"The Triumph and Terror of Wang Huning" Topic

a profile of Wang Huning, the Richelieu of today's China.

Moreover, he says that the "American spirit is facing serious challenges" from new ideational competitors. Reflecting on the universities he visited and quoting approvingly from Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind, he notes a growing tension between Enlightenment liberal rationalism and a "younger generation [that] is ignorant of traditional Western values" and actively rejects its cultural inheritance. "If the value system collapses," he wonders, "how can the social system be sustained?"

Ultimately, he argues, when faced with critical social issues like drug addiction, America's atomized, deracinated, and dispirited society has found itself with "an insurmountable problem" because it no longer has any coherent conceptual grounds from which to mount any resistance.

Wang has now seemingly convinced Xi that they have no choice but to take drastic action to head off existential threats to social order being generated by Western-style economic and cultural liberal-capitalism—threats nearly identical to those that scourge the U.S.

This is why anti-monopoly investigations have hit China's top technology firms with billions of dollars in fines and forced restructurings and strict new data rules have curtailed China's internet and social media companies. It's why record-breaking IPOs have been put on hold and corporations ordered to improve labor conditions, with "996" overtime requirements made illegal and pay raised for gig workers. It's why the government killed off the private tutoring sector overnight and capped property rental price increases. It's why the government has announced "excessively high incomes" are to be "adjusted."

And it's why celebrities like Zhao Wei have been disappearing, why Chinese minors have been banned from playing the "spiritual opium" of video games for more than three hours per week, why LGBT groups have been scrubbed from the internet, and why abortion restrictions have been significantly tightened. As one nationalist article promoted across state media explained, if the liberal West's "tittytainment strategy" is allowed to succeed in causing China's "young generation lose their toughness and virility then we will fall…just like the Soviet Union did." The purpose of Xi's "profound transformation" is to ensure that "the cultural market will no longer be a paradise for sissy stars, and news and public opinion will no longer be in a position of worshipping Western culture."

link

The "United" States is rotting from within, he might be correct in protecting Chinese culture from Western culture cancer.

"Our Country won't go on forever, if we stay soft as we are now. There won't be any AMERICA because some foreign soldiery will invade us and take our women and breed a hardier race!"

– Lt. Gen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, USMC

Sadly it looks like Oddball is correct.

You guys crack me up.

Not as much as the laugh the Chinese are going to have in 40 to 50 years when they are running the show.

If not sooner than 40 or 50 years …

So, becoming like the PRC/CCP is the way to preserve the US? I am surprised to see so many fans of the CCP way of governing.

Well they do seem to have a long term plan, ya know one that doesn't revolve around how to maintain or get power every 2 or 4 years.

What happens when they find out that a generation that doesn't play enough videogames can't perform on the modern battlefield?

Isn't this just a different type of Prohibition? Top-down restrictions seldom work.

+1, Bill.

Well, we have gone on another 70 or 80 years since that Puller quote, and still have the best military on earth, some recent command issues not withstanding.

Who has stronger, better funded, more advanced, high functioning armed forces than USA? China? Russia? France? North Korea? Japan? Israel? Some of them are pretty good. Which one would you take instead of USA?

Meanwhile, things are great in China? No social, economic, health, technology, energy, political issues to get in the way of unbridled progress?

There are those that insist that if the U.S. is not still a copy of the 1950s (at the latest), then its all down hill in a hand basket.

Apparently he is known as Big Wang due to his height and solid build.

Actually sheer demographics is going to halt the rise of the CCP. Their population of military age is diminishing quickly thanks to past CCP policies on reproduction. They're facing real problems with enough young people to fill their military, staff their factories, support their aging population, etc. Economists have observed and discussed this frequently recently.

