Phillip — before this spins out of control, I am backing up. I took issue with your assumptive tone of voice. You “assumed” on me and I dislike that very much. Let me correct your assumptions.

I happen to agree with you; consumerism is killing any chance people have to survive on this planet. We cannot feed consumerism without war and that is a suicide pact. Hence, I agree with you again — “We — meaning westerners — need a radically different way of living and viewing the world we live in and depend on.”

You and I, are in agreement on two big items, but then you throw more assumptions into the pot and screw things up between us. Phillip! Who the heck said that “I” idealize consumerism? Who said that the Chinese idealize consumerism — or that a “consumer” society is what they seek?

While I do not idealize the Chinese, I admire a culture that nurtured such deep connections between people, they are still connected to each other 5,000 years later. Given China’s history, the idea that they would idealize another culture is ridiculous.

The Chinese are nothing like us. Instead of the western me, me, me, individualistic sense of self, the Chinese are offering their vision of an inter-connected world (where human connections extend from family, to community, to country and the world).

The difference between the western world’s limiting “individual-oriented self” and the expansive Chinese social-oriented self is enormous. This chart communicates the difference better than I can. I look forward to your reply.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5492312/table/T1/?report=objectonly