moments

“I think I will hold and mull this over, before I cram it down my throat.”

Last night, Matt Z and I watched Syriana together. More specifically...Matt watched while I slept; he woke me up when it was over and I removed the DVD so he could return it today. After waking three hours later, I was still sprawled next to the DVD player...I wandered up stairs, collapsed on my bed, woke a few hours later to my alarm, and quickly fell asleep again with my hand resting on the snooze button. Fully dressed, I got off the floor for the second time and began my day at 5:30. If only I were still sleeping...

Instead—staring at a completed stack of reference reports (for Jordon, Morocco, Australia, and Singapore), it seems like only yesterday that I was applying for this internship.

In the last three weeks, I’ve worn a suit five out of seven days, had dinner with Dick Cheney and Henry Kissinger (in the National Press Club), gotten stuck in traffic numerous times, been to speeches by both President Bush and Secretary Chao, chilled with the other interns at multiple parties and events, consumed large quantities of coffee, gone climbing with the Penthouse guys, lost five dollars in a game of Texas Holdem, made a ton of new friends, and developed a taste for sushi. Between being both an employee and employer...I’ve been running serious circles.

The most exciting part of my summer begins this Friday...home.

Communism under the Influence

“Let a hundred flowers bloom, a hundred schools of thought contend.”[1]

Contradictions between formative ideologies and nationalist tendencies have persisted throughout Chinese history to this day. This paper will evaluate the underlying forces behind China’s increasing international influence, arguing that Chinese political and religious ideology and nationalistic character are being united through the western influences of capitalism and democracy. In particular, Confucian humanism has found expression through an expanding free market, and formerly overlooked people groups are finding influence through limited democratic representation. While China is thriving in its quest for international prominence, its unique nationalistic position is being tempered by the undermining influence of democratic individualism.

Before proceeding further, it is necessary to define the concepts of “ideology” and “nationalism” as used in this paper, and articulate the differences between them. Ideology is a formative collection of ideas. It consists of the central thoughts and philosophies behind the vision and evolution of a nation. These are not constitutions, executive laws, or social contracts. Rather they are the frames and worldviews from which such things are created. Most commonly religious or philosophical, these are the interlocking fibers to which conservatives cling and that progressives wish to transcend. Every nation has an ideological basis or framework: for the United States this might be Protestantism; for the Middle East, Islam; for Israel, Zionism; and for India, the Hindu Vedas. While formative to a social structure, ideology is not the only basis of civilization.

Nationalism, in contrast, is more current and active in determining civic structure. It consists of the attitudes and actions that characterize a people’s national identity. Unlike abstract concepts of ideology, nationalism deals with the actual working dynamics of a state. This can be seen in the interplay of society and economics. While propelled by ideology, the alignment of nationalism is best defined through social structure and monetary policy; nationalism is the social and economic outworking of ideology.

…and sixty pages later:

The year of 2008 will see the staging of the 29th Olympics in Beijing[2]—a date that will symbolize a long progression of black and red letter days in Chinese history. From the early days of Confucian individualism, to the egalitarian days of Maoist isolationism, to the modern outgrowth of international capitalism, China has been plagued by a contradiction in its ideological foundation. While the fundamental dichotomy between individualism and collectivism has continued into the modern nationalistic state, unity has begun to take shape through western influences of democracy and capitalism.

The key to China’s ability to integrate and utilize these dichotomous ideological strains has been the unifying fact of the advent of democratic ideals in Chinese society. By unifying rather than opposing these varying strains, democracy has demonstrated to the Chinese people how their government can be strengthened and improved, and their society developed. By continuing down this path of democratic, representative reforms, China will succeed in eventually reformulating its society according to these principles.

A year before the Olympics, the Communist Party will hold its Seventeenth Congress, where the current leadership of Wen Jiabao and Hu Jintao will proclaim the last five years progress while campaigning for a second term of office.[3] This could simply be ritual, or it may symbolize a Party move towards greater internal democracy. Only time will tell the direction of China’s future—as the rest of the world clamors for various changes from a distance. As it has been the developing trend and the uniting force in China’s history of contradictions, Democracy is the path that will best complement China’s future success and international cooperation. Although plagued by a difficult past, China is well poised for both domestic and international success.

This is a small taste of my research project from last semester. I know many of you asked for a copy…just shoot me an email if you’d like to read the whole thing.

working for "the man"

"Dear Mr. Olmstead:

We are pleased to confirm that you have been selected for employment with the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC."

"Position Title, Series, Grade/Step: Clerk, GS-0303-04/01

Organization: Bureau of International Labor Affairs

Effective Date: June 11, 2006"