Comment on 你好!

• Objection@lemmy.ml ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  This is a fair point. We are quite far along on the brain drain already. I suppose I should take the fact that you think I’m too knowledgeable to possibly be an American as a complement. There are, however, still some intellectuals with a basic knowledge of other countries’ history here, the stereotype that were’re all a bunch of backwards hicks and self-centered chauvanists is only mostly correct.

  I used the phrase “century of humiliation” intentionally to draw a comparison between the two. If you talk to Chinese people (for example on RedNote) a lot of them will tell you that they care about science and advancement, not just for it’s own sake, but because they have the cultural memory of what happened when they didn’t. The century of humiliation is a big reason why the Chinese have got that dog in 'em when it comes to science, while Americans love toying around with antivax shit and similar anti-science ideas because we’re so used to being on top and none of our actions having consequences.

  China had the same kind of backwards traditionalists back in the Qing that we have today, and everyone say that traditional approach get steamrolled by guns and battleships. But we never had that experience. So why not fuck around with forcing Creationism into science textbooks? “What’s the worst that could happen?”

  Just as the Qing dynasty was committed to doing things their way and refusing to adapt to changing conditions or learning from other countries, you see similar tendencies in the US today. As your disbelief attests, people don’t look to other countries to understand why they do what they do or to take any lessons from their history. And those who do are regarded as traitors or spies, just like those in the Qing dynasty who advocated for studying and adopting Western science were. Really, there are a lot of parallels between the two, imo.

  source
• Lemmygradwontallowme@hexbear.net ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  I guess Americans don’t read to even a 4th grade level, I guess? shrug-outta-hecks

  source

  • Letstakealook@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    It isn’t something many Americans would be familiar with nor on the front of their mind to use as an expression. That individual is likely Chinese or has an unusual interest in 19th-century Chinese history for an American. There is no need to be a smug asshole about basic facts.

    source

    • baaaaaaaaaaah@hexbear.net ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      [deleted]

      source

      • Letstakealook@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I assure you it’s not taught as basic history here. Certain events from the period are discussed, but not with that phrasing.

        source

        • -> View More Comments
    • Lemmygradwontallowme@hexbear.net ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      no need to be a smug asshole about basic facts.

      speech-top

      :smuglord:

      source
    • Lemmygradwontallowme@hexbear.net ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      That individual is likely Chinese or has an unusual interest in 19th-century Chinese history for an American.

      That’s your response? i-cant

      I know its a specific historical term for the rapid decline of Qing-era China, but it’s not being a smug asshole, it’s clearly reading what’s on the tin.

      source
• Kuori@hexbear.net ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  don’t be a coward. if you’re going to accuse someone of something say it outright or fuck off. nobody thinks this coy shit is cute.

  source

  • Lemmygradwontallowme@hexbear.net ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    clarification for Kuori’s statement: Letstakealook accuses someone of being un-American, ironic, coming from a European vassal stater who wants father U.S.A to maintain NATO for them

    source
• Kumikommunism@hexbear.net ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  Hilarious to accuse someone of something based on knowing a phrase, while knowing the phrase yourself lmao

  Also, the person you’re responding to never claimed to be American. You are inventing things to argue about.

  source

  • Letstakealook@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    1. I didn’t.

    2. “We’re headed full speed into a century of humiliation.”

    source
• tane@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  I’m American and I’ve been saying this with glee for weeks now lol

  source

  • Trollception@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    That sounds rather unamerican tbh.

    source

    • tane@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Ohhh nooo not that anything but that

      source