socialist china

"America has 170 million people, we have several times that number, plentiful resources, and a similar climate; catching up is possible. Should we catch up? Of course we should, or else what are you 600 million people doing? … In another 50 or 60 years, we should be ahead of them." -Mao 

In 1950, average life expectancy in China was only 36 years. This blew me away, I didn't realize it was that bad. That's dark ages, even prehistoric. In the US, it was almost 70, even then. By 1975, life expectancy in China shot up to 63, while inching up to 72 in the US. I understand better now why older people think China's such a miserable place, but they're a little behind the times. Most of the world has come a long way in the same time frame, but none so far as China.

Twenty five years later, the US was still looking ok. Life expectancy went up another few years, with China only a few years behind. Now, China continues to advance with no sign of slowing down. In recent years, they've pulled ahead of us, as life expectancy in the US declines. 

The decline here is not the result of anything particularly recent. This is the impact of a political shift that happened back in the 70s, shortly after I was born. A shift that continues unabated to this day, as consequences continue to mount. It's been getting worse my entire life. It would take a massive course change for things to even begin the decades long process of turning around, and no such change is happening.

Who was king of China during that meteoric advancement of life expectancy itself? Oft compared to Hitler, Chairman Mao. Those statistics on life expectancy alone should give you pause. Holy shit, have I been lied to?

Yes. Chinese and Russian government officials alike refer to the US as the Empire of Lies. They lie all the goddamn time. This is the most important lesson I've learned in my longstanding efforts to figure out what the fuck is going on. If you believe any of it, you're falling for bullshit, I'm telling you. From Israel to Ukraine, from inflation to omicron, you've got to put in the time to sort it all out, because if you don't, you're better off not paying attention at all. 

Sometimes I stop paying attention myself, but it can be hard to turn away from watching the worst train wreck ever. Especially when I have nothing better to do, as the world seems to be coming apart. I keep thinking it's just me, but then I hear other people saying the same sorts of things all over the place. Sometimes it feels like we may only have a few years left. The way Biden's been desperately threatening Russia, China, and Iran, all at once, I'm thinking we may not even have that long. 

Or maybe this is just the virulent mindset of living through the death throes of an empire of lies.