• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

NEWS FLASH! China is NOT Going to Become the West!

Sunstone

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Every now and then I come across some commentator saying that China is headed down a path of adopting Western values and will, in the end, wind up being much like the West. Sort of like saying "The European Enlightenment will someday arrive in China in full and unqualified force".

Now, while I think there is, and there will continue to be, some degree or measure of cultural diffusion from West to East (and East to West), I would not expect it to anytime soon produce a "Western China". It is certainly not as if China has some kind of wholly dysfunctional, inferior culture that is just ripe to be replaced with the West's flawlessly functional, superior culture. Instead, there are aspects of Chinese culture that are easily the functional equals (or better) of Western culture.

Hence, the dream of globalization -- that we are entering an era approaching something like a low conflict, unified, or nearly unified, world in which all of humanity marches in the same direction forward towards a glorious Western-style paradise -- is most likely a pipe dream.

It is far more likely the world is going to divide into spheres of influence -- as it always does -- and that there will be conflict between those spheres. Hopefully, that conflict will be manageable.

Questions? Comments?




________________________
Now, a tune to make it up to you for inflicting yet another sorry-butt thread on you....

 
Brickjectivity

Brickjectivity

wind and rain touch not this brain
Staff member
Premium Member
The whole world is rapidly changing, mostly because technology is changing the way that we all live, and I am not even talking about cutting edge technology. I don't think that either the West or the East will survive as entities.
 
danieldemol

danieldemol

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Sunstone said:
Every now and then I come across some commentator saying that China is headed down a path of adopting Western values and will, in the end, wind up being much like the West. Sort of like saying "The European Enlightenment will someday arrive in China in full and unqualified force".

Now, while I think there is, and there will continue to be, some degree or measure of cultural diffusion from West to East (and East to West), I would not expect it to anytime soon produce a "Western China". It is certainly not as if China has some kind of wholly dysfunctional, inferior culture that is just ripe to be replaced with the West's flawlessly functional, superior culture. Instead, there are aspects of Chinese culture that are easily the functional equals (or better) of Western culture.

Hence, the dream of globalization -- that we are entering an era approaching something like a low conflict, unified, or nearly unified, world in which all of humanity marches in the same direction forward towards a glorious Western-style paradise -- is most likely a pipe dream.

It is far more likely the world is going to divide into spheres of influence -- as it always does -- and that there will be conflict between those spheres. Hopefully, that conflict will be manageable.

Questions? Comments?




________________________
Now, a tune to make it up to you for inflicting yet another sorry-butt thread on you....

Click to expand...
I don’t think we need a westernised China, but I do hope we can influence them in the arena of human rights, although this is difficult since we are not without faults in the west ourselves I suppose.
 
Sunstone

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
danieldemol said:
I don’t think we need a westernised China, but I do hope we can influence them in the arena of human rights, although this is difficult since we are not without faults in the west ourselves I suppose.
Click to expand...

I'm hoping for much the same thing, but I am not holding my breath. As I understand it, Chinese culture isn't against what we call "human rights". In fact, traditional Chinese culture is one of the more humane cultures, overall. But it is opposed to universalizing such rights. Opposed to making them absolutes. Those are concepts that don't sit well with the Chinese -- so far as I have heard.
 
dianaiad

dianaiad

Well-Known Member
Sunstone said:
Every now and then I come across some commentator saying that China is headed down a path of adopting Western values and will, in the end, wind up being much like the West. Sort of like saying "The European Enlightenment will someday arrive in China in full and unqualified force".

Now, while I think there is, and there will continue to be, some degree or measure of cultural diffusion from West to East (and East to West), I would not expect it to anytime soon produce a "Western China". It is certainly not as if China has some kind of wholly dysfunctional, inferior culture that is just ripe to be replaced with the West's flawlessly functional, superior culture. Instead, there are aspects of Chinese culture that are easily the functional equals (or better) of Western culture.

Hence, the dream of globalization -- that we are entering an era approaching something like a low conflict, unified, or nearly unified, world in which all of humanity marches in the same direction forward towards a glorious Western-style paradise -- is most likely a pipe dream.

