Rituals of Release: Popular Spectacles of Subversion Across Cultures

 That's a fascinating connection! The Dutch event you're thinking of, often involving a greasy rope or a slippery eel and a subsequent brawl, is a similar manifestation of a popular cultural ritual. It, like the Great Cat Massacre, involves the lower classes, animals, public spectacle, and a release of social tension.

Rituals of Release: Popular Spectacles of Subversion Across Cultures

Robert Darnton's analysis of the Great Cat Massacre and similar European rituals, such as the Dutch greasy eel or rope game (where prizes were fought over, often resulting in chaos and injury), highlights a universal phenomenon: the use of public spectacle and ritualized violence to express and temporarily resolve deep social and class tensions. While European examples often featured the animal as a substitute for an oppressive master or a witch, East Asian traditions tended to channel aggression through seasonal festivals, theatrical mockery, and animal sacrifice tied to spiritual appeasement.

Cultural Parallels in East Asia

In East Asia, particularly China, cultural control over public order has historically been strict, meaning open, spontaneous riots disguised as rituals (like the Cat Massacre) were less common. Instead, social release was often channeled through highly ritualized, state-sanctioned, or seasonal popular festivals.

1. The Lantern Festival and Licensed Mockery (China)

During the Lantern Festival (元宵節, Yuánxiāojié), the closing event of the Chinese New Year, order was frequently inverted. While not involving animal cruelty, this festival allowed for licensed mockery of local officials, the wealthy, and scholars.

• The Spectacle: Popular theatrical troupes would perform satirical plays and skits, openly lampooning the powerful. For a brief period, the ruling elite had to tolerate being the object of the lower classes' laughter and scorn.

• The Function: This public shaming acted as a ritualistic pressure valve, allowing the common people to air grievances against the local bureaucracy and the wealthy elite without facing direct reprisal. It served the same social inversion function as the European massacres.

2. Animal Sacrifice and Appeasement (China and Southeast Asia)

In many traditional East Asian folk religions, particularly those focusing on placating angry or malevolent spirits (like hungry ghosts or plague deities), animal sacrifice was a common, highly public spectacle. While not an act of socialrevenge, it was an act of spiritual appeasement often carried out by lower-class temple committees on behalf of the community.

• The Spectacle: The ritualistic slaughter of pigs, oxen, or goats was a key part of temple fairs and festivals, providing a potent, bloody demonstration of communal resolve against spiritual threats. The subsequent feast often redistributed food and power within the community.

• The Function: The drama channeled collective anxiety (be it famine or plague) into a public event, binding the community together while symbolically restoring cosmic harmony.

3. Ritualized Fights and Aggressive Sports (Korea and Japan)

In Korea and Japan, certain traditional sports and games, often associated with harvest or seasonal change, functioned as structured ways for different social groups or villages to express rivalry and aggression.

• Korea's Sseumbeok (Korean-style wrestling): Historically, village wrestling matches were fiercely competitive and sometimes violent, with the victorious village gaining symbolic prestige and, occasionally, even temporary rights to water or land. The aggressive physical rivalry served as a structured release for inter-village tension.

• Japan's Shinto Festivals: Many Shinto festivals feature chaotic, aggressive elements—such as purposefully ramming enormous floats together—that function as a controlled way to release collective, often class-based, energy and excitement.

Conclusion

Across cultures, when formal political structures fail to provide justice or social mobility, the lower classes turn to ritualized public spectacle to perform their grievances. Whether it's the satirical burning of an effigy, the public torture of a symbolic animal, or chaotic festival games, these events function as a vital, if often brutal, safety valve for collective frustration, temporarily reversing the established order through a shared moment of transgressive laughter or violence.

