What's With China?

It seems very trendy, thanks to Tom Friedman and his tome of the century The World Is Flat, to talk about China, to go to China, to have Chinese people come here to visit us, and to consult with Chinese people to see how they have become such a success. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of China. I love reading about Chinese culture. Some of my favorite authors include Amy Tan and Pearl S. Buck. I wouldn't consider myself a student of China, but I am familiar with the land and its people.

What bugs me is this sudden frenzy by everyone in my industry to worship at the feet of the Chinese. They seem to be poised to be the next superpower and everyone is doing some pre-emptive ass-kissing. I think some interesting things are going to be happening in the next few years with regard to China, but I'm not prepared to hand the Chinese people the key to the city just because they seem to know how to make money and get things done.

In my experience, much of success is planned for; I'd say about 37%. The rest is luck and circumstance. I just wish that people could understand that just because a system, process, or way of life works like crazy in one place, doesn't mean it will work everywhere.

And, God, am I tired of hearing about China.