There are about 11,000 identified species of birds on Earth, and many more subspecies. The reason for this diversity is that each represents an optimized adaptation to a local environment. And Earth has a near infinite diversity of local environments. Ditto for the various cohorts of Homo sapiens found on our planet. Each represents an optimized adaptation to local circumstances and fitness drivers. No one expects to find equatorial bird species inhabiting the Arctic, because they would not be well suited for those conditions. The Chinese are a cohort of Homo sapiens. They evolved in the region we call China. They are unique to that environment and the history of their evolution. That uniqueness is what has "worked" for them. It likely would not be as successful in other environments. Trying to impose Western attributes onto the Chinese is therefore harmful to them and vice versa. There is no "one size fits all" for humanity. Trying to force that is an attack on thousands of years of evolutionary adaptation and contrary to what "works" locally. And no, Chinese are not better than everyone else, but they are better suited for their ancestral environment than non Chinese.
Even though I also disagree with Mearsheimer, it should be pointed out that Mearsheimer doesn't advocate containing China: instead, he thinks it's inevitable that the US will try to do that. (I disagree with him on the inevitability of that.)
Clearly the US empire is on its way down. I just hope it or Israel doesn't launch nukes as they go. They certainly don't have to. They can just start acting like every other country in the world. Unfortunately, it seems they require a military defeat or an economic collapse to learn that.
Mark, with all due respect (and a ton is due) I think YOU are a consortium! No one person can possibly cover as much territory as you do. I know I do not have the time to keep up with you even as just a reader. I suspect credit is due to a person named Mary Ellen. And your views are suspiciously aligned with one Michael Hudson:
Thank you so much for all you do. You make/take the time to intelligently educate all of us with knowledge far beyond what we would be able to easily obtain otherwise. The value of what you do cannot be measured in terms of its effects but I think all of us know how important it is. And you do all this without the expectation of compensation (either monetarily or in any other way). God bless you and your efforts to reveal and share the truth. Thank you.
Yes, it's good to see Mark and Michael converging sometimes. Michael has taught many seminars in Chinese universities and understands Chinese political economy pertty well.
Hardest working man in truth-biz, but the draw for me for so many years is a singular mind so deft and consistent across our theology, history and culture, whether it was pre-Enlightenment or 5 minutes ago, that the intellectual rigor and honesty is unparalleled. Only guy I will trust for running all the traps when I’m short on time to pull all sources, Mark has saved me thousands in subscriptions and hours. The New Yorker in me hopes for a day when we can all smash the pledge button to send three generations of Waucks on an ultra-luxury Central European river cruise...and nobody ever talks about it again. 😂 Like to settle debts..
I suspect that Mearsheimer, whom I admire, is like a lot of us: he recognises the true evil of the US Zionist empire but finds it hard to imagine a world where the US is no longer top dog.
I’ve always liked how Mark refers to Mearsheimer as “the Prof,” ie the ideal teacher, Socratic in method, with that “pince sans rire” rigorous approach but with office hours meant to encourage exchange and discussion with his students. Those were the days in the American academy, and he is one of the last great minds. Tx to Judge Nap for his ongoing commitment to engage with him, and tx to Mark for probing his views on China.
Russia did not annex Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces in September, 2022 and Crimea in 2014. All five areas held internationally-monitored elections, attended by large majorities, that voted in large majorities to secede from the Ukraine. After those elections, the Duma accepted their applications to become part of the Russian Federation, again in the case of Crimea.
https://substack.com/@reeceashdown/note/p-165274715?r=5qrbeg&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
There are about 11,000 identified species of birds on Earth, and many more subspecies. The reason for this diversity is that each represents an optimized adaptation to a local environment. And Earth has a near infinite diversity of local environments. Ditto for the various cohorts of Homo sapiens found on our planet. Each represents an optimized adaptation to local circumstances and fitness drivers. No one expects to find equatorial bird species inhabiting the Arctic, because they would not be well suited for those conditions. The Chinese are a cohort of Homo sapiens. They evolved in the region we call China. They are unique to that environment and the history of their evolution. That uniqueness is what has "worked" for them. It likely would not be as successful in other environments. Trying to impose Western attributes onto the Chinese is therefore harmful to them and vice versa. There is no "one size fits all" for humanity. Trying to force that is an attack on thousands of years of evolutionary adaptation and contrary to what "works" locally. And no, Chinese are not better than everyone else, but they are better suited for their ancestral environment than non Chinese.
"And ya gotta take a guy with 14 lives seriously"
Killed 14 times? Blimey!
He certainly gives the Ghost of Kiev a run for his money in notoriety. 😂
Even though I also disagree with Mearsheimer, it should be pointed out that Mearsheimer doesn't advocate containing China: instead, he thinks it's inevitable that the US will try to do that. (I disagree with him on the inevitability of that.)
Clearly the US empire is on its way down. I just hope it or Israel doesn't launch nukes as they go. They certainly don't have to. They can just start acting like every other country in the world. Unfortunately, it seems they require a military defeat or an economic collapse to learn that.
Mark, with all due respect (and a ton is due) I think YOU are a consortium! No one person can possibly cover as much territory as you do. I know I do not have the time to keep up with you even as just a reader. I suspect credit is due to a person named Mary Ellen. And your views are suspiciously aligned with one Michael Hudson:
https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2025/06/22/michael-hudson-war-iran-us-unipolar-control/
Thank you so much for all you do. You make/take the time to intelligently educate all of us with knowledge far beyond what we would be able to easily obtain otherwise. The value of what you do cannot be measured in terms of its effects but I think all of us know how important it is. And you do all this without the expectation of compensation (either monetarily or in any other way). God bless you and your efforts to reveal and share the truth. Thank you.
Yes, it's good to see Mark and Michael converging sometimes. Michael has taught many seminars in Chinese universities and understands Chinese political economy pertty well.
Hardest working man in truth-biz, but the draw for me for so many years is a singular mind so deft and consistent across our theology, history and culture, whether it was pre-Enlightenment or 5 minutes ago, that the intellectual rigor and honesty is unparalleled. Only guy I will trust for running all the traps when I’m short on time to pull all sources, Mark has saved me thousands in subscriptions and hours. The New Yorker in me hopes for a day when we can all smash the pledge button to send three generations of Waucks on an ultra-luxury Central European river cruise...and nobody ever talks about it again. 😂 Like to settle debts..
I suspect that Mearsheimer, whom I admire, is like a lot of us: he recognises the true evil of the US Zionist empire but finds it hard to imagine a world where the US is no longer top dog.
I’ve always liked how Mark refers to Mearsheimer as “the Prof,” ie the ideal teacher, Socratic in method, with that “pince sans rire” rigorous approach but with office hours meant to encourage exchange and discussion with his students. Those were the days in the American academy, and he is one of the last great minds. Tx to Judge Nap for his ongoing commitment to engage with him, and tx to Mark for probing his views on China.
Russia did not annex Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces in September, 2022 and Crimea in 2014. All five areas held internationally-monitored elections, attended by large majorities, that voted in large majorities to secede from the Ukraine. After those elections, the Duma accepted their applications to become part of the Russian Federation, again in the case of Crimea.