Quick question that may present interesting discussion: is it bad form to discuss politics in the PRC? I ask because during my trip I raised politics three times received some interesting responses.

First time was with a stall vendor who was selling posters. She was extremely talkative, as her job requres and she kept pressing that she had what I wanted if I would just tell her what is was. It so happens the previous day at the antiques market there were assorted old political posters of China and the USSR crushing the West. I regretted not buying them there so I asked after them here. She didn't know the word political so she handed me a English-to-Chinese dictionary. I showed her the translation entries for political and propoganda and she showed me the exit from her stall. She was silent but her face communicated unintended anquish.

Second and third are variations on a theme. After Biggestbopper told me his experiences with English students approaching him in Japan at a coffee house, supported by other postings here and the comments of a concierge at the hotel, I became more comfortable with being approached during the later half of my trip with offers of conversation so long as it was away from Wangfujing. Two seperate students, one at a Starbucks, one at a noodle shop, sat with me to talk. In each I asked them how they felt about the changing political and economic landscape and if they thought change was good. One, a girl who said she was from the "country," got very quiet very fast and only after the longest of pauses (and an apology from me) did she ask how I knew so much about China. Within minutes she was gone. The second, a young man, was much more polished. He said that the government was very good to his parents' generation, especially in helping them find places to work and live, but the recent changes, while making some aspects more challenging, were part of the government's plan to make a stronger China and it was his obligation to assist. He too took his leave shortly thereafter.

Anything noteworthy here?