The Power of Information
Rivalry vs Antagonism
The situation we find the United States and China embroiled in is intensifying in recent months with the spy balloon and export bans on semiconductors and related materials from the US to China. At the G20, it looked as though relations between the US and Chinese were improving as we saw a Xi-Biden handshake. But in this fast-moving geopolitical environment, this didn’t last long.
The G20 meeting between the two implied both countries recognised the importance of rivalry, but not antagonism. The tit-for-tat antagonisms appear to have returned to geopolitics. The bridge that was being constructed has been blown to smithereens. Note, the bridge was probably made of paper and was inevitably going to collapse under the strain of these two geopolitical powerhouses. So why are we back into antagonism? Power. Those who have it want to maintain it, and those who want more seek more.
Human Nature For Power?
Humans desire power because of the competition instilled in society. Everyone compares themselves to others, not themselves from yesterday (one of my favourite principles). But this never stops. There’s always somebody doing better than you, just as there is always someone who isn’t doing as well as you.
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