The need for the US to understand the philosophy of Chinese thought is critical.
Non-Western critical thinking
From a philosophical perspective, this need seems like a no-brainer. The need to understand is obvious, as by 2030 China should have the largest economy in the world.
It seems that Donald Trump is not aware of the differences between the PRC (People's Republic of China) and the Republic of China (a fully democratic state that looks after several dependencies like Taiwan etc.)
What politicians need to understand is the basic philosophical history of China and how China truly thinks and understands.
More than fortune cookies
Very few colleges in the US teach this philosophy of Daosim or Confucianism, and it's about time they started doing so. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly Chinese philosophy has a lot to offer the West. There is more to Chinese philosophy than cracking open a fortune cookie. In reality the philosophy has a rich almost Socratic careful analysis of all the facts. Confucian ethics provokes a deep understanding of family and provides guidance for future behaviour. Parents have a large responsibility alongside governments that nurture these environments.
Secondly is cultural diversity. We need to get philosophy departments away from European Western thinking and get them on the Eastern track. One cannot live on a diet of pre-Socratic thinkers like Parmenides for example.
With the Chinese building the modern version of The Silk Road, this economic powerhouse is expanding across Eurasia. The US need not worry that it may fail to understand others, but rather worry that others may fail to understand it.
This is a great article. I'm curious... besides Taiwan, where else is the Republic of China significant in numbers, influence and power?
There are a few smaller islands in the South China Sea that are currently in dispute with various other nations.
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Great post man. keep up the good work.ðŸ˜ðŸ’²
@mindhunter
Thanks @tranguyen ;)
The older a culture is, the wiser their philosophers seem to be. People in the west have a tendency to judge other countries by recent events and ignore the rich history.
The Western mindset is very short term orientated, with plans for the next financial 1/4 etc.
The Chinese plan for years and decades into the future and have a big picture mentality. Is it any wonder they have caught up the west and will soon overtake us.
They are happy to follow our lead with fiat currency creation and inflation whilst planning for the next stage by buying up and hoarding gold.
Might be a good idea to start learning Mandarin me thinks.
Nice post buddy.
Morning Percy, yes!, the Chinese are indeed helicopter thinkers when it comes to philosophy and people in the West get that mystic feel because of it - time to remove those short term blinkers!
I wished for this to big longer ;p but nonetheless great effort for such a great subject, by all means the subject of the century. How will the West meet the East and if they ever will ?.. Funny think is that I was posting some meme about "yu rack a disciprine" lol..the web is full of it...lol I even made mine "yu muss haf a disciprine...if yu haf a headeck don tek asprin.." I also been telling my family about a story of a chinese farmer:
So will the East meet the West?
..maybe