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@dingo97223 -- Thanks for your thoughtful and detailed response.
You somewhat misinterpret my reference to Peter Zeihan's videos. What I meant was "The interpretation my post reflects is not original and is limited by the fact that it comes all from one guy. So if you want to hear more with that flavor look him up. And if you think you have better info lets hear it." However, Zeihan has three or four books out, speaks at various major events, consults for many major companies, is invited to give his geopolitical analyses by various groups ranging from farmers in California to government officials of India to US military. I use his videos because that's easier on my eyes than reading his books. I've been following his work for years, and have seen him accurately predict a lot that others got wrong. However, he has weaknesses too, some inherent in the entire geopolitical approach.
I don't necessarily consider that living in a totalitarian country with no free press makes you terribly well-informed about the realities of what that country is doing on the international scene. Shortly after China opened up and began allowing some students and faculty to visit or study in American universities, I had three different Red Chinese housemates. All of them arrived thinking American workers were all oppressed starving slaves who all had aids. They were shocked at how polite people like grocery store workers were. In Communist China clerks were usually rude. And they were amazed that there were no long lines everywhere to buy or do anything. And by how cheap groceries were. Especially meat. (They were all unimpressed by the quality and variety of our vegetables.) And shocked that even ordinary workers had cars and refrigerators. And that Americans could leave USA whenever they wanted. (They were only allowed to leave China after special vetting, and only if they had a hostage staying in China who could be punished or killed if they acted up or failed to return. Husbands and wives were never allowed to leave China simultaneously. Two had husbands in China. One had a baby boy. Her first and to be only child because of the one I hold policy.)
Wired's views sounded like straight Russian party line. Had heard it before. He never lived in Ukraine. When I countered, his response was simply the equivalent of "I know better." Very unuseful. No ref to where his info is coming from. No way to engage with that. So I responded with the sword fighting emoji. That is, I'm unconvinced.
Your post, however, gives lots of details, some/much of which has the ring of reality. Much of it was new to me. Some of it that makes USA look worst I hadn't heard, but it is certainly no worse than plenty the USA is known to have done elsewhere. Do you have any refs you could give me, specifically on the info in the long paragraph starting "The straw that broke the camel's back"? Where did your info come from?
I agree that USA has its problems too these days. One criterion I use to compare countries is to ask whether the citizens are or aren't allowed to leave. Another is whether people are lined up to get in or lined up to leave. A third more personal criteria is the status of women.
Thanks again for your thoughtful response.
You somewhat misinterpret my reference to Peter Zeihan's videos. What I meant was "The interpretation my post reflects is not original and is limited by the fact that it comes all from one guy. So if you want to hear more with that flavor look him up. And if you think you have better info lets hear it." However, Zeihan has three or four books out, speaks at various major events, consults for many major companies, is invited to give his geopolitical analyses by various groups ranging from farmers in California to government officials of India to US military. I use his videos because that's easier on my eyes than reading his books. I've been following his work for years, and have seen him accurately predict a lot that others got wrong. However, he has weaknesses too, some inherent in the entire geopolitical approach.
I don't necessarily consider that living in a totalitarian country with no free press makes you terribly well-informed about the realities of what that country is doing on the international scene. Shortly after China opened up and began allowing some students and faculty to visit or study in American universities, I had three different Red Chinese housemates. All of them arrived thinking American workers were all oppressed starving slaves who all had aids. They were shocked at how polite people like grocery store workers were. In Communist China clerks were usually rude. And they were amazed that there were no long lines everywhere to buy or do anything. And by how cheap groceries were. Especially meat. (They were all unimpressed by the quality and variety of our vegetables.) And shocked that even ordinary workers had cars and refrigerators. And that Americans could leave USA whenever they wanted. (They were only allowed to leave China after special vetting, and only if they had a hostage staying in China who could be punished or killed if they acted up or failed to return. Husbands and wives were never allowed to leave China simultaneously. Two had husbands in China. One had a baby boy. Her first and to be only child because of the one I hold policy.)
Wired's views sounded like straight Russian party line. Had heard it before. He never lived in Ukraine. When I countered, his response was simply the equivalent of "I know better." Very unuseful. No ref to where his info is coming from. No way to engage with that. So I responded with the sword fighting emoji. That is, I'm unconvinced.
Your post, however, gives lots of details, some/much of which has the ring of reality. Much of it was new to me. Some of it that makes USA look worst I hadn't heard, but it is certainly no worse than plenty the USA is known to have done elsewhere. Do you have any refs you could give me, specifically on the info in the long paragraph starting "The straw that broke the camel's back"? Where did your info come from?
I agree that USA has its problems too these days. One criterion I use to compare countries is to ask whether the citizens are or aren't allowed to leave. Another is whether people are lined up to get in or lined up to leave. A third more personal criteria is the status of women.
Thanks again for your thoughtful response.