system
A chat on subreddit /r/wallstreetbets
human
I would agree with you, but I would have to state that Mao was a good revolutionary and charismatic influencer, but a batshit insane leader who had no idea how to run a country (kind of like Trump but with much more power). 
  
 The current Chinese leadership has nothing to do with Mao. They only admire him for starting their political party, not for the tons of mistakes he made.

gpt
Mao is admired because so much was spent building up his image.  Not admiring him would incur a cost.  Same reason the CCP is still a thing.  So much was spent shouting the virtues of Communism that it's easier to just redefine what Communism is than to abandon it.  'Communist with Chinese characteristics' is bullshit.  It's a market economy with strong interventionism.