Quote:A word on Triads. There's a very simple insight into 'em, when you realise that Chinese folks...when referring to them in English...
My evaluation is that the Chang Conglomerate is an entirely legitimate transnational megacorporation, as close to a rival as the Genom titan really has... it just, happens to be controlled by a Triad, is all. I figure the centers of their power - their 'company towns', their Megatokyos - as being either Hong Kong, Taiwan, or California. Ironically, the nature of its hidden owners tends to make it more moral and trustworthy, rather than less.
...well, the word "Triad" is used, but the more common reference is "secret society".
And the society bit is important.
You're looking at a sorta...Confucian paternalist clan structure. It's not necessarily benevolent or anything - there's rank structures, and so on. But everything's expected to work on the basis of mutual favours. And while you might treat your own people harshly, they're your people...so you go after anyone who messes with them.
For Chinese secret societies, there really isn't a difference between, say, punk street gangs...and gun-toting mafia in bad suits. They're all part of the same structure. Any given gang's gonna be linked to some big boss further up the chain, and so on. No exceptions. Those 14-year-olds stealing bicycles and smoking behind the school building...report to some gang boss who runs the local gambling rackets...and he's allied with some guy in a drug dealing ring, and the drug dudes are part of...
Yes, I have a story-relevant point, I'm getting to it.
Okay. Practical example. In the case of Taiwan, it's pretty much commonly accepted that politics and big business...including the film and music industries...are also heavily influenced (if not outright owned) by criminal syndicate interests. Interestingly, Taiwan's also relatively stable in that respect; it's as if once you've crossed a certain critical threshold of corruption, it all becomes Pratchettian self-policing.
Now, there's problems with rampant crime, of course. But the Taiwanese news media is oh, about 110% sensationalist reporting, and they always have such wonderful coverage of gun battles. =)
(And I'm only half-joking, here. Taiwanese TV is...an interesting experience.)
What's all this leading up to?
Well, as I've said, the Triad/Secret Society structure's all based on mutual favours, 'friendships', as it were. Alliances, unwritten agreements...
...and GENOM doesn't play.
Completely, totally, does NOT play.
Think about that.
So.
Chang's gonna be a natural enemy of GENOM. It's inevitable. Total trainwreck of a culture clash.
And it makes perfect sense that the Chinese secret-societies would close ranks against the bigger threat.
My read...the Chang Conglomerate was probably a Taiwanese concern, at least initially. One with big interests in mainland China, of course...then California, across the Pacific. Perhaps some strongholds in Southeast Asia, depending on how widespread their power base is. That gives it the right roots, you see. It's gotta be Taiwan. China's underworld has never quite recovered from the Communists, Hong Kong's never been quite that bad...and the Chinese criminal syndicates of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, etc. are even sadder and weaker animals in comparison.
-- Acyl
(Who shared barracks with a former gangster in the army, yeah. Plus, everyone back home gossips about Taiwan. =)
-- Acyl