Sam Crane
@uselesstree.bsky.social
I teach contemporary PRC politics and ancient Chinese philosophy at Williams College. Currently Director of Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford.
“It’s a cultural difference” 🤣
American tankie influencer gets interrogated by actual Chinese state police while visiting Tiananmen Square sounds like a comedy sketch and yet it's real lmao
www.reddit.com/r/Livestream...
www.reddit.com/r/Livestream...
From the LivestreamFail community on Reddit: Chinese security police harassed Hasan Piker while he was live streaming in Tiananmen Square
Explore this post and more from the LivestreamFail community
www.reddit.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:10 AM
“It’s a cultural difference” 🤣
The middle class in Britain never had access to hereditary estates.
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 PM
The middle class in Britain never had access to hereditary estates.
Here’s a good introduction to Daoism with some fun contemporary applications. Great work from @bryanvannorden.bsky.social
youtu.be/lvglQJDrgJI
youtu.be/lvglQJDrgJI
Wisdom of China: Laozi
YouTube video by Bryan Van Norden
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Here’s a good introduction to Daoism with some fun contemporary applications. Great work from @bryanvannorden.bsky.social
youtu.be/lvglQJDrgJI
youtu.be/lvglQJDrgJI
A great HK T-shirt spotted by @medievalchina.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 6:52 AM
A great HK T-shirt spotted by @medievalchina.bsky.social
Indeed.
Confucianism is the apotheosis of virtue signaling.
Confucianism is the apotheosis of virtue signaling.
virtue signalling is good actually
Performative decency is actually *so* important for this reason.
It tricks the 10% of ghouls into thinking that there are only 1% of ghouls.
And it makes the 30% of people that don't care one way or another follow the mostly decent crowd
It tricks the 10% of ghouls into thinking that there are only 1% of ghouls.
And it makes the 30% of people that don't care one way or another follow the mostly decent crowd
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Indeed.
Confucianism is the apotheosis of virtue signaling.
Confucianism is the apotheosis of virtue signaling.
If you see this, post an album cover with a motor vehicle on it.
November 8, 2025 at 9:56 AM
If you see this, post an album cover with a motor vehicle on it.
Joe Fewsmith RIP
For me, this was one of his most significant contributions:
For me, this was one of his most significant contributions:
November 8, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Joe Fewsmith RIP
For me, this was one of his most significant contributions:
For me, this was one of his most significant contributions:
Reposted by Sam Crane
Reposted by Sam Crane
Join the Independent Chinese PEN Centre with PEN International for “Chinese Prisons and International War: The 2025 ICPC Awards and Panel Discussions” on 14 November 2025, 1–5 PM.
Tickets available now ⬇️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chinese-pr...
#DayOfTheImprisonedWriter
Tickets available now ⬇️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chinese-pr...
#DayOfTheImprisonedWriter
November 4, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Join the Independent Chinese PEN Centre with PEN International for “Chinese Prisons and International War: The 2025 ICPC Awards and Panel Discussions” on 14 November 2025, 1–5 PM.
Tickets available now ⬇️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chinese-pr...
#DayOfTheImprisonedWriter
Tickets available now ⬇️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chinese-pr...
#DayOfTheImprisonedWriter
So good to see Lina Khan at the front.
Go Ephs!
Go Ephs!
Mamdani announces transition team:
All-female team led by Elana Leopold, a known Dem strategist; also Melanie Hartzog, who once led the NYC’s health and human services and budget offices; former dep mayor Maria Torres-Springer, and Lina Khan, the former FTC commissioner who campaigned with Mamdani
All-female team led by Elana Leopold, a known Dem strategist; also Melanie Hartzog, who once led the NYC’s health and human services and budget offices; former dep mayor Maria Torres-Springer, and Lina Khan, the former FTC commissioner who campaigned with Mamdani
November 5, 2025 at 10:46 PM
So good to see Lina Khan at the front.
Go Ephs!
Go Ephs!
lol
I knew it would take less than a day for a tiktok dj to make something.
November 5, 2025 at 3:03 PM
lol
A quick review of political meanings of socialism.
When Mamdani invokes socialism he is doing so in the tradition of European democratic socialism (there is really no difference with word order here: call it socialist democracy, or social democracy, if you like).
1/
When Mamdani invokes socialism he is doing so in the tradition of European democratic socialism (there is really no difference with word order here: call it socialist democracy, or social democracy, if you like).
1/
November 5, 2025 at 10:22 AM
A quick review of political meanings of socialism.
When Mamdani invokes socialism he is doing so in the tradition of European democratic socialism (there is really no difference with word order here: call it socialist democracy, or social democracy, if you like).
1/
When Mamdani invokes socialism he is doing so in the tradition of European democratic socialism (there is really no difference with word order here: call it socialist democracy, or social democracy, if you like).
1/
Truth
there is no hierarchy of citizenship.
there are only citizens. All citizens are imbued with the same legal protections and rights in the U.S.
Some citizens born, some citizens are naturalized, both are fully and equally citizens.
the end.
there are only citizens. All citizens are imbued with the same legal protections and rights in the U.S.
Some citizens born, some citizens are naturalized, both are fully and equally citizens.
the end.
November 3, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Truth
A movie you've seen more than seven times with a gif.
November 3, 2025 at 1:29 PM
A movie you've seen more than seven times with a gif.
