@bryanvannorden.bsky.social
Leading expert on Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism
People were sucking up to Trump so much, he had to take 4 naps during his cabinet meeting
03.12.2025 13:44 — 👍 388 🔁 44 💬 24 📌 3It feels so on the nose that Stephen Miller is such an obviously creepy loser and he also has this politics. The least subtle morality play about racists basically entirely accurately characterises the sorta people they are.
28.11.2025 17:21 — 👍 242 🔁 57 💬 24 📌 6
The bilingual version of the documentary I hosted, "Wisdom of China: Laozi," is now available. Feel free to use it in your classes, and please like and comment on the video to help promote it.
youtu.be/lvglQJDrgJI?...
Thank you for your support!
10.11.2025 14:48 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Here’s a good introduction to Daoism with some fun contemporary applications. Great work from @bryanvannorden.bsky.social
youtu.be/lvglQJDrgJI
Thank you for your support!
07.11.2025 15:31 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
I really enjoyed this video about Laozi youtu.be/lvglQJDrgJI?... made by @bryanvannorden.bsky.social Looking forward to the rest of the series
07.11.2025 08:20 — 👍 11 🔁 4 💬 1 📌 0
The bilingual version of the documentary I hosted, "Wisdom of China: Laozi," is now available. Feel free to use it in your classes, and please like and comment on the video to help promote it.
youtu.be/lvglQJDrgJI?...
Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
25.10.2025 04:21 — 👍 6 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0Q: My condolences on the loss of your friend Charlie Kirk. How are you holding up?
TRUMP: I think very good. And by the way, right there you see all the trucks. They just started construction of the new ballroom for the White House, which is something they've been trying to get for about 150 years.
Donald Trump: “smart people don’t like me”
14.09.2025 17:58 — 👍 2380 🔁 639 💬 423 📌 285Thank you for your kind words!
14.09.2025 22:32 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Bryan, I enjoyed today’s substack video post “The Rest Understand the West Better...
...than the West Understands the Rest.” I wish I had taken more Philosophy at Vassar than the one class I had with Jesse Kalin.
Bryan Van Norden, "The Rest Understands the West Better than the West Understands the Rest," United Nations Pre Summit of the Future, 22 September 2024
vassar.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Page...
Trump is attacking the Smithsonian museum, saying there’s too much focus on "how bad slavery was."
Authoritarians know that if they can convince us our country has never been wrong, they can make us believe our ruler is always right.
This is part of a larger plan. Watch: youtu.be/rEH7sF6pA4s?...
Crow: "Look at what happened. US military personnel in uniform literally were on hands & knees rolling out a red carpet for the most murderous dictator of the 21st century...we keep on acting like Putin deserves to be brought out in open like any of head of state. This is a historic embarrassment."
17.08.2025 15:08 — 👍 36049 🔁 11039 💬 1091 📌 583
In for $327, out for $557 AND won $250 high hand jackpot for a nine-high straight flush. 😎
16.08.2025 01:55 — 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Good point!
15.08.2025 18:20 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Is it a bad thing that students read more contemporary authors who directly address issues like race, gender, and ideology that are particularly relevant to them? (BTW just found out I am blocked by Pinker, despite never having interacted with him.)
15.08.2025 18:00 — 👍 13 🔁 1 💬 5 📌 0The first time Charlie Chaplin used his voice in a film, he wielded it to forcefully condemn the rising forces of fascism around the globe. Will we listen to his words today?
13.08.2025 22:29 — 👍 29578 🔁 11637 💬 747 📌 741
The cover of Imperial Institutions in Ancient Rome and Early China: A Comparative Analysis, by Michael Loewe. The cover depicts a Chinese tapestry from the 3rd/2nd c. BCE with an image of a centaur.
Just in: the final publication of the late (and legendary) Michael Loewe!
This short book is notable as a single-authored comparative synthesis written by a specialist in early China—a useful complement to current work (mostly multi-authored or written from a Mediterranean perspective).
Exciting!
Thank you so much for your kind words!
21.07.2025 05:47 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0One of the best experiences I had in graduate school was joining a reading group on @bryanvannorden.bsky.social's Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy (and the accompanying books of readings). There is still so much missing from mainstream philosophy.
21.07.2025 05:35 — 👍 5 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0Having just spent a few months reading accounts of CBS’ grotesque cowardice during the 1950s McCarthy-era blacklist, it’s nice to see that The Tiffany Network respects its traditions
18.07.2025 00:01 — 👍 3648 🔁 719 💬 33 📌 12
Rebought for another $300. Felted a guy with set over set. Correctly folded trips to a turn check-raise (she kindly showed trips with a better kicker — Baluga Whale Theorem). Ended up $221 over my buy in and rebuy for the night. 2/2 😎
28.06.2025 03:55 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
At the poker room at Resorts World Catskills tonight. Was down $300 when the board blanked out after calling all-in with the hand shown for Player 2 below. (But I'll take 65% equity every day and twice on Sundays!) 1/2
28.06.2025 03:55 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Some things I learned from The Murder of Professor Schlick by @davidedmonds100.bsky.social
Lenin wrote a critique of Mach's positivism, which he considered reactionary.
Otto Neurath signed his letters with elephant cartoons reflecting his mood.
As @bryanvannorden.bsky.social reminded me a few hours ago while I was attending to light carpentry, logical positivists saw themselves as fighting fascist rhetoric.
He also recalled tidbits about Moritz Schlick's assassination, but no spoilers.
www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2025...
Another great philosophical reflection from @helendecruz.net
open.substack.com/pub/helendec...
