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Here's an unexpected gem, from John Francis Davis: “The Chinese: A General Description of the Empire of China and Its Inhabitants” (1836): The Chinese have liv
by rdiddly 7y ago
Here's an unexpected gem, from John Francis Davis: “The Chinese: A General Description of the Empire of China and Its Inhabitants” (1836):
The Chinese have lived so much in peace, that they have acquired by habit and education a more than common horror of political disorder. “Better be a dog in peace than a man in anarchy,” is a common maxim. “It is a general rule,” they say, “that the worst of men are fondest of change and commotion, hoping that they may thereby benefit themselves; but by adherence to a steady, quiet system, affairs proceed without confusion, and bad men have nothing to gain.”
Kind of says something about our beloved "disruption."
EDIT: Awww, boo hoo!
- monocasa 7y ago>“It is a general rule,” they say, “that the worst of men are fondest of change and commotion, hoping that they may thereby benefit themselves; but by adherence to a steady, quiet system, affairs proceed without confusion, and bad men have nothing to gain.” Chaos is a ladder.
- bhouston 7y agoThe Shock Doctine by Naomi Klein sort of talks about that.
- mikhailfranco 7y ago"Never let a good crisis go to waste"
- scarmig 7y agoPeople overstate the stagnation of the Qing dynasty. That said, the cultural inertia and resistance to adapt to changing global patterns made China's 150 years after 1836, shall we say, full of change and commotion. To paraphrase Pericles, just because you do not take an interest in disruption doesn't mean disruption won't take an interest in you.