Welcome to Sisyphus Highway: In Depth.

In the previous episode, we began with Barbie Hsu’s life, discussing how she became a shared memory for a generation as well as the social issues and countless rumors she carried.

Here we continue along her story to ask another question: why are rumors believed?

What, then, inclines us toward believing one account? What deeper social, cultural, and psychological forces create that inclination?

Using Barbie Hsu as our example, we discuss the forces driving rumor and examine how different historical backgrounds, media environments, and cultural experiences across the Taiwan Strait shape people’s evaluation and judgment of information.

 

- Belief and doubt: what forces tip the balance?

- From setting the trend to “heading north”: the waning influence of Hong Kong and Taiwan entertainment

- Behind rumors about national identity lies a contest for cultural power across the Taiwan Strait

- Kangsi Coming and the shifting balance of cultural power across the Strait

- Different variety-show systems, media institutions, and professional demands on artists across the Strait

- Weaker cultural power means a weaker position in the power to speak

 

 

- Hosts: J and Kang

- Production: Arry and Lizi

- Music:

· Where There Is a Will, There Is a Way - Hideshi Segawa

· Bossa Sonsa - Quincas Moreira

· Colony - TrackTribe