"Live Players" with Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg

China's Elite vs America's Elite

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Jan 24, 2024

Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss China as America’s mirror, the waning prestige of American universities, the role of gender in political divergence, China’s leadership shifting to academia, the formation of elites in the US and China, and the power and influence of American universities

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INSIGHT

China's Elite Shift to Academia

China's leadership is shifting from those with industrial backgrounds to those educated in elite universities.
This mirrors a similar trend in the US, where universities play a significant role in credentialing elites.

INSIGHT

Chinese "Wokeism"

Chinese universities experience a form of "wokeism" focused on Marxist and Maoist principles.
Student activism, while currently ineffectual, centers around organizing unauthorized worker's unions, posing a unique challenge to the CCP.

INSIGHT

Long-Term Impact of Student Activism

While student activism may seem insignificant, it can influence future leaders' mindsets.
This can lead to changes within corporations and institutions as these students gain positions of power.

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In this episode, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss China as America’s mirror, how the prestige of American universities is waning while Chinese students are increasingly choosing to study within China, the role of gender in political divergence and what Chinese “woke” looks like, and how China’s leadership is shifting to academia from businessmen. If you need an ecommerce platform, check out our sponsor Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period.

Live Players is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: www.eriktorenberg.com

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LINKS:

Samo’s Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

The Growing Power of China’s Elite Universities: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/p/the-growing-power-of-chinas-elite

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:02:53) - Academia during The Cultural Revolution

(00:08:36) - China’s “woke”

(00:11:15) - How Xi wants China to not fail in the same way the Soviets did

(00:15:00) - Rise of student activism in the US

(00:17:02) - The translation of regional/ethnic inequalities into ideological ones

(00:20:54) - The political ideological paradox generates an opportunity to organize young people

(00:26:28) - Chinese feminism

(00:32:51) - Sponsor: Shopify

(00:36:21) - Materialist focused education in China vs legal focused education in US

(00:41:53) - Will American universities have as much power in the next 10 years as they do now?

(00:45:00) - What positive and negative changes will China see in the near future?

(00:48:30) - Wrap

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.