Understanding China in a New Way Will Change Your Perspective of the World

I am simple man of average education. Having had a career as an engineer and manager, now I simply sell hot dogs for a living, not being an academic by any stretch of the definition. However, over time I have come to learn that casual observations made by ordinary people are often more telling and informative than those made by academics.

Keep in mind what you are about to read was written by a simple man about simple ideas and simple people making simple conclusions.

Unencumbered by predisposed `learned' theories and principles, the average person makes observations and draws conclusions based solely on their personal experience and instincts. These conclusions are frequently simple, delightfully refreshing, and usually correct.

There are many excellent articles written daily about various instances around the world involving China in some way. One example is an excellent blog written by ConservativGodess at RedState.com that speaks about Chinese chemicals being in Iraqi bunkers and many excellent references to other articles about Chinese influence throughout the world.

It seems that Chinese made arms and weapons of some type have made there way into virtually every third world arsenal, and they have. Silkworm missiles, small arms, the list goes on forever. When we read these facts, the first thing we often ask ourselves is "Why?" Why would China sell arms to these people, why would they give tyrants like Ahmadinejad weapons? Why would they risk the wrath of opinions often unleashed upon them when discoveries like these become public knowledge?

Understanding China and their people the way I have come to understand them is the key changing your perspective entirely. Remembering this little story you are about to read every time you see an article about Chinese technology in the hands of someone dangerous, albeit a person or faction or country, will give reason for their action that is undeniable.

A reporter was in China and taking a guided tour of Tiananmen Square. The tour guide was explaining about the peoples square and pointing to this and that about the area. When she was through with her speech, she turned to the group and asked if there questions.

The reporter had one, of course, and when he asked it, the tour guide fleetingly seemed amazed that he did not know the answer. If was a simple question and the answer was a simple one and she could not understand why the reporter did not know the answer. It was if he had asked her why she spoke Chinese, the answer obviously being that she was Chinese.

The exchange went some thing like this:

"Can you tell me why Tiananmen Square is here?" She said, "I don't understand your question."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I mean why is the square physically located here, not a half a mile down the road or 500 miles west of here? Why is it right here in this exact spot?"

A blank stare that said she could not believe he was so stupid passed over her face and she said, without missing a beat, "Because the Emperor put it here. This is the center of the Universe."

She then turned on her heal and continued the tour.

This casual exchange of words speaks volumes, or rather libraries full of books written by Western man trying to explain the Chinese way of thinking. Certainly, this tour guide was highly trained in what to say and NOT say about specific subjects. This was a simple off the cuff remark made without thinking about the answer. It is not just belief; to them it is a fact, as undisputable as what language they speak. We speak Chinese because we are Chinese; Tiananmen Square is here because it is the center of the Universe, fact instead of belief.

So how does understanding this simple fact help you make sense out of the rest of the world? They [China] are the center of the universe and isolated from the rest of the world. They are unreachable, untouchable and have been for thousands of years. Sure, there have been minor incursions into mainland China, but largely they have remained the same.

They supply arms and technology to both India and Pakistan. Two sides of an on going dispute. They sell missiles and arms to any one with the cash, in the Middle East and around the world. Militant factions in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank, Lebanon; in the South Pacific to Jamal Is lamia, to South America and Cuba; it is all the same to them.

The political arm of the government appeases the western world with memberships in organizations like the United Nations, all the while propping up megalomaniacs like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Saddam Hussein though back channels, secure in the knowledge that China is the center of the universe.

Therefore, the next time you read a news story or a post about some impending crisis and it is reported that China had supplied arms, technology, or money to one or both sides of a conflict, remember the story about the Tiananmen Square tour guide.

So there you have it, a casual observation made by a regular Joe that sells hot dogs on the corner.

Cross posted at The Minority Report