Chapter 27 "Tiger Zhou" - A Specimen of an Era

There has never been a shortage of examples of "teaching lies with lies" in the world.For example, in order to teach the child to be honest, the mother would say to the child: "You must not lie! Otherwise, his nose will become very long, like the long nose of a puppet." Compared with this, for For those who keep covering up the truth, what they have to do is "guard the lie with a lie".This is what we usually call "tell a lie, you have to use a thousand lies to cover it up". Of course, the "guard" here does not mean that the liar just hides in the abode, he is also aggressive in walking around the streets.For example, as soon as you produce a piece of evidence, he will insist that the evidence is forged and doubt your personality.Then I emotionally confess to everyone how I was framed by others, how I refused to enter the house for three times, and patriotism and so on.

When people are trying to find the truth, we also see that some media waved a moral stick to teach people to care more about "the suffering of the people", as if they came to this entertainment venue to take a breath because they cared about the people's physical exhaustion, or The reinforcements came.Obviously, this kind of confession not only ignores the right of everyone to speak in the opinion market, but also ignores the meaning of pursuing the truth about the South China Tiger. Perhaps "Tiger Zhou"'s tiger head and tiger brain will not be as popular as Guevara's head portrait, but in any case it has become a symbol of people's endorsement of the confrontation between truth and lies.Equally important, through this thorough pursuit, we have seen that the long-lost unity has been found in society in the longing for the truth. In this sense, finding the truth behind "Tiger Zhou" is rebuilding or reaffirming a It is a kind of value ethics and moral fashion, and those who accuse the media of being in chaos and losing their responsibilities really echo what I often say-they only see the copulation of the times, but they cannot see the gestation of the times.

This is a love affair between civilians and the truth, as the poet Haizi said: "I don't care about human beings tonight, I only think about you." For many people, the "you" here is the truth.And you, too, are among humans. On the morning of June 29, 2008, the Information Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Government notified the investigation and handling of the "South China Tiger Photo Incident", announcing that the "South China Tiger Photo" taken by farmer Zhou Zhenglong was a fake tiger photo taken with tiger paintings, with tiger claws in the snow The photos were also imprinted with pre-made wooden tiger paw molds.Zhou Zhenglong is suspected of fraud and fraud, and has been submitted for approval to arrest. 13 responsible persons were dealt with administratively.

Following the punishment of 13 officials and the arrest of Zhou Zhenglong, Shaanxi Province held a rare rectification meeting that had not been seen in several years, requiring cadres at all levels to learn lessons.It is said that Shaanxi Province has asked the Provincial Forestry Bureau to make a written review.At the same time, the staff of the forestry system were prohibited from discussing the results of the "South China Tiger Photos".The reason is intriguing.However, many people still believe that the "Tiger Zhou" incident has not really ended. At the same time that Zhou Zhenglong became the "biggest loser", the Tiger Fighting faction was also quietly divided, and some people began to hold "sympathy" for Zhou Zhenglong, a "stand-in actor".On the one hand, the contents of the official so-called news briefing were all expected, and the suspicion that relevant public officials participated in the fraud was cleared away; on the other hand, regardless of whether Zhou Zhenglong was really guilty, in this case of suspected collective fraud It is obviously unfair to let Zhou Zhenglong "suffer" alone.If Zhou Zhenglong is trying to defraud the 20,000 yuan bonus, then whose goal is the 10 million state appropriation?For this reason, many netizens believe that the most important thing to do right now is to evaluate Zhou Zhenglong's PS level, so as to reveal more truth about this alleged collective fraud incident.Who can believe that an ordinary farmer could let the wind and waves of national public opinion be turbulent before, but it was "better than walking in a garden"?As early as the beginning of May 2008, "Chinese Sherlock Holmes", Dr. Li Changyu, a well-known American criminal investigation expert, also sent a meaningful exclamation to Tiger Photos: "The post-processing of the photos is quite good. I can only say that our Chinese farmers are very good. PS The level is too high."

