A lot of people compare the U.S. to Rome, but I wonder how closer the U.S. is to Qing China in its attitudes towards themselves and new things. In those times, the Chinese looked at Western innovations and said "The Chinese already invented them a long time ago, we don't need it." And then they wondered why they had to sign humiliating treaties with foreign powers to give them rights to Chinese territory- because they were ultimately outgunned and out-tech'd.