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Comment by rapsey | Hacker News Reader

This is economic myopia that leads to long term subservience to countries which have maintained manufacturing capability. China can literally bring the rest of the developed world to their knees at will with rare earths.

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Actually, the most powerful country in the world by far is the United States, and other than China, other Western countries that have followed this "myopia".

> rare earths

Rare earths are not a manufacturing product, but a natural resource. That's not an applicable example here.

Also, China is more dependent on the rest of the world than vice-versa; China has power, but certainly hasn't brought anyone to their knees - when has that happened?

The reason your original post was downvoted was because the events of the last few years have so thoroughly damaged your neoliberal ideas and of course this follow up just confirms how poorly you are informed.

If I understand you, you have no argument but you feel threatened by what I say ?

Generally we don't talk about up/downvoting on HN, but it's especially odd when someone else talks about it.

I have plenty of arguments but have learned arguing to be a complete waste of time. Neoliberals are experts at ignoring/dismissing real life evidence to maintain their thought bubbles.

The point of my post was what it says, express why your thinking is no longer popular, even though it was main stream just a short while ago.

There's lots of rare earth deposits all over the world, but the question is, are you willing to accept the pollution that results from extracting them as efficiently as possible?

China's "If it develops a market, yes" answer to that is their strategic advantage.

China dominates refining, which is also a nasty industry. The mining is done in many places.

> China's "If it develops a market, yes" answer to that is their strategic advantage.

i.e. long term thinking is their strategic advantage.

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