11/22/2015

Kishore Mahbubani– What happens when China becomes Number One?

Kishore spoke at Harvard on the above topic at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University on 8 April 15.  The lecture is now available on you tube,      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzOHdvNFjrE

I spent one hour listening to this absorbing lecture and it was time well spent. His talk was only 25 min with the rest on Q&A with very engaging questions and answers. I would rate this as one of the best lectures delivered by Kishore.

I would highly recommend commentor, Chris Brickhill, to listen to what Kishore had said about the rise of China and the decline of the USA in particular and the rise of Asia versus the decline of the western powers in general. It is not so much as a case of whose culture is more superior, so people like Chris BrickHill need not feel uncomfortable or embarrassed that his western culture was shot down to pieces. It was all about the renaissance of Asian civilizations that have got back up on their feet and rebuilding their own countries by the sheer size of population and human enterprise and industry.

And many of the new realities mentioned by Kishore must have caught his mainly American audience by surprise, though simple truths but never spoken on, not wanting to see or know, very much like Chris Brickhill. One startling comment by Kishore is how isolated and ill informed the Americans were about world affairs to the point of ignorance built around arrogance, self deception and reinforcement of views they wanted to believe and not the realities.


It was an excellent lecture and the Americans in the audience deserved to be lectured by Kishore to look at the new world that has changed and leaving them behind without the Americans knowing it. By the end of the lecture they really appreciated what Kishore had told them, a perspective that hit them like a lightning bolt. And then there was light.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

So u think after the Kishore's speech, the tense situation in the South China Sea will be reduced?

If that is the case, I think straightaway Kishore deserve to be the next PM of Singapore, or the next Secretary General of the United Nations.

If not, I think Kishore'speech will be as good as one made by Dr Chee Soon Juan.

Anonymous said...

Good speech will not made any impact unless you are someone of power, money, status.

Anonymous said...

Good speech will not made any impact unless you are someone of power, money, status.
Anon 10:40 a.m.

Tiok. But should have added "real" in front of impact to make it better. Because impact can be of many kinds.

Anonymous said...

Does size of population matter that much?? Both China and India will remain in the foreseeable future with GDP per head only a fraction of that of the USA. I thought the country with the leading edge in innovation and technology will prevail; not shear size of GDP. That's why Kishore's optimism about SG is wrong. Like China, India and Japan before them, SG is but a copycat and mass production factory and will go down the sewer in time if it's economy is not restructured.

Anonymous said...

Is Kishore's salary paid by Singaporean taxpayers?
If yes, why not talk about Singapore topics instead?

"What happens when Workers' Party Becomes Number One?"

How about this imaginary juxtaposition of redbean's article:

"I would highly recommend PAPIGS to listen to what Kishore had said about the rise of Workers' Party and the decline of the PAP in particular and the rise of competency of Workers' Party candidates versus the decline of quality of PAP candidates and Ministers in general"

Anonymous said...

"What happens when Workers' Party Becomes Number One?"
Anon 12:38 p.m.

If Workers' Party did not become Number One by now, it will never will.

If RB did not contest elections till now, he will never will. Tiok bo, RB?

Anonymous said...

Back in the 1990's.
When Japan was the rising power in both Asia and in the western democracy.
A Mr Ezra Vogel wrote his then very famous book "Japan as Number One: Lessons for America" in September 1999.

http://www.amazon.com/Japan-Number-One-Lessons-America/dp/1583484108

Americans are always ready to listen to new ideas.
They listened.
Where is Japan today?

And now Mr Kishore and Mr redbean is singing the same song.
Instead of Japan, we now have "China as Number One"

Mark my words.
It will not happen.

Americans have one enduring cultural characteristic that Asian cultures like Japan, China and PAP do not have.
The humility to listen, reflect, debate and re-invent themselves into something new.

The Americans are willing to come and listen to Kishore lecture them on "China as Number One" in Harvard University no less.
- and Kishore did not even need security guards to protect him from radical American patriots.

Do you think the PRC Chinese or Japanese are willing to listen to an American lecture them in their respective premiere universities in Japan and China on the topic "America as Number One"?
- do you think such an American person would need security to protect him from radical PRC and Japanese patriots?

China's rise in economic power has not been accompanied by any new ability to re-invent itself culturally or politically.
The system is deaf to all criticism.

- just like PAP is deaf to all criticism
- for 10 years, Singaporeans have been telling PAP the MRT is problematic
- and now 10 years later, has anything changed?
- Problem started with PAP Minister Raymond Lim, then Lui Tuck Yew and now Khaw Boon Wan
- problem is still unsolved
- Transport problems in one of the smallest countries in the world ... are you kidding me?
Is the problem that difficult?

Anonymous said...

"Transport problems in one of the smallest countries in the world ... are you kidding me? Is the problem that difficult?"
Anon 1:02 p.m.

Problem become that difficult because PAP want to make money.

Life for Sinkies in Singapore will also be difficult if they do not have enough money.

So it's all about money.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

I must admit, not being a Kishore fan, I dod not waste any time on the lecture. Frankly, if (when) China becomes "Number 1" (whatever the fuck that means) nothing much will change for most of us.

However, many folks in places like Africa will be speaking Mandarin. And since China girls are amongst the "most bangable" in the world (don't believe me? Check the internet for Chinese chicks being banged left right and center 👌 ) there will be lots and lots of mixed, interracial babies, which is EXCELLENT for the global gene pool.

Anonymous said...

Americans can elect a Barrack Obama as President.
- Barrack comes from a race whose historical origins in America are that of slaves.

Will China ever elect a Tibetan or Chinese Muslim as leader in China?
Will Japan ever elect a Japanese of Ainu origin as leader?
Will Myannmar ever elect a person of Rohingya origin as leader?

