This never happened and looks like it never will at this point. Unless you mean PPP, which is more useful to measure relative spending power/prices levels between different countries. Nominal GDP is still the universally used measurement of which economy is bigger, and china's sitting at about 2/3rds the size of the US, with trend lines and demographic changes pointing towards a widening of that ratio, not a convergence.
China’s GDP growth grew by 5 percent in 2025 vs 2 percent for the US, so I have no idea what “trend lines” you’re referring to.
China’s demographic situation is better than the US’s, since it has a massive reservoir of subsistence farmers with which to replace the declining urban population. The US is fucked in comparison.
You're talking about the direction of the arrows, I'm talking about their rate of change.
When China was growing by double digits/high single a year throughout the 90s and 2000 aughts, convergence seemed inevitable. That growth has more than halved - 5% is a great figure for a developed country,but extremely anemic for Chinese growth. On top of that, US gdp growth has proved remarkably robust in the late 2010s, especially compared to other developed countries. Look at US gdp growth compared to much Western Europe or Japan or Australia; the US is pulling away, at least in terms of GDP on paper.
China is not in a better off position than the US demographically - this runs counter to everything we know and is a baffling statement. They've already peaked in population and are, right now, losing population. And losing 200+ million people by 2100 is not a recipe for sustained growth. Throughout that time the US is expected to grow slowly and steadily, mainly through immigration.
So when country B still has to grow their economy by half of what it is today and is slowing down, and country A is growing itself, and rather robustly/reliably at that for a developed country - that means a convergence is not likely or very far in the future. Compare this to the predictions c.2006 that China would overtake the US by 2030. It's not happening. Or not anytime soon without some sort of geopolitical game changer.
Life is too short to reply point by point to this, so I’ll just say this: Westerners have been predicting that China would implode or stagnate since 2000. I’m guessing based on the amount of free time you have to effortpost that you’re on the younger side. I’m older. I’ve been hearing some version of your argument for 25 years. It’s been wrong. Every. Single. Time.
Effortpost? Im reading charts and applying basic logic. You made the effort to question what I said in the first place. What you're saying is a vibes based interpretation based on nothing.
Im likely older than you. And I have no idea what you're talking about vis a vis Chinese collapse. the economic miracle of China and its meteoric rise has been received strongly in the west as long as I've been alive, especially on the right. Much more of a 'we need to get our shit together before China eclipses us', as opposed to 'don't worry, they'll collapse soon.'
You are describing something political, not economic. Neocons fetishizing the demise of the CCP does not mean the west is in denial about Chinese economic growth. I'd say plenty of people take it very seriously.
Even people in times of war or genocide have to go to work as usual, that never changes, so it's not a useful barometer. It's a very middle class sentiment to yearn for the zombie apocalypse
"The suburbs dream of violence. Asleep in their drowsy villas, sheltered by benevolent shopping malls, they wait patiently for the nightmares that will wake them into a more passionate world."
Still remember the night I was told not to come to uni the day after bcus of Covid. Probably the only time in my life that global news have affected my day to day life besides just prices of things. Was really eerie, but the announcement was made at like 8pm and I was already at the pub, so I remember feeling quite happy about it at the same time
‘Nothing ever happens’ only if you live in the first world. There’s something happening every day in every other part of the globe and the ‘anti-happening’ wall between us and them is illusory
The only time something Ever Happens is when it affects the white collar suburban PMC class. They are truly the levers moving the gears of history. The rich don’t have the numbers so they need the upper middle class as their foot soldiers. The poor don’t have the money and access so they need the upper middle class for legitimacy.
The only time something Ever Happens is when it affects the white collar suburban PMC class.
What is happening that is affecting the American working class any different to the suburban PMC class at the moment? Both are suffering from a horrible job market, the economy in the toilet and automation the same right now. Yeah, the US invading Venezuela and kidnapping Maduro kinda sucks, so does Aleppo and Ukraine, so does the killing of that woman by the ICE but how does any of that affect your life. Literally just turn off the news and it's all gone. The ICE shit is horrible but this happens in the US all the fucking time. There'll be some protests, they'll fizzle out, nothing will change. International news is completely irrelevant to literally anyone in America.
