Can Pakistan understand China?

[muse]

There is a thread on the Strategic board by the Title "Why my father hated India" --- On that thread we argued that the author, unintentionally I think, had highlighted a absolutely illuminating reality, namely the effect of re-ordering the priority assigned to different values -- The author making the point comparing the Development Pakistan of the 50 and 60's to the Socialist India of that time and Islamizing Pakistan and Economic liberizing(not sure that's a word, but you know what I mean) in India -- in both cases we pointed to the re-ordering of the priority accorded to certain values -- Consider:

Did not the same thing occur with the Cultural Revolution and great leap forward of Mao and the "Glorious to be Rich" of Dung Shiao Ping? And is not Mr. Ahmad pointing to the same in his piece??

 

[Chogy]

I think you are seriously overestimating us.

I don't think we have any intrinsic advantage in long-term thinking. Witness the past two centuries, where China was crushed and humilated at every turn.

Which is why I pointed out that sometimes the long-term plan is the wrong one. But patience and planning are still admirable qualities.

 

[rubyjackass]

I think Kissinger almost nailed it. There's some room for argument, but he expresses thoughts well. Asian mind and culture is definitely different than that of the West. Probably most admirable is the ability to think and plan for long term. Political patience. But as Japan discovered, despite their planning which created the miracle that was the Meiji Restoration, sometimes the plan's goal is not beneficial.

I disagree. Human thinking is the same whatever the race or region is. It however is hugely influenced by the baggage of history(this Kissinger uses sometimes as a factor). It is just that we are too lazy to find out what other guys have gone through and not gone through. Actually it is not just about experience, it is also what we are taught in schools.