It's still creativity, role playing, and narrative. Lean in and it becomes engagement, collaboration, and curiosity. Challenge him to go so far with different angles that he's far too smart to stay in Kansas with the whole acres of depressing perspectives you fear. It's easy to have push beliefs that require something more than an authoritarian approach. Team building alone introduces social censure on authoritarian approaches. And things change very quickly for kids when their lifestyles demand change.
Most people I know that went hard on authoritarian careers really lacked imagination and enjoyment. But really they were one pushy girlfriend away from making alternative choices.
You're doing great to be just rolling your eyes and going with it. You've said your piece and you're hanging in 🏆 Being a role model by not being a dictator is definitely the way to go.
There has to be an amount of disbelief with the proficiency of rocket propelled delivery at this point. Laser weaponry and current defence solutions would have to give you pause in believing you could mount a nuclear war against the US without becoming the nuclear wasteland yourself. And it requires the unnerving belief allies will equally join the attempt and have proficient weaponry.
China's going to look at the odds and think fuck that IMO.