The future of China and America
In October of 2005, China launched a manned spacecraft into orbit with two brave Chinese men on board. On that day, China became an official a member of the elite group of countries attempting to explore the "final frontier." They should, in my opinion be congratulated and warmly welcomed.
From a purely humanist standpoint, I am always pleased when I see any country enter space because I happen to believe that the future survival of our entire race depends upon our ability to expand and gain footholds on other planets. It is often pointed out that the Chinese symbol for disaster and opportunity is the same. That speaks volumes about the wisdom of the ancient Chinese culture. Space exploration by China is an opportunity for America to begin a new and very positive relationship with China. Space programs are enormously expensive, and partnering with other nations is a way we can build bridges between cultures that will eventually erode cultural barriers, and open doors for future cooperative programs of great significance for the mutual survival of our human race.
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NASA is preparing to return to the moon again. Returning with an international contingent to build a permanent presence there would be a monumental achievement for humanity. Imagine what could be accomplished if the cost and participation in such a program were shared by China instead of being shouldered entirely by America and the West.
Americans in my generation grew up consumed by trepidation over the possibility that the vast and enigmatic communist culture would eventually come to dominate the world. I still recall a full page ad in Saturday Review magazine back in 1965 that simply said:
LEARN CHINESE NOW!
The idea being of course, that China was coming and Americans had best get ready.
However, the more I learn about China and the Chinese people, the less concern I have. Economically and scientifically, China will of course remain a major force to deal with in decades to come, but the cold war mentality seems to be fading into history as China recognizes and embraces the power of capitalism. For the most part, China wants the same thing for their citizens that America wants for their citizens; financial success, peace and security.
America is unique because it is a melting pot of people from all other cultures. For this reason, most Americans love and value diverse cultures and believe they make the world a much more interesting place to live. Chinese people are respected for their long and colorful culture, and because history has established that Chinese people are extremely capable and creative when it comes to adapting to challenge and surviving. These gifts are likely to come in handy for China in years to come. For despite the great internal economic progress China has made recently, they continue to face enormous challenges. It is estimated that nearly 45% of the billion-plus people in China still live in poverty and even the quickly emerging middle class still lags far behind the west in terms of annual income. Chinese economy is growing so fast that serious damage is being inflicted on their country's ecology. These will be difficult and expensive issues to correct in years to come.
Americans care though, and they are watching. China has been a part of American culture since Chinese immigrants first came to America to help build our railroads and develop their own communities. Today, Chinese Americans make up more than 10 percent of the population in many American communities and that number is growing fast. In years to come, Chinese culture will become so significant that it is likely that China and America will become veritable extensions of each other.
Our perspective determines our reality. The future is always uncertain but every day is another opportunity to resolve issues and advance toward a goal of mutual cooperation. Such goals can remain dreams or they can become realities. The choice is up to us. China has already proved it can make a long march. It is simply a matter of learning from the past and applying that same kind of commitment, discipline and desire to a clearly defined set of goals that will become the new reality for China and America. The tools for this are economic partnerships, diplomatic discussions and individual friendships that reach across the Pacific to demonstrate kindness and compassion.
Cooperation, compassion and communication are the three C's of survival and growth. Domination is dangerous and destructive but the temptation to use domination as a shortcut to establish and enforce the will of the minority on the majority has always been with us. At some point we need to learn from the mistakes of our past and move forward with a degree of humility and wisdom. With few exceptions, all humans innately desire to live together in mutual respect and peace. Our new reality must therefore incorporate those fundamental human desires if we expect it to endure.
The Africans say; " When elephants fight, the grass is crushed. " Today the civilized world is involved in confrontations with cultures seeking to draw us back into the darkness of domination. Islamic fundamentalists are committed to using terror to convert or kill every other person in the world who refuses to bow to their views. Others are focused on merely dominating the powerless masses that reside within the borders of their own countries. We know who they are and we watch with horror as victims suffer and die. Without doubt, these are serious challenges that we must work together to overcome. The question is though, what do we have to offer in exchange ? When we win this battle, do we have a plan to motivate the survivors to leave their anger behind and move forward with us in dignity and peace ? In order to accomplish that, we must commit ourselves to understanding one another through cooperation, compassion and communication.
H. G Wells, the renowned futurist and science fiction writer said, " History is a race between education and catastrophe." If those of us who embrace human goodness identify those who do not and commit ourselves to educating them, we may be able to avoid the kind of human catastrophe that will destroy our species.
Both the choice and the journey are ours to make.
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