Really? (Please note that my question was more of a shock reply. I heart Leo but on this one, I just do not see his logic.) - michael sean wright

Load of crap, Leo! Did you hear the cheering the Chinese had for the USA athletes? - Hal Rottenberg from twhirl

Hoping that we're fast approaching real globalism and a single country can't dominate. I think the more we all rely on one another, the less likely we will try to kill each another. - ·[▪_▪]·

Maybe you will. Sorta doubt I'm going to be dazzled by pretty lights and think it signals the end of America. Don't get me wrong, it was a cool opening ceremony, but I don't think that has much bearing on who's century this is. - Mark "Rizzn" Hopkins

Big fan of yours, Leo, but you'd be better served sticking to tech. With all due respect, that's a pretty vapid statement, sir. - Art Lindsey III

What determines the ownership of any century? Is this a national penis measuring contest? :) - Mo Kargas

America may be on the slide a bit with the economy and the current foreign policy, but to say this is the century of China seems like a big reach. As for Globalism, the world has a long way to go. Look at Russia and Georgia. - Matt Leake

I'm just looking for the Human Century. Let's just all join together and live in peace - I don't care who the leader is as long as we aren't killing each other. - Tad

The Pacific Century. Maybe David Wingrove will be right after all. - Akiva Moskovitz

Totally, Leo! Chinese olympiads will kill Twitter. And then Google! - Adam Lasnik

I fear this may be happening as well. It's rare I see people have a contrary position to yours, Leo, but the convo on Metafilter (http://www.metafilter.com/73968...) is also full of insight. - Rick

Wow! I sure hope not. What a loss for humanity if China is *the* world leader. - Brent Logan

No American spirit and wisdom is able to stand as the world leader Leo. Have faith in your own country for Gods sakes! - Colide81 (James)

He's drunk or something folks. Move along, nothing to see here. - Josh Haley

Our country has too long ignored the world whilst also given the world the bank note. I'm with Leo. - Michael W. May

I'm with MWM and thus with Leo. - Akiva Moskovitz

Insightful and provactive comment. China is truly sending a message. - Darrell Bell from twhirl

I don't agree with MWM saying that the USA has ignored the world. Intact we are one of the largest helpers of the world. The USA gives lots of money to poor countrys, we have many charitys that go all over the world helping people. - Colide81 (James)

I can certainly see the sun setting on the US as leading the way toward anything globally useful. China doesn't really have any non-conscripted fanboys, either. Pomp and Circumstance can get you warm and fuzzy, but i'm just not buying it anymore. - ɐ ɯıʞ sıɹɥɔ

wow defensiveness shows weakness and there a lot of defensiveness around this tweet - xavier vespa from twhirl

you people liked this post? that is frightening. hell no! China is a dead end. if it is a Chinese Century it won't be the Chinese in China! too many people you blue state lemmings! they have no resources. they are like the damn BORG! - Noah David Simon

Xavier, wow, what a grossly unqualified, thoroughly baseless, and obviously useless statement to make. People are expected to defend what they say. It's not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of discourse. Sheesh. - Akiva Moskovitz

Chinese century? As america goes so goes the world. So if this is the end of the american century, this is the end of the chinese century as well. - Alex Scoble

Wow, now its a red state vs. blue state thing!?!?! You want to talk about lemmings? - Darrell Bell from twhirl

If China were a stock, I would short it. It is a country poor in natural resources and "rich" in people. Raw ingredients from all over the world are being shipped across the oceans (powered by oil) to be turned into finished products by cheap labor, then shipped around the world (powered by oil). That doesn't make sense in a world of expensive oil. And it certainly doesn't make sense as robotics keep improving and as nanofab becomes viable. - John McCrea

Just to add more fuel to the fire... Why does America owe China so much money? Why are most of the consumer goods made in China? When was the last thing you bought that said, "Made in America?" Sounds like a Global economy to me. The days of America being afforded the luxury of the arrogance of some the comments here are long gone. That is not red state vs. blue state. That is not liberal vs. conservative. It is what it is, and you don't think so - then you will be left holding the short end of the stick. You have to be able to tell the truth about a problem to fix the problem. - Darrell Bell from twhirl

I agree, Akiva. We should expect people to give a defense of their knowledge and beliefs. We have the choice whether to be persuaded or not. - Melanie Reed

Alex, 'As America goes so goes the world'? That is incredibly apropos. Look at what became of the Roman Empire and the world which followed it. Earth covers earth. - Akiva Moskovitz

China is an ancient culture as regards (and in comparison) to the culture that is currently recognized as America. Both countries have allowed factions to 'push and pull' at their respective mainstream cultures (as has any country, past or present) to define their place on the world stage at any given moment. But it is not linear in description. It more follows an illustration of bread dough being punched and kneaded. No one stays on "top" for any length of time on the world stage. - Melanie Reed

Whilst it may be hard to see the USA losing its global influence; I think that China will begin to exert more influence as it 'catches up' with post-industrialisation, post-modernity and the new digital convergence. If only China could do something about its public relations image. Maybe it should start blogging. - Chris Loft

It's easier to see when these things happen to you personally -that the old phrase "money makes the world go round" gets more true with every passing year. Governments are not the powerful institutions they are perceived as being: it is the money behind them. And that can switch "country" hands in a deal. Hence, the old phrase: "Them that has the gold rules." Not kind-heartedness or intelligence. When times are "peaceful and good" for a nation it is easier to ignore this. - Melanie Reed

