A complacent country is easier to overcome, after all.
There’s an idea circulating the newsfeeds these days that concerns the possibility that China is playing a long game that will see it rise as a dominant superpower. Given that the USA has been seen as one of the most dominant, if not THE dominant, nations in the world for so long, it’s easy to see how that would unnerve a lot of people. Unfortunately, a lot of people who voice their opinions over and over don’t know enough to talk about these matters, especially since too many folks let fear of the unknown taint their opinions. The level of bias that exists in the world today concerning other countries is often built from propaganda, misunderstandings, and various other factors that make it difficult to accept others. When your borders are so far apart though, and the cultures that exist behind those borders don’t mesh, it’s not tough to think that difficulties will arise.
But over the past century, it’s easy to state that China and America have been friendly but also weary of each other at times. It’s not fair to state that one country or the other is all bad or all good. There are no saints here since both countries have committed their fair share of atrocities for…reasons. But with the appearance of Chinese and Russian warships near Alaska in recent days, a lot of people are wondering if China is playing a long game that’s been ongoing for decades. It doesn’t exactly have the element of surprise, but it does stand out as a method that, despite being blatant, is still insidious and underhanded to many people. But what is China’s real endgame?
China’s running a marathon, while the USA is running a dash
A lot of what’s being said about the relations between China and America might be a great deal of conjecture and more propaganda than truth. But what’s really unfortunate is that if China IS planning a takeover, it’s better if the leaders of the USA take it as lightly as possible and think that it’s not that big of a deal. Superiority and power tend to make a lot of people feel that they don’t need to take others seriously, especially if that power makes them believe that anyone who isn’t in their position, or close to it, isn’t worth the same respect they desire.
If the USA is to survive or avoid being taken over bit by bit, in the next century, one might think it wise to pay attention to the long game that China is implementing. Telling anyone in the USA that the leadership is lackadaisical and unconcerned about China’s plans to eclipse America as a superpower is bound to be met with several different responses. Sadly, many people might disregard this notion. America is the most powerful nation in the world, right? It’s tough to get anyone to believe that such a thing might change.
Letting an opponent wear themselves out makes it easier to take over
The fact is that China, along with Japan, holds a large amount of the US debt, and if they called it in, a major shift would undoubtedly occur in the USA. Apart from the idea that Chinese currency would become more valuable, their goods would also become even more expensive than they already are in some cases. Imagine trying to buy anything imported from China with the US dollar in the tank. It’s a fact that too many people don’t understand or don’t want to admit. Taking on more and more debt, China does technically ‘own’ the US from a certain point of view, but at this point, the country’s leaders appear ready to let the debt keep piling up.
There are ways to get out of that debt, but those of us who are of a certain age might never see it happen, at least not in this lifetime.
Is it really a concern?
Is the supposed takeover, or war, really a concern at this time? It’s a little too easy for a lot of people to remain complacent since a lot of people don’t feel the need to worry too much about this matter. Those who know why it would be disruptive to our current way of life are those who could be pushing the feeling that it’s something to worry about. But in the long run, a lot of those who won’t be here when China’s supposed plan comes to fruition don’t feel the need to worry about it. Those who will be here, and those who are growing up in this era, are those who might need to worry.
But seriously, is it a foregone conclusion? Or are people just worrying a little too much about an idea that is based more on fear, ignorance, and even arrogance?
Being the smartest in the room can backfire horribly
Right now it feels as though the USA might be experiencing this social phenomenon. Being the smartest person in the room can be great, but it also comes with drawbacks, such as arrogance. For instance, becoming the world’s top superpower (it’s a matter of opinion in a lot of ways) tends to make the US look like a bully when compared to other, smaller countries. Unfortunately, this also breeds envy and a need to rise above the bully when it comes to other countries. China, who knows what it’s like, as a country, to dominate others, is definitely on that path at this time, since it’s a little too easy to think that behind the back of the US government, the leaders to the east are grinning like the Cheshire in anticipation of what will come in the next two and a half decades.
What will the USA look like by 2049?
This is where opinion becomes far more prevalent than fact, since no matter how great a plan China might have, or how obstinate and arrogant Americans might be, change is coming. Trying to predict what’s going to happen in the next two and a half decades though is kind of tough, even for those who plan ahead. The truth is that China is no doubt going to do its best to reach the top of the world superpower hierarchy and remain there for as long as it can. It’s been established in history that this country did manage to hold onto power for quite some time, at least until it made the same mistake as every other massive power that thought it was untouchable. It believed the hype.
In other words, China’s leaders are looking forward to owning the US in the years to come, and their plans appear sound for several reasons. But then again, a lot of civilizations have believed that they would last and retain power for much longer than they did. Like it or not, China will end up changing things, but it’s not likely that they’re the end-all, be-all when it comes to superpowers.
The long, short, and ugly of it all
In the long run, it sounds as though China and Russia want to use their current alliance to climb to the top as the world’s superpowers. Likely as not, China will attempt to remind Russia why it’s dominant, and why the land of the rising sun will always be five steps ahead. The ugly part is this: America isn’t about to bow down no matter how well-laid the plan is, and that means, sadly, war.
WTR? (Why’s That Radass?)
The prospect of what might happen in the years to come is horrifying to a lot of people. Any country that tries to assume the role of a top superpower is bound to provoke negative emotions in a lot of people. But here’s the thing…China might have a plan, but the number of variables that are capable of shredding that plan to pieces are bound to remind them that life kind of just happens, and rolling with it is how one determines who’s on top and who’s not.
