Even after two decades I can't get used to the Hello Harrassment that still happens, albeit less frequently. J can't understand my anger, and probably never will. "They're just saying 'hello.'" No, they are not. A greeting is an extension of one's private self to at least momentarily encompass another. Delivered by a gang of hoodlum teens or construction workers on the roof of a far off building site, or even a truck driver passing at high speed, it is an assault of sorts. It is a hello thrown out for the entertainment of others, a hoot hoot aimed at a caged monkey with the added attraction of knowing this monkey understands. There is no desire to share the world, only the distracting pleasure of making a noise at a person who you do not view as an equal. It is a noise that says "outsider" and "freak," that reminds all listening that this passerby is not one of us.
Invisible Nation will probably disappoint Taiwan audiences, largely because the documentary was produced for is intended for international audiences, though the film is pragmatically “for Taiwan.” Completed in 2023 and made available to the global documentary film circuit last year, Invisible Nation finally found its way to movie screens throughout Taiwan on June 13, 2025 — a Friday the 13 th release, to be precise. Produced and directed by Vanessa Hope , Invisible Nation was filmed with the cooperation and encouragement of Taiwan’s first democratically elected female president, Tsai Ying-wen (whose Administration of the Republic of China spanned two terms, 2016-2024). Hope could easily be understood as something of a “China hand,” though she would probably not be comfortable with the label. Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Hope had been a scholar of international studies for the Council on Foreign Relations in her hometown of New York City. She also earned a doctorate from C...
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