Somehow, I don't think that China will be the next global champion of freedom, I could be wrong. - Robert Hafer

As regards the cheering this way or that, I'm a bit reserved on that considering that we had reports that the Chinese people were only days before the ceremonies "being schooled" on what was appropriate behavior and conversation to visitors to their country. There are also issues of imprisoned who are not allowed freedom of religion in China as well. Indeed, visitors were told they would only be allowed 1 personal Bible into the country. - Melanie Reed

As for World Peace, first you have eliminate petty dictators and oppresive regimes; to do that you need a world body that doesn't allow dictators and the like as members. Maybe a body like this will replace the UN some day. - Robert Hafer

What I mean by as america goes...Our economy really drives and is linked to the economies of the other developed countries. You can see this if you watch the markets of the developed countries. They tend to go up or down together. China's economy is inextricably linked to ours, so if our economy begins to fail so too does China's. If Americans stop buying Chinese goods, China will no longer have enough money to pay for their expansion. And not a lot of money from the goods made in China we buy stays there. - Alex Scoble

It's something like for every $100 of Chinese made goods purchased only about $4-6 stays in their country. They are actually more vulnerable to spikes in the price of raw materials because of how their economy is set up. Oh and plenty of things are still made in America...just not a lot of high tech stuff. You can actually find many American made goods if you go to Home Depot or IKEA. - Alex Scoble

People see China as this huge manufacturing juggernaut when really they are just the manufacturer of choice for most companies at this time. But they are actually having to close down factories now as it becomes too expensive to make goods there. And the companies that looked to China to drive down costs will continue to look elsewhere to continue to cut costs, particularly as the price of raw materials continues to rise. - Alex Scoble

Didn't we use to say the same about Japan in the 80's? - Alessio Bragadini

Alex, I want what your on "As america goes so goes the world." Rubbish. China may have need America to where it is today, but a middle class that is said to grow from 100m today to 700m by 2020 drives domestic demand. I only saw a figure yesterday that 90% of wood imports into China remain in China. They may take a hit if America goes under, but they'll still keep growing - Duncan Riley

I, for one, welcome our new ping pong playing overlords. - monkeystick

This is why I love certain people when they talk tech their knowledge of politics is absolutely laughable. - Thomas Vincent

That Leo equates a Communist countries Potemkin theater with the future of a nation is more revealing about how little Leo gives serious thought before making these kind of statements. I can't help but wonder if he would have had that same opinion if he was there suffering through long lines, bad air quality and jet lag to attend in person. But then Leo ought to be smart enough to differentiate between theater and real life or maybe he has been to one too many Steve Jobs keynote. - Thomas Vincent

I remember when the Japanese where going to take over the world. Then, they had a near Depression....... - Dan Sleezer

For those with thoughts about Leo - Ernie Foss from twhirl

Wrong button, about Leo's thoughts on China, I make the suggestion you read the book series The Forbidden Kingdom a three book paperback set, years old now but so advanced in it's true vision of the future. - Ernie Foss from twhirl

I'm not so sure. The mass orchestration of people as "pixels" in the opening ceremonies had a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title..."></a> "Olympia"</a> feel about it, and the symbolism of the children handing the flag off to the military was (probably deliberately) a bit chilling. It may be my cultural bias, but I'll take the much more inspirational opening of the last summer Olympics in Greece - give me messages of individual initiative any day. - David Lounsbury

Yikes! I better get my family some smog masks stat - Zack W. Handley

If nothing else, China is learning quickly how to play the PR game. They're consistent in their foreign policy (kill all the citizens you want, just keep the raw materials coming), their domestic policy (worship the almighty RMB all you want, just keep the religion and protests toothless), and their national ambitions (R.E.S.P.E.C.T.). Their opening ceremonies were appropriately (for them) massive and intricate. They won't be ignored any longer. - Kawika Holbrook

While you can't exactly stick your fingers in your ears and la la la your way to thinking China's not catching up fast...there are still a lot of areas that the US can remain competitive in. It's not the end of the American century. America needs to reinvent itself. To do so, you need to understand what you're up against. Accepting 3rd party China analysis fed to you by journalists with no China experience themselves isn't going to cut it. Hop on a plane and see for yourself if possible. - Christine Lu

Duncan Riley - First off, use "your" and "you're" correctly if you are trying to win an argument so as to not detract from your points. Secondly, if you have been watching the markets, you can see a direct effect to all of the markets throughout the world, except for those that run counter to our economy (such as Brazil because their economy is based heavily on energy commodities such as oil), from the decline in the US economy. It's direct. It's real and it's measurable. - Alex Scoble

And I didn't make up those numbers on how much money from China's manufacturing actually stays in China. That's from NPR. You can look it up if you want, but don't say that I'm smoking crack without doing your homework first. And what does China's imports of wood have to do with how much they make for goods that they export? Anyhow, think about it. China does not design most of the products they sell. Their factories are mainly contracted by multinational companies to make goods at lowest cost. - Alex Scoble

And it's a fact that there have been a number of factories in China that have had to close down. The fact is that America isn't as downtrodden as people would have us believe...but the outlook ain't all that great either. The world isn't getting any smaller and neither is the pool of available resources. If things continue as they have been, we will all be in the toilet. Americans, Europeans, Chinese and everyone else. But the rich will stay rich. - Alex Scoble