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0 pointssenttoschool2y ago0 comments

To add to your list of possible reasons:

- There are way more STEM graduates in China by a wide margin

- 18/20 of top universities in the world for chemistry research is in China according to Nature, including one of the attempts by USTC (#2 ranking): https://www.nature.com/nature-index/institution-outputs/gene...

- Supply chain is faster in China for chemicals and materials

- China has more money/equipment for this sort of stuff

- China is on average, more pro-science than the rest of the world

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jacquesm2y ago

Yes, good points though the money angle is debatable.

The USA and Europe are 'on average' also more pro-science than the rest of the world, but I think the East has the edge in education and comes across as more focused on progress. Probably this is underpinned in part because they have a ton of very hard problems that need solving and in the 'rich West' people are much less driven because their lives and the lives of their families are on average already quite plushy.

It makes you wonder what could happen in Africa and Latin America once they embrace education and science.

senttoschoolOP2y ago

One difference I’ve found living in the West and China is that being academically successful often gets you made fun of in the US but adored in China.

There’s quite a lot of anti-intellectualism in the US. Therefore, there’s an equal amount of anti-science.

Meanwhile, every Chinese I’ve ever met is pro-education and thinks highly of science.

calf2y ago

You should see the look on my parents' HK church friends whenever I unintentionally start talking about science, it's like I said a swear word.

senttoschoolOP2y ago

That actually proves one of my points.

I didn’t want to get into it too much but I wrote that Chinese people are on average, more pro-science because they’re less religious or that their religion does not strongly contradict with science.

I’m guessing your parents’ HK church friends are Christians?

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jacquesm2y ago

I can see some problems with the setting, not necessarily the country.

jacquesm2y ago

I call that the cult of stupidity. It is unfortunately very common where I live.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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jacquesm2y ago

Yes, good points though the money angle is debatable.

It makes you wonder what could happen in Africa and Latin America once they embrace education and science.

senttoschoolOP2y ago

One difference I’ve found living in the West and China is that being academically successful often gets you made fun of in the US but adored in China.

There’s quite a lot of anti-intellectualism in the US. Therefore, there’s an equal amount of anti-science.

Meanwhile, every Chinese I’ve ever met is pro-education and thinks highly of science.

calf2y ago

You should see the look on my parents' HK church friends whenever I unintentionally start talking about science, it's like I said a swear word.

senttoschoolOP2y ago

That actually proves one of my points.

I’m guessing your parents’ HK church friends are Christians?

1 more reply

jacquesm2y ago

I can see some problems with the setting, not necessarily the country.

jacquesm2y ago

I call that the cult of stupidity. It is unfortunately very common where I live.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse