Taiwanese message board is filled with despair.

I was browsing old Taiwanese message boards (PTT.CC) and was struck by how much the tone has changed. I used to visit the site frequently when I lived in Taiwan, and while it only represents a small fraction of the population, it was always a lively place full of debates and passionate discussions. The layout hasn’t changed in over a decade, and surfing it again felt nostalgic—until I saw the mood.

Recently, there was news about the Chinese navy threatening Taiwan near its waters, and the reactions were bleak. People were cursing Xi, cursing Trump, and venting that there's no way to solve this problem—that things will only get worse.

But what really surprised me was the number of people who seemed to have simply given up. Some argued that Taiwan should negotiate unification with PRC now, while it still has leverage, before the Trump forces Taiwan to hand over its valuable tech.

I’m not saying these opinions are unreasonable, but back when I lived in Taiwan, this kind of talk was heavily pushed back against. There was always a fighting spirit. Now? That energy feels like all gone.

I really hope that in real life, people haven’t become this discouraged about their freedom and independence.

Trump truly re-shaping this world into more grim place