Turbosina

Well, political scientists have been predicting the 21st century would be the Chinese Century. The 20th century (well, 1918-onwards, especially 1945-onwards) absolutely belonged to America. The 21st? Perhaps not so much. China has shown the desire and willingness to project economic and now military force well beyond its borders. That said, they also have their own challenges. Ghost cities built, with no inhabitants. Extreme corruption. Houses of cards built on debt. That, and Chinese culture has never resonated around the world as American culture, especially pop culture, has. English is the global language, not Mandarin or Cantonese. And that still counts for something when you consider a country's global influence.

Then again, in the late 80s we all thought that Japan would quickly surpass the US and become the global economic superpower. I lived and worked in Tokyo the summer it all came apart. What followed was Japan's "Lost Decade." They still haven't fully recovered.

That is where I fear we're headed. Not feral gangs of armed thugs roaming the countryside and pillaging what they can find, "Book of Eli" style. Just a decade-long economic malaise with 15-20% unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, and declining life expectancies. Instead of the Roaring Twenties....perhaps it'll be the Terrible Twenties.

Or someone might discover tomorrow that sniffing glue cures the coronavirus. Then we'll all be saved. I better go buy stock in Elmer's....