Internet Public Sphere Under Construction: A Grounded Theory Analysis to Sina Netizens' Comments on “Toilets Standard”

The dilemma for China to construct its internet public sphere does not result from the lacking of the same physical foundation as the western world has. On the contrary, the structural constrains such as no clear boundaries between public and private, the inner-circle communication oriented caused by “Chaxu Geju”, as well as the non-stand against as the “weapons of the weak” do matter, that finally prevent from the opinions transforming from personal to public. To break through the deduction circulation that whether the virtual or physical public spheres should make the first move, this paper try to get the answer from the induction from the Comments on “Toilets Standard” by Sina Netizens using the constructing grounded theory as a research method. It is easily to find out after a series of coding that, the public all agree that this standard has very bad operability, likely to be power rent-seek, and really approach to what we call formalism and projectism. This regulation of course didn’t answer the call for putting decision-making on a more scientific and democratic basis from the central government, and couldn’t solve the real problem bothered in the toilets. What’s more important is the practice of online speech doesn’t consider the stand as it stands. More “hidden transcripts” like mordacity, ambiguity and metonymy are conducted to pierce into the political forbidden area to make the dissent loud and clear.