Tag Archives: China

Maybe Crazy, but not Stupid

Ma Yun applied to study at Harvard 10 times and was rejected each time.

Yun had to deal with rejection many times in his life: born during Mao’s Cultural Revolution when schools and businesses were being destroyed, such that formal education and trade was at a low in China during Yun‘s youth.

He failed the entry exams for colleges in China several times and was also rejected for many jobs in China, including one at Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Despite this, at an early age, Yun had developed a desire to learn English, so he rode his bike for 45 minutes each morning in order to go to a nearby hotel and converse with foreigners. He would guide them around the city for free in order to practice and improve his English. Later in his youth, although he failed the entrance exam twice, he attended Hangzhou Teacher’s Institute and graduated in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in English.

Yun — his English name, Jack — Jack Ma started an e-commerce company in his apartment in 1999….

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Crucial Point

It is a popular Western view to say Crisis in Chinese is a simple combination of danger and opportunity.  But that is not exactly correct.  It’s a little more complicated.

crisis_chinese

Crisis

Chinese philologist Victor H. Mair of the University of Pennsylvania calls the popular interpretation of wēijī in the English-speaking world a “widespread public misperception.” Mair suggests that  in wēijī is closer to “crucial point” than to “opportunity.”

Nevertheless, They can relate to either interpretation.

They struggled much of their young lives, very close to danger and no opportunity before the crucial pointwhen the opportunity was encountered and made, by hard work and being very smart TOGETHER.

The Danger has passed.  Now, China is the land of Opportunity for those who have the right combination and the right timing  — and…

They do.

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It’s about Time.

It has been a long time gone.

They finally have the time to try to make it work.

You know that thing called Democracy.

No, not the rhetoric  — well, the false promises…  words, words, words.  The Politician. The lies.. The grabbing of power, and holding on.  The Tyrants. Rulers.  Leaders, in name only.

Enough..

You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately … Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!  — Oliver Cromwell to the Rump Parliament.

They have gone in two countries.  Male tyrants and scoundrels.

It’s about time for their turn:  two strong and determined women.  The Challenge of Democracy.  The men have been mostly a disaster.

Continue reading It’s about Time.