Generation Z Artists

Chapter 388 I, Master Fang, speak for myself!

The discussion has only just begun, and before we've even seen any other impacts, a boomerang has already struck the face of Chinese public intellectuals.

The reason is that 14 Ugly led a group of public intellectuals to take the lead in starting the group.

The main idea is roughly as follows—

"Our country finally has the opportunity to show a TV series to our American daddies. We should produce something positive, showcasing the achievements of reform and opening up, embodying a democratic spirit, and actively learning from and aligning with the West."

Now that you've made such a violent and bloody film, how much does it damage our image?

Besides, Western audiences definitely wouldn't like watching it; it's too absurd, too violent, and just a way to embarrass themselves.

It's one thing to be popular in Asia, but the West doesn't buy into your act at all. Fang Xinghe is too arrogant. Arrogance is bound to bring disaster, and failure is just around the corner, blah blah blah..."

"Shameful" is Gao Xiaosong's original phrase. Now that he can't get on TV, he's spouting nonsense on Sina Blog.

“I’ve lived in the US for a long time, and I know what Americans like. Garbage like ‘The Return of the Condor Heroes’, which is full of unrealistic violence, will never become popular.”

Big Mouth Song chimed in, "That's right! Wuxia (martial arts fiction) isn't even respectable in China. If you take it to Europe and America, people will just laugh their heads off! We'll see. Zude is willing to bet with Fang Xinghe on anything!"

Fang Ge didn't ignore him; he simply didn't know.

14. When the ugly meets the square, it will be reversed. The stars in the sky are almost used to it, so what is there for him to be unaccustomed to?

If you have plenty of time, take a look at what nonsense they've spewed; if you're short on time, ignore them and let them do what they want.

As it turned out, he didn't actually need to do anything this time.

Just as some domestic media outlets were wildly hyping up the nonsense that "it's wrong for martial arts films to go overseas and the country should stop them," Harvard University professor Amartya Sen published an article in a prestigious journal.

They were all blown away two miles on the spot.

One by one, they stared in disbelief, beat their chests in despair, wailed and cried, as if they had lost their parents, and scrambled back into their shells, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Master, the dog is ready to fight to the death, why are you surrendering first?!"

Their American fathers ignored them completely and simply started up their propaganda machine with a roar.

Asen is a formidable figure; he won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1998 for combining economics with philosophy to study issues of justice.

Back in 03, when the movie "Hero" was released and Fang Xinghe proposed "Chinese-style unification," Ah Sen actively participated and wrote several articles in support.

This year, he just published a new book called "Identity and Violence". After reading most of "The Return of the Condor Heroes", he was inspired and came up with this new concept.

There are several particularly interesting passages in his article.

"It should be understood that in the academic and mainstream discourse system in the United States, there is no unified, standardized fixed concept of 'Eastern philosophy of violence'."

The Western understanding of 'Eastern violence-related ideas' is fragmented, disjointed, and based on vague speculation. It lacks both substantive and precise research objectives and an effective logical system.

The appearance of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" undoubtedly fills this gap and provides us with an excellent subject of study..."

"It is different from the 'strategic violence' of Chinese military strategists, different from the 'martial spirit and restraint' of Japanese Bushido, and even less from the 'softness overcomes hardness' offensive and defensive logic of traditional martial arts."

Its use, understanding, and control of violence are more direct and superficial in their manifestation, but more profound and unified in their underlying logic…

"Western philosophy of violence, with Hobbes (violent power), Nietzsche (violent will to power), and Sartre (existential violence) as its core, emphasizes the nature, legitimacy, and subjectivity of violence."

Eastern philosophy of violence has always been shrouded in mystery, existing in a state of chaotic confusion.

China alone has Sun Tzu's scheming violence, Confucianism's righteous violence, Mohism's non-aggression and self-control violence... In addition, the unique violent cultures of neighboring countries make it difficult for us to form an independent philosophical thought based on a unified system, as we can only make comparisons.

However, The Return of the Condor Heroes became a sensation throughout Asia, which means that the system of violence that Star River extracted could be understood and recognized by the entire Asian cultural sphere, thus possessing unimaginable research value..."

The article was initially published in an academic journal, quickly reprinted by major American newspapers, and then brought back to China.

In an instant, the public intellectual's bladder-like face was slapped repeatedly, and he howled in pain.

The ringleader, Cheng Yizhong, slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed, "I don't understand! Praising its artistry is one thing, but where the hell does this philosophical claim come from?! Isn't this just blatant lying?!"

That's definitely a bit far-fetched.

Fang Xinghe himself was quite surprised when he saw it.

However, the American academic community started discussing it seriously, and the cultural and financial circles also got involved, quickly forming a trend of thought about "Eastern philosophy of violence".

WHY?
Before figuring out the reason, Fang Xinghe suppressed his desire for attention, remained silent, and refused all interviews.

