2022 letter | Dan Wang
danwang.co/2022-letter
What Jamie wrote
This is a long read, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I love how Wang's letter starts and ends with the mountains. It is overall good writing. He shares insightful first person experiences during China's COVID lockdowns of 2022 and the abrupt shift from Zero Covid.
Friends spoke about three types of shock. First, the raw novelty of extended physical confinement. Second, the wonder of feeling food insecure in this age and in this city. Third, a disenchantment with government pronouncements.
The details of food insecurity and the details of dealing with pets during government enforced quarantines paint a more complete picture of what people had to endure.
It’s time to level set. China’s growth prospects are off track, but the country retains huge strengths. How do we balance everything? I think that a fair assessment should acknowledge these five propositions. First, business can still be exciting as China continues broad catch-up growth that creates flourishing in particular sectors, even if economic headwinds are stronger too. Second, China’s cities continue to be nicer places to live in (especially Shanghai—Beijingers can ignore this part), offering better provision of parks, healthcare, and retail. Third, doomers have wrongly predicted the collapse of China for 30 years. Fourth, Xi has centralized considerable power, and over the past decade has tightened limits not just on freedom of speech, but increasingly on freedom of thought. And fifth, though cities are more pleasant, a small risk of catastrophe threatens to overturn one’s life.
I found his perspective on China an interesting read.
How should we reflect on 2022 in China? The starting point must be the three most important events of the year. First, zero-Covid: extraordinarily tight controls that were all abandoned in December. Second, the greater centralization of political power under Xi Jinping after the 20th Party Congress. Third, a declaration of a “limitless friendship” with Russia that had “no forbidden zones” three weeks before its invasion of Ukraine.
His letter goes on to cover books and food topics as well. Found via Tyler Cowen's blog.