What is "科技与狠活" (kējì yǔ hěn huó)

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Origin and Meaning

The term gained popularity through videos by a Chinese social media influencer named Xin Jifei. In his content, he would expose how seemingly ordinary food items were actually produced using various food additives and industrial technologies. He would often say this phrase with a crooked smile, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

Usage

This slang is typically used to describe:

The use of numerous food additives to create fake or substandard food products

Industrial techniques that transform low-quality ingredients into seemingly high-end foods

Methods used to conceal the true composition of food products

Examples

Some practices labeled as "科技与狠活" include:

Creating "steak" from meat scraps and trimmings

Mixing gelatin and non-dairy creamer to produce fake "bird's nest" (a Chinese delicacy)

Using artificial flavors and powders to create various "synthetic foods"

Social Impact

The popularity of this phrase has sparked widespread discussions about food safety in China. It has increased public awareness about the overuse of food additives and questionable food processing techniques. However, some worry that it might lead to excessive fear of all food additives, even those that are safe and approved for use.In essence, "科技与狠活" reflects growing public concern about food safety and a desire for more transparency in food production processes in China.

In English-speaking internet culture, there are similar memes and phrases that play on the idea of clever wordplay or rhyming responses, often in a humorous or sarcastic context. Here are some examples that are comparable to the Chinese "科技与狠活" (technology and dirty tricks) meme:

"Nice try" memes

These memes typically involve rhyming responses to various organizations or agencies, often implying a playful attempt to evade detection:

"Nice try, FBI"

"Not today, CIA"

"Good attempt at obscurity, Department of Homeland Security"

"Dirty tricks, MI6"

"No dice, ICE"

"Take a breath, ATF"

"Good attempt, Civil Defense"3

Tech-related memes

In the IT and technology world, there are numerous memes that playfully comment on various aspects of the industry:

"It's not a bug, it's a feature"

"Have you tried turning it off and on again?"

"404: Humor Not Found"

"There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who don't"

Political memes

Similar to the Chinese meme's commentary on questionable practices, English-language political memes often use wordplay to critique or satirize political figures and events:

"Covfefe" (a misspelling by former President Trump that became a widespread meme)

"Thanks, Obama" (sarcastically blaming Obama for unrelated issues)

"Fake news" (originally used seriously, but often repurposed as a meme)

These memes, like "科技与狠活", often serve as a way for internet users to comment on current events, technology, or societal issues in a humorous and easily shareable format. They can spread quickly across social media platforms, becoming part of the broader internet culture and discourse