It is far more likely the world is going to divide into spheres of influence -- as it always does -- and that there will be conflict between those spheres. Hopefully, that conflict will be manageable.

Questions? Comments?

Laugh and don't hold back your happy feelings
Cry and don't hold back your tears
Why should my facial expressions be arranged by the world
I'm just me
I'm only me
only the spraying dust after the fireworks

A very western tune
A very western video
A very western presentation...

And a very Eastern rebellion.


________________________
Now, a tune to make it up to you for inflicting yet another sorry-butt thread on you....

Click to expand...
 
Stevicus

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Sunstone said:
Every now and then I come across some commentator saying that China is headed down a path of adopting Western values and will, in the end, wind up being much like the West. Sort of like saying "The European Enlightenment will someday arrive in China in full and unqualified force".

Now, while I think there is, and there will continue to be, some degree or measure of cultural diffusion from West to East (and East to West), I would not expect it to anytime soon produce a "Western China". It is certainly not as if China has some kind of wholly dysfunctional, inferior culture that is just ripe to be replaced with the West's flawlessly functional, superior culture. Instead, there are aspects of Chinese culture that are easily the functional equals (or better) of Western culture.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've also heard Westerners say these things about China, although I've heard some argue that China's apparent acceptance of capitalism and other aspects of Western culture is mainly a ruse to lull us into a false sense of security. I may be misremembering, but I think Mao said something to the effect that China would eventually defeat the West without firing a shot.

However, considering that there are East Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, etc., which are ostensibly "Westernized," it doesn't seem too far a stretch to believe that other Asian nations could follow a similar path. It doesn't mean that their national cultures are either dysfunctional or inferior, but that they're flexible and adaptable to a changing world.

It seems a recurring pattern that once someone gets a taste of Western culture, decadence, and luxury, it's awfully hard to keep 'em down on the farm.

And their culture has certainly rubbed off on the West, as exemplified by the number of Westerners who have embraced and adopted Eastern religions/philosophies and other aspects of Asian culture.

Hence, the dream of globalization -- that we are entering an era approaching something like a low conflict, unified, or nearly unified, world in which all of humanity marches in the same direction forward towards a glorious Western-style paradise -- is most likely a pipe dream.

It is far more likely the world is going to divide into spheres of influence -- as it always does -- and that there will be conflict between those spheres. Hopefully, that conflict will be manageable.

Questions? Comments?
Click to expand...

I agree that globalization is, more or less, a pipe dream. The main problem is that there are not sufficient resources to be able to bring about economic equilibrium on a global scale.

Is it within our capacity to develop the entire world so that every family has a nice, suburban home and modern lifestyle - just like one might find in the US? All with the latest gadgets, electronics, and appliances?

Can we accommodate a chicken in every pot and two SUVs in every garage, along with superhighways, high-speed railroads, and large, bustling metropolises - just like one might find in the so-called "First World"?

Do we have enough medicine and trained personnel to make modern healthcare available and accessible to an entire planet of over 7 billion? Can we train enough teachers, technicians, engineers, doctors, etc. to be able to make all of this happen on a global scale? Does the world have enough resources to be able to accomplish this, and (in an era of global warming) can the Earth itself accommodate this?

These are the questions we should be asking ourselves, and if any of the answers to these questions is "no," then we have to ask why. Why should we even bother pushing towards globalization if it will ultimately lead to a dead end of scarcity and deprivation? Why pursue this "pipe dream"?

I agree that the world order will probably be divided into spheres of influence - some variation of Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia.
 
shmogie

shmogie

Well-Known Member
Sunstone said:
Every now and then I come across some commentator saying that China is headed down a path of adopting Western values and will, in the end, wind up being much like the West. Sort of like saying "The European Enlightenment will someday arrive in China in full and unqualified force".

