The Useless Tree

Mencius

  • The China Milk Crisis

    I have been distracted of late by US politics and the economic crisis.  Thus, I have not commented on the milk contamination scandal in China.  Bottom line: Chinese diary producers, as many as 22 companies, have been adding a toxic… Continue reading

  • Finance is Immoral

    Decades ago, “finance” was generally understood as financing something other than finance itself; that is, stocks and bonds and money were tied to the production and circulation of goods and services, which were for the most part tangible, or “real”… Continue reading

  • Menicus in Denver

    I am an Obama guy.  The speech last night was not his inspirational best.  The descent into policy details took some of the air out of it (I have never been passionate about capital gains taxes).  But maybe that is… Continue reading

  • Mencius on Making Good Choices

    Mencius said: "People love all aspects of themselves equally.  Loving them all equally, people nurture them all equally.  When there isn't an inch of their flesh that they don't love, there isn't an inch they don't nurture.  There's only one… Continue reading

  • Power and Authority

         Following on yesterday’s post (below), I wanted to mention another idea that came up in the course of my summer class.  We talked, in various ways, about the notion of authority.  I must admit, I do not often think… Continue reading

  • Life Without a “True Emperor”

    Mencius has much to say about political leadership.  For him, a wise leader, some times termed a “true emperor,” is key to stability and prosperity.  The US has suffered for so long with the venal and bumbling Bush administration, that… Continue reading

  • Keeping the Confucian-Mencian Spirit Alive

    The people who are best at continuing the finest traditions of Confucianism in the PRC today are those brave enough to stand up and speak truth to power.  People like Chen Guangcheng.  We all should learn from such people and… Continue reading

  • Mencius, Mencius Everywhere

         Perhaps it’s just me, but I am constantly noticing Mencian resonances in various current events.  Two items thus jumped out of today’s NYT:      First, US law-makers over-rode President Bush’s veto of a bill on health care.  The bottom… Continue reading

  • Mencius and Food Stamps

         Mencius is very much on my mind these days: I am reading it with a group of entering first year students.  So, I noticed the Mencian resonances in this op-ed in today’s WaPo by Michael Gerson.  He is a… Continue reading

  • Mao Fed People to Animals

    A new book about the Great Leap Forward has been published.  It’s in Chinese; the title is Mubei (Tombstone) and is written by Yang Jisheng.  I have not seen it myself yet but a review is available in yesterday’s (July… Continue reading