Watching events like today’s celebrations in China of the Communist Party’s 70th anniversary, it’s hard not to wonder if the tens thousands of soldiers marching by the reviewing stand — with resolute, almost rapturous stares in support of their institutions and country — really believe it all. Same goes for the hundreds of thousands of people along the parade route, displaying almost ecstasy to be parts of the celebration. It’s natural to ask, How could they believe that stuff?
It’s also fair to ask, though, if those mobilized for our equivalent activities are really true believers too? They obviously participate more on their own free will than their counterparts in a place like China, but do the thousands chanting that the press is enemy of the people, or that an opposition leader should be locked up, really believe it?