Who will be the next great world power?

[MrPotatoTed]

18 minutes ago, Patine said:

Lame retort! And a show of denial for real problems plaguing your nation and apathy to wanting to deal with them because they inconveniently break your narrative and view of your country, and probably because I am, at this particular point, bringing them up. But who REALLY wants to be alive 100 more years in this wretched world - wretched in part because of I've brought up, above, and it's inevitable fallout - to reminisce over the Hellscape, anyways?

Jesus Christ, dude.  Go outside, there’s parks and things.  

[Pringles]

i was starting wonder if Wiw came back

[MrPotatoTed]

3 minutes ago, Patine said:

But, the fact is, all indicators that are clearly visible today show an immensely overwhelming percentage chance that, in the long term, the world is headed to a very dark, rotten, and shitty place, and next to no chance of a bright, friendly, or happy future. And the fact further remains that MANY of the actions and policies MANY of the leaders and actors who are VERY often praised, lauded, lionized, and commended on this forum are just as responsible for those downward trends just as much so as MANY of the actions and policies MANY of the leaders and actors who are VERY often vilified, excoriated, condemned, and lambasted. Although, I agree, in the here and now, there are still parks, malls, and nice walks to enjoy, for the time being.

Man, you should write travel reviews.

”The Marriott offers turndown service and a scrumptious continental breakfast from 6-9, though of course this does little to alleviate from the fact we will all die in a nuclear doom on Tuesday.”

[Pringles]

5 minutes ago, Patine said:

For Wiw, Doomsday was always tomorrow.

Ok, I am actually confused now. At first this said "For me" now it says, "For Wiw." Does this go for both of you? Or just Wiw? 

[MrPotatoTed]

1 minute ago, Pringles said:

Ok, I am actually confused now. At first this said "For me" now it says, "For Wiw." Does this go for both of you? Or just Wiw? 

“Einhorn is Finkle!  Finkle is Einhorn!”

[MrPotatoTed]

15 minutes ago, Patine said:

I formally and firmly ask you publicly acknowledge and retract a line of thought meant only as a mocking insult - not even good-natured humour, but malign in intent - which I had wrongly accused @Pringles of, and I admit the mistake I made - only to see it was you. I am asking for self-realization and maturity from you, and not even to the point of a full apology. I am serious, here, I'm afraid.

I’m going to respectfully pass, because it wasn’t an insult.  I don’t care enough to insult you.  I was referencing a movie.

[Pringles]

Just now, MrPotatoTed said:

I’m going to respectfully pass, because it wasn’t an insult.  I don’t care enough to insult you.  I was referencing a movie.

[MrPotatoTed]

30 minutes ago, Patine said:

Pringles, go away!

He and I were having an interesting conversation about India before you Patined it.

[MrPotatoTed]

4 minutes ago, Patine said:

Patine is not a verb. 

patine

 verb

patined; patining

Definition of patine (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to cover with a patina

[MrPotatoTed]

Just now, Patine said:

An article with no listed source? 🙄

Nonetheless, my statement in my last post stands. And firmly!

Merriam Webster Dictionary.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patine

[MrPotatoTed]

3 minutes ago, Patine said:

Anyways. My statement stands. It's a very serious problem here, and your flippant refusal to even address it is unbecoming of your position as a Moderator.

Eh.  We literally had a vote on it.  The only person who voted against me appeared to do so because I am the only one who tends to defend you.  Ha.

[Pringles]

4 minutes ago, MrPotatoTed said:

Eh.  We literally had a vote on it.  The only person who voted against me appeared to do so because I am the only one who tends to defend you.  Ha.

I'm sure they'd approve if another poll was held today. 😛 

[MrPotatoTed]

Just now, Patine said:

"We ridicule the ones we love the most, lest they thrown in the slammer?" Is that the tactic, there? 😛 

I treat you the same as I treat anyone else here.  The difference is in the receiver.

[Pringles]

1 minute ago, Patine said:

I think I have a general understanding with DakotaHale, as of recently.

Oh? The God Emperor of this forum? The Head Sigma? Preposterous. 

😛

[Pringles]

1 minute ago, Patine said:

I am the ONLY one who gets away with calling him, "Puppy Boy." Take that as you will. 😛 

Fair enough Commander Shepard. 😛

[MrPotatoTed]

1 minute ago, Patine said:

I am the ONLY one who gets away with calling him, "Puppy Boy." Take that as you will. 😛 

Well, NOW I have to take it that you two are lovers.  ;c)

[Timur]

On a serious note, I'm not sure which will fall first, the US or China.

