China
Daily Ramble
I’ve been fascinated with the evolution of China ever since traveling in Mexico. Huh?! I stayed with a host in Mexico City who handed me a copy of Henry Kissinger’s On China. Kissinger is not someone I agree with on, well, anything really. But the first part of On China was a history that I’d not uncovered anywhere. It was mind-blowing and continues to influence my perspective on China. Having had some cursory interactions with Chinese businessmen in my solar days, I really couldn’t get my head wrapped around the way they saw the world until I read On China. Then it clicked.
I’ve tested the understanding gleaned from On China with Chinese friends I’ve made in my travels and have consistently been met with surprise. Apparently, there are very few Westerners that get the way the Chinese culture sees the world. I’m going to do my best to summarize a few points here. Why? Because this morning, while listening to the latest Hidden Forces podcast, I heard the situation between the US and China described as a Cold War for the first time. The sooner people realize there's a non-zero possibility of a hot war in the not-so-distant future, the better. Like, in the next couple of years.
It comes down to China’s perspective on itself. The origin myth of China is about the first recorded emperor who reunited the kingdom. Reunited from what? A golden era of unity that preceded the first disintegration of the nation. What this means is that China sees itself as perpetually existing, time without end. There is no start, only a continuation of China’s history of continually falling apart and then recoalescing under the Chinese banner. Fortunately, or unfortunately, that means the Chinese draw their national boundaries much wider than popularly understood based on ancient maps. That’s why Tibet, Taiwan, and Hong Kong are seen as errant states that escaped the fold. It’s destiny that they reunite with mainland China.
In the west, the strategy game being played is Chess. Two opponents line up on opposite sides of the board, fighting for dominance in the center. China’s strategy game is Go, which uses the entire board to encircle your opponent in multiple areas of action. There’s really not a better analog for how the two cultures approach conflict. The framework popularly used in the western media is about China becoming THE superpower and dominating the West. I suspect if China does succeed in its game of global Go, instead, it will look like the days before the British landed on their shores. Satellite states paid homage to the Chinese government in pricey gifts in return for knowledge and blessings of peace from the Chinese, who more or less left the foreign state to do as it wished. Think of it likely a yearly “kiss the ring to ensure you know who’s the boss.”
In my life, China has done nothing but succeed in its aim of “reunification.” Tibet has been absorbed, and the Hong Kong transition is all but complete. Tawain is the last major territory not yet in the fold. It is ground zero for global conflict. Western values of democracy meet the origin story of China in a head-to-head that is likely to rock the world. There are implications if either side blinks right now. The de-escalation of the situation is likely the most important for peace on the planet since neither the people of China or the West really want war, hot or cold.
How can you help? Spread the word and move out of your local currency and into Bitcoin. Why? Because war has to be paid for. See the Q & A below for more.
Favorite Things on the Interwebs Today
Bitcoin Price Prediction
Yesterday: $52.3k - $57.2k
Today: $53k - $58k
Tomorrow: $55k - $60k
It’s been a stellar recovery for Bitcoin, jumping almost 8% after being down 6% yesterday. We reached $53k before starting our bounce and are currently trading at $57.5k. I suspect we’re topping here, though, and don’t see us pushing past $58k today. Tomorrow, we’ll likely be targeting $60k. I suspect this choppy consolidation to continue for a bit longer. Again, until we break either $50k or $60k, we’re consolidating before our next move.
Bitcoin Q & A
Q: Can Bitcoin have an impact on violence?
A: Absolutely.
The global adoption of Bitcoin will inevitably lead to constraints on governments’ ability to print money. Historically, one of the prime justifications for printing more money is the costs of war. When a nation’s participants are forced to pay for war directly from taxation, it becomes politically difficult to justify.
Thanks for reading,
Kent
Do you have questions or a “Favorite Thing on the Interwebs”? Comment below or reply to the newsletter to reach me.
If you’re not on the email list, subscribe now — just this newsletter, no advertising.
Me? I offer personal and corporate Bitcoin Implementation Strategies: setup, investing strategy, security, tax management, and inheritance. Contact me for a free initial consultation.