Farewell (Me Ol') China!

Well well well... The financial crisis is getting deeper and deeper with the bankruptcy of Lehman and with the takeover of M. Lynch. Two historical names disappearing from the map of the financial world. Even Goldman Sachs reports strong reduction of profits in Q3. Exchanges all over the world are showing big losses. So? What do we make of this? I have to admit that up to last year November I did not expect the market to take such a bad turn but I have always said that if something would have happened, the Sub prime would have been just an excuse. I still think that there is more to this then Sub primes. Low interest rates are to be blamed for this big mess. The Clinton administration has a lot to be blamed for all of this. AIG... 85 billion dollar rescue package. Once again I would like to ask those who believe that the free market is a blessing if they would be happy now if they were in a less free market. Especially those who gamble with stocks or those who lost their jobs or risk to lose they pensions. Social Security in the hands of private institutions. Are you still in favour of it? Is the State intervention something positive for the collectivity? I really wonder if saving thousands of people's pensions is something positive for the community. Why should I pay out of my tax money to save my neighbour's investment? The truth is that we are all glad queers when someone else's ass is at stake.

The whole bloody Western world has been pointing the finger at China because of the State owned system and the "unclear" and "unfair" competition rules and then, here we go with Uncle Sam's country doing whatever they want above any rule. Oh yes, someone will say that this is a must to save the world from a collapse. I am wondering if a collapse is so negative. And I wonder if the collapse is not something natural and due, thanks to some greedy bastards that have been wanting more and more profit and made a dead body shake and dance hip hop just giving it electric shocks for years and years.

China could teach the Western world how to run the economy and, as I mentioned months ago, we tend to point a finger out of envy! China is the model for our "neoliberal" governments. Any democratic government would like to have a Chinese style management of the economy but, we cannot, we are afraid so, instead, we create these crashes and to allow Mr. Fitzpatrick from Hastings Nebraska to keep his 100K USD house, we have to suffer all the shit these economic crises bring.

America! America! The true danger for the world. Down with it! I am fucking tired of having to plan my whole existence based on the caprices of this country. I am tired of being Italian, European, American. I am tired of having to suffer, passively, all the setbacks due to a world based on some sort of balances that are so weak and so unfairly accepted as valid. From the UN to the WTO to the EU's Trust rules. In Italy we have a company that thanks to the mismanagement of the political class since 1945 has created a freak show with the best paid waitress in the world, Alitalia. But now we cannot do anything to save it because the EU laws do not allow state aids but, look at America!

Fucking hell guys, wake up! It is time to say NO to this one sided way of life. I hate Putin but i hope that he will manage to balance this world that is too much on one side. China cannot do much, too busy in keeping the internal order under control and playing with the ethnic puzzle and the forces that want to pull it on one side or another. So, Russia seems like the only country that can free us from this dependency we have.

I would still stick to the US side in a new Cold War but, I would love to have some balance.

So guys, my last week in China. I am publishing the blog midweek because I am not sure I will be able to write anything that will make sense during my last weekend here.

Time has come to go and I really do not feel like saying much about it. I will miss it terribly.

I am sure that those of you that have faith find a reason in doing things, even those you don't understand why you are doing. For me it's different. I like to see the reason behind decisions and when the reasons fail I see a strong defeat. I have been defeated a few times in my life and this is starting getting heavier on my chest. Living life for the sake of it is not what I aimed for all my life. I had ambitions, I had dreams, I never had certainties except one: I will make it! This has been my main motivator since I was a kid and so far I made it but the price has been high. Aiming to the stars makes you lose touch with the ground. Being a scientist makes your arguments understandable to few. Being a dreamer makes you a loser in this world. Being realist makes you either optimist or pessimist, depending on who you talk to. Whoever you aim to be and become creates a sort of canal around you and makes you lonelier.

I am your man. Leonard Cohen. A man for all seasons... that is many people want but if you are straight and honest this is not possible. So you are singled out and even those who appreciate your being straight is only because you agree with them, otherwise you will never be appreciated.

the choice is yours: be who you are or be whoever the others want you to be.

I chose, long ago, to be myself and despite the price I pay for this, I continue in my way towards something, probably a journey of self discover, probably a place, a time, a person, a something or, most probably, simply towards the end of life having accomplished a few million miles, contributed to give birth to a child for no reason. I will have known 30% of the world but I will not have had a place to call home. No security blanket, no friends to call in the night and meet, missed my daughter growing up, my parents getting older and all for the sake of knowing the world... Does it justify such a big sacrifice? Is there a prize for those who deal with many cultures? Would this blog or even a book about China, Saudi Arabia or any other place in the world ever influence people and make them change their mind about Tibet and Islam? I don't think so. So the answer is very simple. No, it is not worth it. Stay with the family guys, it's much better.

Next week I will write from Italy. Not sure, actually I will. I might take a week break as I think nothing interesting will happen and I want to keep the emotions I will experience boarding that place to myself.

Hugs to all of you, Me Ol' Chinas!

Thank you China! Thank you wonderful country! Thank you smiley people! You changed me in many ways. Wo ay ni, Zhong Guo