[hillcrestenigma]

All this feels like a rehash of the British Empire selling Opium to China in the 18th century. Only this time it's China supplying the United States along with other addictive digital platforms such as TikTok.

[AdieuToLogic]

> All this feels like a rehash of the British Empire selling Opium to China in the 18th century. Only this time it's China supplying the United States ...

Two wrongs do not make a right.

[anonporridge]

That comment doesn't imply that it does.

[Bran_son]

Perhaps not, but by instilling guilt in your victim, you can prevent them from defending themselves, if you convince them they "deserve it". Keep an eye out for this tactic - it is very common.

[sshine]

> Two wrongs do not make a right.

No, but three rights make a left.

[what-no-tests]

> Two wrongs do not make a right.

How is that different than karma?

[quantified]

When you put it in historical context, I'd be surprised if they gave a crap about sending it to the English-speaking world.

[zoklet-enjoyer]

I usually get downvoted when I say this

[mattacular]

To be fair, it is a pretty ridiculous comparison for anyone to make.

[dirtyid]

Except this is PRC being largely passive and watching fallout of American drug war failing. First opium war involved UK forcing, via military, Qing to stop domestic enforcement of ban on opium trade. Current Fenanyl "war" is PRC no longer actively cooperating with US on transnational drug war, which PRC did when relations were good - they scheduled fentanyl, a legal drug, on list of controlled narcotics in 2019 at US request. Now that relations are bad, there's no reason to commit state resources to enforce or support US antidrug efforts, especially for otherwise a legal medical product or precursor. Even less so when it's routed through third countries like Mexico - who to be fair asked PRC for help to get US off their backs, but why bother. Not saying PRC doesn't indirectly benefit, but at this point dead Americans is more side effect of allowing PRC triads to build network / influence in LATAM. Ultimately Americans will find some other supplier or substance to kill themselves with regardless and PRC inaction is cheap.

[DiogenesKynikos]

Americans somehow expect that they can wage economic warfare against China, trying to wipe out its entire tech sector, and then ask China to go out of its way to help the US control its own drug problems. If the US wants Chinese cooperation, the US should act reasonably towards China in other areas.

This is not even to mention how crass the comparison between TikTok and the Opium Wars is.