[Destro]

Modern China's growth is due to its adoption of Western civilizational attributes - right down to having Chinese kids flocking to learn classical music to the exclusion of traditional Chinese instruments.

What you said of course is true - but you are incorrect it does not matter in the mong run. It does matter in the sense we can learn from history. For example will future generations consider our space missions in the same way we know talk about the Chinese exploring the world and then ending all exploration? That was just an example - for argument's sake.

[Wudan Master]

re # 86
Knowledge and information flows between civilizations
The Chinese invented paper, gun-powder, compass, and this spreads around.
The WEst invented a lot of modern stuff and this spreads around too
And this process will go on and on---the exchange of ideas and knowledge between peoples
One of the resason the Chinese stagnated in the 17th -the 19th Century was because of a devious scheme by their own Emperors to keep the peasants poor and illiterate, in order to prevent any uprising against their despotic rule

Today, the Govt seems to at least provide universal education