Pinky & the Brain,Mogambo, and China 2025 Plan

​The China 2025 plan reminds me of the old cartoon, "Pinky & the Brain."
 
"Gee Brain, what do you want to do today?"
 
Brain:  "The same thing we do every day, Pinky – TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!"
 
Given my Indian roots, it also reminds me of a famous movie character named Mogambo. 
 
For those who don’t watch Bollywood movies (yes Bollywood, the Indian version of Hollywood), you’ve missed out on Mogambo.  Mogambo is an evil genius who belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Indian bad guys.   ‘Mogambo Khush Hua’ was this guy's trademark phrase.  It means ‘Mogambo is pleased,’ and is an epic movie line in Indian cinema.   In the film, he is on the path of global domination - only to be stopped by the good guy “Mr. India," who manages to save the world.
 
So, what is ‘Made in China 2025’?  This is the Chinese version of global domination to control all future critical industries such as Robotics, Technology, and Clean Energy.  It is a medium for China to transition its manufacturing economy to a technology-centric one.  It is also a ploy to extend its lead and truly takes over the world.  And the world is up in arms!  The plan must be stopped at all costs - or we risk living in a Chinese world. 
 
Will China 2025 succeed?  Chinese central planning capitalized on cheap labor costs - among other things - and engineered a miraculous four-decade economic renaissance.  But does that track record of success mean the Chinese central planners can invent the future?  No.  Thankfully, it doesn’t work that way.  The probability of five dictators in a room successfully predicting the future of technology is low.
 
Think about it.  Two decades ago, no one could have predicted that Google would become our information fountain, or that we would spend two hours a day browsing social media or watching You Tube videos.  Nor was it in any realm of possibility that an upstart book E-tailer would upend the entire retail establishment.  What did the music industry see in an Ipod – a friend or a foe?  Did the Exxon’s or the Chevron’s bring about the Oil & Gas shale revolution?  No.  It was the brain-child of ‘Wildcatters’ who simply refused to give up on the idea that there is ‘Oil In Those Rocks’.  The large and established, whether Governments or Companies, rarely make breakthroughs.  They lack the creative energy.  The small, nimble, ambitious, "never give-up" entrepreneurs do.       
 
So here is the real story.  Simply, the future of technology is unknowable and cannot be planned.   It cannot be directed, created, and dominated by dictators in their quest of global domination.  It is born in unsuspecting garages or non-descript office buildings.  Mostly, it is created by a few who don’t accept the status quo.  In the words of the immortal Steve Jobs, it is built by those who ‘stay hungry, stay foolish’.  The simplest way of inventing the future is to train, invite, and retain the smartest students globally.  Then get out of the way and let them invent the future.  This has always been the recipe for America’s success. 
 
We, our economy, and the world may have 99 problems, but the ‘China 2025’ plan isn’t one of them.

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​This material does not constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase an interest in Latticework Partners, LP (the "Fund").  Such an offer will only be made by means of a confidential offering memorandum and only in those jurisdictions where permitted by law.  An investment in the Fund is speculative and is subject to a risk of loss, including a risk of loss of principal.  There is no secondary market for interests in the Fund and none is expected to develop.  No assurance can be given that the Fund will achieve its objective or that an investor will receive a return of all or part of its investment.

This material contains certain forward-looking statements and projections regarding the future performance and asset allocation of the Fund.  These projections are included for illustrative purposes only, are inherently speculative as they relate to future events, and may not be realized as described.  These forward-looking statements will not be updated in future.

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​This material does not constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase an interest in Latticework Partners, LP (the "Fund").  Such an offer will only be made by means of a confidential offering memorandum and only in those jurisdictions where permitted by law.  An investment in the Fund is speculative and is subject to a risk of loss, including a risk of loss of principal.  There is no secondary market for interests in the Fund and none is expected to develop.  No assurance can be given that the Fund will achieve its objective or that an investor will receive a return of all or part of its investment.

This material contains certain forward-looking statements and projections regarding the future performance and asset allocation of the Fund.  These projections are included for illustrative purposes only, are inherently speculative as they relate to future events, and may not be realized as described.  These forward-looking statements will not be updated in future.