Duality, Infinity and More!
"The Chinese leadership is extremely knowledgeable in the lessons of its history and how things work.” – Investor Ray Dalio’s 2020 sentiments on China have been nothing short of magnanimous and prophetic to USA’s best-frenemy since the turn of the millennium. African Spiritual Sciences (“AS”) always begins with duality: two equal yet complimentary forces remaining in friction, ensuring creation is continual over an infinite timeline. Looking at the state of super-powers on this planet, and we can LITERALLY see the dualities of the dominating Cultures in our world: West vs East; Capitalism vs Communism; Consumer hub vs Manufacturing hub; Expansion vs Insulation… USA, world’s current dominant force vs China, world’s rising force. Today, we assess the duality of the world’s consciousness through its polarizing forces and peer into where this world may be headed beyond them both.
First, let’s take a look at America. USA is a very simple case to examine: incongruent economic data, spiralling death of its debt-driven globalist dream, dollar strength sustained by perception, a presidency of Donald Trump followed by Joe Biden, the nation worst ravaged by Covid-19, an entire insurrection of Capitol Hill, reduction in localized population, fierce competition from the East, and and and…. United States’ punch-drunk-and-still-going-strong persistence is there for everyone to see, even if it will all be in vain. So let’s move onto their counterpart
China has an interested complex – a 100 year vision, due in 2049, for China to reclaim its authority as the sovereign power over the world once more. The part of the plan, it’s “dream manifesto”, endears youth to "dare to dream, work assiduously to fulfil the dreams and contribute to the revitalization of the nation." The 100 year vision (known as “Two Centenaries” in China) seeks to see China be the dominant economic, political, militaristic and cultural power in the world by 2049. We’re already seeing much of this play out through Silk Road development into Europe, trade wars with USA and significant investment into Africa. No doubt China will succeed in fulfilling its 100 year vision, their Culture of insulated patriotism assures this – but will China sustain this? Sure, for a century or two. Thereafter? I’d argue against it.
The current Culture in China is not built on a sustainable premise – despite the social changes, patriarchy and deliberate preference for boy-children has led to a declining population below repopulation levels, geopolitical relations with other nations (especially Taiwan) are fractious & display isolationism, China is imparting its own brand of soft-imperialism through Mercantilist credit-lines. The consciousness within China is ambivalent to its ambitions – China’s happiness index could say one thing, and its refusal to acknowledge its Muslim community could say another. Finally, having a 100 year vision tethered to the same consciousness as the totalitarianism that brought about the violent Communist revolution during the Bamboo Curtain era, a consciousness of subverting the West by whatever means, is not indicative of Cultural growth. Healing of this consciousness is required for sustain this proposed 100 year victory. An ideal born of force eventually tires unless a greater ideal is present to carry the momentum.
Where does the world move from here? Odds point toward China. However, naysayers harping on United States’ decline may want to revisit USA’s imperialist force over the past century as evidence of its brute persistence. USA will not go down without a fight; in fact, we can expect USA to remain as the dominant global force in the world so long as the consciousness of the world maintains a Western bias. The fashion, mannerisms, foods, entertainment and media are mainly of a USA bias. Eight of the ten largest companies by market capitalization are based in USA, yet only five of the ten largest companies by revenue are based in the USA, and the same number by profit. Why the discrepancy? Because market capitalization, by definition, is driven by perception – what would the market pay for a company – not what is the intrinsic value in a company.
Perception again leads us back to consciousness, and the global consciousness is heavily biased toward USA being the arrowhead of global consensus. Even Chinese tech giants require Western content for global relevance (think TikTok & Alibaba). Where does this leave China? China will gain dominant economic and geopolitical power but unless they can offer a globally accepted Culture like USA, China’s sphere of influence will remain as a ghost-like puppeteering hand. Maybe, based on their mercantilist expansion, that’s just how they want it.
Whilst everyone is focused on China and USA, we shouldn’t discount the emergence of new powers. India is nudging its way back to being a significant player in economic and geopolitical affairs. India is set to be the world’s 2nd largest economy in the 2030s (second to China, with USA in third), backed by a $5.7 trillion consumer and +1.5billion population, of which 77% are under 44 and 80% are middle-class – never-mind their growing military efforts. Africa is also rising to her glory – the continent will be the most populous in the world by 2037 (over 300 million individuals will be under 24 – yes, 300 MILLION PEOPLE ON THIS CONTINENT WILL BE UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-FOUR). The continent is also boasting leadership worthy of her crown (see Paul Kagame), seeing increased connectivity to the global current affairs (highest regional mobile penetration in the world), leveraging technology to build an inclusive future for her children (Venture capital into the continent has more grown more than 5x since 2017). This is all before we even mention the African Free-Trade Agreement. Then there’s still Brazil… AND South-East Asia being the new global Steel-supply superpower re Thailand… AND Dubai wanting to be the new global financial centre of the world…
AS denote that everything emerges from an all-encompassing One, which divides itself into polar forces that sustain life. From duality, everything blossoms and existence ensues because everything is charged with two opposite yet complimentary forces. From duality, we get a trinity, then quadrant, and and and. Life will continually multiply itself and mushrooms outward to explore and express the totality of infinity – ultimately the foundations of this infinite multiplication draw itself back to the initial duality. Whilst a duality of global forces govern our world, (USA vs China), natural order in AS dictates that life must multiply outward (invite new powers such as India and Africa to build a more inclusive world).
Will the age of superpowers dissipate? Will humanity evolve to inclusivity or stay in a regressive state of duality? Only time will tell – but AS principles may have already given us the answer.
Siyabonga!!
This week's affirmation: All dimensions of my being, including the duality within me, are aligned to my highest good.
This week's vibe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64CnuMC97V8&list=RDMM&index=26 - Optimum Liberation by Ofentse Moses Sebola & Co.
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