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This essay is in a totally different genre than an HN blog post, so all of the comments here are totally wide of the mark. It's like asking why Thoreau didn't j
by earthboundkid 6y ago
This essay is in a totally different genre than an HN blog post, so all of the comments here are totally wide of the mark. It's like asking why Thoreau didn't just get a telegraph line back to Boston. We don't use this genre in the US, which reinforces the point he's making. The Analects quote at the beginning is also crucial. All educated Chinese know that quote and ~0% of Americans do: we have radically different cultures, not just superficially different pop cultures. The whole argument is a sly wink in favor of nationalism, but it's not supposed to be read on the square as simple propaganda either.
- 082349872349872 6y agoIs the second (not directly quoted) part of the Analects reference important to understanding the essay?
- earthboundkid 6y agoI think it’s more just that a) having a classical allusion makes you seem erudite in this genre b) it’s clearly part of the shared culture that you get living in China that you could miss by living abroad. The second half where Confucius says he no longer trusts people without observing them probably plays some role (he’s giving his own observations) but I don’t think it’s that important to the whole.