I live 90 % of the time in Vietnam since 5 years and totally confirm what Barry says but on Vietnam.
I live in Hué, a 400000 inhabitants city with 40000 students in colleges.
I share your conclusions on the US as well as on Belgium or France.
It is very noticeable that the authorities are installing all the necessary devices
To control and reduce people's rights in every domain. ORWEL's 1984 is coming.
I lived in California for 7 years and miss
my american friends very much. But I wouldn't go back considering what I see happening in San Francisco for instance. This is also valid for Paris.
I ain't smart enough and I'm too old to figure out a solution to 50 years of crap TV manipulation and catastrophic decrease of morality in politicians mind.
With regrets, I give up the fight, play Jazz music, enjoy the life with my vietnamese friends.
To the young people I say: "I'm sorry for the mess you're in" .
Good luck to all of us. and without any irony , very best whishes for 2024 to everyone.
I'll go listen to Brecker/Ogerman's Cityscape : I need some beauty to focus on!
Having just returned from a visit to Beijing to be with my wife’s family, one of many I’ve made in the past 9 years, I very much appreciate this post, Brett. My first visit to China was in 2015, and I frankly was amazed at the oxymoronic blend of Communism and Capitalism. I expected the kind of doom and gloom you experienced in your visit in Southern China back in the 80s. Instead I found Beijing to be a vibrant, culturally enriched city, with 2000 years of history and at the same time a level of modernity that rivaled the U.S., and its people to be friendly and social. I did not encounter the pollution that you experienced. Instead, the sky was blue and the stars were visible on a nighttime walk through Tiananmen Square. The less tourist-attracting city parks were filled with ordinary people engaged in exercise, group folk dancing, traditional musical instruments, and mahjong playing. A wonderful community spirit. Were there subsequent visits where there was more pollution haze? Yes, but Beijing has made extraordinary efforts to address this. Planting millions of trees in the city, relying less on coal and more on natural gas to generate electricity. It still has a long way to go.
From a geopolitical standpoint, there is no doubt that China is a repressive government. Not a lot more to be said about that. Your description is accurate. But I have to be honest with you-- if I had a choice now to live in Beijing vs the US, I would probably opt for the former. The U.S. is frankly unlivable in my view. In fact it may happen. Stay tuned.
Yes, the high level of gun ownership is undoubtedly what has delayed a more aggressive rollout of China-like repressions. Still, the people are their own worst enemy. Unless they wake up to being frogs in a boiling pot, they're done for. If CBDCs get implemented, the people will be completely controlled.
From Richard. a belgian drummer in Vietnam,
Thank you Brett for this very interesting post.
I live 90 % of the time in Vietnam since 5 years and totally confirm what Barry says but on Vietnam.
I live in Hué, a 400000 inhabitants city with 40000 students in colleges.
I share your conclusions on the US as well as on Belgium or France.
It is very noticeable that the authorities are installing all the necessary devices
To control and reduce people's rights in every domain. ORWEL's 1984 is coming.
I lived in California for 7 years and miss
my american friends very much. But I wouldn't go back considering what I see happening in San Francisco for instance. This is also valid for Paris.
I ain't smart enough and I'm too old to figure out a solution to 50 years of crap TV manipulation and catastrophic decrease of morality in politicians mind.
With regrets, I give up the fight, play Jazz music, enjoy the life with my vietnamese friends.
To the young people I say: "I'm sorry for the mess you're in" .
Good luck to all of us. and without any irony , very best whishes for 2024 to everyone.
I'll go listen to Brecker/Ogerman's Cityscape : I need some beauty to focus on!
Richard
1984 is here. It's the manipulation of people's minds that scares me.
Fascinating post! Clearly the USA is already on its way to fascism!
Having just returned from a visit to Beijing to be with my wife’s family, one of many I’ve made in the past 9 years, I very much appreciate this post, Brett. My first visit to China was in 2015, and I frankly was amazed at the oxymoronic blend of Communism and Capitalism. I expected the kind of doom and gloom you experienced in your visit in Southern China back in the 80s. Instead I found Beijing to be a vibrant, culturally enriched city, with 2000 years of history and at the same time a level of modernity that rivaled the U.S., and its people to be friendly and social. I did not encounter the pollution that you experienced. Instead, the sky was blue and the stars were visible on a nighttime walk through Tiananmen Square. The less tourist-attracting city parks were filled with ordinary people engaged in exercise, group folk dancing, traditional musical instruments, and mahjong playing. A wonderful community spirit. Were there subsequent visits where there was more pollution haze? Yes, but Beijing has made extraordinary efforts to address this. Planting millions of trees in the city, relying less on coal and more on natural gas to generate electricity. It still has a long way to go.
From a geopolitical standpoint, there is no doubt that China is a repressive government. Not a lot more to be said about that. Your description is accurate. But I have to be honest with you-- if I had a choice now to live in Beijing vs the US, I would probably opt for the former. The U.S. is frankly unlivable in my view. In fact it may happen. Stay tuned.
You make some excellent points, Barry. And yes, I agree, the US, in its present incarnation, is unlivable.
There may be too many guns in the US for a China-like scenario. Then again, it depends on who has the guns and what the owners of said guns want.
Good point.
Yes, the high level of gun ownership is undoubtedly what has delayed a more aggressive rollout of China-like repressions. Still, the people are their own worst enemy. Unless they wake up to being frogs in a boiling pot, they're done for. If CBDCs get implemented, the people will be completely controlled.
Only a matter of time before everyone is chipped. For their own protection.
The chip is the hill I die on. But I'll be taking some chips with me 😉