Let the bullets fly a little longer.

If someone is really stirring up trouble with ulterior motives, they won't be able to hide for long.

One week, two weeks... the head of the online trolls worked hard to gather all the relevant information.

But he felt that no public opinion storm had ever been as difficult as this one, and even gathering information was so challenging.

Many days later, he finally realized, with his vision ahead of his time, that this was a complete Frankenstein's monster.

It wasn't that anyone had any ulterior motives, but rather that each party in the discussion had their own agenda.

Wang Chali yelled, "Damn it, Boss, it seems we've gotten caught up in America's internal conflicts again!"

Yes.

Fang Xinghe nodded; he had once again become a scapegoat.

Overseas factions, primarily composed of members of the military-industrial complex, are facing accusations from the opposition, and reflections on violence have once again become mainstream.

They need new "legal support," or something to help them shift their focus.

Fang's philosophy of violence appeared at just the right time; that "no regrets once you've done it" attitude was exactly what his supporters wanted.

This is the apparent cause at the political level.

On the economic front, StarNet is about to go public, which requires raising public awareness.

Although the US stock market is dominated by institutional investors with few retail investors, this does not mean that they do not need to tell stories to generate buzz.

Why does Jensen Huang and Elon Musk often personally participate in events?
Anyone with a discerning eye understands the weight of the phrase "needs for propaganda."

Wall Street also fueled the flames.

On a cultural level, "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is indeed a phenomenon. A Chinese TV series garnered 350 million paid viewers in the United States, which is a landmark cultural event that should be recorded in history.

Therefore, discussions on the cultural level, from the basics to the advanced, naturally cannot lack the pearl-like wisdom of philosophy.

At the industry level, Hollywood suddenly shifted its stance and began praising "The Return of the Condor Heroes" because of Fang Xinghe's "alignment".

After Comrade Guan Hai returned, Brother Fang's attitude was no longer a secret.

The Hollywood Freedom Front was overjoyed by Fang Ge's "peace signal" and immediately responded positively, praising him as a new generation of artistic master in terms of professionalism, artistry, and philosophy.

This moment, that moment.

You disliked us back then, so we had to put on airs.

Now that you've joined us, we're determined to give you the warmth of home!

When it comes to playing the united front game, the Americans are just as good, but they lack perseverance and stability, and are too eager for quick success and instant benefits.

And so, the cultural, financial, and mainstream academic circles became entangled, starting from the "Eastern philosophy of violence," and branching out into all sorts of strange forms along the way, each playing its own tune, turning the public discourse into a chaotic mess. Only the vast majority of the American people, unable to understand or comprehend it, drifted along in this discussion, hearing nothing that seemed profound or incomprehensible.

Fortunately, they possessed an iron will and shouted loudly, creating a lively and bustling scene...

For Fang Xinghe, he had gotten another great deal for free.

The widespread praise propelled "The Return of the Condor Heroes" to new heights, making it one of the symbols of HBO's brand prestige.

The number of viewers did not increase much, with the average increase being less than 40, but its popularity and influence were close to that of "The Line of Fire".

He himself became a "half-step master," high above everyone else.

The half-step master meant that there were still some opponents who were not convinced and were clamoring that "more output is needed to verify its continuity."

Those who advocate for it don't care about continuity; they believe that "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is special, unique, and has an Eastern flavor, so Fang Xinghe is at least a master of Eastern style, and they won't accept any rebuttal.

In the two weeks leading up to the official bell-ringing ceremony at Xingwang, Fang Xinghe had thoroughly considered everything inside and out and finally decided to accept the crown.

Since you're using me as a weapon, you should naturally feed me.

If there's no intention to offer anything voluntarily, then I'll just go and grab it myself.

The head of the online trolls began his meticulous operations.

Step 1: Blow air.

"I love America; America is like my second home."

In a media interview, he said with deep emotion, "I can't wait to come back here and win my next honor."

Media interpretation: Star River firmly believes that "The Return of the Condor Heroes" deserves next year's Emmy and Golden Globe awards, and has declared that it will make a firm push for the top awards...

Okay, okay, although it sounds a bit like nonsense, Fang Xinghe's attitude has been received by the industry.

Soon, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, representing certain groups, extended an olive branch to Fang Ge.

Step 2: Look for opportunities to make a public appearance.

Fang Ge deliberately chose the most media-driven and entertainment-oriented opportunity—to have his name engraved on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The governing body for this happens to be the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit business improvement organization.

The normal process is: paid nomination, preliminary screening, committee review, announcement, and ceremony.

From nomination to the final ceremony, it takes at least one or two years to show its prestige.

However, from the time Fang Ge was nominated to the time the results were announced, it only took three days.

Then they began to urgently produce stars so that they could hold the "star-awarding ceremony" in the shortest possible time.

Step 3: Public appearance.