 

嘲笑的劊子手：解讀「屠貓記」

🔪 嘲笑的劊子手：解讀「屠貓記」

在十八世紀三十年代的巴黎，發生了一件怪誕而暴力的事件：印刷作坊學徒對貓進行了儀式性的屠殺。這一事件遠非偶然的殘酷行為，而是成為羅伯特·達恩頓（Robert Darnton） 1984年經典文章《屠貓記》（The Great Cat Massacre）的焦點。達恩頓以人類學的視角，解開了十八世紀法國工人的文化和社會密碼。

解碼文化文本

達恩頓劃時代的貢獻在於他將該事件視為一個文化文本進行處理。他的核心問題是：為什麼這場被施暴者以極度歡樂的心情講述的事件，對他們來說是如此滑稽可笑？通過尋找答案，他闡明了在正式歷史中常被忽視的底層階級的世界觀。

1. 事件： 由於長時間工作、食物匱乏以及對師傅及其妻子的蔑視，印刷學徒上演了一場對當地貓隻的模擬審判和殘酷處決，其中包括師傅妻子心愛的寵物貓 la grise（灰貓）。

2. 背景： 師傅及其嬌慣的寵物象徵著精英階層專橫的權力和特權。同時，學徒們生活在不穩定的環境中，經常睡在寒冷的作坊裡，並恐懼上級的影響力。

3. 象徵意義： 在法國的民間傳說中，貓，特別是黑貓（儘管這次是灰貓），與巫術、魔鬼和非法性行為有著根深蒂固的聯繫。通過對貓進行正式審判和痛苦處決，學徒們在象徵性地對師傅的妻子發動一場獵巫行動。他們將她視為一個具有「魔法」控制力的虐待者，並對她充滿鄙視和恐懼。

因此，「屠貓記」是一場具有顛覆性的、宣洩性的社會反轉儀式。這是一種安全的方式，讓工人們在嘉年華（狂歡節）期間利用暫時被允許的違規行為，發洩他們對權威的暴力和怨恨，而嘉年華的傳統就是社會秩序暫時顛倒。

達恩頓作品的重要性 

達恩頓的文章是文化史的基礎，並因其方法論而在人類學中被廣泛教授。它表明，看似非理性或怪誕的事件，如果用產生它們的文化的內在邏輯來解讀，就會變得完全合理和有意義。它將歷史焦點從政治精英的宏大敘事，轉向了普通民眾的流行信仰和精神狀態（世界觀）。

應用此教訓：將新冠疫情社交距離視為文化文本

達恩頓的「屠貓記」教導我們，極端、突然的社會變革往往會揭示潛在的文化緊張關係，並創造新的反轉儀式。我們可以將此視角應用於最近新冠疫情期間強制執行的社交距離：

• 事件： 實施普遍的空間屏障（2米/6英尺）、強制要求佩戴口罩，以及關閉公共社交場所。

• 經驗： 對許多人來說，遵守社交距離是集體責任和公共美德的必要行為——一種擊敗隱形敵人的共同「儀式」。然而，對另一些人來說，它變成了政府越權、自由喪失和對官方敘事不信任的象徵。

• 神話/顛覆： 屠貓記是對師傅權威的顛覆性嘲笑。在疫情期間，不遵守規定的人（嘲笑口罩或秘密聚會的人）就是象徵性的等價物。他們的違抗行為是對實施了新的、限制性社會秩序的「道德主宰」（科學家、政府、順從的公民）的儀式性社會反轉行為。反口罩者，就像學徒一樣，通過一種挑釁性的、儘管危險的違規行為，表達了對權威根深蒂固的不信任和重新獲得自主權的渴望。

通過使用達恩頓的方法論，我們看到新冠疫情的社交距離不僅是一種公共衛生政策，也是一種文化「文本」，它突出並放大了自由與權威、個人選擇與集體責任之間現有的緊張關係。

The Laughing Executioners: Deciphering the Great Cat Massacre

 

🐈 The Laughing Executioners: Deciphering the Great Cat Massacre

The 1730s in Paris saw a bizarre and violent episode: a ritualistic massacre of cats by printing shop apprentices.¹ This event, far from being a random act of cruelty, became the focus of Robert Darnton's seminal 1984 essay, "The Great Cat Massacre," which used an anthropological lens to unlock the cultural and social codes of 18th-century French workers.²

Decoding a Cultural Text

Darnton's groundbreaking contribution lies in his treatment of the event as a cultural text. His central question was: Why was this incident, recounted with enormous hilarity by the perpetrators, funny to them? By seeking the answer, he illuminated the worldview of the lower classes, a perspective often lost in formal history.

