Current Information#
Time Period: 25/01/15-21
Keywords: Israel-Palestine conflict, institutional design, power structure, identity, history, book publishing, PTSD, women, gastrointestinal, hernia
Table of Contents#
Information Stream#
- 【Yanis: Why do I think Israel is losing everything?】(Israel-Palestine conflict, Israel, international politics) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1gvcReaEWz
- 【The End of the "Weak State" and the Rise of a New Historical Perspective: Discourse Shaping in Contemporary American Administration】(America, institutional design, government size) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/k4fh80gQW7QIafhka73xgg
- 【Yoon Suk-yeol Arrested: "The Failure of Political Succession in Korea Comes from This Institutional Flaw"】(Korean politics, institutional design, power structure) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/hxmr9t0fuNoQzzu9UndJ3A
- 【The Retired Internet Celebrity: I am now financially free】(Shamate, identity, sense of existence) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/IVa8YnnscMu-MWDkFzd_Bg
- 【He Zhaowu | History and Historical Interpretation—Starting from Dre's New Exploration】(History, underlying logic, Popper-Hempel) https://www.sohu.com/a/546701894_121119019
- 【Farewell to Sanhui Publishing: For a Free Intellectual Life】(Sanhui Publishing, book publishing, intellectual and cultural circles) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/QEgw2lJDf2PP4x7iImOrJg
- 【PTSD in Chinese Soldiers during the Korean War】(Chinese history, Korean War, soldiers, PTSD) https://www.zhihu.com/question/620485263/answer/30774900046?utm_psn=1863009307324448768
- 【Contemporary China is Full of Young Women Just Like Madame Bovary】(Women, ideology) https://www.zhihu.com/question/517502019/answer/15876258774?utm_psn=1863001703344898048
- 【Just a little bit of a big belly, didn't expect it to be full of fat, the doctor said beer belly is very unhealthy!】(Beer belly, weight loss, fatty belly) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV17j421D7Aa
- 【Not eating properly, the stomach was corroded by strong acidic gastric juice, and a hole was eaten through!】(Gastrointestinal, health) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1eK411a7Bv
- 【Intense exercise after meals can actually lead to intestinal twisting? If not reset in time, surgery is needed!】(Intestinal twisting, diet) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1YC4y1v7Gd
- 【There is a hole in the belly, and the intestinal tract can drill into the hole, this disease is called inguinal hernia!】(Inguinal hernia, gastrointestinal) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1nT4y1n7sp
- 【A patient actually had 4 hernias, and the doctor repaired them all at once, the surgery was clean and neat!】(Inguinal hernia) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Hn4y1f72h
Thoughts#
- Reflections on the Debate Activity
- Chen Ping and the Theory of Metabolic Growth
- The Legitimacy of Suicide
- Non-Equilibrium Economics
- The Pursuit of Interpersonal Relationships
Information Stream#
#1【Yanis: Why do I think Israel is losing everything?】#
(Israel-Palestine conflict, Israel, international politics) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1gvcReaEWz
After the people of Gaza have endured such long suffering, the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is indeed somewhat comforting. However, seeing Biden and Trump shamelessly come out to compete for "credit," I believe there is a point that must be clarified: Israel has not gained any decisive advantage; on the contrary, Israel has pushed itself to the brink of war, and the Netanyahu regime is on the verge of collapse in military, economic, and other aspects.
Understanding this is crucial, as it will strengthen our resolve to fight for victory— the Netanyahu regime is not only brutal, but it is also far from the powerful image it boasts, instead being filled with weaknesses beneath its facade.
Notes
The collapse of Israel's international image has prompted the country's elites to leave their homeland or choose not to strive for national development, leading to a significant decline in labor productivity, slowing economic growth trends, and even entering a downward trend, making it impossible to repay national debt through taxation and borrowing.
#2【The End of the "Weak State" and the Rise of a New Historical Perspective: Discourse Shaping in Contemporary American Administration】#
(America, institutional design, government size) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/k4fh80gQW7QIafhka73xgg
Contrary to the long-promoted discourse of "limited government" and "weak state" in the United States, over the past century, a genuine super big government has emerged, forming an administrative-led system centered on executive power, with the administrative system and professional bureaucrats as the main body, and legal policy as a means. In the long run, the scale and scope of intervention of the U.S. government have achieved a spiral rise through the process of "expansion in this term, contraction in the next, and expansion again in the following term," in the selective expansion and contraction of both parties (see another article).
