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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   3784 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of January 19, 2026

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So there is a question that has been gnawing at me for the longest time: is PRC... Good? I mean:

  1. wildly economically succesful with a dynamic tech sector
  2. conservative and nationalistic population, proud of its' culture and heritage - this is the big one tbh, even the more liberal side of the population doesn't seem that bad, none of that self-hatred of the West
  3. technocracy - yeah, they may not be AS meritocratic as they advertise, and personal connections play a huge role, but comparing their officials to whatever the hell Western politicians are doing is not favorable to the latter
  4. willing to forego some comfort and economic progress for the sake of national power and sovereignity (as a European, seeing how our societies prefer to bend over looking for outside help instead of taking the harder route of building capacity for assertivness - yeah, China seems really vindicated right now)

I mean, there are obviously some tough things to get over (the whole free speech thing, how they handled COVID with safetyism that would make many in the West blush, all the other usual stuff), but genuinely, honestly... Following the news from China for a few years, I really can't help but envy the Chinese. Take down the communist iconography and I think that many on the right would see it similarly to Japan.

I mean China is one of the world's most morally bankrupt societies, they lie all the time to everyone (foreign and domestic), they have the most stealing of any country (primarily in the form IP theft), don't really believe in international treaties and society, engage in genocide, oppress their population, clearly want to steal Taiwan (jury is out on how bad they'll be about this) and during a time when we are realizing how much we've fucked the environment they refuse to do anything but worsen the problem.*

What they have (at least superficially, it isn't totally clear) is strength.

That's enough for some people, I'm not sure it is for me.

*I don't think any of these are controversial but please let me know if so.

China is one of the world's most morally bankrupt societies

Not even close. We have India (and the similar Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, etc.), every Arab country, Africa, etc. which are in a whole different league.

don't really believe in international treaties and society

Nearly every right winger will agree that international rules based order is just a fantasy.

engage in genocide

I haven't looked into it personally, but most Chinese living overseas with access to western media will still say this is false. Not sure if it's CCP pre-brainwashing in action or they just know more about the situation, but they clearly don't find the western narrative convincing.

oppress their population

True. Though no worse than e.g. UK.

clearly want to steal Taiwan

Sure. USA clearly wants to steal Greenland too.

USA clearly wants to steal Greenland too

I'd argue that's Trump, rather than the USA, whereas Taiwan seems to be a popular acquisition with the rank and file (or at least the rank and file Party Members).

You have a system where people choose who represents them by voting, and you accept the rules of that system. You don’t get to shrug off the consequences or pin the responsibility on “the other side” when it’s convenient. Trump represents your country. He is your country.

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