1. The Event: Frustrated by long hours, poor food, and contempt from their master and his wife, printing apprentices staged a mock trial and brutal execution of local cats, including the wife’s beloved pet, la grise.

2. The Context: The masters and their pampered pets symbolized the arbitrary power and privilege of the elite. Meanwhile, the apprentices lived under precarious conditions, often sleeping in cold workshops and fearing the influence of their superiors.

3. The Symbolism: The cat, particularly the black cat (or the grey one in this case), was deeply associated with witchcraft, the Devil, and illicit sex in popular French folklore. By subjecting the cats to a formal trial and painful execution, the apprentices were symbolically enacting a witch-hunt against their master's wife, a figure they despised and feared as an abusive figure with "magical" control over their lives.

The cat massacre was thus a subversive, cathartic ritual of social inversion.³ It was a safe way for the workers to express the violence and resentment they felt toward authority through licensed misrule, drawing upon the traditions of Carnival where the social order was temporarily turned upside down.

The Importance of Darnton's Work 🧠

Darnton's article is foundational to cultural history and is widely taught in anthropology because of its methodology.⁴ It demonstrates how seemingly irrational or bizarre events can become perfectly rational and meaningful when decoded using the internal logic of the culture that produced them. It shifted historical focus from the grand narratives of political elites to the popular beliefs and mentalités (worldviews) of the common people.

Applying the Lesson: COVID-19 Social Distancing as a Cultural Text

Darnton's "Cat Massacre" teaches us that extreme, sudden societal changes often reveal underlying cultural tensions and create new rituals of inversion. We can apply this lens to the recent mandatory social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• The Event: The imposition of universal spatial barriers (2 meters/6 feet), the required wearing of masks, and the closure of public social spaces.

• The Experience: For many, the compliance with social distancing was a necessary act of collective responsibility and public virtue—a shared "ritual" to defeat an invisible enemy. However, for others, it became a symbol of government overreach, loss of liberty, and distrust of official narratives.

• The Myth/Subversion: The cat massacre was subversive laughter at the master's authority. During the pandemic, the non-compliant (those who mocked masks or gathered secretly) were the symbolic equivalents. Their defiance was a ritualistic act of social inversion against the "moral masters" (scientists, government, compliant citizens) who had enforced a new, restrictive social order. The anti-masker, like the apprentice, was expressing deep-seated distrust of authority and a desire to reclaim agency through a defiant, though dangerous, act of transgression.

By using Darnton’s methodology, we see that COVID-19 social distancing was not just a public health policy, but a cultural "text" that highlighted and amplified existing tensions between freedom and authority, individual choice and collective responsibility.

Ancient Control vs. Modern Persuasion: A Look at 愚民五策 and Nudge Theory

 

Ancient Control vs. Modern Persuasion: A Look at 愚民五策 and Nudge Theory

While separated by centuries and vastly different philosophical underpinnings, a critical comparison can be drawn between the historical concept of the 中国愚民五策 (Zhōngguó Yúmín Wǔcè, or "Five Policies to Stupefy the People of China") and the modern Nudge Theory. Both, in their broadest interpretation, concern methods of influencing public behavior, but they differ significantly in their intent, methodology, and ethical implications.

The Five Policies to Stupefy: Direct Control Through Ignorance

The "愚民五策" is a concept, often attributed to ancient Chinese political thought, describing strategies rulers might employ to maintain control by keeping the populace ignorant, docile, and subservient. While the exact historical origin and precise "five policies" can vary in interpretation, the core idea revolves around active suppression of knowledge, critical thinking, and autonomy. These methods were designed for direct, top-down control.

