this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2023
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First, China has 5 times as many homeless people as the US (it's higher per-capita in the US, but the total amount is much less, and I'm not saying the US doesn't have a homeless problem, it does, but so does China).
Second, the idea that it is preferable to give up all freedoms of speech, political thought, activism, etc in exchange for housing is truly dystopian, neither of those options are good.
The US opioid crisis is a combination of many factors, partially due to big pharma getting millions hooked on supposedly 'non-addictive' opioids, as well it being wildly profitable to smuggle fentanyl into the country, a complete failure to respond adequately to the issue on almost every front, and it doesn't help that we're bordering a country that is virtually controlled by drug cartels, to the great suffering of their people as well.
Are drug addicts free? They're certainly beholden to their addiction, but at least it's possible to avoid drugs, where as the rest of the population is still far more politically free than ALL citizens of China.
Are the Uyghurs free in China? Are the underclass of workers forced to work like slaves to the point of some companies needing to put up suicide nets around their building free? Were the Tianenmen Square protestors turned to mush by tanks and washed down the drains free?
You know what? I'm actually sure that's true. But just because they've been economically beneficial to your country doesn't mean they aren't morally fucked themselves.
Yes! The US did completely fuck any chance of South America from thriving. the US government really IS an evil force on many parts of the world, but please do not make a black & white decision that China isn't that bad either, they're a good trading partner, many countries have created deep economic ties with them, including the US, but if they could take the US's place and swing their dick around politically, they absolutely would.
If you do nothing else, please, just watch the Tiananmen Square video I linked.