The Useless Tree

Ancient Chinese Thought in Modern Life

Latest Posts

  • The Face of Legalism Today

        I know, I am beating a dead horse but I couldn’t not post about the sad and frustrating stories coming out of Burma.  It seems that the military dictators are more interested in going forward with a sham… Continue reading

  • Work, Work, Work

         I’m behind in posting here due to the end-of-the-semester crush.  Makes me think of Chuang Tzu: Once we stumble into the form of this body, we cannot forget it.  And so it is that we wait out the… Continue reading

  • Anachronist Legalism

        In February I posted three times about the New Legalists, a web site that takes as its motto: "End capital’s hegemony in the name of liberty, build a new world with original Chinese Taoist-Legalist civilization as a prototype." … Continue reading

  • Life, Meaning

        I was talking with a friend today.  She felt a bit overwhelmed: so much going on, so much to do, and so hard to see the significance in it all.  It was a variation on that age-old anxiety:… Continue reading

  • Realizing our Parents

        Laura, at 11D, calls our attention to an article in the Sunday NYT Magazine by Bob Morris, in which he reflects upon his desires to push his elderly father to physical activity beyond what the older man wants. … Continue reading

  • Nationalism, Globalization and “Three in the Morning”

     Chuang Tzu’s happy irony came to mind when I saw this story the other day: Police in southern China have discovered a factory manufacturing Free Tibet flags, media reports say. The factory in Guangdong had been completing overseas orders for… Continue reading

  • Thinking too much

        I have been falling behind in my blogging.  This work thing can really get in the way.  The myriad daily tasks and demands distract me from this space.  Oh well…I’ll just try a bit harder (or, if I… Continue reading

  • This Just In: Confucius is Right

         Here’s an AP story: CHICAGO — Newsflash for rock stars and teenagers: It turns out everything doesn’t go downhill as we age _ the golden years really are golden. That’s according to eye-opening research that found the happiest… Continue reading

  • Mencius on Taxes

        Yesterday was tax day in the US, the day when federal, and I believe most state, income tax forms must be filed.  For many years I used to do my taxes by myself, and this day was certainly… Continue reading

  • Just to be clear about it: Neither China nor the US is a Confucian country

         The annual report from Amnesty International on executions is out and, to no surprise, China leads the list with the US taking fifth place.  To me, this points to a fundamental similarity between the two places, however much… Continue reading

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