For ordinary celebrities, this step is already the result, not only the most important, but also the most glorious.

But Fang Ge didn't take it to heart at all; his attention was focused on "saying or writing something."

Step 4, speak.

American bigwigs manipulate public opinion for their own benefit, creating what they call an "Eastern philosophy of violence."

Fang Xinghe wanted to reduce and solidify this concept, forming a more concrete and realistic "Fang's Philosophy of Violence".

This is binding, this is anchoring, this is the symbolization of personal style.

In fact, this is not a good thing for his entire career. Don't you see how many stars and directors are trapped by their extremely strong personal styles throughout their lives?

But Fang Xinghe keenly realized that this might be his only real chance to open up the Western film market.

Don't understand?
For example, Jay Chou's action movies are very popular in the United States, while Chow Yun-fat has no box office appeal.

The difference lies in the fact that Jet is labeled with a strong and unique action style, and no matter what movie he makes, he is always the kung fu emperor;

Chow Yun-fat was just the lead actor in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." He himself had no distinctive features or memorable qualities. Without the accidental success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," he would just be an empty shell of a big star.

Hendrik Willem Van Loon's comedic action style is also a "symbolic label of personal style," which gives him appeal to foreign movie fans.

For arrogant Western audiences, you only deserve to be remembered and recognized if you have strong labels attached to you.

Fang Xinghe had already been remembered by them, but he didn't have any strong labels—or rather, all of his labels were equally strong, so he seemed too average, with none of them standing out.

This is definitely not a good thing.

The viewership potential of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is obviously not limited to this, but it just won't rise. Everyone knows about it, but it can't attract enough curiosity. This is because the publicity is not in-depth enough and not exciting enough.

He faced a worse situation than Jiezi, who starred in a Hollywood movie with an Asian lead, while he was making Chinese films and TV dramas with an all-Chinese cast and releasing them in the United States.

Only a sufficiently strong stimulus can arouse Americans' desire to watch.

"Hero" benefited from its sensationalism, and "The Young Ones" deeply touched upon the issue of bullying. By the time "The Intouchables" is released, there won't be many good promotional points left, and its box office performance in North America will definitely be poor.

Fang Xinghe knew where the problem lay, but he had no ability to change it.

The only way to improve the situation is to spend money, but this involves diminishing marginal returns, making it not very practical.

It is foreseeable that in the future, he will still have to face the same problem again and again, and then use huge publicity costs to solve the prejudices of Western audiences.

But this clearly doesn't align with his core strategy of exploiting people.

The advertising costs are too high, and the publishers are making all the excess profits. How am I supposed to improve the teaching conditions in mountainous areas of China?
Ultimately, it can only generate some buzz and subtly promote Chinese culture.

It's definitely not a loss, but even a small reduction makes Fang Xinghe uneasy, feeling like he's wasted this precious honeymoon period.

But now, this group of local gangs has come up with a bizarre concept of "Eastern philosophy of violence," which suddenly gave Brother Fang a rare historical opportunity.

What is the Eastern philosophy of violence?
The concept of the East is vast; this is clearly a unique Fang-style philosophy of violence belonging to my Star River!
From thought to action, there is a perfect unity; from the core of humanism to the unique visual stimulation, I, Master Fang Xinghe, am number one in the world in this regard!

After labeling himself as such, he stopped expecting art films to be big hits in the US for the next few years, and he didn't even plan to make any more art films in the near future.

What to film?
Action series!
Taking advantage of the upcoming honeymoon period between the two countries, and also taking advantage of the awkward period when the domestic film industry is not strong enough and the market is not big enough, the best strategy is to hurry up and make money in Hollywood!
They modified whatever they could, including "The Man from Nowhere," "Taken," "John Wick," "The Man from Nowhere," and the "Fall in and Fall in" series... They made them all available to Americans.

Before the conditions are ripe for filming the "Primordial Era" series, first fill the Western world with modern action films to build brand awareness and reputation, and then seamlessly transition to mythological action films to directly compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe...

This is the right way!

Otherwise, how do we cut them? By slowly whittling them down with art films like "The Intouchables"? That's too slow; it can't withstand the constant sucking from DC, Marvel, and Transformers.

In fact, Fang Xinghe had always had a similar strategy in mind, but he had never found a loophole in Hollywood's approach, as it was not so easy to implement.

This time, however, everything fell into place, leaving only Fang Ge's final move—

He positioned himself as the founder and spokesperson of "Eastern philosophy of violence"!
I don't care about being a master or not.

If you're into action and violence, then go ahead and do it!
The 380 million-plus readers of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" are insignificant, but they will be sparks that will ignite Fang Xinghe's divine fire in this rotten and absurd discussion, allowing him to ascend to the throne of violence.

He can't wait to start filming his first action movie, preferably... a Sino-US co-production.

(End of this chapter)