Common interpretations of the five policies include:

1. Weakening the People (弱民): Keeping the populace physically and economically weak, making them dependent on the state and less likely to challenge authority.

2. Stupefying the People (愚民): Suppressing education, free thought, and access to information, ensuring the people remain unaware of alternatives or their own power. This often involved promoting simplistic narratives and discouraging intellectual inquiry.

3. Wearying the People (疲民): Keeping people constantly busy with labor or trivial matters, leaving them no time or energy for political engagement or critical thought.

4. Humiliating the People (辱民): Degrading their sense of self-worth and dignity, making them feel inferior and less likely to resist.

5. Impoverishing the People (贫民): Maintaining economic hardship to prevent the accumulation of wealth that could fuel independence or rebellion.

The fundamental goal of these policies was to extinguish dissent and consolidate power through a systematic erosion of individual capacity and collective awareness.

Nudge Theory: Indirect Influence Through Choice Architecture

In stark contrast, Nudge Theory, popularized by Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler, emerges from behavioral economics. It proposes that by subtly altering the "choice architecture"—the environment in which decisions are made—individuals can be "nudged" towards making choices that are ostensibly in their own best interest or in line with societal goals, without restricting their freedom of choice. Nudges are indirect, often subtle, and aim to guide rather than force.

Examples of nudges include:

• Defaults: Automatically enrolling people in pension schemes or organ donation, allowing them to opt-out.

• Framing: Presenting information in a way that highlights positive aspects (e.g., "90% fat-free" instead of "10% fat").

• Social Proof: Informing people that "most of your neighbors recycle," encouraging them to do the same.

• Salience: Placing healthy food options at eye level in a cafeteria.

The stated intent of nudge theory is often benevolent: to improve public health, increase savings, promote environmental sustainability, or enhance civic participation.

The Convergent Shadow: When Nudge Becomes "愚民"

While their origins and stated intentions diverge, a critical examination reveals how nudge theory, when misused, can eerily resemble the manipulative aspects of the 愚民五策, particularly the "Stupefying the People" (愚民) aspect.

• Subversion of Rationality: Both approaches, in their darker applications, bypass the individual's rational, conscious decision-making. The 愚民五策 achieves this by denying information and fostering ignorance. Nudge achieves it by exploiting cognitive biases and subconscious psychological triggers. In both cases, the individual might act without a full, reasoned understanding of why.

• Asymmetry of Information and Power: Both systems inherently rely on an asymmetry of information and power. The ruler/nudge designer possesses knowledge and tools that the general populace does not, allowing them to shape the environment to their advantage.

• Manipulating "Choice" vs. Eliminating Choice: The 愚民五策 aims to eliminate meaningful choice by limiting options and knowledge. Nudge theory, while theoretically preserving choice (the "opt-out" option), can make the "desired" choice so overwhelmingly easy or subtly appealing that it effectively funnels individuals without true deliberation. The distinction between a genuinely free choice and a heavily "guided" one can become blurred.

• Benevolent Paternalism vs. Malicious Control: This is the crux of the ethical debate. Nudge proponents argue for "libertarian paternalism"—guiding choices while preserving freedom. However, critics argue that when applied by advertisers or self-serving politicians, this paternalism can morph into manipulation, where choices are guided not for the individual's good, but for the nudger's benefit. In such scenarios, the subtle psychological influence of nudges can indeed "stupefy" individuals into making choices they might not otherwise, without even realizing they are being influenced. This creates a populace that is effectively ignorant of the true drivers of their decisions, echoing the goal of the ancient "愚民" strategy.

