The Side of China The Media Won't Show You

I think this one might've broken my brain in a good way. It's about a guy attempting to hitchhike through china from the west border to Beijing in the east. I don't get the clickbait title but I guess it worked. Idk, something about this one finally made reality click from a distant belief to factual (we are all just living mundane lives, there are no enemies but the ones society creates).

You see movies about hitchhiking across foreign countries, other popular youtubers, see media coverage of a crew trying to "get into an area". The always make it dramatic and the situations between people more intense, instead of what it really is, just plain fucking awkward for someone going through their regular day with a stranger and a camera in their face.

This video was just so fucking mundane it was surreal. I guess I've been in a lot of his situations that feel magical, but really is just so simple and pure to our existence. Like walking along a highway and seeing a site you get to explore unlike all the people who just drive by it without ever visiting (though I worry that one site might've been sacred, hopefully there wasn't any signs he dismissed). Random couples that give an awkward ride to a stranger that doesn't speak their language. Asking for advice or help and just kinda following along awkwardly as they try to explain how they're helping you (I sympathize with anyone who feels uncomfortable asking for help because I was raised with the insane concept that you don't need help, in a society developed to work together -_-).

I think the people he encounters while they're working is what drew me in the most. Here's this crazy foreigner guy who can't speak but a few words in the middle of the street smiling and waving down people excitedly. This would freak out most people, and you can kinda tell they are a little bit. But, the workers are just going about their day and seem to really enjoy the change in monotony. They embrace him and his journey in their own ways, enjoying and providing what little support they can.

tldr; stumbled onto it before bed, kept me up and interested. Will be sharing with family and friends so thought I would post up here. Man hitchhikes across China and has an interesting (good) time.