--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a real contradiction that's…" description: "\"There's a real contradiction that's difficult to explain to the West and the outside world about China and about the Internet.\" — Rebecca MacKinnon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_about_there-s-a-real-contradiction-that-s-diff_208337.png" --- # There's a real contradiction that's difficult to explain… ![“There's a real contradiction that's difficult to explain to the West and the outside world about China and about the Internet.” quote by Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_about_there-s-a-real-contradiction-that-s-diff_208337.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_about_there-s-a-real-contradiction-that-s-diff_208337.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_about_there-s-a-real-contradiction-that-s-diff_208337.png) > “There's a real contradiction that's difficult to explain to the West and the outside world about China and about the Internet.” [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. China's internet policies clash with Western expectations, creating complex misunderstandings. **In simple terms:** China's internet is hard for the West to understand. Key Takeaway Recognize cultural and political context. Themes technology politics culture misunderstanding Mood critical inquisitive Type analytical informative When to use this quote - policy analysis - media reporting - academic research - cross‑cultural dialogue Key Concepts authorignty information control global perception Questions to Reflect On - How do political systems shape internet use? - What assumptions hinder accurate cross‑cultural understanding? A Different Perspective Western assumptions may oversimplify nuanced realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Outside world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outside-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Every year in China, Internet executives are officially rewarded for their 'patriotism.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/every-year-in-china-internet-executives-are-officially-rewarded-for/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [One-way monologues through the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia don't have much street cred with China's Internet generation, to be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/one-way-monologues-through-the-voice-of-america-and-radio-free-asia/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [One thing is very clear from the chatter I see on Chinese blogs, and also from just what people in China tell me, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/one-thing-is-very-clear-from-the-chatter-i-see-on-chinese-blogs-and/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [In China, Internet surveillance has already become a profitable industry. In fact, a growing number of private firms eagerly assist the local police by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/in-china-internet-surveillance-has-already-become-a-profitable/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [China's Internet will continue to be policed and controlled, information filtered, sites prohibited, noncompliant search engines excluded, and sensitive search words disallowed. And where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/china-s-internet-will-continue-to-be-policed-and-controlled/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [Like China, the Internet is a huge new market. It's up to you to figure out what to do with it. Use it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-chase/like-china-the-internet-is-a-huge-new-market-it-s-up-to-you-to-figure/) Larry Chase > [“Truth is simple but difficult to explain… Loving is easy but difficult to express.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussain-rasheed/truth-is-simple-but-difficult-to-explain-loving-is-easy-but-difficult/) [Hussain Rasheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussain-rasheed/) > [“Partners: Tied together by stuff too difficult to explain to someone new”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/partners-tied-together-by-stuff-too-difficult-to-explain-to-someone/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [When you fall in love with someone you find it difficult to explain the reason for it because it is the reason itself. 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There are many different ways to explain what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/it-s-difficult-to-explain-love-you-want-to-explain-water-you-need-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [I find it difficult to explain, but I'm quite ashamed of being an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-scott-thomas/i-find-it-difficult-to-explain-but-i-m-quite-ashamed-of-being-an/) [Kristin Scott Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-scott-thomas/) ## More by Rebecca MacKinnon > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [In January 2012, Google Plus started to roll out support for nicknames and pseudonyms, but those registering with a name other than their real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/in-january-2012-google-plus-started-to-roll-out-support-for-nicknames/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [It becomes dangerous for somebody who doesn't want their boss to know their sexual preference to use online networks to push for laws supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/it-becomes-dangerous-for-somebody-who-doesn-t-want-their-boss-to-know/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [If high-tech companies are serious about doing the right thing, they can join together and lobby for more transparency and accountability in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-high-tech-companies-are-serious-about-doing-the-right-thing-they/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [Any new legal measures, or cooperative arrangements between government and companies meant to keep people from organizing violence or criminal actions, must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/any-new-legal-measures-or-cooperative-arrangements-between-government/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [Every news organization needs a social media strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/every-news-organization-needs-a-social-media-strategy/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [Professional camera crews are rarely there when a bomb goes off or a rocket lands. 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