In Superhuman Display of Absolutist Strength Xi Jinping Defeats Term Limits

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > In Superhuman Display of Absolutist Strength Xi Jinping Defeats Term Limits

Testikles: Feb 22, 2009

Im Ready for DEATH posted:

You know, someone pointed out to me the other day that Trump shouldn't be looking to spend so much money when the economy is growing. That kind of spending should be saved for recessions. But Republicans are under pressure to perform well so that they get reelected. So the parties do things in the short term that is beneficial for them, but bad for the country (and world) in the long run. When you have steady leadership like the Chinese you can think long-term because there is no competition from another party. It's true the Communist party can do some shady things but ultimately they have to keep the "murder you in the middle of the night because you talked some poo poo" low key. They can't get too wild. What I'm saying is, maybe this isn't so bad? IDK

Somehow an anime put it succinctly:

Yang Wenli posted:

In reality, it's dictatorship rather than democracy that drastically advances government reforms. But I think humanity ought to avoid being united by a dictatorship. While it's true Duke Lohengramm might have that talent, what about his descendants? His heir? Rulers aren't necessarily wise through generations. He's like a miracle which could happen only once every few centuries. I don't think the entire human race should be ruled by a system where everything depends on one person's character.

# ¿ Feb 26, 2018 01:11

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 14:40

Testikles: Feb 22, 2009

Blanketspace posted:

Seems like the anime is more concerned with hereditary dictatorships (monarchies) than dictatorships in general. Sidenote: "Anime Said It Best" has strong username potential

In the context of the show it's talking about (what else) an Empire, but the character is reflecting on the nature of autocracy and democracy in general. Dictatorships don't have to be hereditary but they are very much autocratic, and still rely on the issue of whether the successor will be as able as the predecessor.

# ¿ Feb 26, 2018 03:37

Testikles: Feb 22, 2009

Rime posted:

Turkey.
Venezuela.
Russia (Putin isn't really trying to be subtle anymore, he won't bother with the term-switch again).
and now China.

I feel like I'm missing one but I'm late for work.

Lord knows Trump is trying

# ¿ Feb 27, 2018 01:14

Testikles: Feb 22, 2009

Im Ready for DEATH posted:

https://news.cgtn.com/news/35416a4e35677a6333566d54/share_p.html
this is what I mean. I know it's a bad thing because of the possibility of Future Chinese Hitler but still I feel like the Party would make sure that its head would not be a total jerk. Is that naive?

Ah only the Russians could have built a new capital in the swamp so quickly! It is a work of art!

*ignores the thousands of peasant bones it is literally built upon*

# ¿ Mar 1, 2018 04:28

Testikles: Feb 22, 2009

Neurosis posted:

agreed. i hope there's some context missing that suggests it's a joke.

i was at a wedding yesterday and someone i was introduced to was ethnic chinese, worked in negotiations between chinese and western corporations , and had an educational background in political science. i asked her if she was concerned about what seemed to be burgeoning authoritarianism (i am aware raising politics when first meeting someone is usually verboten but i hate small talk and nothing i said was incendiary). she became immediately defensive, demanding to know if i could speak mandarin, then asking where i got my information from and scoffing at western news services and academic journals as clearly biased know-nothing outlets (contra state-run media i suppose). she also claimed when i mentioned that weird social credit thing and surveillance being set up that western nations are exactly the same in terms of being surveillance states, because facebook knows what products we like or something.

i've run into this attitude a fair bit now from those of a chinese background; even chinese whose families fled oppression in china, or who are ethnically chinese but come from families that have been in the chinese populations of, say, singapore or malaysia for centuries, are ardent defenders of china and swallow chinese gov stuff uncritically. the strong cultural ties and cohesion these experiences suggest is quite striking to me, since my anecdotal experiences have been people from other backgrounds and outside their countries of origin tend to be much more variable in terms of attitudes to their governments.

A lot of young arabs get this way about Dubai. Suggest that perhaps their big moment has some dark undertones and they get defensive. People want to believe they are the good guys.

# ¿ Mar 4, 2018 15:42

Testikles: Feb 22, 2009

OXBALLS DOT COM posted:

Americans tend to be universally negative about other countries and think nothing of insulting them while making small talk.

This is true I suppose. I don't live in the US so I can't argue for or against.

# ¿ Mar 4, 2018 16:15

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 14:40

Testikles: Feb 22, 2009

Blistex posted:

There needs to be an individual post goldmine.

Even though I was the one burned, it is a very good post

# ¿ Mar 5, 2018 00:48

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > In Superhuman Display of Absolutist Strength Xi Jinping Defeats Term Limits