However, no matter what, from the beginning of the split between the "Tiger Supporting faction" and the "Tiger Fighting faction", to the fact that the government has said things about it, and now it has publicly announced the result, the sniping paper tiger has finally achieved a small victory, at least true or false. identified.Although everything has not passed, and there may be more truths to be revealed, looking back at how this deception was exposed, there are always some forces worth thinking about and remembering. "A lie repeated a thousand times becomes the truth", I believe many people are familiar with the words of Hitler's Propaganda Minister Goebbels.Another German before that, Bismarck, the iron-blooded prime minister, revealed lies in this way, "After hunting, during war, and before elections, it is the time when a person lies the most." No matter from politics, life, or human nature It is not difficult to understand Bismarck's point of view.It's just that, in today's popular video, "when you lie the most" seems to include "after shooting".Because montage and PS are so easy to confuse real ones.The so-called "PS" simply means distorting and deforming images or embedding flowers and trees through drawing software.

Over the past eight months, Zhou Zhenglong has repeatedly deceived public opinion when faced with doubts from the media and netizens, and even expressed his willingness to use his own head to guarantee that the tiger photos are true. Although some officials of the Forestry Department of Shaanxi Province quickly opened a blog and mobilized their tears and "patriotism" to defend Zhou Zhenglong's "righteous deed" time and time again, even when the truth came out, they still lamented not to let "South China Tiger Photos" become a modern " He's Bi"; although Zhou Zhenglong's "tiger paw print" was taken as evidence that he never lied... However, a common sense is that no matter how many lies, how many times they are repeated, how many embellishments and emphasis are made, the truth There is always only one.A lie is always a lie compared to the truth.A lie repeated a thousand times is still a lie, just like the sum of 1000 0s is still 0.

As an objective and unique existence, the truth does not obey the judgment of any power and authority, nor will it change its appearance for the opinions of the majority or the minority.The truth can only be obscured, but never changed.Although people often regard reaching the truth as a daunting path, the truth will always stand there, even if some of us cannot touch it temporarily or even forever, but no matter what, the truth will always be there waiting for people to discover, and the truth will therefore be given to those Power to those who seek it and believe it exists. The Internet is not only a tool for information dissemination, but also a kind of value, a way of pursuing truth. The "paper tiger" incident also shows that the truth cannot be "announced" with just a few photos and a few official press conferences. The truth must be tested. Only through verification can we get closer to the truth step by step.

Here, let us thank the Internet and its spirit, and witness the rise of Chinese citizens' ability to seek the truth.There is no doubt that the development of the Internet is of epic significance to China and the world today.Archimedes once said: Give me a fulcrum, and I can move the earth.Today, we can also say that giving citizens and society a network fulcrum, although not able to move the earth, can move any empire woven by lies. The "Tiger Zhou" incident was first exposed on the famous photography website - Color Shadow Wuji Forum. After analyzing the size of the tiger and the ratio of distance and distance, many photographers believed that the photos of the tiger were fake.With the fierce confrontation between the "Tiger faction" and the "Tiger faction", more and more social forces began to get involved.Until the final appearance of "Picture of Tiger Crouching on Waterfall" and the restoration of "Tiger Zhou" to "Tiger in New Year's Painting", there is no suspense about the authenticity of the tiger photo.Some commentators pointed out that Fu Dezhi, a researcher at the Beijing Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hao Jinsong, a legal person, and Luo Guanglin, a Yiwu New Year picture dealer, in the "Tiger Fighting School" represent three kinds of power: science, law, and facts.Obviously, it is the power of the Internet and the participation of countless netizens that can unite their opinions.

This strength is not so much time as perseverance, the perseverance to the truth.It is often said that time is the best healer, and that time makes people indifferent to pain and shame.In fact, time does not just make people forget, time also allows people to overcome difficulties and remember the past, and it also brushes away quicksand, retrieves lost memories for people, and gradually reveals the hidden truth. On November 15th, the "New Year's Tiger" appeared on the Internet, and relevant experts and New Year's printing manufacturers also said that "there is a 99% probability that it is the same tiger"-this is already the probability of paternity testing.Even the well-known "Tiger Supporting Faction" began to "rebel against the water" publicly, bluntly saying that "the photo of Zhou Zhenglong and Tiger is fake."The other "1%" of the truth is probably only the official statements of Zhou Zhenglong and other related counterfeiters.With the opposition gradually gaining the upper hand, even though Zhou Zhenglong threatened to sue the manufacturers and netizens, it was obviously just a bluff to resist.Everyone knows that this farce is coming to an end.When the truth that everyone is begging for has almost become "common sense" that everyone knows, what everyone is waiting for in the end is nothing but a surrender ceremony.Although everyone is well aware that this surrender ceremony has no decisive impact on the authenticity of the paper tiger.What everyone is waiting for is more truth and specific accountability.

