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Xi Jinping decides to abolish presidential term limits

economist.com

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Re: Xi Jinping decides to abolish presidential term limits

#181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>When the citizenry is so sheltered and content to know nothing about the world this is what happens. I thought we were supposed to learn that lesson after 9/11?

We learned the wrong lesson from 9/11 buddy. Look at the TSA still going strong, all the domestic snooping, and an imperial presidency with open-ended powers unchecked by Congress. Over all the conclusion has been to not deal with the world's problems, kick everybody that might cause problems out, and close the door.

I agree. Maybe my sarcasm was a little too veiled. :)

Re: Xi Jinping decides to abolish presidential term limits

#182
post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do hope you're right. One of my 'in the realm of possibility' dystopian fears is that a totalitarian regime figures out how to (chemically?) keep their society docile. Ideally the populace would still be creative, to an extent, but that might not even be necessary, or compensated for by stealing innovation from other places. One could argue that this is already sort of happening in many places, without there being…

I do too. Things like CRISPR scare the bejeezus out of me for reasons like you mention. I tend to think that's the killer equation in the US culture, which is incentives that are set up for exposing stuff like this. We don't need our journalists, politicians, scientists or any authority to be looking out for our best interest. As long as there are ways for them to further their own self-interest in ways that go again…

See, I'd argue we've already progressed in that direction far more than we realize by reducing so much of our social world to 'transactions'. I grew up in a much more 'traditional' society and the the contrast is quite stark.

Re: Xi Jinping decides to abolish presidential term limits

#183
post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do too. Things like CRISPR scare the bejeezus out of me for reasons like you mention. I tend to think that's the killer equation in the US culture, which is incentives that are set up for exposing stuff like this. We don't need our journalists, politicians, scientists or any authority to be looking out for our best interest. As long as there are ways for them to further their own self-interest in ways that go again…

See, I'd argue we've already progressed in that direction far more than we realize by reducing so much of our social world to 'transactions'. I grew up in a much more 'traditional' society and the the contrast is quite stark.

Do you mind expanding on the contrast a bit by explaining the more traditional society part?

I was born and raised in southern California, and one thing that I can consistently remember since I was a child was just how transactional southern Californians are in their relationships (as well as generally flaky, and relatively superficial; these are all common stereotypes, but in my experience, they contain a certain amount of truth).

So I know that this dynamic has not only existed for my lifetime, but also well known enough to be a stereotype, and I'm not sure how much it contributes to the larger dangers we've discussed.

Re: Xi Jinping decides to abolish presidential term limits

#184
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>On a related note, could someone explain to me how Russia manages to stay a threat with a military budget that's about 6% of the US budget? Or does it only seem to be that smaller because their soldiers are payed less? Never underestimate the sheer waste and incompetence that the US Government is capable of achieving. My general model is that we get about ten cents in value for every dollar spent. So, all Russia nee…

So all Russia needs to do have all their spending deliver at 100% efficiency . That's not going to happen. Russia is a bureaucracy too...

I don't know what 100% efficiency means. You italicized it, so it must mean something to you. But I was talking about return on investment. The US loses 90% of the money it invests, whereas, for example, companies like Boeing make money with their investments. So, all Russia would need to do it not lose money they invest. That's not what 100% efficiency means to me, but it's a very achievable goal.

Re: Xi Jinping decides to abolish presidential term limits

#185
post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See, I'd argue we've already progressed in that direction far more than we realize by reducing so much of our social world to 'transactions'. I grew up in a much more 'traditional' society and the the contrast is quite stark.

Do you mind expanding on the contrast a bit by explaining the more traditional society part? I was born and raised in southern California, and one thing that I can consistently remember since I was a child was just how transactional southern Californians are in their relationships (as well as generally flaky, and relatively superficial; these are all common stereotypes, but in my experience, they contain a certain am…

'Family' would be one thing. I found that 1) the responsibilities/rights were much broader, and 2) they extended beyond just siblings, parents (and perhaps grandparents).

If one of my siblings were to have financial trouble, or to start a business, it wouldn't be strange for me to decline helping them, whereas in the more traditional culture this would be considered rather selfish. And on the latter culture, when your parents get older and less useful to society, they move in with one of their kids (and often help out with the child-rearing). Putting them in a home would be unacceptable.

Furthermore, many of these things would extend to uncles and aunts and cousins, where in my current culture it's pretty normal to only see those at 'special' family occasions.

I also found that the relationship with neighbors and small businesses in the area were a lot more 'familial' in nature: 'watching the shop while owner does x', the shop-owner getting particular products just for you, but also a sense of loyalty. If you need a haircut/pedicure/etc., and a family member offers that service, it would be considered offensive to go to another place.

Basically, a lot of the stuff that 'we' would put in the transactional sphere were often much more like how we'd interact or deal with immediate family. A lot consisted of favors you'd do, with the implicit agreement that someone should do something equivalent for you. These intricate 'networks' of favors combined with various social obligations led to ties that were much stronger, obviously, than a purely commercial interaction.

I'm rambling a bit; still early here. I suppose a good book on the matter is Debt by David Graeber, but looking at how various immigrant communities operate can also be enlightening. I've experienced similar kinds of quasi-commercial relationships with the Turkish shops in my neighborhood, for example (I would fix their computer, they'd hold on to my house key for a friend to pick up, no shopping without chatting, etc.).

Re: Xi Jinping decides to abolish presidential term limits

#186
post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Japan is still bound by article 9 of it's constitution but let us not pretend that they haven't been trying to get rid of that article or sent their defense force to play war in the middle east "strictly for defensive purposes". That being said; between the two, China today is more like Japan during WWII than Japan today is.

>but let us not pretend that they haven't been trying to get rid of that article or sent their defense force to play war in the middle east "strictly for defensive purposes". The PM and his party (the LDP) in coalition with the Komeito party have been trying to push that for years, without success. Mostly because the Japanese people don't seem to support it. And to be fair, revising Article 9 and not going on a romp…

> And to be fair, revising Article 9 and not going on a romp through the Middle East is also an option. I can see the rationale for doing so, besides right-wing nationalism on Japan's part.

That's definitely a possibility, however removing Article 9 is seen as a threat by China and might be a tactical error. Japan hasn't had any trouble building the defense force. If anything having Article 9 in place is plausible deniability for hostilities against China.

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