Comment on So, is the USA screwed?
BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 3 days agohe Koreans, Taiwanese, Japanese, Pinoy, Vietnamese, Malays will be surprised to hear that.
Oh my mistake, I didn’t realize I was talking to the collective lemmy account of the people of Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Pinoy, Vietnam, and Malay.
Oh wait, I’m not. I’m talking to an arrogant westerner who feels entitled to tell non-westerners what their opinions are, and to tell them that actually they would be no worse off if America was bombing them and taking over.
You are aware that China invaded Vietnam after the USA left?
Notice how you have to go back half a century, to an example that is not nearly as bad as what America did.
You are ignorant of the regional policies.
No, you’re just a denialist about how brutal western colonialism actually is. You’re not ignorant of it though, you’re an apologist for it, desperately trying to redefine the word so it seems no worse than infrastructure deals.
Tuuktuuk@sopuli.xyz 2 days ago
You probably meant this is an answer to me, so I’ll reply.
What I mean is that for example France supporting undemocratic regimes in Africa in order to get cheaper minerals and cheaper cocoa and cheaper bananas is colonialism. It does not mean that it is as bad as what France used to do in the past. And it’s not even as bad as France still retaining several actual colonies. But it is still bad. And it is colonialism. It would be colonialism even if France did not have any formal colonies around the world.
And when China does in 2025 what France is now, in 2025, doing with now-independent countries that used to be its formal colonies, then both of those are colonialism in the same manner. If what China is doing is okay, then that part of what France is doing is also okay. And I do not like the idea of accepting European countries’ colonialism, not even a little bit.
Being bombed is worse than being economically abused, absolutely. But it does not mean that abusing a country economically is okay. I do not like it at all that cocoa and bananas are as cheap here in Europe as they are. That luxury of low prices is coming from other people’s lack of well-being. And someone doing something even worse does not make this bad thing any better. At least in my opinion.
For what I understand, in reality we two think much more alike than you think we do.