Taking Down the Chinese

I have always said that armed conflict doesn't really get us anywhere. It's been proven time and again that subterfuge works just as well. Export Western reality television to the rest of the world, and, voila! They're hooked and buying our products. Let millions of people in India buy a car, and very soon, they're hooked on driving...can drive in movies and Sonic restaurants (not to mention Starbucks' drive-up windows) be far behind? Of course, that raises the ugly specter (or Spectre if one remembers the Bond movies) of their using all the oil, leaving us to walk...well, we'll just get out the hiking boots and return to our roots. In an interesting twist, while the middle class in this country slowly disintegrates into a rich man/poor man class system, we're taking over China in the same way...by encouraging unthinkable spending on weddings.
Weddings and wedding planning have become an 80 billion-dollar a year business in China, and it is not uncommon for a young man to work tirelessly for four years or more just to be able to afford an engagement ring valued at $3500. Every year, 10 million Chinese will marry, and the cost has become exorbitant, with some spending an entire year's earnings on the ceremony/dinner combination. Remember, this is China, a country in which prestige and "face" are more important than almost anything else; a place in which 5-star hotels charge an average of $1200 per sitting for a dinner. Yikes! This ever-growing extravagance is being fueled by an ever-growing middle class and an ever-increasing need to invite hundreds of people to each affair.
Of course, there are ways to save money without losing face, according to Lawrence Lo, an etiquette consultant. He offers the suggestions of serving Chines wine instead of imported wine and leaving items like shark fin soup off the dinner menu...for what? tenderloin tips and broasted chicken?
I say, keep spending all the money on weddings in the Far East. Maybe we'll somehow be able to get that money bak by producing a reality series of Bridezillas in China.
That'll show 'em to mess with OUR debt!