Gen Z ‘Chinamaxxers’ fantasise about life in China. This journalist and this artist can never go back there
A graphic novel by Melissa Chan and Badiucao imagines China and the US at war in 2035. They hope to remind young people that ‘authoritarianism everywhere is bad’
TL;DR
- The “Chinamaxxing” trend involves young people ironically adopting elements of Chinese culture.
- Artists Badiucao and Melissa Chan, who have faced consequences for criticizing China, released a graphic novel titled "You Must Take Part in Revolution."
- The novel depicts a dystopian future where China and the US are at war in 2035.
- The creators aim to encourage readers to empathize with characters facing authoritarian oppression and consider resistance movements.
- The book also portrays the US as a proto-fascist state, emphasizing that authoritarianism is bad regardless of the country.
- The graphic novel is influenced by Japanese manga and aims to be more than just entertainment, potentially influencing a generation.
- Readers have shared personal stories related to their experiences with authoritarianism after reading the book.