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    China, the New Paper Tiger
    China, the New Paper Tiger
    China, the New Paper Tiger
    Ebook50 pages36 minutes

    China, the New Paper Tiger

    By John Tierney

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    Contrary to what many believe, Chinese culture is incompatible with world dominion. Its language alone is a powerful impediment. Culturally,its interest in precedent rather than logic and its use of censorship preclude the free inquiry necessary for geopolitical success.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateMay 20, 2013
    ISBN9781626759107
    China, the New Paper Tiger
    Author

    John Tierney

    John Tierney is interested in the work of Oswald Spengler and how it relates to the modern West. Is the West in terminal decline?

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      Book preview

      China, the New Paper Tiger - John Tierney

      China, the New Paper Tiger

      John Tierney

      QED stands for Quality, Excellence and Design. The QED seal of approval shown here verifies that this eBook has passed a rigorous quality assurance process and will render well in most eBook reading platforms.

      For more information please click here.

      China, the New Paper Tiger

      Introduction

      Concealment as a Tactic

      China and its Isolated Language [i]

      Chinese and the Computer Age

      Language and Culture

      China – Censorship

      One Man’s Journey

      Will China Ever Become A World Power?

      Bibliography

      China, the New Paper Tiger

      John Tierney

      Subtitle quotes are from the Book of the Tao, Lao-Tsu

      Introduction

      There are different ways to look at China, but alarmist views prevail. China is 20% of humanity, getting richer, expanding its armed forces, holding too much American debt: China will be the superpower, we read, the hegemon, the next century’s leading nation.

      The contrarian view is as valid, or more so.

      More civilization than nation, China rolls on impervious to real change in anything but technology. It steals most of the technology, unable to produce it by itself: reconciling innovative thought and political reliability are its impossible task. China’s millenium-old culture contains features not compatible with what we call, progress. Some of its new wealth is spent turning the clock back to a troubled past, modernity exacerbating retro and dysfunctional features of its culture. Meanwhile, bluster and deception constitute most of Beijing’s foreign policy.

      Superficial comparisons are not fair. China controls outgoing information. China, an authoritarian culture, hides what it wants to hide and presents a best face. The US celebrates policy weaknesses, and its weaknesses are discussed daily in the national and international press:

      No accurate analysis of China is complete without a first looking at those language and cultural problems which China tries so hard to conceal. Language is a culture’s lagging indicator. Technology may quickly change a country, but language will take many, many years to catch up with new machinery. Yet it is also the most important factor in determining a culture, and drags mightily on attempts at quick change.

      Let’s start with what China hides from the rest of the world.

      Concealment as a Tactic

      A good Soldier is never violent—Lao Tzu

      We know from afar that China and its strange writing system exist. Chinese characters invite us to restaurants and souvenir shops. Characters are fun. They imply the food and the souvenirs contained within will be unique. Yet how many of us know that Chinese food in the West may consist only of what restaurant owners think Westerners will like? Most are dishes unknown in China—General Tso’s chicken, Chop Suey and Egg Foo Young are known abroad, but not at home. These dishes are collectively dismissed among expatriate Chinese community as Gwai-lo sum—Devil Man’s Food.

      China is indeed unique. It’s just its uniqueness, while recognized,

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