Generation Z Artists

Chapter 350 The Discontinuing Updater Amidst the Chaos

This episode of "Happy Camp" ended in a slightly somber atmosphere.

Despite He Jiong's best efforts to salvage the situation, he still couldn't "save" the three guests who severely lacked variety show skills.

In fact, neither Fang Xinghe nor Gong Li deliberately tried to be serious; they simply didn't want to cooperate with the show's silly and childish comedic style.

Generous, dignified, frank, and sincere—that's all Fang Xinghe can do.

If you're not a comedian, why are you imitating Shen Teng and Jia Ling?
Therefore, this episode didn't have any explosive laughs, but rather a relatively serious analysis and presentation, resulting in a rating that remained stagnant.

The highest viewership rating was 18.08%, and the average viewership rating was 10.11%, barely breaking the 10 mark.

As a variety show, this is already quite an outrageous achievement.

The peak ratings for "Happy Camp" occurred in 2001, with an average annual rating of around 4%, and the highest single episode exceeding 6%.

This year, due to several revisions, the viewership rating has just stabilized at 2.3%.

The episode featuring Fang Xinghe was a hit, exceeding five times the usual ratings, setting a new record for all local TV variety shows.

However, Hunan TV was not satisfied.

Because the average viewership rating of the main episode of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" on the station was 8%, plus the 2.3% rating of "Happy Camp", the basic audience should be 10.3%.

In other words, they put a lot of effort into producing an exclusive program, but failed to attract users from the other three channels, making all their efforts in vain.

The station director was quite angry and gave Xie La and Li Weijia a severe dressing-down.

"I told you to find a way to uncover Fang Xinghe's unusual side, and this is how you do it? Just go up there and drag him away by force?!"

The two unfortunate individuals shrank back, having nothing to refute.

Li Weijia is doing alright, but Xie La is practically being torn apart by online criticism.

Being rude, lacking emotional intelligence, acting crazy, and disrespectful to Brother Fang are the least of it. Many hot-tempered fans directly called Mango to fire her, their mouths filled with nothing but censored slurs.

Fortunately, the style of this episode was a double-edged sword—because it wasn't lighthearted enough, the ratings weren't explosive; similarly, because the content was so worthy of discussion, only a small portion of the pressure fell on the host.

Most netizens are discussing "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

The Condor Heroes is full of details, and there is a wealth of knowledge hidden in those details. This consensus was established by this episode of Happy Camp.

This consensus originated on television, became a hot topic in print media, and finally exploded on the internet.

The Chinese internet in 2005 was no longer the "barren era" when Fang Xinghe first started out.

The current situation can be roughly described as a "barren era".

In January of this year, the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) released its 15th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China, which showed that the number of Chinese internet users officially exceeded 94 million.

At this time, the definition of "netizen" is Chinese citizens who use the Internet for at least 1 hour per week on average, and their Internet usage intensity is very low.

The standard for highly active users is an average of 3 hours of online time per day. The Internet Center has not compiled statistics on this group of users, but Tencent has estimated that the number is between 1000 million and 1500 million based on the online time of QQ.

In those impoverished times, active users would flock to wherever there was excitement, thus giving rise to China's first generation of gossip enthusiasts, entertainers, abstract thinkers, and keyboard warriors.

There's too little content on the internet, and even less interesting stuff, so I have no choice but to wander around.

Therefore, the emergence of "The Legend of Condor Heroes" finally ignited the first true "cultural war" on the Chinese internet.

此事被中国互联网络信息中心写入第16次、第17次、第18次《中国互联网络发展状况统计报告》，分别是2005年7月期、2006年1月期、2006年7月期，三期浓墨重彩的分析。

Of course, the report did not use the term "culture war," which was a conclusion drawn by netizens who were only now realizing the situation.

Now, it's called "Bullshit Condor Studies".

……

Fang Xinghe only found out about this after the first month of the lunar calendar. He has been extremely busy lately, making final preparations for publishing his book.

