Posted on 02/17/2018 8:09:32 AM PST by EdnaMode
There is a whole lot to like about Marvels $200 million Black Panther, and almost as much not to like. For starters, director and co-writer Ryan Coogler does an A+ job of world building (more on this later). In addition, the soundtrack and score also deserve an A+. Then there are the actors, the best cast yet assembled in all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (by far). Black Panther is set in the fictional Wakanda, an idyllic country hidden in the heart Africa thanks to an alien metal called vibranium. This resource (delivered eons ago by way of a meteor) not only gives Wakanda the ability to disguise itself as a third-world country (and therefore remain blissfully ignored by the outside world), but to enjoy an extraordinary standard of living through the miracles of technology and science.
The real Wakanda looks like an African country open markets, vibrant colors, the architecture, the love of long-held traditions But if you look closer, everyone enjoys the lifestyle of a Silicon Valley billionaire.
Wakanda is ruled by King TChalla (Chadwick Boseman), who is also known as the Black Panther. TChalla is big on border security, believes Wakanda and Wakandans should come first, and fiercely protects his countrys culture from outsiders, including refugees. If this is all starting to sound familiar, it should. Also like President Donald Trump, TChallas beliefs are not based on race. This is not a black thing. This is a culture/survival thing.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Rather China fell behind because:
If china had retained its multiple warring kingdoms period along with the technology and openness of the Tang and early Ming dynasties, they would have gone very far.
China never remained divided into nation-states, and divided the Earth into familiar and foreign. There was a focus on ruling the familiar neighboring states (even the writing system is geared to making sure the same message can be read in multiple languages, a remarkable accomplishment) and minimizing contact with the outside world. And as you said, a centralized state -- that means, whatever puts the Emperor in a good light and keeps his ass fat and happy, is considered good. No upward mobility is permitted. Look at the pretty fireworks? Here's what they look like coming from the barrel of a cannon of a European man-o-war.
The British and Portuguese tried to crack into the Chinese market, but even then it wasn't a free trade zone. The British concern over the trade imbalance (mostly due to their newfound addiction to tea) led to the introduction of opium to the Chinese market, which in a very real way led to the shredding of the imperial polity. Moving tea production to British India disrupted the economy. Exposure to western political ideas ushered in the diasters of the 20th century.
Though China wasn’t an export-dependent economy prior to the 21st century.
The Chinese have been a rat on a wheel, forced to keep their currency stable vs the US$, in order to maintain the trade surplus, and one way they've done that is to buy US gubmint debt. Better to have jobs here than to enable Congressional overspending -- but that ability to sustain budget deficits indefinitely is why there was no problem passing Most Favored Nation status even after the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Okay, I just looked at the topic name... now I just have to go back to see how this wound up starting in here. :^)
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