Part 5/10:
Entrepreneurship vs. Obedience
America’s culture venerates outliers—those who dare to challenge norms and break rules. Figures like Oprah Winfrey, who transformed adversity into a media empire, or Steve Jobs, who revolutionized tech from a garage, embody this spirit. The environment celebrates rule-breakers and innovators.
In China, entrepreneurship is tolerated but closely monitored. Entrepreneurs like Jack Ma once enjoyed vast freedom but faced repercussions when their ideas threatened the state’s control. Jack Ma’s vocal criticism of China’s financial system led to the cancellation of his IPO and a silencing of his influence. The environment supports business creation as long as it stays within boundaries set by the government; stepping outside those limits risks suppression.