The East: The Entitled Sugar Baby of Chaostan

Are you watching the sparring in the White House? There’s a key line where Trump says, “It will be hard to do business.” The line abruptly gets cut off, but there’s deep insight to extract from it. How can you “do business” or “trade” when these are the dynamics you’re dealing with?

It’s both surprising and a harsh reality that the White House is asking for a sincere thanks. The problem with the West is that it has found itself in a position where it’s almost pleading for gratitude.

From my journeys in the East, I’ve found that a sincere thanks or a clear sign of appreciation is rare. I attribute this to the necessity of saving face. What do I mean by that? We all understand the pragmatism of transactions, yet to “save face,” we act as if it’s a partnership of equals.

Now, let’s take this idea to something more intimate, yet just as revealing as what happened at the White House—interpersonal relationships between men and women. Who pays on a date, and what does that imply or not imply? There’s even a term now, “50/50,” suggesting that people may or may not split the tab. But assuming it’s not 50/50, what is the response or behavior of the recipient? Context matters—what level of entitlement or appreciation is shown?

In my experience, it often leads to entitlement and even creates a dramatic power shift. By the time that shift has occurred, it’s frankly too late.

This is exactly why it becomes “hard to do business with.”

This is why through aid and trade - the East behaves like an entitled sugar baby.