Interesting essay.
One comment. It seems to me that "teaching" three year olds etc to memorize the "classics" by rote is a form of totalitarian brainwashing. Preparing the worker ants to unconsciously and automatically know their place in the ant-colony, and to simultaneously obey those in "authority" without question.

Reg you tell us that Ruddy could understand the words, but not the meaning of the sentence.

With your very similar qualifications, why should we believe you have any better idea of the meaning of the sentence.

Yes you can probably befuddle most with your string of really long & somewhat obscure words, but does this indicate understanding, or simply pride.

For example, what did you understand when you heard our Julia pronounce "there will be no carbon tax under a government I lead"?

Did you realise she was actually saying, "I will prostitute myself before anyone who can & will give me the keys to the Lodge". "Don't get in my way, I still have a kitchen full of knives"?

Now I will admit, not all that many of us did hear what she was really saying, but did you? Unless you can interpret the meaning of a simple liar like Julia, how can you expect us to believe you can interpret the convoluted speaking of expert liars like the Chinese leadership.

Hell even the US, with it's deeply tricky current president is very hard to interpret.

I'm afraid mate, you are going to have to get quite a few runs on the board, before we are going to see your pronouncements as gospel.

Never the less, thanks for the article, & do keep them coming, it is always interesting to see things through another thinking persons eyes. Without that to make us think, we are likely to get things as badly wrong as Ruddy.

Welcome back Reg.

One of my favourite quotations is from Chou En Lai who when asked for his views of the effects of the French Revolution replied "too soon to tell".

We in the West not only fail to take the longer view but increasingly obviously put down the memory hole inconvenient facts. A current example is the drum beat for war on both Syria and Iran, fed by the same lies the fed the invasions of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. In this exercise in selective memory loss they are aided and abetted by a compliant mainstream media.

Similarly Rudd's lengthy essay (job application?) fails to acknowledge that China used to be the world's greatest power, interrupted by the consequences of Western imperialism. What we are witnessing now is a reassertion of China's traditional place. Their forthcoming pre-eminent role will owe much to the structure of their educational system which contrary to the views of the commentator above is designed to provide stability and continuity.

We have much to learn.

Hi Reg,

Interesting article. I think the rise or decline of China isn't something we'll see in our lifetimes. Similarily I do't think we'll see the USA exhaust itself... ever.

What I see in your article is a simple Australian truism.

Julie Bishop is developing the sense of nuance we've seen in successive long serving Liberal Australian Foreign Ministers, more especially Downer, Casey and Spender. Yep I didn't rate Peacock.

If you recall Labor Australian Foreign Affairs Ministers or External Affairs Ministers you'll recognise the contrast instantly. The shallowness and lack of understanding of those in our region with whom we share history.

Carr, Rudd, Evans and Evatt all had other agendas. Again I omitted one. Willessee. He did understand nuance but was stood over by Whitlam.

I think Julie Bishop is developing grandly and will make a great Australia Foreign Affairs Minister

Here's a more pertinent question:

Why is (the West - CROSSED OUT) Australia unprepared for (China’s - CROSSED OUT) Indonesia's rise?

In order to make this discussion meaningful, can you please be more specific, Reg, and tell us:

1) What are those Platonic traditions and legacies that we are about to lose lest we stand guard against China?
2) Are we actually following Platonism at the moment and in what ways?
3) Are those Platonic traditions, legacies and values virtuous and worth keeping enough to fight for?

Thank you.