Yes. But can’t help but wonder if Xi didn’t raise it because he feels PRC is in a relatively strong position now and doesn’t need anything from US. And Trump didn’t raise it because he is simply incapable of managing complex strategy.
Oh? Taiwan was not discussed in the Trump-Xi meeting? I guess many in Taiwan will be relieved
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
Trump Meets With Xi, Declares Immediate Cut to Tariffs
The leaders emerged from the face-to-face summit—their first in six years—with steps to de-escalate trade tensions.
www.wsj.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Yes. But can’t help but wonder if Xi didn’t raise it because he feels PRC is in a relatively strong position now and doesn’t need anything from US. And Trump didn’t raise it because he is simply incapable of managing complex strategy.
So, no “deal” yet.
Trump said: “the US would sign a deal with China "pretty soon".
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump said: “the US would sign a deal with China "pretty soon".
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump-Xi meeting: How did we get here?
US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met on Thursday to discuss a trade deal.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 8:11 AM
So, no “deal” yet.
Trump said: “the US would sign a deal with China "pretty soon".
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump said: “the US would sign a deal with China "pretty soon".
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
And, of course, by cancelling his visa they are verifying that Trump is, indeed "Idi Amin in whiteface."
The US has revoked the visa of a Nobel Prize winner in literature after the author called President Trump "Idi Amin in whiteface." Nigerian Wole Soyinka, 91, said the US consulate told him to bring in his passport so it could be canceled in person. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka says his US visa revoked
The 91-year-old Nobel laureate in literature has been a critic of Trump's immigration policy.
www.bbc.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:21 PM
And, of course, by cancelling his visa they are verifying that Trump is, indeed "Idi Amin in whiteface."
Preparing for a talk on political uses of Confucianism and went back to the old blog for ideas. I moved The Useless Tree archive to Wordpress after the closure of Typepad. Haven't attended to formatting and visuals, but here's an old post that's on my mind again:
uselesstree.blog/2011/06/21/j...
uselesstree.blog/2011/06/21/j...
Just how Confucian was the Han Dynasty? And what does that suggest for today’s Confucian revival?
It is generally understood that, following the Qin repression, Confucianism was revived and given government sponsorship under the Han Dynasty. The conventional wisdom goes something like thi…
uselesstree.blog
October 28, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Preparing for a talk on political uses of Confucianism and went back to the old blog for ideas. I moved The Useless Tree archive to Wordpress after the closure of Typepad. Haven't attended to formatting and visuals, but here's an old post that's on my mind again:
uselesstree.blog/2011/06/21/j...
uselesstree.blog/2011/06/21/j...
I suspect “Confucian AI” will turn out like other political appropriations of Confucianism: dominated by the powerful in the interests of the powerful.
A different but, um, striking new example
Why the World Needs Confucian AI — and Taiwan Can Lead in AI Ethics｜Insight｜2025-10-27｜web only
As AI grows more autonomous, its ethical foundations—shaped largely by Western ideals of individualism and optimization—are being called into question. Jonathan Gropper proposes a Confucian alternativ...
english.cw.com.tw
October 28, 2025 at 11:16 AM
I suspect “Confucian AI” will turn out like other political appropriations of Confucianism: dominated by the powerful in the interests of the powerful.
Unless you’re in Istanbul, where there are relatively comfortable communitarian possibilities.
it's crazy that if you're a cat, your only two life outcomes are eating out of a trash can or getting treated like a little baby
October 27, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Unless you’re in Istanbul, where there are relatively comfortable communitarian possibilities.
Montesquieu defines despotism:
“a single person directs everything by his own will and caprice”
Pretty much sums up US now.
“a single person directs everything by his own will and caprice”
Pretty much sums up US now.
October 26, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Montesquieu defines despotism:
“a single person directs everything by his own will and caprice”
Pretty much sums up US now.
“a single person directs everything by his own will and caprice”
Pretty much sums up US now.
Tomorrow!
October 26, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Tomorrow!
Will Hutton in @theobserveruk.bsky.social
“…recent independent research suggesting that Brexit had lowered Britain’s output by between 6% and 8% and investment by between 12% and 18% compared to what it would have been had the UK remained in the EU…
“…recent independent research suggesting that Brexit had lowered Britain’s output by between 6% and 8% and investment by between 12% and 18% compared to what it would have been had the UK remained in the EU…
October 26, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Will Hutton in @theobserveruk.bsky.social
“…recent independent research suggesting that Brexit had lowered Britain’s output by between 6% and 8% and investment by between 12% and 18% compared to what it would have been had the UK remained in the EU…
“…recent independent research suggesting that Brexit had lowered Britain’s output by between 6% and 8% and investment by between 12% and 18% compared to what it would have been had the UK remained in the EU…
Yes. Perhaps both are true: support for a demagogue facilitates institutional capture and destruction.
Classical theorists of tyranny (Plato, Aristotle) thought tyranny arose out of popular support for strongmen. Perhaps true for a few cases (Dionysios I), but mod historians prefer to think tyranny arose out of institutional capture, violence & breaking elites. That seems right.
October 25, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Yes. Perhaps both are true: support for a demagogue facilitates institutional capture and destruction.
I'm so old I remember when conservative Republicans revered Reagan and agreed with his anti-tariff, free trade stance.
October 24, 2025 at 2:46 PM
I'm so old I remember when conservative Republicans revered Reagan and agreed with his anti-tariff, free trade stance.