I'm from one of the poorest countries on the planet, which is neither politically aligned with the US nor the Chinese, because it isn't geopolitically important

I'm from one of the poorest countries on the planet, which is neither politically aligned with the US nor the Chinese, because it isn't geopolitically important enough. Though to be entirely honest, it's aligned with whoever throws money at it. I'm wary of the economic moves the Chinese are making in my part of the world, because they come attached with fat strings, which most people are willing to ignore for said economic benefits. Nations aren't single discrete entities, so everything from individuals to collectives of all sizes within a nation will want to align with the US or the Chinese, depending on money, politics, ideologies, etc. I personally would much rather have the NSA read my emails, not the Chinese. It may be an unfair choice, but it is a choice. > I think we are approaching a time in history where we are going to actually choose if we are human resources that are to be spied on and controlled by the political class or are we individuals. I don't think you are right about this bit. The oppressor/oppressed duality is never going away, because it isn't determined by some kind of social realisation that we could do better as a species. It is determined by our biology and our drive to acquire resources. That kind of change won't happen until our biology changes.