#3【Yoon Suk-yeol Arrested: "The Failure of Political Succession in Korea Comes from This Institutional Flaw"】#
(Korean politics, institutional design, power structure) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/hxmr9t0fuNoQzzu9UndJ3A
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Korean Joint Investigation Headquarters announced on the 15th that President Yoon Suk-yeol was arrested at 10:33 local time. Yoon Suk-yeol became the first sitting president in Korean history to be arrested. In a pre-recorded speech, he still emphasized that he does not recognize the investigation by the Public Prosecution Service, stating that "attending the investigation is to prevent bloodshed," and concluded with the provocative statement, "It is regrettable that the laws of this country have completely collapsed." Yoon Suk-yeol's fate reflects the widely criticized "Blue House curse" in Korean politics, essentially reflecting the political instability of the Korean presidential system and the institutional contradictions behind it. Frequent incidents involving presidents, from "imprisonment after stepping down" and "suicide after stepping down" to now "arrested while in office," what exactly is wrong with the presidential system established during Korea's democratization process? What is the fundamental issue? Looking back at history, the presidential system in Korea has undergone numerous changes since its formation. During the Fifth Republic, Chun Doo-hwan relied on presidential power to monopolize authority, and the country did not form a stable constitutional order. The Sixth Republic, established after the democratization movement, established the current presidential system. Overall, the evolution of the Korean presidential system is also a process of regulating and limiting presidential power, with a typical representation being the increasing restrictions on the president's martial law authority, while the emergency measures issued by the president have gradually come under the constraints of legislative and judicial institutions. However, the current system still has several shortcomings: first, presidential power remains overly large, and the conditions for impeachment by the National Assembly are harsh (requiring more than two-thirds agreement), making it impossible to form effective constraints. Second, the five-year single term system tends to produce short-sighted presidents who prioritize self-preservation, challenging policy continuity. Third, the terms of the president and the National Assembly do not align, often resulting in a "small ruling party and a large opposition party" situation, making it easy for the president to become a "lame duck," reducing governance efficiency. In fact, these inherent institutional shortcomings are the deep-seated reasons for the so-called "Blue House curse" in Korean politics. In Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law farce, these factors reappeared: the important motivation for Yoon Suk-yeol's "martial law" was the emergence of a "small ruling party and a large opposition party" situation after the National Assembly elections, where the opposition party repeatedly obstructed key bills such as the budget bill, yet the opposition party did not exceed two-thirds of the seats in the National Assembly, which was also one of Yoon Suk-yeol's reasons for taking the risk of martial law. Although Yoon Suk-yeol has now been arrested, the fundamental symptoms of the Korean presidential system will still become a foreshadowing of future political turmoil in Korea.
#4【The Retired Internet Celebrity: I am now financially free】#
(Shamate, identity, sense of existence) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/IVa8YnnscMu-MWDkFzd_Bg
The attention from the internet made him feel an unprecedented sense of existence—no longer the unnoticed child in the last row of the classroom, nor the mechanical worker on the assembly line, but a "he" who is being noticed.
Notes#
The "Godfather of Shamate" has achieved success, but many more "Shamate" have faded into obscurity. The Godfather of Shamate became famous and made money, achieving financial freedom, but the living conditions of many Shamate are not as good as his. The feeling of "one general's success leads to countless bones decaying."
#6【Farewell to Sanhui Publishing: For a Free Intellectual Life】#
(Sanhui Publishing, book publishing, intellectual and cultural circles) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/QEgw2lJDf2PP4x7iImOrJg
Yan Bofei: All publishing should revolve around a core mission: to provide thoughts for the problems we encounter today. What I think is just to preserve some thoughts for this unknown world, even though they are insignificant... These books basically cannot be profitable. This also indicates the decline of thought, especially the waning interest of people in public discourse. ... There is indeed a demand for thought-related books; if the discourse environment could be freer, and more public issues could be openly and directly discussed, the sales of many thought-related books could multiply. However, many intellectuals in academia have returned to their specialties, and their attention to public issues has weakened significantly compared to a few years ago. Of course, there are other reasons, including the prevalence of materialism.
#8【Contemporary China is Full of Young Women Just Like Madame Bovary】#
(Women, ideology) https://www.zhihu.com/question/517502019/answer/15876258774?utm_psn=1863001703344898048
"Madame Bovary" tells the story of a rural girl from a low-class background who, after reading too many romantic novels, is filled with unrealistic fantasies about life, and accidentally marries a very good, honest but exceptionally boring failed exam-taker, leading her to engage in extramarital affairs and extravagant spending, far exceeding her and her husband's financial capacity, ultimately causing chaos and leading to the downfall of her entire family, resulting in her daughter's class further declining to become a weaver.