Yes, exactly. If Joe Schmo can swing a break from his second shift job to bring his girl to soccer practice, nothing is happening. If Mr. Jones gets his disability check and can pay his water bill, nothing is happening.
It might sound cruel but as life changing as these events have been for us — have they actually altered your behavior or just your emotions? Do you genuinely cringe every time you get in a car because you might run into ICE officials? Do you work with a bunch of Venezuelans and want to call off work for a week because you know they will be at each others throats arguing over the arrest/kidnapping of Maduro?
Does any of this change how you conduct your daily life other than a somber or sad mood that will largely be fleeting?
Maybe In Minneapolis something will be happening. That’s as far as you can take it.
To me something happening across the U.S. at least (believe me I am not applying this to everyone) was if maybe EBT money wasn’t given for 6 months, a year, or every flight was getting delayed or canceled, or the nonsense that came with COVID.
In the 70s if a federal officer randomly domed some woman would it have made front page national news? I doubt it. I’m sure it happened constantly too.
How is that not similar? They were random college students. Two of the students who died were protesting and the other two weren’t involved in the rally they were just bystanders. They were shot by Ohio natl guardsmen so I suppose not federal agents but it was agents of the state shooting civilians. It’s not exactly the same but it’s very similar to “a federal officer randomly doming some woman” and it was huge news. People at or near protests were not constantly shot by federal law enforcement during the 70s, this would have been big news then too.
Yeah it’s silly. Like even during the worst periods of the world wars, it’s not like it was 24/7 carnage. Short of the earth literally exploding, this is the something happening. Frog in boiling water metaphor etc etc
It's an overcorrection against the tendency to exaggerate the significance and consequence of whatever events are taking up the current news cycle. Every diplomatic crisis puts us on the brink of WW3, every domestic crisis threatens civil war, and when those things don't happen, it's easy to declare that "nothing ever happens".
The Salafists-Zionists are planning a spectacular happening in Mamdani's NYC that will make the Wahhabists-Zionists' NYC spectacle of 2001 a long forgotten moment
look, I'm team Nothing Ever Happens, and we're down horrible this week, so be nice.
that said, a justification. In the Sublime Object of Ideology, Zizek says that history is defined by an iterative process in which the future is prematurely staked out, speculatively, by our collective imaginations long in advance of it actually happening. The example he uses is the sinking of the Titanic: by the time this actually happened, people had already written several fictive works about the Largest Ship Ever Built Which, In A Testament to Man's Hubris, Sinks On Its Maiden Voyage. So by the time it happens, that category is already built for it. It is similar for 9-11, he says: we already were mass-producing images of an attack on the WTC in some sense for years before it actually happened. It's easy to see how the hyper-news of the present day contributes to this: we're already well-primed for a number of insane things to happen at basically any point, in part because of how easy it is for an NYT article or an insane Redditor to suggest that Something Will Happen, and the sheer number of these predictions being made, and then when it happens they go "<soyface> look it happened!". Last point on Zizek - I find it completely fascinating that this concept has nothing to do with Landian hyperstition, as they are so very similar, and came about around the same time in history. Very weird.
Anyway, obviously sometimes things happen but USUALLY they are either "No duh that happened" (it was basically inevitable, it was already happening, etc.) or they are "yeah something happened but it's not like a huge deal". Events like the sinking of the Titanic or 911 don't happen very frequently, and they tend to be extremely historic. I don't want to think about what the next one of those types of happenings will be.
"Nothing ever happens" applies to basically everything that happens except for two things: total destruction of the world or me getting pussy
Can I bet on the latter on kalshi
i wouldnt
me neither
One kal and shi bringing the poly for me to markit
I will not get pussy in 2026
[deleted]
China surpassing the US as the world’s largest economy was a paradigm shift globally.
US is still the largest by raw GDP. China has been the largest since 2014 by GDP (PPP). unless that's what you're referring to
This never happened and looks like it never will at this point. Unless you mean PPP, which is more useful to measure relative spending power/prices levels between different countries. Nominal GDP is still the universally used measurement of which economy is bigger, and china's sitting at about 2/3rds the size of the US, with trend lines and demographic changes pointing towards a widening of that ratio, not a convergence.