Towards the end of February, several big fans reported to the team that things were getting out of hand. Wang Chali reported this to him, and only then did he take a quick look online, and then... he was in a great mood.

This pot of eight-treasure porridge is already hard to sort out.

It wasn't just chaos in northwestern Shanxi; the whole country was in turmoil, spreading in a way that was unreasonable and illogical.

The cause was simple—Mantianxing clamored to establish "The Legend of Condor Heroes Studies".

Being too arrogant will get you criticized, that's nothing.

Fang Hei immediately retorted with sarcasm: "What kind of knowledge is there in The Condor Heroes? Your Xiao Fang just spent money to make a few sets of pseudo-modified clothes and retro Taoist rituals and items, and you think that counts as a field of knowledge? Ridiculous!"

The online trolls spewed a lot of nonsense, which was quite lively, but actually had little impact. Chinese netizens are already used to people arguing with each other.

Then in reality, the 13th Ugly One also went to great lengths to slander him.

"What kind of bullshit Taoist robe is that? You, Fang Xinghe, are a Taoist disciple! How can you alter traditional Taoist clothing like that?!"

"I didn't see any scholarship, I only saw extravagance and attention-seeking."

"Guo Jing and Huang Rong are fictional characters. I won't argue with what they wear or use, but the Mongol army and Song Dynasty literati are real historical figures. Are you just making things up like this?"

"It's good to have a rich imagination when making martial arts dramas. But you can't use something from your imagination to demand that we acknowledge it as part of the culture!"

At this point, the rhythm was off, but Mantianxing could handle it, and Fang Xinghe's base would not be damaged in the slightest.

Immediately afterwards, Li Ao appeared on another program and made outrageous remarks.

“Let me tell you, I look down on them. What are martial arts novels? Hu Shi said they are vulgar.”

I haven't read any of them.

Let me tell you, do you have to eat the whole rotten egg to know it's rotten? You can tell just by smelling it!

Wuxia novels are the lowest of the low in Chinese writing!
The original thing was just like that. Even if you film it, it's still subpar. If you hang a steel bar and make it fly around, it looks very fake, doesn't it?

If you've seen something good, you won't want to see it again; that's too low a level of understanding...

The host asked, "So, are all the millions of people who enjoy watching 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' people of low moral character?"

"At the very least, it's a waste of time."

Li Ao got excited and made a few conciliatory remarks before continuing his attacks.

"I admit it does look interesting, and some scientists and soldiers use it to pass the time. Moreover, Fang Xinghe is different from Mr. Yong. Fang Xinghe is a very genuine person. He has chivalry and loyalty, unlike Mr. Yong, who is a complete scoundrel who does nothing of substance..."

But Fang Xinghe's problem is that he's too arrogant.

How can you consider "The Return of the Condor Heroes" as part of our culture?
What is this thing? Did Möngke die like that? Killed by a cripple who spent all his time talking about love?

What's the science behind this?
It's absurd and ridiculous, isn't it?

If we stop here, the baby's breath can still hold on.

You gain experience naturally through fighting more battles.

Huang Jinghe and his group of artistic youths quickly retorted – don't underestimate the artistic youths of this era, they are all really talented.

With the three main approaches to solving the problem implemented, the situation was quickly stabilized.

I. Who says martial arts culture isn't part of Chinese culture?

If you intend to strip martial arts culture of its Chinese nationality, then who should it belong to?

Or are you planning to donate martial arts culture to some country? Come on, let me hear your suggestions.

II. The inheritance of traditional culture in the new era is inevitably accompanied by modernization.

Throughout history, there has never been a fixed and unchanging form.

Forms can be changed, systems can be altered, but can the very essence of culture be completely overturned by a little improvement?
III. The wisdom in *The Return of the Condor Heroes* originates from culture, is sublimated through fantasy, and resides within our genes.

It is not a completely authentic Song Dynasty, and we cannot reproduce the complete authenticity of that era by any means.