Much of the discussion by the Chinese government/military reminds me of the nationalistic talk of the German Empire in the pre-WWI period vs. the UK. Dangerous, yes, but at the same time a reflection of a deep seated insecurity and desperate need to make sure that the world knows that they are dangerous and should be heard. Hopefully the U.S. will not respond as an old, declining power, fearful of a new and younger power. While the two economic and military opponents have areas of crisis and issues to work on, they also have areas where cooperation and mutual interests would be to their national advantage. Anything that deepens suspicions, apprehensions and fear can only damage both of them in the long run. One can only hope that leaders on both sides can see the advantages of working together, making sure that both have a mind set of win-win and can accept the idea there are items that cannot be resolved (but tolerated).

Both sides need the other, neither needs a repeat of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear war. Threats, drum beating for their masses, pushing to gain at each other's expense politically, economically and status, all could lead them in a direction where both will lose.

So, becoming like the PRC/CCP is the way to preserve the US? I am surprised to see so many fans of the CCP way of governing.

I'm not fan … but it looks like it may end up that way. Before we know it … look at what is happening now ! 'nuff said …

Actually sheer demographics is going to halt the rise of the CCP.

With all the different "factions" … that is probably a good point.

There are those that insist that if the U.S. is not still a copy of the 1950s (at the latest), then its all down hill in a hand basket.

Is that the same "basket of deplorables ? 😆😏

reminds me of the nationalistic talk of the German Empire in the pre-WWI period vs. the UK.

Not really, IMO … we are not pre-WWI Germany nor the UK at that time either.

Both sides need the other, neither needs a repeat of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear war.

MAD did and still does make war between the "Big World Powers" a loosing proposition … for everyone.

Apparently he is known as Big Wang due to his height and solid build.

😮😯😦😧😨😱

"…fans of the CCP way of governing…"

The CCP does not govern so much as rule – and that with
and iron fist

I guess I just cannot see China as the end of the road for the west. If you want to play out a combat scenario around China the US and allies, Taiwan invasion, etc., that's fine. It makes sense as a game.

Would China risk trillions in wealth and economic clout across the globe to launch a military action against a coalition of forces in the South China Sea?

I think money talks. All the major powers look like oligarchies motivated by power and money. Its all capitalism. I never even think about the "CCP". Just another totalitarian state with a vaguely communist veil over it.

Right now its a dance to make sure both sides get some respect. As long as nobody makes a mistake, it should not take long to get back to making money.

Actually sheer demographics is going to halt the rise of the CCP. Their population of military age is diminishing quickly thanks to past CCP policies on reproduction. They're facing real problems with enough young people to fill their military, staff their factories, support their aging population, etc. Economists have observed and discussed this frequently recently.

This is the problem in the west too and is far worse in some western states like Japan, Taiwan, Germany, Greece, Spain and Italy and to lesser degree but still present Australia, USA etc.

Eg Nearly 30% of Japan's population is over 65 years old and the median age is 48.6 years old! 21% of Germany's population is over 65 years old and median is 47.8.

China on the other hand has about 11% of population over 65 and median is 38. It's actually similar to USA.

Immigration doesn't fix the ageing problem especially as skilled migrants are often older and family reunification schemes often mean lots of grandparents are brought in too (and they never contributed in the first place).

Indeed the fact that Germany (huge immigration) and Japan (low immigration) have similar median ages is evidence of this.

Middle class and rich people whose primary goal is self amusement don't breed.

past CCP policies on reproduction

The one-child policy is actually a key part of China's success. Rampant population growth is bad as you cannot keep up the infrastructure and any economic growth is gobbled up by population growth.

Basically you need 1% of economic growth to maintain parity. Economy has to grow faster than population to improve living standards.

So China slowing its population growth in the 1970s and 1980s enabled it to improve it's living standards and invest in infrastructure and productive capacity.

Of course it backfired big time and people aren't having even 1 child!

Finally I did read the article and I agree with Wang's conclusions about societal decay and over individualisation and consumerism.

Left to his/her own devices a human being will naturally succumb to their base desires at the expense of everything else.