China’s GDP growth grew by 5 percent in 2025 vs 2 percent for the US, so I have no idea what “trend lines” you’re referring to.
China’s demographic situation is better than the US’s, since it has a massive reservoir of subsistence farmers with which to replace the declining urban population. The US is fucked in comparison.
You're talking about the direction of the arrows, I'm talking about their rate of change.
When China was growing by double digits/high single a year throughout the 90s and 2000 aughts, convergence seemed inevitable. That growth has more than halved - 5% is a great figure for a developed country,but extremely anemic for Chinese growth. On top of that, US gdp growth has proved remarkably robust in the late 2010s, especially compared to other developed countries. Look at US gdp growth compared to much Western Europe or Japan or Australia; the US is pulling away, at least in terms of GDP on paper.
China is not in a better off position than the US demographically - this runs counter to everything we know and is a baffling statement. They've already peaked in population and are, right now, losing population. And losing 200+ million people by 2100 is not a recipe for sustained growth. Throughout that time the US is expected to grow slowly and steadily, mainly through immigration.
So when country B still has to grow their economy by half of what it is today and is slowing down, and country A is growing itself, and rather robustly/reliably at that for a developed country - that means a convergence is not likely or very far in the future. Compare this to the predictions c.2006 that China would overtake the US by 2030. It's not happening. Or not anytime soon without some sort of geopolitical game changer.
Life is too short to reply point by point to this, so I’ll just say this: Westerners have been predicting that China would implode or stagnate since 2000. I’m guessing based on the amount of free time you have to effortpost that you’re on the younger side. I’m older. I’ve been hearing some version of your argument for 25 years. It’s been wrong. Every. Single. Time.
Effortpost? Im reading charts and applying basic logic. You made the effort to question what I said in the first place. What you're saying is a vibes based interpretation based on nothing.
Im likely older than you. And I have no idea what you're talking about vis a vis Chinese collapse. the economic miracle of China and its meteoric rise has been received strongly in the west as long as I've been alive, especially on the right. Much more of a 'we need to get our shit together before China eclipses us', as opposed to 'don't worry, they'll collapse soon.'
You have no idea what you’re talking about.
Just one example of the phenomena I’m referencing.
You are describing something political, not economic. Neocons fetishizing the demise of the CCP does not mean the west is in denial about Chinese economic growth. I'd say plenty of people take it very seriously.
Go back to posting in videogame subreddits, please.
Its coming
What do part of Nothing Ever Happens do you people not understand
Historically, something happened.
You dont get it
2070
No it’s not
The bar gets higher every time
Even people in times of war or genocide have to go to work as usual, that never changes, so it's not a useful barometer. It's a very middle class sentiment to yearn for the zombie apocalypse
"The suburbs dream of violence. Asleep in their drowsy villas, sheltered by benevolent shopping malls, they wait patiently for the nightmares that will wake them into a more passionate world."
J.G. Ballard
Still remember the night I was told not to come to uni the day after bcus of Covid. Probably the only time in my life that global news have affected my day to day life besides just prices of things. Was really eerie, but the announcement was made at like 8pm and I was already at the pub, so I remember feeling quite happy about it at the same time
Covid was the last time something happened, but after it ended the happening was erased by nothing changing thereby negating the happening
‘Nothing ever happens’ only if you live in the first world. There’s something happening every day in every other part of the globe and the ‘anti-happening’ wall between us and them is illusory
well duh
The only time something Ever Happens is when it affects the white collar suburban PMC class. They are truly the levers moving the gears of history. The rich don’t have the numbers so they need the upper middle class as their foot soldiers. The poor don’t have the money and access so they need the upper middle class for legitimacy.
What is happening that is affecting the American working class any different to the suburban PMC class at the moment? Both are suffering from a horrible job market, the economy in the toilet and automation the same right now. Yeah, the US invading Venezuela and kidnapping Maduro kinda sucks, so does Aleppo and Ukraine, so does the killing of that woman by the ICE but how does any of that affect your life. Literally just turn off the news and it's all gone. The ICE shit is horrible but this happens in the US all the fucking time. There'll be some protests, they'll fizzle out, nothing will change. International news is completely irrelevant to literally anyone in America.
