Brilliant piece, Jasmine. I've spent most of my career in Hong Kong, arriving just before Deng's transformative sweep through Southern China preceding the boom years (about the time your parents moved to the US!). This might be the best summary of the changes in the last 15 or so years I've yet read, and the way you articulate the human and cultural changes alongside the technical evolution really resonates with my own experience and observation. Well done.
the education system is a big part of what makes the US and China different, I think. As someone who mostly grew up in the public US system, but has many friends and family, there’s a gaping difference between the median US public school and the median Chinese one. In the US case there is virtually no competition and very little sense that education is important, and I hear this from many US-trained teachers who move to east asia that they’re surprised how it’s, just, “cool” to be smart.
i’m in no way advocating for the Chinese education system as a whole but I think it’s worth thinking about education as a fundamental pillar of democracy, since as you say politics in America have not been so great
Very nice piece. I appreciate the emphasis on slice-of-life details rather than trying to fit them into a grand theory. It would be interesting if you could work with someone to import some of the exciting items!
This may sound like an odd comparison but reading it made me think of a recording of Jack Kerouac reading a poem "October in the Railroad Earth" which has such an amazing energy of a world full of work but also possibility (and, for you, a portrait of San Francisco in days past): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8AsvprrYYw
"[Neal] Cassady was working on the Southern Pacific Railroad and in 1951, he persuaded Kerouac to join him in San Francisco, working as a baggage handler and eventually as a brakeman. The process of getting Kerouac to come west took many years, but Kerouac always had a fondness for the city and its surrounding natural landscapes. In a letter to fellow Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in 1948, Kerouac enviously describes Cassady’s life out west as a brakeman. “The Southern Pacific Railroad is the most wonderful railroad in the world incidentally...on a Sunday morning riding down through the sunny San Joaquin Valley…” It is not surprising that Cassady was eventually able to convince his friend to come to the Bay Area.
...
Kerouac worked in the yards and on the trains while living in a hotel near the station. (7) In a letter to Ginsberg in 1952, he describes his living situation in a “fine little room in Skid Row at $4 a week and I was arranging myself so well...that I was happy for the first time in years.”"
however
"Brakemen were often exposed to dangerous conditions and serious injury risk, something that befell Cassady when he broke his ankle trying to avert a train crash in the early 1950s. Kerouac was never seriously injured while working on the tracks, but the intensity of the labor and the demands from his employers led to frustration and anger. In another letter to Ginsberg in 1952, Kerouac wrote, “I hate people. I can’t stand people anymore. The phone just called me, gotta go to work again, I’m sick and tired of it—this is why it took me so long to answer you, the railroad.”
Thanks; yes, if nothing else listen to the poem. The sense of energy is clear (and let me know if you do).
Interestingly, Noah Smith wrote today, "But as you read it, you should wonder whether modern China is best modeled as 'America with different leaders', or 'America 75 years ago.'" so a poem based on Kerouac's experience in the early 50s would almost precisely match that time-shift.
Not just China, but a general Asian approach is to ignore that mental conditions exist (even neurodivergence, to an extent). I’m seeing more awareness initiatives here in Southeast Asia that would’ve been unthinkable even 5 years ago. My take is that COVID pierced this veil in some way.
Great piece, by the way! Loved every word of it. You have an ability to give what could be dry statistical facts a human warmth in your writing. 🤗
Well done. Best piece on modern China I have ever read. Thanks for taking us on a profound journey in a fascinating country.
ahh high praise, thank you so much!!
Brilliant piece, Jasmine. I've spent most of my career in Hong Kong, arriving just before Deng's transformative sweep through Southern China preceding the boom years (about the time your parents moved to the US!). This might be the best summary of the changes in the last 15 or so years I've yet read, and the way you articulate the human and cultural changes alongside the technical evolution really resonates with my own experience and observation. Well done.
thank you, it's cool to hear that my 3 weeks of impressions still resonated with your decades there :)
I love your dad’s fit
the education system is a big part of what makes the US and China different, I think. As someone who mostly grew up in the public US system, but has many friends and family, there’s a gaping difference between the median US public school and the median Chinese one. In the US case there is virtually no competition and very little sense that education is important, and I hear this from many US-trained teachers who move to east asia that they’re surprised how it’s, just, “cool” to be smart.
i’m in no way advocating for the Chinese education system as a whole but I think it’s worth thinking about education as a fundamental pillar of democracy, since as you say politics in America have not been so great
Very nice piece. I appreciate the emphasis on slice-of-life details rather than trying to fit them into a grand theory. It would be interesting if you could work with someone to import some of the exciting items!
