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I left China two decades ago, believing America held itself to higher moral standards. But now, I’m watching it turn into another China—and the reality is a sla

I left China two decades ago, believing America held itself to higher moral standards. But now, I’m watching it turn into another China—and the reality is a slap in the face.

throwawayforare 2y ago
You know, there are plenty of so-called "patriotic" influencers on the Chinese innernet who eagerly flatter the government, selling their souls. But they usually do it in a more subtle and calculated way. I've never heard of anyone outright worshipping Xi as a king or suggesting that his birthday should become a national holiday. In contrast, the decline of America feels both faster and more destructive—after all, China mostly harms its own people, while the U.S. brings chaos on a much larger scale.
nobankai 2y ago
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quantified 2y ago
Americans are just people. No better or worse than others, no different in their behavior given the same inputs.
- throwawayforare 2y ago
  I suppose broader access to education and free information should influence people's behavior. Perhaps that's why people in the medieval era were less civil. Even today, some societies still deny women the right to education—clearly, some are better, and some are worse.
  - quantified 2y ago
    Influence, yes, but American Nazis are as free to influence as any local church. Free is not better, think of the quality of anything given for free. And education is only as good as the content and teachers. There is outright antipathy to learning in the current ruling party and its supporters. The supporters don't like being "looked down on" by the more-educated and that's valid. But they don't mind being looked down on and treated badly by the wealthy, which is weird.
dttze 2y ago
You left 20 years ago, in the middle of the GWOT and the various atrocities being done in the ME, and you thought America held itself to high moral standards?

I left China two decades ago, believing America held itself to higher moral standards. But now, I’m watching it turn into another China—and the reality is a slap in the face.

throwawayforare 2y ago

You know, there are plenty of so-called "patriotic" influencers on the Chinese innernet who eagerly flatter the government, selling their souls. But they usually do it in a more subtle and calculated way. I've never heard of anyone outright worshipping Xi as a king or suggesting that his birthday should become a national holiday. In contrast, the decline of America feels both faster and more destructive—after all, China mostly harms its own people, while the U.S. brings chaos on a much larger scale.

nobankai 2y ago

[dead]

quantified 2y ago

Americans are just people. No better or worse than others, no different in their behavior given the same inputs.

throwawayforare 2y ago
I suppose broader access to education and free information should influence people's behavior. Perhaps that's why people in the medieval era were less civil. Even today, some societies still deny women the right to education—clearly, some are better, and some are worse.
- quantified 2y ago
  Influence, yes, but American Nazis are as free to influence as any local church. Free is not better, think of the quality of anything given for free. And education is only as good as the content and teachers. There is outright antipathy to learning in the current ruling party and its supporters. The supporters don't like being "looked down on" by the more-educated and that's valid. But they don't mind being looked down on and treated badly by the wealthy, which is weird.

dttze 2y ago

You left 20 years ago, in the middle of the GWOT and the various atrocities being done in the ME, and you thought America held itself to high moral standards?