I really don't understand this response. Are you seriously implying that today most young Americans have an healthy environment? At least China is pretending to roll out some sort of universal health coverage. Minority rights? Let's ignore our own highly politicized conversations on minority rights and look to our allies, like Israel. I'm not sure I see too much a difference of the genocide of the Uighurs in China and the genocide of the Palestinians. So no, I don't get the point. The bullet points you have posted are shaky at best and don't convince me that anyone should risk nuclear war for "ideas" like "free-ish speech".
I'm not implying China is perfect; or that America is wholly evil. It's that you must consider the day-to-day implications for _most_ Americans (who are probably unlike you and don't make six figures working in tech or own any capital), and that the system doesn't provide any material returns to them; and therefore any "change in leadership" is likely immaterial. Risking nuclear war, and billions of tax dollars for such a war does not make sense, especially when it makes life harder at home.
People think they're being "enlightened" for holding such views, being able to hold up the magnifying glass to their own society...but it's far more likely that they just live in a bubble. It appears as something of an irony that these very same free societies they criticize not only permit but actually _encourage_ this kind of self reflection through their traditions and institutions.
I think that to truly appreciate life in a western democracy you need to have some real exposure to the alternative/absence.
As I've travelled more, gained life experience, I've become less and less impressed with the ACT of expressing such criticism (particularly the knee-jerk reflexive "whataboutism" sort so frequently launched in response to any criticism of authoritatian regimes) and more appreciative of the fact that it's freely allowed and part of the culture of the free world.
>I think that to truly appreciate life in a western democracy you need to have some real exposure to the alternative/absence.
Fine. Let's ignore the implication that I live in a bubble and let's focus on this right here.
Most Americans have never left the state they live in. Most Americans don't have the luxury to travel. Most Americans have been left with rising housing costs, food costs, and gas costs. Most Americans have increasingly taken an isolationist view point as the quagmire in the middle east spent trillions abroad with nothing to show at home. By your own yardstick, why is it surprising that many young americans aren't enthusiastic to jump into yet another foreign war?
Meh, it is what it is. Surprising? Maybe not, just unimpressive. Most people are a product of their environment and that's never going to change no matter what. I don't think there's much to gain here except perspective and appreciation at an individual level...and in my personal experience a great deal more happiness as a result.
If you live in America and this is what you believe you really need to live elsewhere for awhile. I recommend living in Fushun, China and getting to know universal healthcare there. It's close to the North Korean border where you can explore China's close ally. When you get there let me know how many Uighurs serve in the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party as compared to how many non-Jews serve in the Israeli Knesset. For extra credit rank for world genocide and let's see where Palestinian so-called 'genocide' falls.
I think in general, western democracies do a lot better on elite freedoms than China, or indeed eastern democracies. When it comes to the actual freedom enjoyed by normal people, it's more patchy. Living in contemporary America, or indeed any fast-paced, high-bill liberal democracy, is essentially a lot of work for most people: usually the vast majority of their waking time is spent at one or more jobs. This usually delivers no real security, they usually have no real control over what they do, to a very fine level (acceptable emotions to display, and so on) during this time.
China is like that too, but the only people that would really experience a night-and-day difference are the elite, who coincidentally write all the academic papers, news articles, etc.
I'm not implying China is perfect; or that America is wholly evil. It's that you must consider the day-to-day implications for _most_ Americans (who are probably unlike you and don't make six figures working in tech or own any capital), and that the system doesn't provide any material returns to them; and therefore any "change in leadership" is likely immaterial. Risking nuclear war, and billions of tax dollars for such a war does not make sense, especially when it makes life harder at home.