John wrote:The Russians are liars, cheats and criminals, and believe that they'd
be a great nation if France hadn't invaded Russia in 1812.
The Chinese are liars, cheats and criminals, and believe that they'd
be a great nation if Britain hadn't launched the Opium Wars in 1840.
The Russians and Chinese are allying/conspiring together in some
areas, because they're both liars, cheats and criminals, and because
they're supporting each other in annexing regions belonging to other
countries, the same as the Nazis did.
The Russian and Chinese people hate each other.
The difference: Russian people love Americans and Westerners, while
Chinese people hate Americans and Westerners.
All "powerful" nations are, at one level or another (almost always the higher ones), liars, cheats and criminals. So that "characterization" is a wash.
Russians can make friends. Chinese can only make customers and/or servants.
Friends, even if they're a bit wacky, are preferable to "have to a party" to suppliers and/or masters.
If the point of this conversation (lately) is the question: "Who'd you rather party with?", then the answer is obvious. (The Rus)
If the question (on the table) has ANYTHING to do with "morality", then doesn't the lack of contrast between the involved entities rather answer that?
Since you have no control over others actions and "world model", what is the PURPOSE of evoking "morality",.. other than to make your "moral" case to those "with power" who DO care about morality?
..and what does that mean? It means the "ultimate" power is the great mass of "normal" people (who can become a horde to literally storm the castle).
And what are the levers that manipulate these masses of people? Emotional ones. And what do we see tugged this way and that these days, and by what?
Primal emotions by "convincers".
..so it's not too surprising that Russia feels emboldened, as they're the (ultimately) more likable and more familial with the larger of the two (of three, including themselves) powers,.. which seems to mean they really can't lose.
Ukraine is a silly side show, except to those being shot at and/or dispossessed, of course. The various Slavs and Steppe-Peoples will sort out their claims to possessions AFTER the big joojoo to come, because they will first unite to fend off "the bad guys".
Aloha nui gangies! <shaka nui loa!>
[quote="John"]The Russians are liars, cheats and criminals, and believe that they'd
be a great nation if France hadn't invaded Russia in 1812.
The Chinese are liars, cheats and criminals, and believe that they'd
be a great nation if Britain hadn't launched the Opium Wars in 1840.
The Russians and Chinese are allying/conspiring together in some
areas, because they're both liars, cheats and criminals, and because
they're supporting each other in annexing regions belonging to other
countries, the same as the Nazis did.
The Russian and Chinese people hate each other.
The difference: Russian people love Americans and Westerners, while
Chinese people hate Americans and Westerners.[/quote]
All "powerful" nations are, at one level or another (almost always the higher ones), liars, cheats and criminals. So that "characterization" is a wash.
Russians can make friends. Chinese can only make customers and/or servants.
Friends, even if they're a bit wacky, are preferable to "have to a party" to suppliers and/or masters.
If the point of this conversation (lately) is the question: "Who'd you rather party with?", then the answer is obvious. (The Rus)
If the question (on the table) has ANYTHING to do with "morality", then doesn't the lack of contrast between the involved entities rather answer that?
Since you have no control over others actions and "world model", what is the PURPOSE of evoking "morality",.. other than to make your "moral" case to those "with power" who DO care about morality?
..and what does that mean? It means the "ultimate" power is the great mass of "normal" people (who can become a horde to literally storm the castle).
And what are the levers that manipulate these masses of people? Emotional ones. And what do we see tugged this way and that these days, and by what?
Primal emotions by "convincers".
..so it's not too surprising that Russia feels emboldened, as they're the (ultimately) more likable and more familial with the larger of the two (of three, including themselves) powers,.. which seems to mean they really can't lose.
Ukraine is a silly side show, except to those being shot at and/or dispossessed, of course. The various Slavs and Steppe-Peoples will sort out their claims to possessions AFTER the big joojoo to come, because they will first unite to fend off "the bad guys".
Aloha nui gangies! <shaka nui loa!>