We need community and society to regulate us. Without that it's a suicidal death binge.

Without that it's a suicidal death binge.

With the PRC/CCP … we can only hope …

With the PRC/CCP … we can only hope …

Sadly the west has already travelled far more down that pathway. Eg the culture wars sees the youth denouncing their own culture and history.

The new alternative is one of extreme tolerance for just about anything as long as it is not heterosexual white male. Even domestic violence is tolerated if it occurs within non-white multicultural communities.

"…fans of the CCP way of governing…"

But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow

LOL ;-)

Sadly the west has already travelled far more down that pathway. Eg the culture wars sees the youth denouncing their own culture and history.

You see it more & more everyday.

as long as it is not heterosexual white male

Yes older white males are the enemy and are to blame for … well … just about everything "bad".

Zephyr +1 … a shout out to John Lennon !!!

Glup!

Yes older white males are the enemy and are to blame for … well … just about everything "bad".

Wow, so everything is bad because it doesn't venerate and hold the sacred white male above all others? How blind are you to US history? Framing fear of change as fighting degeneracy is a hallmark of militaristic authoritarianism. It substitutes a mythological rose-tinted past for reality and played up victimhood while idealizing "strength". Nationalists, whether white, Chinese, etc. are all drawing from this poison well. A bunch of insecure men flocking to false promises to put them "back on top." Talk of "breeding" and population replacement is straight eugenic BS. Adapt or die, snowflakes.

Our country's problems largely trace directly to the the economic structures that funnel wealth and power up to a tiny fraction. Deteriorating conditions for the majority of the population is a recipe for disaster. Shake some of that loose and things gets better. Keep it going and congratulations- you re-invented feudalism! The "culture war" is simply the top getting enough of the bottom to buy into the system, even if it is against their own interests. Get the 99% to fight over 1% of the resources. Keep blaming the young instead of realizing that they are the future and facing the systems previous generations installed.

Alot of gloating about the USSR while ignoring that some of the major reasons they collapsed economically was overspending on military programs (including a disastrous Afghan campaign), domestic supply problems, and consolidation of wealth into the hands of a very few with the political leadership largely elderly and disconnected from the populace that faced income, health, and other serious problems. Any of that sound familiar?

jamemurp,

White males certainly aren't responsible for all the ills of the world.

It's interesting that after white males left Africa in the 1950-70s, black males continued to make life hell in a lot of them (whereas North Asian males made their countries work!).

Or the fact that Latin American males haven't been able to make their countries work in 200+ years of independence and are generally busy lining their pockets.

Or that Indian males prefer to pump money into nuclear weapons and space follies rather than providing basic drinking water and sanitation for the vast majority of their citizens (under 50% of Indians have access to safe drinking water).

Or the many Muslim males prefer to keep their women essentially locked up under the pretences of religious adherence.

My point is humans of all colours make life miserable for other humans.

Our country's problems largely trace directly to the the economic structures that funnel wealth and power up to a tiny fraction. Deteriorating conditions for the majority of the population is a recipe for disaster.

Totally agree here as well as as your comments about USSR.

I'm closer to a socialist by the way – as in I only believe in limited and highly regulated capitalist markets and then not for essential goods and services like health and education.

Wow, so everything is bad because it doesn't venerate and hold the sacred white male above all others? How blind are you to US history? Framing fear of change as fighting degeneracy is a hallmark of militaristic authoritarianism. It substitutes a mythological rose-tinted past for reality and played up victimhood while idealizing "strength". Nationalists, whether white, Chinese, etc. are all drawing from this poison well. A bunch of insecure men flocking to false promises to put them "back on top." Talk of "breeding" and population replacement is straight eugenic BS. Adapt or die, snowflakes.

That's hyperbole right ? My comment partly was that but … a little truth in there based on the media, woke writers, etc. But don't worry … I'm not. I feel my old white manhood is intact. You ?

arealdeadone, got to agree with much of your post …