This may sound like an odd comparison but reading it made me think of a recording of Jack Kerouac reading a poem "October in the Railroad Earth" which has such an amazing energy of a world full of work but also possibility (and, for you, a portrait of San Francisco in days past): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8AsvprrYYw
Looking up more information I find this: https://www.foundsf.org/Kerouac%E2%80%99s_San_Francisco_Experience:_%E2%80%9COctober_in_the_Railroad_Earth%E2%80%9D
"[Neal] Cassady was working on the Southern Pacific Railroad and in 1951, he persuaded Kerouac to join him in San Francisco, working as a baggage handler and eventually as a brakeman. The process of getting Kerouac to come west took many years, but Kerouac always had a fondness for the city and its surrounding natural landscapes. In a letter to fellow Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in 1948, Kerouac enviously describes Cassady’s life out west as a brakeman. “The Southern Pacific Railroad is the most wonderful railroad in the world incidentally...on a Sunday morning riding down through the sunny San Joaquin Valley…” It is not surprising that Cassady was eventually able to convince his friend to come to the Bay Area.
...
Kerouac worked in the yards and on the trains while living in a hotel near the station. (7) In a letter to Ginsberg in 1952, he describes his living situation in a “fine little room in Skid Row at $4 a week and I was arranging myself so well...that I was happy for the first time in years.”"
however
"Brakemen were often exposed to dangerous conditions and serious injury risk, something that befell Cassady when he broke his ankle trying to avert a train crash in the early 1950s. Kerouac was never seriously injured while working on the tracks, but the intensity of the labor and the demands from his employers led to frustration and anger. In another letter to Ginsberg in 1952, Kerouac wrote, “I hate people. I can’t stand people anymore. The phone just called me, gotta go to work again, I’m sick and tired of it—this is why it took me so long to answer you, the railroad.”
oh yeah the China space is full of grand theories, doesn't need any from me
interesting! I'll check that out — I do want to learn more about the beats
Thanks; yes, if nothing else listen to the poem. The sense of energy is clear (and let me know if you do).
Interestingly, Noah Smith wrote today, "But as you read it, you should wonder whether modern China is best modeled as 'America with different leaders', or 'America 75 years ago.'" so a poem based on Kerouac's experience in the early 50s would almost precisely match that time-shift.
This was a really great piece Jasmine!
Amazing insights! Thank you
Not just China, but a general Asian approach is to ignore that mental conditions exist (even neurodivergence, to an extent). I’m seeing more awareness initiatives here in Southeast Asia that would’ve been unthinkable even 5 years ago. My take is that COVID pierced this veil in some way.
Great piece, by the way! Loved every word of it. You have an ability to give what could be dry statistical facts a human warmth in your writing. 🤗
agree that covid was a turning point! and thank you :)
Fantastic read
So so good! Loved this piece!
thank you! means a lot, your name came up a bunch when we asked “so who’s an actually good china tech writer”
Thank you! Too kind!
"Turns out you can 007 your hobbies as well as your job."
this piece is so great!
I need to hobby harder
This is excellent insight. Thanks. I posted a note so my friends on LinkedIn could take a peek too.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adamzak_america-against-china-against-america-activity-7366899921238515712-XBVt?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAGw30BeVbz1DoeW1HBtTlq1LptyUPcnDM
This was fantastic. It made me jealous of everyone on the trip. I would love to go to China with you.
I am excited to organize more group trips!!!
lovely read. so accurately captures the abundance & ambition of modern china
Really cool resemblance between you and your Grandma's early pictures! Thanks for sharing, I need more time to complete reading your article.
Brilliant and fascinating, thanks!