It is the Song Dynasty of our imagination, a time when we hope that such a group of people lived and such stories unfolded. It is a tapestry woven with dreams and despair, both magnificent and cruel. It inspires our longing, evokes our emotions, and teaches us courage, freedom, steadfastness, and the value of cherishing what we have.

Understanding the ways of the world is a form of learning, and our knowledge has never been narrow.

Even if you gain something from it, you won't have watched "The Return of the Condor Heroes" in vain.

……

The main force of the elite combat team of Full Sky Star quickly swept through print media and the internet.

Logically speaking, they should ask questions to gain the upper hand.

However, not all opponents are reasonable, and Fang Xinghe's haters are especially unreasonable—they won't listen, they'll just keep chanting like a turtle!

This has led to the baby's breath being like an uncontrollable raging fire, burning everywhere.

The funny thing is, the one who lit it was none other than Nenxian.

"What does the study of eagles have to do with your family's two-faced appearance?"

"She wore the same white gauze dress the whole time. Her costumes and props were the cheapest ever, tsk tsk!"

"Get lost and stay away from me!"

In this life, Liu Yifei did not play Wang Yuyan in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, so she did not receive the nickname "Fairy Sister".

—Duan Yu kept calling out "Fairy Sister" in the drama, so Liu Yifei's haters were all over the internet, sourly spamming "Fairy Sister".

Initially, it was a derogatory term, but after a long time, it became Liu Yifei's iconic synonym.

Now, she has lost that nickname, and it has been replaced by derogatory names such as "slutty fox," "two-faced," "connected person," "water queen," and "child bride"...

Well, to be honest, most of the derogatory nicknames come from "Full of Stars".

Collaborating with Fang Xinghe is a shortcut to fame, but it also inevitably brings the backlash of a whole host of young female fans. They don't care if you're innocent or not; they just get angry whenever they see a woman next to their idol.

The "sassy fox" is because she co-starred with Fang Xinghe twice; the "yin-yang face" is because Chen Nian both cries and laughs; the "nepotism" refers to the policy of admitting foreigners to the Beijing Film Academy; the "child bride" comes from Fang Xinghe haters; putting the two together to slander each other; and the "water queen" is the extreme sourness of other female celebrities' fans.

In short, as soon as the group started, Yifei sacrificed herself to the heavens.

Liu Yifei's male fans immediately went wild.

In her early days, the ratio of male to female fans was more than 9:1. At a fan event, there would be dozens of male fans and only one or two female fans present.

Male fans got into fights online, mainly using the word "brutal".

On the one hand, the language used is highly intense; on the other hand, there is no plan, and the output continues until it is enjoyable.

As everyone's "mothers and ancestors" were dragged into the mess, the situation became increasingly chaotic, eventually reaching a point where no one could figure out "where their own people were."

The Starry Sky still holds an absolute advantage in numbers, but the Starry Sky itself has also split.

There are only so many places to fight, and high-level topics and reproductive organs complement each other. Your own teammates and the cross-dressing trolls on the other side are completely integrated, which is simply a spectacle.

The more intense the situation, the more passersby will be affected.

As various parties get involved, the battle is no longer concentrated between supporters and detractors, and its escalation is inevitable.

Gradually, cultural hierarchies of contempt began to subtly reveal their stance and exert their influence.

"Fang Xinghe is indeed a genius, but this guy is definitely sick. What exactly is so advanced about Chinese culture?"

"Let me state upfront that I have no personal opinion about him. I admire him quite a bit, but I think this kid is a bit too arrogant, especially blindly conceited."

"Hey, you're still pretending! You call this having no objections?"

"I really have no problem with him. In fact, I can understand his patriotism very well. But patriotism cannot be blind. When talking about culture, we should start from the facts and not exaggerate things that we are not good at."

"Exactly! Let's not even talk about how democratic the United States is or how developed Western Europe is. Just look at Japan and South Korea. How many years behind are we?"