Conclusion

The 愚民五策 represents an ancient, overt, and often brutal strategy of control through direct suppression and intellectual starvation. Nudge theory, on the other hand, is a modern, subtle, and generally benevolent approach to influence behavior through environmental design. However, the critical comparison reveals a cautionary tale: the very subtlety and psychological power that makes nudges effective for good can, in the wrong hands, become a sophisticated tool for manipulation, effectively achieving a modern form of 愚民—a populace guided without full awareness, making choices designed by others, and potentially undermining true individual autonomy. The distinction lies not in the existence of influence, but in its transparency, intent, and ultimate impact on individual agency.

The Digital Shepherd: Consumerism, Control, and the Perpetuation of the Modern Self

 

The Digital Shepherd: Consumerism, Control, and the Perpetuation of the Modern Self

In an era increasingly defined by digital immersion, the lines between personal aspiration and externally-driven desire blur, raising uncomfortable questions about autonomy and societal influence. The historical understanding of consumerism, from Veblen's critique of status displays to Qiu Pengsheng's insights into historical Chinese consumption, has long highlighted its role in shaping social identity. Yet, with the advent of pervasive technology and "smart" environments, the potential for consumption to become a more subtle, yet powerful, tool for societal management—even perceived "control"—has amplified. This essay explores how governments, drawing on insights into human behavior (often illuminated by academic research, though not necessarily with a conspiratorial intent), might leverage modern consumerism, particularly through digital platforms, to guide populations from birth to death, and even into future generations, through a blend of physical goods and non-physical digital experiences.

Traditionally, governments have sought social stability through law, order, and economic prosperity. However, as some critical sociologists and political scientists observe, the fostering of a vibrant consumer culture can serve as a potent, less overt means of achieving societal cohesion. When individuals are engaged in the pursuit and acquisition of goods—be they cars, homes, fashion, or technological gadgets—their energies and desires are often channeled away from political dissent or radical social change. This aligns with the idea, echoed by Professor Qiu Pengsheng in his historical analysis, that "encouraging consumption for governance is safe, this is the secret to long-term stability." A populace contentedly occupied with economic activities and personal consumption may be less inclined towards collective action or questioning the foundational structures of governance.

The digital age, however, introduces unprecedented dimensions to this dynamic. Modern IT programs, social media platforms, and online gaming environments are not merely avenues for entertainment or communication; they are sophisticated ecosystems designed to understand, predict, and influence human behavior. Data analytics, often refined through academic research on behavioral economics and psychology, allow for the precise targeting of individuals with personalized content and advertisements. This creates a perpetual cycle of desire and gratification through both physical goods and, increasingly, non-physical, virtual commodities like in-game purchases, digital subscriptions, and virtual assets.

Consider the journey of an individual in such a landscape:

• From Birth: Early childhood development is increasingly influenced by "educational" apps and smart toys that track progress and shape nascent preferences.
• Through Life: Social media dictates trends and aspirational lifestyles, while recommendation algorithms guide purchasing decisions and even political opinions. Loyalty programs and personalized incentives nudge citizens towards preferred behaviors, often framed as "convenience" or "rewards."
• Into the Next Generations: The very fabric of digital interaction, from online learning to virtual communities, can implicitly reinforce societal norms and consumerist values, subtly transmitting them across generations without overt coercion. Governments, through partnerships, regulations, or even direct involvement in these digital spheres, could potentially leverage this pervasive influence for social management, aiming to maintain order, steer public sentiment, or encourage specific types of citizenry—be it through promoting certain forms of "healthy" consumption or integrating citizens into digital control frameworks.

While it is crucial to avoid conspiratorial generalizations about academics actively promoting dystopian control, their research often provides the very insights that governments, corporations, and other powerful entities can apply to manage populations. The danger lies not necessarily in a grand, malicious scheme, but in the aggregation of well-intentioned or commercially-driven systems that, when combined, create a powerful, self-perpetuating cycle of consumption and conformity. The true challenge for individuals in this digital age is to recognize when they are truly pursuing their own development, and when they are merely performing for the "gaze of the other," shepherded by the digital currents of pervasive consumerism.