Bombs and pianos
Filed under International Trends / Also relates to China
According to Rod Dreher over at the CrunchyCon blog, the United States of America is spending six times more on defense than China. At the same time, China has six times as many school children learning a classical instrument than the U.S. does.
While classical music training might not have a direct correlation with national power, I agree with Mr. Dreher’s clarification comment “the Chinese are developing discipline and craftsmanship, and the moral and mental qualities required for long-term success. We’re becoming impulsive.”
Considering one-third of the world’s population resides in China and India it is not surprising they have higher numbers. Regardless of how you view the rise of China (and India) I think it is important to realize the growing trend in America encouraging lazier thinking.
Moving forward
We need to fight our natural ethnocentric tendencies and the assumptions that accompany them. There have been significant power shifts throughout history and there no doubt will be more in the future. We will do well as a nation to try to identify factors contributing to our nations decline as well as those making us strong. On a political level we should seek to become citizens (and elect people) who understand that these current international trends will likely impact future decades.
What do you think these current trends mean for the US’s role in the world over the coming years?
Posted by Brandon Muth
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