Now, while I think there is, and there will continue to be, some degree or measure of cultural diffusion from West to East (and East to West), I would not expect it to anytime soon produce a "Western China". It is certainly not as if China has some kind of wholly dysfunctional, inferior culture that is just ripe to be replaced with the West's flawlessly functional, superior culture. Instead, there are aspects of Chinese culture that are easily the functional equals (or better) of Western culture.

Hence, the dream of globalization -- that we are entering an era approaching something like a low conflict, unified, or nearly unified, world in which all of humanity marches in the same direction forward towards a glorious Western-style paradise -- is most likely a pipe dream.

It is far more likely the world is going to divide into spheres of influence -- as it always does -- and that there will be conflict between those spheres. Hopefully, that conflict will be manageable.

Questions? Comments?
Correct. As much as some say otherwise, money is not the fundamental foundation of the west, especially the US.

The value and freedom of the individual is the foundation of the west.

This has never been of importance in China at any point in itś history. The people have always been viewed as faceless masses by the ruling elites.



________________________
Now, a tune to make it up to you for inflicting yet another sorry-butt thread on you....

Click to expand...
 
robocop (actually)

robocop (actually)

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Sunstone said:
Every now and then I come across some commentator saying that China is headed down a path of adopting Western values and will, in the end, wind up being much like the West. Sort of like saying "The European Enlightenment will someday arrive in China in full and unqualified force".

Now, while I think there is, and there will continue to be, some degree or measure of cultural diffusion from West to East (and East to West), I would not expect it to anytime soon produce a "Western China". It is certainly not as if China has some kind of wholly dysfunctional, inferior culture that is just ripe to be replaced with the West's flawlessly functional, superior culture. Instead, there are aspects of Chinese culture that are easily the functional equals (or better) of Western culture.

Hence, the dream of globalization -- that we are entering an era approaching something like a low conflict, unified, or nearly unified, world in which all of humanity marches in the same direction forward towards a glorious Western-style paradise -- is most likely a pipe dream.

It is far more likely the world is going to divide into spheres of influence -- as it always does -- and that there will be conflict between those spheres. Hopefully, that conflict will be manageable.

Questions? Comments?
Click to expand...

I like their supervision... it more than likely saves lives.
 
Wu Wei

Wu Wei

ursus senum severiorum and ex-Bisy Backson
Sunstone said:
Every now and then I come across some commentator saying that China is headed down a path of adopting Western values and will, in the end, wind up being much like the West. Sort of like saying "The European Enlightenment will someday arrive in China in full and unqualified force".

Now, while I think there is, and there will continue to be, some degree or measure of cultural diffusion from West to East (and East to West), I would not expect it to anytime soon produce a "Western China". It is certainly not as if China has some kind of wholly dysfunctional, inferior culture that is just ripe to be replaced with the West's flawlessly functional, superior culture. Instead, there are aspects of Chinese culture that are easily the functional equals (or better) of Western culture.

Hence, the dream of globalization -- that we are entering an era approaching something like a low conflict, unified, or nearly unified, world in which all of humanity marches in the same direction forward towards a glorious Western-style paradise -- is most likely a pipe dream.

It is far more likely the world is going to divide into spheres of influence -- as it always does -- and that there will be conflict between those spheres. Hopefully, that conflict will be manageable.

Questions? Comments?




________________________
Now, a tune to make it up to you for inflicting yet another sorry-butt thread on you....

Click to expand...

Well, there is an old Chinese saying "Nothing good ever came from the west"

That and my wife (Northern Chinese) and I have been marries for a while now....and she is still Chinese, but often tells people I am more Chinese than she is.

I seriously doubt you will ever see the United States of China. China has been and will continue to adopt western ways and ideas, but it has been China for about 5000 years. It is currently the longest lasting contiguous society on the planet. Look at Chinese Dynastic history. Every single group that conquered, and controlled China (except for the Yuan Dynasty - Mongols) eventually was absorbed into China and many even lost their original language. Even philosophically there are 2 extremes on the planet. At one end you have the USA and at the other you have China. Virtually everything in between is a mixture. and the closer you get (Countries) to one the more like that one you get.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top