21th century is asian century.. do you think so?

[Illusional]

i'd better hurry up and order my bride from china, before she'll be ordering US males online instead.

raverboy

[IndiReloaded]

Mish, I sometimes think you confuse how you'd like the world to *be* with how it actually IS.

If you or anyone else wants to believe I'm racist, then shrug. I'm secure enough to know that its not my failure at communication that is driving that conclusion. Obviously neither you (nor lastwish) has understood any of my other posts in older threads about how I see the role of asia in the world's future.

Anyway, this thread is generating some good discussion so I'm

[Mish]

If you or anyone else wants to believe I'm racist, then shrug. I'm secure enough to know that its not my failure at communication that is driving that conclusion. Obviously neither you (nor lastwish) has understood any of my other posts in older threads about how I see the role of asia in the world's future.

I understood it, that's exactly why I was baffled to read some of the things you posted here. I could understand it coming from some of the others, but not you. I guess your standing on "cultural contributions to the world" caught me completely by surprise. I didn't call you racist by the way, I just pointed out where your conclusions are ultimately leading to (it's not a new subject matter and these conclusions usually lead to the same place)

I'm not going to argue any more. I can see a few feathers being ruffled by me saying that western culture (European culture) is not superior to all others and it didn't have the greatest contribution to the world of all and there is literature and facts to support that statement, so I'll just leave it at that.

[Junket]

Either Mish interpreted what Indie said better than anyone else here.

Or Mish misinterpreted what Indie said better than anyone else here.

[DoesntMatter]

Btw, DM you're so cute sometimes...the way you're so empathetic.

... so you WILL have sex with me?

i'd better hurry up and order my bride from china, before she'll be ordering US males online instead.

raverboy

That's a pretty hot thought... I'll have to remember it for later tonight

[IndiReloaded]

II thought cultural and racial superiority were debunked long time ago. Seems like it's still here with us deeply rooted into people's psyches.

I'll be honest, the present worries me.

I completely agree. No person, no culture, is actually allowed to achieve more, be better than another. We ALL know that women are just as good at being firemen, and men CAN have babies if they really want. Damn the data, screw the facts. Ignore the fact that individual, species differences in ability falls on a gaussian curve, why not something in between, like culture (awful lot of *really* good marathon runners from Africa...).

In *my opinion* its this very attitude (don't stand out from the crowd) that has hamstrung Chinese (and other) cultures in history from achieving their true potential. But aside from that, here's a newsflash Mish:

[Mish]

Ignore the fact that individual, species differences in ability falls on a gaussian curve, why not something in between, like culture (awful lot of *really* good marathon runners from Africa...).

Because you're not just comparing apples to oranges, you are comparing apples to fish and then saying that apples are much better. The cultures are so much intertwined and symbiotically linked to one another that making a generalizing, sweeping statement that there is one culture superior to all, with most contributions to "world benefit" is ridiculously absurd. How can you even measure the said "World benefit"?

Not only absurd but false, which is worse.

[DoesntMatter]

Of course there is no such thing as a superior culture. Superiority in general in any form is bullshit

However, some countries have had far, far reaching consequences well outside their borders that others didn't. And I don't just mean music or dance or food, but political processes, scientific advancements, and economic fate

[Mish]

Of course there is no such thing as a superior culture. Superiority in general in any form is bullshit

However, some countries have had far, far reaching consequences well outside their borders that others didn't. And I don't just mean music or dance or food, but political processes, scientific advancements, and economic fate

And almost every single country in the world had those impacts. From Egypt, to Mesopatamia, to Rome, to Muslims, to Mongols surpassing all cultures and natural borders. You can't just say Russian culture had most influence because of how much influence itself received from east and west. You can't just say any European country (Or even Europe all together) had the most influence because of how much influence they themselves received from middle east and Asia.

An advancement is like an Olympic torch. It starts in one country, then it travels to another, then another, then another. Today one country is holding the torch in one field, tomorrow it will be another country. And if you trace back the torch to all the countries it went to before ending up in its current destination, you'll be amazed how far it had to travel to get to where it is now.

[DoesntMatter]

You really believe that, don't you Mish? That every culture has had so much influence and that some haven't had a lot more than others? As a result I won't be able to convince you otherwise because you are oblivious to the facts



I think it would be a lot easier if you were to stop talking about culture and start talking about math and scientific achievements, or size of economic markets in more recent times. Things easier to measure

[Mish]

I think it would be a lot easier if you were to stop talking about culture and start talking about math and scientific achievements, or size of economic markets in more recent times. Things easier to measure

Sure, we can talk about that. Perhaps in modern times there are some countries holding the torch in certain fields. But that won't last forever. All of that is subject to change and there are changes already happening. Egypt, Rome, Islamic empire were all beacons of light, with most amount of wealth, power and technology for a period of time. Where are they now?

History repeats itself.

[Junket]

Mish.

You need to live a less sheltered life.

[Mish]

Dude I totally do

[IndiReloaded]

that making a generalizing, sweeping statement that there is one culture superior to all

The only problem with your argument, Mish?

I NEVER SAID THIS^. Thank you, those who actually get this.

You are standing on a soap box of your own making, Mish. If you want to rant about inequality, etc. fine, but don't grasp for position with something I never actually said.

That is all.

[doppelgaenger]

Just get a life so you don't have to have pointless arguments about such things.