Why are so many people still sleepless over a late ceremony?Why is the official still silent after the truth comes out, and Zhou Zhenglong can continue to appear in the camera like a big star?If Zhou Zhenglong is just a "stand-in actor", then who are the actors, directors and investors behind him?Despite all the delays, people have not given up their efforts to "recover the truth" from beginning to end—embracing true knowledge and ideals, holding hope, and believing in time.As long as you believe in time, time will be on the side of those who pursue the truth. One of the important reasons why the "most powerful nail house in history" incident in Chongqing in 2007 became the focus of attention is that it had the potential to be symbolized and symbolized when it appeared in front of the world, and soon Land is endowed with connotation and symbolic meaning of the times.The reason why the media and netizens praise "the greatest nail household in history" almost without restraint, and take the opportunity to express their emotions and reason, is that they have heard the pulse of an era.

Similarly, under the extreme attention of the media and netizens, the emergence of "paper tigers" quickly became a benchmark and added meaning to the public.On the one hand, the counterfeiters are swearing, fishing in troubled waters, confusing right and wrong, and have no shame;In the Internet age, a fight between truth and lies begins. The "Tiger Zhou" incident completed a general mobilization of social forces with the right and ability to find out the truth.At the same time, when the truth comes to light, this incident has become a touchstone to measure how important public opinion is in China's transition period and the Internet age. Of course, all this also presents us with a problem of the times, and other atypical or undiscovered "meanings" of "Tiger Zhou" may continue to show off because they have not been paid attention to. As we all know, since Rome, there has been the rule of "bread + circus" in the world.Naturally, bread is to make people full and "not to rebel", while the circus is to make people indulge in entertainment and "forget to rebel".When giving bread and circuses can persuade the people, so that they have basic physical satisfaction and spiritual enjoyment, and thus lose the motivation to criticize those in power and reform politics, a society may be "peaceful" from now on.In fact, this is why the rulers of ancient Rome built the arena.Today, communication or cultural scholars often lament that, especially after the mass media has captured people's attention, the latter will "entertain to death". However, to a certain extent, the "Tiger Zhou" incident may correct people's prejudice against "circuses".If we admit that popular circuses have an indescribable deconstructive power to orthodoxy or authority, we have to see that the existence of various "deconstructive spoofs" or "participatory circuses" on the Internet in China during the transition period allows us to see Another kind of vitality. Being active in public affairs often requires a sense of nobility, but it doesn't have to be.If everyone thinks it is profitable, even a "small profit" may participate.Of course, this "small profit" may be physical or spiritual.Regarding the "Tiger Zhou" incident specifically, the reason why the "Tiger Fighters" are gathering more and more is also because people find pleasure in the absurd lies.As a response to or rebellion against the "Tiger Zhou" technology, pictures such as "I captured a wild Zhou Zhenglong" and "wild aliens" soon appeared on the Internet.The circus-style deconstruction, entertainment and ridicule obviously boosted people's communication, participation and attention to this event. The widespread attention to the "Tiger Zhou" incident will also allow us to see the occurrence and development of social movements and their outlets.The progress of an era always happens in the subtle, bit by bit, and whether there is great progress also depends on whether the stakeholders are "profitable", at least the "Tiger Zhou" incident is like this, some people want to observe Circus situation, some people want to show their PS picture skills, some people want to publicize their scientific spirit and conscience, some people want to regulate government behavior, some people want the number of visits and circulation... It is the above-mentioned unintentional conspiracy that has contributed to this promotion. The business of social progress.As long as all kinds of forces can gather and fully play games, as long as everyone can speak freely for their own interests and feelings, society will eventually move towards an open state-toward the direction of good, even at a snail's pace.