#xiaohongshu

[dandier-than-a-lion]

screenshot from my sister: @lizabee18.bsky.social

[carry-on-my-wayward-butt]

Cross-Cultural Communication might destroy the global mythology of the United States of America as the wealthiest country with the most freedom. Maybe with unfettered access to each other, the hard-won reputation of American Exceptionalism will finally collapse and the veil will lift?

It feels like maybe our oligarchs didn’t want us to communicate with China not only because we will realize our position, but also because they will realize theirs.

It feels like they don’t want China knowing they’ve got it better than us. Like they don’t want Chinese citizens to rethink whether coming to America is a good idea after all. Like maybe the reason they don’t want China to have our data because they don’t want China to put two and two together and find out Americans are depressed unhealthy broke and pissed. Like they don’t want China to find out they won a long time ago.

[predictablesloth]

As an American taking International Policy, I have never been more confused than I am watching the Tiktok -> Rednote pipeline

-> Millions of left wing Americans join a Chinese platform out of spite against racist, radical right Congress

-> Chinese users are very welcoming (they aren't left or right wing because there's a sole ruling party in China)

-> Chinese users and American users get along exceptionally well, and bond over cats and respectful questions

-> American users chose Rednote over Meta because of censorship

-> Rednote is even more censored than Meta, as seen in its terms and agreements, and Americans can't really discuss politics there

-> America will soon be run by a soon-to-be-dictator, and the Americans on Rednote hate him

-> China is controlled by a dictator with a fifteen-year streak, and we don't know how the Chinese people feel about him, because they don't have free speech or protest rights

-> Trump and Jinping get along

-> Jinping doesn't want Americans to give the Chinese people any ideas

-> Trump doesn't want China to give the American people any ideas

I don't---I don't know what to think? I don't think this has ever happened before?

Either this gives MAGA a huge advantage or we're about to see a joint Chinese-American people's revolution.

[is-this-yuri]

one of the funniest misunderstandings that happened on xiaohongshu was chinese people saying a phrase that ended up translated as 'i want to suck your pussy.' and they had to clarify, no, we're complimenting your cats.

it wasn't really clear to me what the phrase was supposed to mean until someone described it as 'absorb the cat into your body.' ah yes. thats a desire i can understand

[frankie-the-undead]

I'M FUCKING CACKLING

THE SWIMMING PIC HAS ME SOBBING 😭😭

[climbingthefloors]

the us banning tiktok over fears of chinese influence prompting americans to flee to xiaohongshu (which translates to little red book - the same name as the famous red book of mao zedong quotations) and form instant connections with the chinese… you can't make this kind of irony up

[salvadorbonaparte]

"tiktok has massive problems that even if you don't agree with a complete ban have to be addressed for all social media platforms" and "the Chinese government is doing pretty awful things" and "there is a lot of sinophobic fearmongering and double standards in the conversation about tiktok" and "people should exercise basic caution signing up to foreign or domestic social media" and "most Chinese citizens like US citizens are just people living their life and cultural exchange between them can be beneficial for both sides" and "some people being on the same social media site isn't going to solve everything " and "I want to study the linguistics happening there under a microscope" are opinions that can coexist

[geminisee]

the american people will never not be unserious

[seathiing]

I'm having a really good time on xiaohongshu

One of my co-workers has a standing desk that he uses sitting down. It looks like this

[hotvampireadjacent]

They are too funny on red book

[nyabbycat]

being on this app is so surreal. americans are usually the ones that learn about other places and people everywhere else already know about america because we're everywhere online. we've never been on the opposite side where other people are learning about us -- and they are horrified about our "normal"

the country america spent our whole lives trying to convince us is miserable and suffering under an oppressive government that starves everyone and controls their media? that's just projection. turns out besides like... housing prices and few available jobs, china is doing pretty great. they originally believed we were all living it up "the american dream" way and now they're all thankful they were born in china and have no idea how any of us are even alive

[skygenders]

Important conversations happening over here.

[gbasil1999]

i really love the cultural exchange happening on this app. i’ve been participating and it’s amazing

They are going to shut down this app

[aconfusedgoose]

Wishing my Chinese spy all best and hoping we meet again on the Little Red Book. 再见

[dilfgmancoolatta]

the american gov unintentionally fighting sinophobia by having americans do cross cultural exchange out of spite was not on my 2025 bingo card

[amayikes]

I think the one thing we should learn from rednote is the value of person-to-person connection. The american government censors tiktok out of sinophobia, the chinese government censors lgbt content out of homophobia, and the one thing I can think of is let's all bond over how shitty governments are.

Time to quote Persepolis again.