Many Americans have trouble celebrating China's Olympics. They worry about China's influence, military, economy and human rights record. We should be concerned about our not effectively competing with China in the Olympics as well as economically. We should be as pro-Western and competitive in our dealings with them as they are pro-Chinese and competitive in their dealings with us. But we should not insist that China will turn into a liberal democracy. We need to recognize that so-called "human rights" are really a Western concept.
As the Olympics start those who believe in universal human rights will start protesting of China. They will basically be saying that the entire world must adopt Western standards of right and wrong. It seems to us that our ways are undeniably right for the whole world, but remember that China's GDP quadrupled between 1978 and 1992. It has since been growing faster. Think about that when we, with our huge trade deficits, tell China how to live. They may have reason to suspect that heavy rights for criminals, high school student empowerment and freedom of the media lead to victory.
We are a young nation. Asian - American students comprise 50 percent or more of the student body at numerous universities. Perhaps we have something to learn. If we continue to confuse liberty and licence, the right to be responsible in numerous ways with the right to party without consequence, we may not be around as long as China. Rather than telling other cultures that they must be like us, we can best secure liberty by telling our current population that they must be more like our forefathers. They always understood that liberty is not sustainable without responsibility. Before we tell other nations how to live, we should make sure of our own standing.
The Olympics should teach us something: it is a competitive world. Teams that do not accept discipline from their coaches are at a disadvantage. Teams that will allow you to play regardless of how many practices you miss will fail. Teams on which the members do not really care if they win or not will not prosper. Human rights activists are globalists and multiculturalists tell us that we have no core culture - both undermine our sense of team. We do not gain by decrying China for knowing it is a sovereign nation with a different culture. Culturists say we should enjoy the Olympics and learn from China. We should rally for our team, instead of decrying theirs.
9 comments:
China's economic success story depends on the fact that the rest of the world is a market for it's cheaply produced merchandise. If the living standards in China improve, then they will lose that advantage. Having a huge population to consume its own produce will not benefit economic growth in the long term. In comparison with Japan which began its economic miracle on similar foundations, Japan was able to transform itself from a producer of cheap goods into an innovator and conquer the world with clever marketing,innovation and design. Whether this transformation was a feature of a democratic society or not is not yet apparent. South Korea is following Japan's example but again they are a democratic society. The question in my mind is whether a closed society like China is capable of sponsoring creative thought, innovative thought and innovation or whether they must continue to import these ideas.
I would not worry about China's creativity. Patents, IMHO, reflect education. Japan kicks our butt on this and 18% of American patents have a Chinese name attached to them. I wonder if a permissive rights-based orientation in Western schools will continue to foster innovation.
What China has and may cause it trouble is the Asian system of cronyism. It has strengths and weaknesses just like "our" businessmen's total lack of care for our country. Creativity also comes from infrastructure. When was the last time an American grew up seeing how a factory works? That's right, we shipped them to China.
Thanks for the post, John
"The Olympics should teach us something: it is a competitive world."
Amen. Thank you for posting that statement. I think many people out there want to hide from competition and find it "politically incorrect."
@John Press
Hey there,
On a completely unrelated note, I wanted to know if you already read Roger Scruton's new book 'Culture Counts'.
Is it similar to your own book 'Culturism'. Scruton does have a different viewpoint than you. He believes that Western culture is the only culture that survived -- probably because it is also the only culture that is adaptable, dynamic.
So, for him, it's not a matter of being better -- which is similar to your viewpoint -- but surviving for sake of itself.
Outland, thanks for the recommendation. I haven't read the book, but will look into it.
I'll have to see what he means about being the only culture that survived. Islam ain't dead yet, its expanding. And China has yet to convert to free speech, etc.
I see us more as on our heels than victorious. But I hope he's right.
Thanks again, John
Outland,
I cannot see where to contact you, but your blog is very interesting. The Chinese / Africa article you linked to is fascinating. For all else, it is.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1036105/How-Chinas-taking-Africa-West-VERY-worried.html
Thanks, John
@John Press
Yes, that's right. I switched off the comments, because I just use my site to link on the stuff which was on my mind for that night. As soon as people start commenting I'd have to start writing blogs and responses: "why do write about that?", "How come this...that..?". I don't care for that, nothing personal. :)
It's a bit like a digital link page.
But I can converse with you over here -- if that's okay with you?
Outland,
That would be great!! I look forward to your comments.
John
Where is admin?!
Thanks
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