We are they.

Today’s phrase for the day:

我们是他们 (Wǒmen shì tāmen)

Which is of course what I hear in my mind when I see or hear it:

They are us

他们是我们 (Tāmen shì wǒmen)

These are words and characters I’ve learned early on starting to study Chinese. Though I could still use some practice writing the characters. It’s a simple phrase, but I can’t help turning it around and around in my head. It’s a slogan no more or less dangerous, ok maybe less dangerous, that what is floating around America right now. Turning it around though, gives it a more sinister edge. We are them. We are the ones that let this happen. With our indifference and self indulgence. Is it though? Those are just words that popped out of my brain, I’m not saying they really mean anything. Bad things happen. Bad things perpetrated by misguided people. Who is doing the misguiding though? Is it they? Are they us?

My theory is to learn things you must experiment. To know something you must first not know something. Those people who are good at learning are not afraid of not knowing things. I don’t know so many things.

我不知道 (Wǒ bù zhīdào)

One thing I do know is how to say that.

Saying they are us is not far enough away from saying they are not us.

We are them.