Looking at China, we should be asking ourselves, ‘look how far they’ve got, how brazen they’ve been, how daring? And in such a short time. Why, just after WWII they didn’t amount to much, did they?’
Theirs had been a land which had been dominated by foreign nations, then became ruled by a communist party. And look where they are now.
A world power.
We can also look at them and say, ‘sure, but they are not free. They are a censored country. Cameras everywhere.’
True, but their economy is strong and getting stronger. Which means that there’s more to spread around and their standard of living has been rising steadily.
China seems very clear about something.
They need the world. They want the world. And they will do what they must to get it. Even if it means stealing technology or spying on other countries.
They will do anything at all.
Ruthless.
But they are creative, too. Very talented. Gifted. Otherwise they would not have become the factory of the world during globalization.
The job was offered by the nations of the West and they jumped on it and did something with it. And they grew up.
And they will keep growing, even if they are barred from stealing or spying. That’s right. Stealing and spying accelerates the process of growth but the absence of it does not prevent it.
China, fellow Americans, has arrived.
And we have got to accept it.
The sooner we do, the sooner we will begin to learn from them.
Learn from them?
Absolutely. They have much to teach us, if we pay attention. If we are not too proud to look at the facts.
What stands out clearly about China? Their sense of purpose.
They are filled with it. They have agreed on the need to improve their material existence. For now, the leadership of the communist party will do. Later on, it will constrain them. But it works for now.
The Chinese have taking the long view. They say something like this to themselves, ‘These rules imposed on us are irritating but they are forcing a discipline on us that is helping our material growth.’
Did we, here in the USA, lose our sense of purpose as a nation?
I believe we did.
World War II was a great example of when we did have it. And the nation shined.
So there’s no doubt that the country has got what it takes.
Here’s another example. October 4th 1957. The Soviets launch the Sputnik satellite. It shot up over the earth’s atmosphere and began going around the planet every 90 minutes. Our nation was shocked. Russia had done it.
Did we lament our situation and cry about it? No, we got to work on it.
And soon enough we launched Explorer 1 on 1/31/1958. The Soviets would get another victory on 4/12/58 when Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel around the earth in outer space but then we followed with the historic landing on the moon on July 20th 1969.
Both in war time and peace time we answered the challenge.
That last challenge was only 50 years ago.
Now comes China.
They are saying to us, ‘We will soon become the largest economy in the world. Period. You will be the second. Second, as in number 2. Don’t like the sound of it? Get used to it. We are 1.4 billion people with a sense of purpose that you lack, so we will beat you.’
And they are saying it looking us straight in the eye, with complete confidence in their abilities. And we’re thinking, ‘no they can’t… or… can they? How did they get up there so fast?’
With hard work. Stealth. Cunning.
Don’t think they can do it? Then we’re in la la land. Deep into it.
What is amazing is how we’re handling their challenge. We’re using denial. Yes, Denial.
Denial as in, thinking that tariffs will deter the Chinese. Denial as in believing that leaving social injustice unaddressed in our land will not undermine our collective strength and resolve. Denial as in insisting that the cry Make America Great Again carries a true spark of creativity and determination.
In the process, China has become the biblical David to our Goliath.
Don’t like the comparison?
Then let us look at leadership.
Across the Pacific, whether you and I agree with him or not, a leader has risen that unites a country and marshals it into action.
Here, in this vast land of ours, with an abundance of good people, of riches and inventiveness, we end up praising leaders that divide rather than unite.
There’s something very wrong.
Think about it.
Anyway, as you do, today, September 11th, our death count from the coronavirus has gone up to over 191,800 versus 4634 for China. And they’re much farther along reopening their economy than we are.
Hello?
Anyone out there?
Hello?
Oscar Valdes is the author of Psychiatrist for A Nation and other books. Available on Amazon.
Oscarvaldes.net
Oscar Valdes 