I would love to live in the world you describe, skwirlinator (or at least, I think I would) but I'm not sure it isn't a little to optimistic.

The reality of China, from my point of view here on the ground, is really worrisome. There is tremendous emphasis on getting rich and social climbing, but little logic behind it. New companies are opened every day without any competitive advantage or necessity. Their existence is perpetuated through the support of connections and back room deals, but they could not compete if they weren't shielded by government protectionism and corruption.

A particularly potent example: real estate. In Beijing new sky scrapers are built every week. They are built by...

I would love to live in the world you describe, skwirlinator (or at least, I think I would) but I'm not sure it isn't a little to optimistic.

The reality of China, from my point of view here on the ground, is really worrisome. There is tremendous emphasis on getting rich and social climbing, but little logic behind it. New companies are opened every day without any competitive advantage or necessity. Their existence is perpetuated through the support of connections and back room deals, but they could not compete if they weren't shielded by government protectionism and corruption.

A particularly potent example: real estate. In Beijing new sky scrapers are built every week. They are built by developers who secure the land and the contracts through personal connections, and how believe that because one person became rich building a sky scraper, they too will succeed. Right now, the vacancy rate in office buildings in Beijing is close to 80%

These people simply presumed that building a sky scraper would make them a fortune, rather than analyzing realistically the risks and the expenses. They also get to pridefully proclaim themselves a "real estate developer." The desire to be a "Da Wan'r" or "Lind Dao" (big shot, or boss) is present, absent the innovation and hard work that create real leadership. Instead it is a sense of entitlement that drives this upward mobility. Like a Frankenstein Nightmare of Horatio Alger. Wealth for Wealth's sake.

The Chinese economy is a house of cards, heavily inflated, cumbersome and not competitive on a level playing field. It is perpetuated by foreign investment that follows pop-culture mantras not common sense. The government cannot control cost-of-living inflation forever, and as its grips slips away, the low prices that make China's manufacturing so appealing will disolve into the morass of corruption and inefficency that is stagnating the country.

I want China to succeed, but it has to wake up and change!

In a more direct response, be careful not to Orientalize China, by presuming their culture grants them some ancient wisdom that the west is somehow lacking. The Chinese are no more mystical than Europe, even though in the west we know less about them. After all, Europe and the Middle East also have ancient cultures, just ask any Greek or Persian.

Everyone in the world imagines a paradise somewhere beyond their borders. They imagine a country scientifically advanced, steeped in mystical ancient wisdom, where people are young, healthy, happy and smart and money flows freely to anyone who wants it. This is Shangri-la.

Many Chinese people imagine that Shangri-la is America. Many in America ima...

In a more direct response, be careful not to Orientalize China, by presuming their culture grants them some ancient wisdom that the west is somehow lacking. The Chinese are no more mystical than Europe, even though in the west we know less about them. After all, Europe and the Middle East also have ancient cultures, just ask any Greek or Persian.

Everyone in the world imagines a paradise somewhere beyond their borders. They imagine a country scientifically advanced, steeped in mystical ancient wisdom, where people are young, healthy, happy and smart and money flows freely to anyone who wants it. This is Shangri-la.

Many Chinese people imagine that Shangri-la is America. Many in America imagine Shangri-la is China. Both are wrong. Although not as romantic, I believe that the reality is much better than the fantasy... partly because it actually exists.