I wish the second choice was a multichoice question. I think Russia, the EU, or Turkey as possibly becoming more important in the future.

I misread the last question.

Edited March 22, 2022 by Timur

[themiddlepolitical]

Mean to choose option 3 for #3

[WVProgressive]

22 hours ago, MrPotatoTed said:

I’m also not convinced China is #2, though it could be from my own ignorance.  To be a world power, they have to be exerting their influence on the world.

Are they doing that?  More so than Russia has been? (Not just Ukraine, but also Syria and even US politics)

While Russian imperialism is certainly flashier than Chinese imperialism, I would argue that the Chinese are very much America's #1 rival in global politics. I find it helpful to examine China's influence in three pillars of global dominance, in order to get a better view of the whole of Chinese power.

1. China's influence on her people

In order for a nation to even have the chance to be a world power, it must unite its people, and foster a national identity that will enable its leaders to make the hard decision required to obtain, and maintain global dominance. We can see China's efforts to strengthen a national identity by looking at their efforts to destroy any, and all contradictory identities, for example in their attempts to destroy the Tibetan, and Uyghur peoples, and their cultures. China's infamous Social Credit system is also a very clear example of a state using its power to crack down on behavior that is harmful to the government.

2. China's influence on the developing world

Just as a global power must control her own people, she must also hold sway over the people, and governments of non-powers. You are correct that China has not acted as openly belligerent as Russia (Not including decades long posturing over Taiwan, and the South, and East China Seas), however I would argue that they are leaps, and bounds Russia's superior when it comes to the application of 'soft power'. Front, and center in China's neo-imperialist efforts is the Belt and Road Initiative. Through the BRI, China has been able to trap dozens of developing economies into predatory loans with insane interest rates, and unreachable payback goals - after these countries are unable to repay, they are forced into giving the Chinese sovereignty over large chunks of land, such as what happened to Tajikstan when they were unable to meet the conditions of the loan.

3. China's influence on her rivals

Finally, the largest difference between Chinese, and Russian power projection, is how influential they are on America. While yes, Russia is a major Oil Exporter, and has been documented as trying to influence American election, this pales in comparison to China's grip on America. The world economy, especially manufacturing, relies on Chinese exports, they are the largest trading partner to nearly every major power, they're already beating us in terms of raw strength, and its only going to get worse if our leaders don't open their eyes. That's not even getting into the hold that China has on American culture, major motion pictures, sports league, and every other avenue of mainstream culture, is forced to bend the knee, and appeal to the Chinese market, by censoring any content that goes against the Chinese state. From Washington bedrooms, to corporate boardrooms, Chinese has countless more backdoors into American power than Russia does.

[jnewt]

On 3/21/2022 at 9:36 PM, Patine said:

the idiot dogpile spews bile and regurgitated filth in coordination at me

As a victim of gangstalking, you may be able to find more information and support here. /s

[jnewt]

For number 2, I don't think any country would rise to superpower status. China (or the U.S. if China fell) would become a hyperpower.

[jnewt]

34 minutes ago, Patine said:

I've already addressed the useless, redundant, superlative value (or lack of value) of this word, above.

Fixed.

40 minutes ago, jnewt said:

For number 2, I don't think any country would rise to superpower status. China (or the U.S. if China fell) would become a superduperpower.

[MrPotatoTed]

15 hours ago, Patine said:

I've already addressed the useless, redundant, superlative value (or lack of value) of this word, above.

Useless and redundant are two words that mean the same thing, making one of them...wait for it...redundant.

Meanwhile, superlative means something completely the opposite of useless and redundant.

So you chose three words that leave a very confusing message about redundancy, when just one word would have been perfectly clear.

[MrPotatoTed]

13 minutes ago, Patine said:

You, sir, are a literalist to an extreme fault. 😳

Not a literalist.  You used the wrong word.  You meant superfluous, not superlative.

Of course, using three words to mean one thing is itself superfluous, so...

[Rezi]

3 minutes ago, Patine said:

I'm not falling for your bait, this time. This pointless exchange with no value or gain for anyone is over, as far as I'm concerned.