Post #2832721

2026-05-13 20:49 UTC

@gatesvp@mstdn.ca, I’m sorry, but this answer doesn’t even rise to the level of silly. There is no comparison, nor basis for comparison. Germany in 1945 was utterly wrecked. Its economy away in tatters, its industrial base destroyed. And it suffered from brain drain as its Jewish intellectuals and scientists fled persecution. How does that compare to an inept maladministration in the US? China remains an authoritarian system. Do not assume that is a strength.

Replies (2)

@gatesvp@mstdn.ca 2026-05-13 21:08

@jklowden@mastodon.social and yet here's Charlie Stress talking about the British Equivalent https://wandering.shop/@cstross/116568895741504344 You are correct in that this is not the output of some war. But we don't fight all of our wars with guns today. The US has been the world's leader for more than five decades on the back of a multi-pronged approach to supremacy. They had the most powerful military, the most advanced technology, the best financial system, World leading productivity, leadership roles in all of the most important governing committees of the world. Those leadership positions are all falling. They have the most expensive military, but it is not obviously the most powerful. They are no longer the world technology leaders, that's China, by a tremendous amount. The financial system is based on a mountain of government debt whose interest payments are becoming non-sustainably high, while the president enriches himself with cryptocurrency schemes. They've stepped down from the governance of important institutions... /1

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@cshlan@dawdling.net 2026-05-14 22:34

@jklowden@mastodon.social @gatesvp@mstdn.ca Not economically, but in regards to influence. I agree with you on China. I expect the next however long to be a time of middle powers and alliances and I'm honestly looking forward to it, although I understand we'll have a rocky go to get things stable and it might not work out.

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