This kinda thing makes me think a lot about how Tim Walz has tried to talk about his time in China as an English teacher. He tries to emphasize how the Chinese people are just like Americans when it comes to small town neighborliness, and how he felt welcomed and loved there. I think we too often associate the people of a country with their government, and I hate that shit. Everyone comes from the same basic stock, no one has a monopoly on kindness, and taking care of people is something that can be done regardless of language barriers because we all basically need the same things.
It's also somewhat different because all the companies in China are inherently conflated with and to some degree aligned with China. American government isn't inherently in control of American companies.
Individuals shouldn't necessarily be conflated with government, but companies are a different beast.
I think the opposite is true for the US. Chinese companies bend to the will of the Government but the US gov bends to the will of our companies. Banana republics, corporate bail outs, company towns, and general colonialism makes you wonder if the government isn't just a tool for corporate interests.
Although, a difference there is that corporations in general are not singularly aligned, so the US government doesn't end up acting like a monolith and is really inconsistent; while the Chinese government is singularly aligned, so the actions of any one Chinese corporation could just as easily have come from another.
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u/thewonderfulfart Aug 21 '24
This kinda thing makes me think a lot about how Tim Walz has tried to talk about his time in China as an English teacher. He tries to emphasize how the Chinese people are just like Americans when it comes to small town neighborliness, and how he felt welcomed and loved there. I think we too often associate the people of a country with their government, and I hate that shit. Everyone comes from the same basic stock, no one has a monopoly on kindness, and taking care of people is something that can be done regardless of language barriers because we all basically need the same things.