I didn’t read it yet is it good lol punished-bernie punished-bernie punished-bernie

  • Fishroot [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    Let’s team up for the assignment but I’ll do the bare minimum and get the grade

    ‘‘In recent years, both the US and China have greatly increased their military budgets.’’

    The Chinese military budget increase is proportionate to their growth in GDP (the budget is around 2-3% IIRC).

    Also let’s not talk about the ecological impact of the US army alone

  • Pastaguini [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    Yes, it is true - if you look at the numbers as a whole, China does emit more carbon than America. But what constantly goes artfully elided in these statements is that their carbon emissions PER CAPITA is WAY lower than America’s. Of course they emit more carbon, like four times as many people live there. But what China doesn’t have are single individuals driving military grade gas guzzling SUVs two blocks to buy groceries twice a week. Also, most of their emissions come from industrial plants that produce all of the goods whose production WE OUTSOURCE TO THEM. The only reason their carbon emissions are so high is because western capitalists realized it’d be cheaper to move production there than keep them in the first world. Also, Bernie, who is making a massive investment in green energy? I’ll give you a hint, it’s only one of these countries. So it should be less about “America and China need to put aside their differences and work together”, a statement that tacitly implies that there’s something China isn’t doing that they need to start, and more about “America needs to catch the fuck up to China’s massive pivot toward green energy”.

    • dukeGR4@monyet.cc
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      1 year ago

      Chinese are obsessed with big cars just like the US. Many German marques have China exclusive models like “L” version for more popular models which not just longer but also heavier

      • pooh [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        1 in 4 cars sold in China in 2022 were EVs, and China has more than 50% of global share of EVs. Anecdotally, even with Chinese cars that aren’t EVs, it’s pretty rare to see the massive trucks or SUVs that are more common in the US, though they do exist. Also if you look at total car ownership per capita, China (226 vehicles per 1000 people) is well below the US (908 vehicles per 1000 people).

      • zephyreks@programming.dev
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        1 year ago

        But the government actually cares about stamping down on cars. Congestion policy in big cities is actively hostile to cars.

        • dukeGR4@monyet.cc
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          1 year ago

          their railway is arguably their government’s best modern project, will literally pay dividends for decades to come. uplifted so many people from poverty and improving social mobility. say what you want about the lack of freedom there, gotta hand it to their government for getting shit done sometimes.

          • buckykat [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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            1 year ago

            It’s so pleasant to ride too. So smooth you can’t even feel it accelerate, plenty of legroom even for tall foreigners, lots of outlets and the cell service is rock solid the whole way

            Gotta say, The Governance of China hits different on a Fuxing Hao at 350km/h

      • Pastaguini [he/him]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        I never knew that, so thanks for letting me know, but be that as it may, there exists far less car dependent infrastructure in China. In America, that giant car is your only option. In China, you usually have way more sustainable options, which we see reflected in their lower carbon emissions per capita.

        • dukeGR4@monyet.cc
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          1 year ago

          In China, you usually have way more sustainable options, which we see reflected in their lower carbon emissions per capita.

          True that, they are leading the EV game. Even Audi is forming a JV with state-owned SAIC. I believe Volkswagen is doing the same thing with another Chinese EV company.

            • dukeGR4@monyet.cc
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              1 year ago

              cars are not inherently bad, it’s only bad when you have a government that entirely expect people to rely on cars as a transport. I would argue for big countries like US and China, car is still the way to go. But public infrastructure ie. public transport has to keep up as well to give people an option. A

              lso micromobility only works in urban centres. I live in suburbs myself, i can kinda use my e-scooter as a last mile transport solution but anything more than 5km i would say it’s a bit of a stretch.

              • Egon [they/them]@hexbear.net
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                1 year ago

                Cars fucking suck, and the only reason they don’t is that we’ve designed a world where they’re necesay.

                Edit: “Big countries” like us and china are exactly the places that could most benefit from non-car infrastructure. Having high-speed-rail connect the country instead of highways is in all ways a better solution.
                It is a more efficient way of transporting both goods and people, with less maintenance required, and expansion being less costly, and space being less of a demand.
                The only thing cars are optimal for is “last mile delivery” and even then there is often a better solution - micromobility like bikes, escooters and the like for people.
                The only reason we think cars are “good” is because they solve issues that come as a result of making a csr-centric society.