#9【Just a little bit of a big belly, didn't expect it to be full of fat, the doctor said beer belly is very unhealthy!】#
(Beer belly, weight loss, fatty belly) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV17j421D7Aa
#10【Not eating properly, the stomach was corroded by strong acidic gastric juice, and a hole was eaten through!】#
(Gastrointestinal, health) https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1eK411a7Bv
Friends should eat regularly, don't overeat one meal and starve the next, and avoid smoking and drinking; a light diet with less salt and oil is best, and when eating out, it's best to use public chopsticks.
Thoughts#
#1 Reflections on the Debate Activity#
I went with friends to listen to a debate at the Lost Land Space, with the topic "Life Should Have a Track vs. Life Should Be a Wilderness." This topic itself is not in conflict but is a deliberately set opposition.
Life should be a wilderness means that life should be free, not overly constrained, even unrestrained. This sounds very idealistic, a bit utopian, with a hint of communism. This is certainly not wrong. It must be said that the pursuit of liberalism predates many modern philosophical and political ideas—human society is on a continuous path of seeking greater freedom. Modern human society is built on the acknowledgment of freedom and free will as existing and supreme values; denying freedom and free will means destroying the cornerstone of modern civilization, leading society into a brutal survival of the fittest, turning into a terrifying hell. Denying the legitimacy and justification of "wilderness" on a social level is tantamount to committing crimes against humanity, negating the meaning of all people's existence in the world, and subsequently "legally" depriving them of their property and even their lives.
Life should have a track means that people are indeed limited in society, not completely free. This is also true. No one can enjoy the freedom of an individual outside of society; this kind of freedom is that of savages, not that of social beings. If life faces countless choices, or has the freedom to do whatever one wants or refuse to do what one does not want, then this person will inevitably fall into confusion, as they will face the questioning of "the meaning of life." On a macro level, the advancement of human civilization also requires being on a certain track, and on a micro level, individual life development is also under the larger societal track. "Track" is a form of relative freedom, a product under certain social conditions. People do not necessarily have to follow the mainstream track provided by society; they can switch to different tracks or even create new tracks for themselves, leading a different life. Ultimately, people cannot escape the macro track defined by social forces, just as ancient Egyptian slave owners could not step onto the track of British capitalists during the Industrial Revolution.
We are in the wilderness, and we are also on the track.
#2 Chen Ping and the Theory of Metabolic Growth#
Chen Ping's book "Theory of Metabolic Growth" seems to have significant reading necessity. I did not expect him to also study complex systems. But considering he studied under Ilya Prigogine (known for his research on irreversible processes in non-equilibrium thermodynamics and for proposing the "dissipative structure" theory), studying non-equilibrium physics, nonlinear evolutionary dynamics, and complex systems science, it is not surprising.
#3 The Legitimacy of Suicide#
Human society cannot institutionally recognize the legitimacy of suicide. Even if society tacitly allows the existence of this behavior and sympathizes with and pities the individuals involved, it can only remain at the level of public opinion and individual values. It does not encourage or support it. Once suicide is legalized, there will be more heinous incidents of forcing others to commit suicide and murdering while faking suicide. This is a self-protective measure based on the overall rationality of humanity.
#4 Non-Equilibrium Economics#
The distribution patterns of population, resources, power, and interests in real society, as well as the social development levels in various regions, are in a state of imbalance (i.e., non-equilibrium) and non-linearity.
Mainstream economic theories attempt to achieve a state of equilibrium, which is no different from utopia. Economics has to undergo a long developmental process to evolve from fantasy to science, from simplicity to complexity, from partial analysis to holistic analysis, from static analysis to dynamic analysis, from starting from equilibrium to starting from non-equilibrium, from pursuing absolute balance to relative balance, and from striving to explore linear causal relationships to abandoning purely linear causal forms.
The uniqueness of Chen Ping's viewpoint lies in acknowledging the non-equilibrium state of world political and economic relations and structures, using this as the starting and ending point for deriving and constructing the logic, doctrines, and theories of non-equilibrium economics, rather than recognizing and pursuing the "equilibrium" of a castle in the air.
Humanity cannot exhaust all factors influencing economic development through human effort; this task can only be accomplished by future AI. The theory of mutation tells us that the relationships between factors cannot all be purely linear causality. Therefore, do not expect classical, Keynesian, neoclassical, or new Keynesian economic schools to come up with a "savior's prescription."
Whether China can surpass the academic circles of Europe and America in the field of economics, seize discourse power, and establish a truly useful economic theory system depends on the theory of non-equilibrium economics.
#5 The Pursuit of Interpersonal Relationships#
"Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead; do not walk in front of me, for I may not follow; please walk beside me and be my friend."
However, in this world, where there are explorers, there will inevitably be followers; where there are teachers, there will be students; where there are those who give orders, there will be those who execute them... Where there are superiors, there will be subordinates. I do not want to be a follower, nor do I want a commanding superior; I want friends.