Will Singaporeans ever elect a non-PAP connected person as Prime Minister or President?

Asians are many hundreds of years behind the western democracies in social and democratic development.
All we have is just money to flaunt and paper over our shortcomings.
Before we criticize America and western democracies.
Take a good long hard look in the mirror at ourselves.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:02,
You are insanely ignorant of the Americans and Chinese. American humility? I think there is an American here called Chris Brickhill and from his post you will know what is arrogance out of ignorance, just like you.

Kishore said in his lecture he was invited by two Chinese think tanks in China and they asked him a simple question, what did China did wrong. And asked Kishore for his views on how to put them right. His lectures at Harvard was not to a think tank but a public lecture to faculties and students.

You American also? Or American fart?

For your info, China is already Number One economically according to IMF. And by the end of this decade, their Number One position would be unchallenged.

Go and see how China is advancing in science and technoklogy, the fastest high speed train, several new advanced fighter aircraft that are as good as the Americans and many more on the drawing board.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@ 121:

>> Asians are many hundreds of years behind the western democracies in social and democratic development. <<

"Hundreds of years behind?" Fucking Wrong!

Asian societies have kept to the more conservative "family-as-the-main-social-unit", and developed many of its social institutions from that philosophy. I would say that the social institutions are more robust. Yes, they are also "conservtive" and more resistant to change with the times...but hey, you get some good and some bad.

What's so great about "democracy" anyway? Many western democratic cuntrees are over their heads in debt. "Democratic development" has more or less been taxing people and redistributing the dough mainly as welfare for the middle class, such that "democratic" elections are all about who to legally rob (by taxation) and who gets the goodies for "free".

>> All we have is just money to flaunt and paper over our shortcomings. <<

Don't knock it. SE Asia was the poorest region in the world for hundreds of years. Now, many of us not only have money, but money to FLAUNT on big weddings, ridiculously expensive cars, mega-mansions..., and money to "bail out" fuckers in shit. How is this a "bad" thing?

>> Before we criticize America and western democracies.
Take a good long hard look in the mirror at ourselves. <<


Oh fuck off, have a drink or a joint and lighten up. Having the freedom and the internet is means that you can criticise, so go for it and enjoy yourself.

Anonymous said...

/// Go and see how China is advancing in science and technoklogy, the fastest high speed train, several new advanced fighter aircraft that are as good as the Americans and many more on the drawing board. ///
November 22, 2015 1:34 p.m.

It all depends on what you use to measure to determine number 1 position.

I've lived long enough to hear similar arguments to support the thesis of "Japan as Number One" in the 1980s and 1990s.

Heck.
I've even lived long enough to remember Singaporeans and PAP Ministers in the 1970s talk of Singapore as the hub and centre of Asia to the PRC people.
Sounds pretty hollow now.

Anonymous said...

/// Don't knock it. SE Asia was the poorest region in the world for hundreds of years. Now, many of us not only have money, but money to FLAUNT on big weddings, ridiculously expensive cars, mega-mansions..., and money to "bail out" fuckers in shit. How is this a "bad" thing? ///
November 22, 2015 1:45 p.m.

And this is a two minute video of Bill Gates (American), one of the richest man in the world, flaunting his wealth ... by drinking water made from human faeces.

http://www.gatesnotes.com/Development/Omniprocessor-From-Poop-to-Potable

And this this the Bill Gates' personal blog and website.
As he flaunts his wealth to the whole world using the internet.

http://www.gatesnotes.com/

Look at the list:
- agriculture
- foreign aid
- HIV-AIDS
- Polio
- Toilets and Sanitation
- Vaccines
- Saving Lives
- Energy
- Education

Anonymous said...

" The US of A is a looted land, the Indigenous Tribes were decimated by some Whites. ..."
November 22, 2015 2:01 p.m.

And Singapore is not a looted land?
And what about the Indigenous Tribes in Singapore?
Didn't I hear some people (redbean included?) say that some Whites have been decimating the Indigenous Tribes in Singapore?

Do you think White people or People in White have been looting and decimating Singaporeans?

Anonymous said...

The Tumultuous Event will happen in Sin and this is as good as assured.
The Whites caused problems to the World.
The People in White caused problems to their own countrymen.

Listen, the World is big, look ahead and go further. Stay away from Sin for a better future.
Or at least make some preparation before it is too late.

Rest assure that at the First Sign of Trouble, no one will stay to keep You company, much less protect You.
Those rich and in power shall be the First to fled for safety.

YOU DIE,
YOUR BUSINESS.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@345:

>> YOU DIE,
YOUR BUSINESS. <<


I cheer this very rational piece of philosophy, hopefully permanently FIXED in our culture.

You weak cunts need to die off, so that the gene pool remains robust.

The gene-pool lifeguard is in charge!

Got Darwin, motherfuckers?

Anonymous said...

@4:22
>> Got Darwin, motherfuckers? <<

Unfortunately it is the middle-class and upper middle-class that is dying off in S'pore, having only 1 kid or even zero kids.

The rich have only slightly more kids, but many stop at 2. Very few have more than 3. Anyways very few Sinkies fall into the rich category.

As for the bottom 20%, they are reproducing like rabbits and cockroaches. Having 4-5 kids, then divorced and then having another 4 kids with another spouse or fuck-buddy/buddies. In the meantime doing drugs, petty crime like shoplifting/theft, bumming around, drinking, smoking, cannot hold a simple job, cannot sustain a roof over one's head, need taxpayer monies to subsidise rental flat and pay for their numerous offspring who are 99.99% likely to become just like their parents.

If only LKY and Sinkies are not politically correct enough to pass law to sterilise such people.