First time reader here, and I absolutely loved this piece. Decoding Huning's thinking has a lot of explanatory power! On a related note, I wonder whether Huning has written anything on India (w.r.t. economic, social, military, trade matters)?
"Americans are not only habituated to technological processes—they have a deep and abiding faith in science and technology. To the American mind scientific knowledge is endowed with an almost sacred authority."
I see MAHA stuff and I wonder how much that's changing. Americans are noticeably more icked out by AI and robotics than the Chinese as well.
"If, amid this general upheaval, you fail to link the idea of rights to individual self-interest, which is the only fixed point in the human heart, what else have you got to rule the world except fear?[42] To this question Wang Huning would answer: “We have science and technology.”"
I very much doubt that Wang, or any Chinese, would give that answer, for they have a two-thousand year old civilization based on the principle of compassion, ren, which is working better than ever today, while we have neither a civilization nor a culture of any kind.
The post you're replying to is a culture and a civilization of a kind. I'm quite happy that I've found it.
I would say that the western technological societies have strayed somewhat from the path meant for humans, probably since "I think, therefore I am" was taken seriously.
But, one can learn from one's mistakes. We'll see.
First time reader here, and I absolutely loved this piece. Decoding Huning's thinking has a lot of explanatory power! On a related note, I wonder whether Huning has written anything on India (w.r.t. economic, social, military, trade matters)?
"Americans are not only habituated to technological processes—they have a deep and abiding faith in science and technology. To the American mind scientific knowledge is endowed with an almost sacred authority."
I see MAHA stuff and I wonder how much that's changing. Americans are noticeably more icked out by AI and robotics than the Chinese as well.
I’ve enjoyed your writing for years now. Just went back to check and saw the recent (July 2023) interest in cybernetics, which I emphatically share.
On this Huning point: Yuk Hui’s The Question Concerning Technology in China is essential.
And more broadly, when you invoke “apparatus”—Flusser is the best on this.
"If, amid this general upheaval, you fail to link the idea of rights to individual self-interest, which is the only fixed point in the human heart, what else have you got to rule the world except fear?[42] To this question Wang Huning would answer: “We have science and technology.”"
I very much doubt that Wang, or any Chinese, would give that answer, for they have a two-thousand year old civilization based on the principle of compassion, ren, which is working better than ever today, while we have neither a civilization nor a culture of any kind.
Eh, Wang doesn't seem to have a lot of confidence in that---not when his book was published in any case.
The post you're replying to is a culture and a civilization of a kind. I'm quite happy that I've found it.
I would say that the western technological societies have strayed somewhat from the path meant for humans, probably since "I think, therefore I am" was taken seriously.
But, one can learn from one's mistakes. We'll see.
If I were to guess the thing thousands of years of Chinese civilization is based on, "compassion" wouldn't be it.
If you were to read Confucius, you'd know it is.
Confucius and 'Imperial China,' by Mote, who describes compassion in action.
Wang Huning isn't Tocqueville the same way Goebbels isn't Nietzsche
I do not think Wang is at the Tocqueville level.
I do think he makes an interesting point of comparison.
Definitely need to pick this up, thanks for introducing it!