| I don’t know how these things wind up on Hacker News, but I oddly appreciate the break from things like “Use Vim to wash your clothes”. 1. There are websites to foster fears of warmongering (or to assure oneself that Red Dawn can never happen) such as Global Firepower. Here is the USA vs China. When I’m feeling unpatriotic, it can be fun to play with this website and imagine the torment we could cause our enemies, despite us not being able to regulate ride-sharing companies. 2. I’m not sure why military expenditures should matter so starkly. If I buy a 10 laser cannons for $1 million, and you spend $50 million on 5 million rifles, I might still beat you with my Stormtrooper weapon. Point is, it matters more on what you’re buying and building - and how you manage projects - than raw costs. 3. This article is not really new. The NY Times made a similar clickbait headline a few years back. The Brookings Institute rebutted it then. 4. The IQ arguments are specious. If IQ won wars, we wouldn’t have any. Also, I’ll take Patton, Lincoln, and Washington over their adversaries of the time, despite their adversaries being noted for their intellect. Lastly, what’s IQ got to do with anything in regards to China, a country that doesn’t reward innovative free enterprise. Their best and brightest aren’t at liberty to try their hand in the marketplace of ideas, but are forced to build what the Party says must be built. And those are just the ones that get found out. I imagine the truly bright minds of China stay in academia, escape, or humbly work the rice fields and keep their head down. I would. Why risk notoriety? 1. https://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-comparison-detail.... 2. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2018/09/10/w... |