Zhou Ming nodded, "Alright, since you mentioned freedom, let's discuss the freedom you advocate. Actually, the freedom you uphold is just a political game for the wealthy, like in the U.S. where a hundred years ago, people said that American democracy was just a game of alternating parties."

"America does have a two-party system, but it is chosen by all American voters, so you have the freedom to choose or not choose," the white girl replied.

"You're right. Your representatives and president are indeed elected by all voters, and they legally form a government. But whether this government serves a small group or the majority, voters can't control that. All they can do is vote again next time and repeat the cycle. Is this the freedom and democracy you want?"

Zhou Ming continued, "If I remember correctly, the term democracy comes from Greece, where it was a city-state system with slaves. So, was democracy then for everyone or just for a few slave owners? It's hard to say."

The white girl pondered for a moment before replying, "It's undeniable that every country has interest groups, which is inevitable. Each person's vote is meant to curb these interest groups. If you abandon voting and let these groups grow unchecked, that's true tyranny. On the contrary, with voting, we can choose another freedom!"

"Another interest group's freedom, you mean," Zhou Ming added.

"You can also choose to give speeches, like that African-American leader. Many people will support you. If you're dissatisfied with the current government, you can also protest and hold rallies. These are forms of freedom, unlike in your country," the white girl said with some excitement.

Zhou Ming smiled, "Really? According to your logic, if people can't reach an agreement, they should protest, demonstrate, or even resort to violence. Wouldn't that lead to chaos in the country? What's the point of laws and systems then? You'd have freedom, but at the cost of national chaos. In such chaos, all your rights are unprotected. Can this still be called freedom?"

The white girl fell silent, clearly stumped by Zhou Ming's question.

Zhou Ming, adopting the attitude of pursuing a defeated enemy, continued, "History shows many examples where idealism leads to disaster. If you naively hope to build an ideal paradise overnight, it often leads to hell."

"Being German, let me use Germany as an example. After the First World War, you established the Weimar Republic and implemented the most advanced Weimar Constitution in Europe. Almost all Europeans believed that Germany would rise from the ashes of defeat and become the most free, democratic, and prosperous country. But what happened?"

Zhou Ming answered his own question, "The Nazi Party and World War II aside, let's talk about the Weimar Republic. It was supposed to open a door to real freedom and democracy, but Germans were stunned like rural farmers arriving at a palace. They didn't know what to do. In the following 15 years, the parliament changed 17 cabinets, while thousands of Germans starved until your Führer appeared."

"The German people are among the most rigorous and excellent, but this freedom harmed you. The Führer rose to power because all Germans were starving. He exploited their desire for stability and basic needs over democracy to seize power."

Zhou Ming concluded, "German history clearly shows that unrestrained freedom isn't a cure-all. Idealizing freedom only brings chaos and turmoil to a country and its people."

"Now," Zhou Ming said, "you, as a German, don't reflect on how to avoid repeating mistakes but instead criticize our country. What are your true intentions?"

The white girl instinctively took a step back, as if Zhou Ming's powerful words had pushed her away.

"Well said!"

The students at Yanda University cheered loudly, clapping and shouting with such fervor that it seemed they might lift the roof off the building.

The students couldn't help but cheer for Zhou Ming. Although they still didn't know his name, his words had given them a voice. The white girl had previously crushed them, leaving them humiliated and unable to rebut. Zhou Ming's appearance was like a powerful counterattack, addressing their frustrations and defeating the white girl with his arguments and examples. At that moment, Zhou Ming was their hero, and they were eager to support him with all their might.

The white girl glanced at the audience before saying to Zhou Ming, "You are skilled in debate, but freedom is still needed, especially since your country is undergoing reform and opening up."

Zhou Ming shook his head, "Freedom is relative. I'm sure you've read 'The Wealth of Nations.' Markets are always manipulated by an invisible hand, just like how global capitalism has been since the Great Depression."

"Indeed, it seems I was too naïve," the white girl said with a bright smile. "I'm glad to have met you today, Chinese gentleman. Can you tell me your name?"

"Of course, my name is Zhou Ming," Zhou Ming replied.

Upon hearing Zhou Ming's name, the white girl's eyes widened in surprise. "So you're the Zhou Ming?"