The Useless Tree

Current Affairs

  • The Responsibility of a Teacher

         I talked yesterday, and had a pleasant dinner with, a group of alumni from my college.  They were students of a famed teacher, Robert L. Gaudino.  He was an immensely dedicated teacher, committed to the idea of "uncomfortable… Continue reading

  • No Show Cho

          If confronted with the question, should the videos and photos of the Virginia Tech killer be aired publicly, both Confucians and Taoists would say "no."  And it may be instructive to work through their responses because they may… Continue reading

  • Virginia Tech

         My deepest sympathies to all those involved in the horrible tragedy at Virginia Tech.      What can we do, how can we respond, when confronted with such depravity?  I heard a Christian preacher on the radio this… Continue reading

  • No Angels

        Today, in my Chinese politics class, we discussed the book, Will the Boat Sink the Water?, by Chen Guidi and Wu Chuntao. It is a bracing description (it describes more than it explains) of the pervasive corruption in… Continue reading

  • Taoists in the Jungle

         It’s been a great week in my ancient Chinese philosophy tutorial, sitting around with students talking about Chuang Tzu: what he might have meant in the Inner Chapters and what those chapters might mean in our times.  Since… Continue reading

  • Un-Confucian abuses of Confucius

        I picked up this story from Virtual China, which picked it up from Roland.  It is about a Chinese fellow who re-posted a story on a web site (the story had already been posted elsewhere on the web;… Continue reading

  • Kurt Vonnegut, Taoist Sage

         Yes, I am one of those insufferable late-boomers who, when flopping about in high school, found fun and meaning and insight in the novels of Kurt Vonnegut, who died yesterday.  I am sure there will be many "counter-cultural"… Continue reading

  • The Father

        I don’t usually descend into the most tawdry of popular cultural media events (at least I don’t think I do…) but I just want to register here my dismay and disgust in regard to the sordid haggling over… Continue reading

  • Confucianism in Everyday Life

         I guess I have to comment on this article in yesterday’s China Daily: Filial piety plays a part in promotions Updated: 2007-04-09 06:43 Want a promotion? How about being nice to mom and dad? Administrative skills alone are… Continue reading

  • Su Fei is Not an Imperialist

        From Danwei today we learn that its video series, Sexy Beijing, has been branded as cultural imperialism by students at the London School of Economics.   I rise in defense of the lady: Su Fei is not a cultural… Continue reading