In 1991, a young Chinese academic published America against America, a look at the contradictions and paradoxes he observed while traveling there. His book was largely forgotten until last year when it went viral for its observations on US cultural decline, becoming a hot topic on Chinese-language forums.

It was no less fascinating for who its author was. Wang Huning is today one of the top leaders in the CCP and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee. Freelance journalist Chang Che (@Changxche) sat down to talk with me about the book and what it tells us about Chinese interpretations of US - and Western - culture.

We also discuss

The Shanghai lockdown
Why the teaching of Western classical civilization took off in China...
...But also makes very little mention of religion
The CCP take on the US culture wars and rewriting curriculums

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Chang’s Wang Huning Article: https://www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/how-a-book-about-americas-history-foretold-chinas-future

Chang’s western classics education article: https://supchina.com/2022/01/13/china-looks-to-the-western-classics/

Outro Music: 锦上添花 FREESTYLE by 盛宇 Damnshine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRaoDr1Cbbg

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Shanghai Lockdown + Wang Huning's Unhappy Travels in America + Classics in China 01:05:32 Share

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Shanghai Lockdown + Wang Huning's Unhappy Travels in America + Classics in China