Sinica comes roaring back in the Year of the Dragon: A chat with Jeremy Goldkorn
Feb 15, 2024
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Jeremy Goldkorn, former editor-in-chief of TCP and co-founder and former co-host of Sinica, chats with Kaiser about the history of the podcast, the end of the golden years of liberalization in China, and how China changed their politics. They also discuss their different approaches to discussing China and reflect on their past experiences in media startups. Additionally, they explore the concept of Chinese exceptionalism and the motivations of China analysts in the 80s and 90s.
China's rapid modernization has shaped its society and people's relationship with technology.
Understanding China requires embracing contradictory ideas and remaining humble and receptive to different perspectives.
Aspiring China scholars should have a genuine interest in the country and gain prolonged exposure to develop intuition.
Deep dives
China's political landscape and cultural trends
China's politics, foreign relations, economics, and society are discussed to shed light on current affairs in the country. The podcast explores books, ideas, new research, and intellectual currents that help understand what's happening in China.
Importance of the Seneca podcast
The podcast aims to provide in-depth conversations that bring more clarity and less heat to discussions about China. It emphasizes the importance of understanding China's politics, foreign relations, economics, and society.
Reflection on the past and future of the podcast
The podcast's co-founders discuss the journey of the China Project and the Seneca podcast, their pride in building a first-rate team, and their dedication to covering a diverse range of topics related to China.
Changes and perspectives on China
The podcast hosts share their observations on the changing political climate in China, the role of the internet, the rise of Chinese exceptionalism, and the impact of events like the Arab Spring. They also discuss the importance of understanding Chinese culture and language when analyzing China's societal developments.
Understanding Modern China's Compressed Experience
Modern China has gone through a compressed experience of modernization, transitioning from a low-income, underdeveloped country to a technologically advanced nation within the span of a working lifetime. This rapid modernization has shaped the Chinese mindset and society, with significant improvements in technology, health, education, and income. China's unique modernization experience has fostered a different relationship with technology, as Chinese people have never known a time without improvements in their technological lives. Their faith in the leadership's ability to navigate rapid change is also stronger, and they exhibit thin-skinned nature due to the quick changes and historical burdens.
Advice for Understanding China and Pursuing China-Related Careers
Understanding China requires embracing contradictory ideas and being aware of the limitations of knowledge. It is important to remain humble and receptive to different perspectives. The current generation of China analysts, who lived in China during the '80s and '90s, had a different experience of China compared to those who went later. They faced the challenges of living and problem-solving in a rapidly changing society, building a unique understanding of the country. Aspiring China scholars are advised to have a genuine interest in China rather than pursuing it solely as a career choice, as financial prospects may be limited. Additionally, prolonged exposure to China is essential for developing country-specific intuition.
Sinica is back, and on this first post-China Project show, Kaiser chats with TCP’s ex-editor-in-chief and Sinica’s co-founder and former co-host, Jeremy Goldkorn. They chat about the Beijing that was, their theories as to why things changed as they did, and share some of their favorite precepts for understanding contemporary China.
03:15 – What’s new with Sinica in the post-TCP era
04:34 – Jeremy reflects on the history of Sinica and of The China Project
20:25 – Jeremy’s characterization of how his approach to China differs from Kaiser’s
25:01 – How our China experiences shaped our perspectives
26:44 – Jeremy’s long, fraught relationship with the media biz in China
36:47 – What brought on the end of the golden years of liberalization in China?
47:45 – How China changed our politics
1:08:44 – Jeremy’s reveals (some of) his big plans
1:10:15 – Gen X China-watchers and what made them special
Recommendations:
Jeremy: The Ghosts of Evolution by Connie Barlow
Kaiser: Ma in All Caps by Jay Kuo (the audiobook version, read by Kaiser); and the Captain Alatriste novels by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Support Sinica by subscribing to the new Substack at https://sinica.substack.com, or on Patreon — same content — at https://Patreon.com/Sinica.
