Rokjok777

The Great Shift: China Rising, U.S. Falling

Superb post and comments.

Though I didn't see any reference to the core value systems that have underpinned these shifts.
In the US we've been encouraged to live for today, appearances are everything, if your nose is too big or your boobs are too small well then just borrow some money to get plastic surgery, if your neighbor got granite countertops then you should borrow money to get them too, etc etc. Borrow and spend, not save and invest. Take a look at the movies and TV shows and music videos of the last 30 years, it's all there. Add in a little Texas-style bragging about "We're Number 1" (and if you disagree then we'll send our military and $1 trillion to change your regime...)
Contrast that to Confucianism: save, invest, get educated, sacrifice, pay your debts, think about family, think about the future.
Two completely different value systems