"Upstairs, 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' swept Japan and South Korea, making their local TV dramas tremble in fear."

"Is this your confidence? Isn't it ridiculous? Fang Xinghe fought beautifully, the whole world acknowledges that, and I also love watching his action scenes, but does that have anything to do with culture itself? In Japan, toilet water is drinkable, would you dare drink your tap water?"

"Angry young people are a bunch of complete idiots. They still believe that we can surpass Japan in 20 years and catch up with the United States in 50 years. Hahaha!"

"Hey, by the end of last year, was it enough to reach a quarter of Japan's?"

"Let's talk about culture, why bring up economics!"

"Hahaha, look how anxious he is!"

"Alright, alright, let's talk about culture... Of the four ancient civilizations, which of the other three is worse than you?"

"The Code of Hammurabi, ancient Greek philosophy, Indian Buddhism and mathematics, algebra, geometry, astronomy, navigation, law, finance, commerce, trade, philosophy, psychology, sculpture, painting, music, dance... It's really no fun talking about deep topics with you paramecia."

"Let's not even talk about ancient times. Even in modern India, it is still more civilized, more advanced, and more culturally rich than you."

"Ask your son Fang Xinghe, after spending so much time in Tokyo and Seoul, did he feel the difference?"

"One-third of the Japanese music scene supports the entire Hong Kong and Taiwan music industry. To this day, the top tier of popular music globally is all from Europe and America, the second tier is all from Japan and South Korea, and the third tier is from Hong Kong and Taiwan. The mainland is 18th-rate in this regard, on par with Thailand chanting spells. What the hell are you bragging about?"

As the topic expanded further, chaos erupted across the entire Chinese internet.

Trying to distinguish the backgrounds of these people based on their statements? That's simply impossible.

We can only roughly divide into factions based on our stance.

At the very top of the hierarchy of contempt are those who idolize the US;
Following closely behind are those who yearn for Europe's high welfare benefits;

Among European enthusiasts, Northern Europe ranks first, Western Europe second, Southern Europe third, and Eastern Europe last.

But people who have been to Eastern Europe can easily outshine you country bumpkins.

After that, the status of Japan's supporters was higher than that of Western Europe, but slightly lower than that of the welfare policies of Northern Europe.

Canada > Australia > New Zealand > Singapore > South Korea > Taiwan > Hong Kong > India > Mainland China

This is a hierarchy of contempt based on reality.

When it comes to history, ancient Greece is the leader, ancient Babylon has a high level of sophistication but lacks substance, ancient Egypt is mysterious and magnificent, and ancient India is romantic and charming.

From the perspective of modern culture, Japanese pop culture and Western pop culture are neck and neck, while South Korean idol culture is not highly rated. Mainland China is only 10 years behind, so there is still hope to catch up...

When Fang Xinghe managed to sort out this tangled mess into a rough outline, he was so angry he laughed.

Some things, you can't really understand just by hearing about them; you have to see them with your own eyes to realize how magical and annoying they are.

"What should we do?"

Wang Chali frowned, looking very cautious.

“If we leave it alone, I’m afraid this situation won’t calm down anytime soon…”

Fang Xinghe actually knew very well how to subdue them, but after pondering for a long time, he gritted his teeth and decided to ignore it.

"Let them argue."

"But... the destructive power..."

"Without heated arguments and repeated destruction and reconstruction, where does unwavering conviction come from? This applies to fans and culture alike."

After taking several deep breaths, Fang Xinghe calmed down from his anger, and his emotions stopped fluctuating.

"Perfect timing! My next book is for boys. Don't they look down on traditional Chinese culture? I'm going to make them experience what it's like to anxiously wait for updates every day and not see two books a year!"

Fang Xinghe has never done anything out of context.

But he knew all too well what it felt like to chase after short writers and urge them to update their work.

Online literature is also a subtle extension of Chinese culture, but even this small and insignificant branch can be more popular and change people's aspirations!
(End of this chapter)