Yes, exactly. If Joe Schmo can swing a break from his second shift job to bring his girl to soccer practice, nothing is happening. If Mr. Jones gets his disability check and can pay his water bill, nothing is happening.
It might sound cruel but as life changing as these events have been for us — have they actually altered your behavior or just your emotions? Do you genuinely cringe every time you get in a car because you might run into ICE officials? Do you work with a bunch of Venezuelans and want to call off work for a week because you know they will be at each others throats arguing over the arrest/kidnapping of Maduro?
Does any of this change how you conduct your daily life other than a somber or sad mood that will largely be fleeting?
Maybe In Minneapolis something will be happening. That’s as far as you can take it.
To me something happening across the U.S. at least (believe me I am not applying this to everyone) was if maybe EBT money wasn’t given for 6 months, a year, or every flight was getting delayed or canceled, or the nonsense that came with COVID.
Yeah, you’re right. Us important PMCs on redscarepod are going to lead the revolution. We’re truly the levers moving the gears of history.
One of these days. In the meantime I’ll just post “Luigi” on random news subreddits. I would write more but I gotta clock in on Slack.
"Nothing ever happens" is just a reaction to sensationalism, which is rampant.
I honestly think nothing's happening, people read too much news.
In the 70s if a federal officer randomly domed some woman would it have made front page national news? I doubt it. I’m sure it happened constantly too.
Kent state was huge news
Not similar
How is that not similar? They were random college students. Two of the students who died were protesting and the other two weren’t involved in the rally they were just bystanders. They were shot by Ohio natl guardsmen so I suppose not federal agents but it was agents of the state shooting civilians. It’s not exactly the same but it’s very similar to “a federal officer randomly doming some woman” and it was huge news. People at or near protests were not constantly shot by federal law enforcement during the 70s, this would have been big news then too.
It’s definitely that things aren’t happening and not that I’m too dumb and distracted to notice the change
Yeah it’s silly. Like even during the worst periods of the world wars, it’s not like it was 24/7 carnage. Short of the earth literally exploding, this is the something happening. Frog in boiling water metaphor etc etc
Don’t understand the nothing ever happens mentality. Isn’t it just the same logic as The End of History. Which is largely considered a joke now.
It's an overcorrection against the tendency to exaggerate the significance and consequence of whatever events are taking up the current news cycle. Every diplomatic crisis puts us on the brink of WW3, every domestic crisis threatens civil war, and when those things don't happen, it's easy to declare that "nothing ever happens".
I can assure you the Nothing Ever Happens Chüd is not employed never mind firing up Teams.
If you would please consult the graphs.
the way things are going, you won't have the privilege of opening Teams one morning...
The Salafists-Zionists are planning a spectacular happening in Mamdani's NYC that will make the Wahhabists-Zionists' NYC spectacle of 2001 a long forgotten moment
look, I'm team Nothing Ever Happens, and we're down horrible this week, so be nice.
that said, a justification. In the Sublime Object of Ideology, Zizek says that history is defined by an iterative process in which the future is prematurely staked out, speculatively, by our collective imaginations long in advance of it actually happening. The example he uses is the sinking of the Titanic: by the time this actually happened, people had already written several fictive works about the Largest Ship Ever Built Which, In A Testament to Man's Hubris, Sinks On Its Maiden Voyage. So by the time it happens, that category is already built for it. It is similar for 9-11, he says: we already were mass-producing images of an attack on the WTC in some sense for years before it actually happened. It's easy to see how the hyper-news of the present day contributes to this: we're already well-primed for a number of insane things to happen at basically any point, in part because of how easy it is for an NYT article or an insane Redditor to suggest that Something Will Happen, and the sheer number of these predictions being made, and then when it happens they go "<soyface> look it happened!". Last point on Zizek - I find it completely fascinating that this concept has nothing to do with Landian hyperstition, as they are so very similar, and came about around the same time in history. Very weird.
Anyway, obviously sometimes things happen but USUALLY they are either "No duh that happened" (it was basically inevitable, it was already happening, etc.) or they are "yeah something happened but it's not like a huge deal". Events like the sinking of the Titanic or 911 don't happen very frequently, and they tend to be extremely historic. I don't want to think about what the next one of those types of happenings will be.
Everyone still has to go to work tomorrow.
The mandate of heaven is still strong