Bridge Man as evidence of a Politics of Desire

Shanghai's Bridge Man's slogans become even more interesting when you translate the Chinese word 要 as "desire" instead of "want", which is a perfectly valid translation.

Bridge Man's banners on either side of the highway overpass in Shanghai a few weeks ago, before his arrest by the Chinese authorities, read:

"Do not desire the PCR tests; desire to eat.
Do not desire the lockdowns; desire freedom.
Do not desire lies; desire dignity.
Do not desire the cultural revolution; desire structural reform.
Do not desire leaders; desire the ballot.
Do not desire the Cultural Revolution; desire structural reform.
Do not be a serf, be a citizen."

This translation also has the merits of expressing the true desperation behind Bridge Man's actions, while bringing the demands into a true political discourse about the ideology of the Chinese government. Especially poignant is the juxtaposition of "Do not desire the Cultural Revolution; desire structural reform," if that is referring to Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms. Those led up to the Tiananmen Square Massacre. The use of the translation "desire" instead of "want" shows how political desire can become confused with historical facts, as it often is.