Old Beijing Man talks about Mao and Cultural Revolution

He's actually not so much babbling as reciting the lyrics of a famous Cultural Revolution song about Mao Zedong...then rambling off...but when you think of the banker thiefs who are turning the world into a vast treasure chest for themselves and corporate cronies and destroying the middle class in the US and Europe with the help of incompetent government leaders who can't figure out the bonus and tax scams as fast as Rubin and Citibank, then you start to agree with this old dude.

造反有理！

Brainwashing with Chinese characteristics.

This is a very interesting video, but the caption instantly stereotypes the man as an old lunatic and ignores the possibility that a long-term suffering, quite possibly during the Cultural Revolution, lead to his current state. Isn't there a more interesting human side of this story to consider, without simply assuming that the man is a bumbling fool?

Given the nature of his remarks, it's also disturbing to see that the man is being videotaped without his knowledge during the end of the recording.

"then you start to agree with this old dude"
No, you don't. He is still talking bollocks. But I would not blame him for that!
And he knows nothing about "middle class in the US and Europe with the help of incompetent government leaders... blah blah blah". What he probably does know about is the lie of "glorious China of today", and cannot help but pine for the simpler past, however hard it might have been.

Let's denounce the old world!
Let's shake its dust from our feet!
We're enemies to the golden idols,
We detest the Tsar's palaces!
We will go among the suffering brethren,
We will go to the hungry people;
Together with them we send our curses to the evil-doers,
We will call them to struggle with us:

Refrain:
Arise, arise, working people!
Arise against the enemies, hungry brother!
Forward! Forward!
Let the cry of vengeance
Sound of the people!

The rich, the exploiters, the greedy mob
Deprive you of your work so hard,
In your sweat the greedy,
They tear your last piece of bread.
Hunger, so they celebrate
Hunger, in the stock market game
They sell conscience and honor
And so they mock you.

Arise, arise, working people...

You the rest is just the grave,
Every day the debt have prepared,
The czar, the vampire takes you from the veins,
The czar, the vampire drinks the blood of the people.
He needs for army soldiers,
So give him your sons!
He needs festivals and halls,
So give him your blood!

Arise, arise, working people...

Is it the eternal suffering is not enough?
Stand on, brothers, everywhere, at the same time!
From the Dnepr to the White Sea,
And the Volga region, and the distant Caucasus!
Against thieves, the dogs - the rich
And the evil vampire, the Tsar!
Defeat, kill them, cursed the criminals!
Enlighten the dawn of a better life!

Arise, arise, working people...

And it goes on behind the bloody twilight
The sun of freedom and the brotherhood of mankind.
Let the world with the last fight we are buying,
Let luck with the blood of the children are buying.
And it breaks in the era of freedom,
It resolves the lie that evil forever,
Unite and struggle of the peoples
In the free realm of the sacred work.

Tech enabled old man reaches out to world via modern media. Does he understand this revolution. Probably yes..

And to assist Neddy in further answer of DLK. Doesn't matter what you call the name of the gov't, or the "system" of "economy", you'll find gangs of men (and a few women) in any given regime to denounce. In the Soviet Union there were quite a few guys who acted in just about the same manner as those you call "bank thiefs" [sic]. But since I don't admire or wish to save those thieves amongst us I won't say another word which may serve to reduce the rage against them.

BTW, if you want to know more about this phenomenon, go read this piece by Xujun Eberlein.

The first few minutes sound daft. Then there's a sudden change at about 3:00.

What is wrong with the person shooting this video? This guy is obviously crazy and the video shooter is just making fun of him.

This isn't representative of most Chinese people at all. He seems to have some sort of mental health problems. If you talked to University Professors, or even ordinary working or middle class people you'd here concerns akin to those of most Brits and Americans. This video just seems intent on propagating an unrealistic image of China. It's like interviewing one of those fire and brimstone Christians in the street holding a sign announcing Armageddon that you find in most English cities and introducing them as a typical elderly person from the UK. It'd be interesting if you'd used a bit more of an imaginative approach in your journalism, rather than apeing sensationalist media.

@ In Taiwan - ] The man was lucid. He was expressing his opinion. If you want to call him a nutter so be it. But I for one appreciate the opportunity to hear his opinion. It's quite rude for you to judge him as someone with mental health problems.

In Taiwan

Where does it say that this man is "representative of most Chinese people"?

It'd be interesting if you'd used a bit more of a thorough approach in your reading, rather than spouting drivel in the comments section of a website you clearly know nothing about.

Cool, so in communist paradise I get to be just like him--a chain smoking rambling old fart?

No thanks, I ain't giving up my mansions for this.

he's just crazy...

I don't see mental illness either but I don't like how parts of it seem to be recorded without his knowledge. When the camera is on he praises China (pre-capitalist China that is) but when he thinks it's off he curses the police and a party official. Then when he realizes that the cam is still running he asks older comrades for advice since he's lost his way. I think this video is a bit irresponsible to post and Danwei should have a higher standard of reporting. I'd love to think that this man is too old vulnerable and wouldn't get harrassed for his critizism but unfortunately I've spent enough time in China to know that it isn't guaranteed.