{"id":7910,"date":"2026-02-13T19:52:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T03:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/?p=7910"},"modified":"2026-02-13T19:52:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T03:52:07","slug":"tgfi-volume-542-the-humanities-backstory-and-overhyped-chinese-academia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/archives\/2026\/02\/13\/tgfi-volume-542-the-humanities-backstory-and-overhyped-chinese-academia","title":{"rendered":"TGFI, Volume 542: the humanities backstory and overhyped Chinese academia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4396\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=300%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=1200%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?w=1680&amp;ssl=1 1680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\"><\/a>\n<\/p><p>You\u2019ve heard of TGIF? This is TGFI: Things Glen Found Interesting<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Fridays I share articles\/resources about broad cultural, societal and theological issues likely to be of interest to Christians in college. Be sure to see the explanation and disclaimers at the bottom. I welcome your suggestions, so if you read something fascinating please pass it my&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Things Glen Found Interesting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list simple-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.is\/kEODf\">The Multibillion-Dollar Foundation That Controls the Humanities<\/a> (Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic): \u201cToday, no single entity, including the federal government, has a more profound influence on the fiscal health and cultural output of the humanities than the Mellon Foundation. The National Endowment for the Humanities\u2019 grant budget was $78 million in 2024 (its overall budget was less than half of what it was in 1980, when adjusted for inflation). Mellon awarded $540 million in grants that same year; its endowment sits at roughly $8 billion. Mellon\u2019s largesse is badly needed, especially as the Trump administration has threatened further cuts to the NEH. But the foundation\u2019s virtual monopoly on humanities funding means that it has the power to remake entire fields according to its desires. And in recent years, under the leadership of Elizabeth Alexander, who became the organization\u2019s president in 2018, Mellon has embraced an understanding of the humanities that is much more utilitarian, and far more political, than the one put forward by the 1964 commission.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unlocked and genuinely shocking to me. One of the key insights: \u201cThe humanities aren\u2019t broke because they went woke. The humanities went woke in large part _because_ they were broke. As other donors, the government, and universities themselves all but abandoned these fields, Mellon became a lifeline.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/the-popular-progressive-podcast-calling\">The Popular Progressive Podcast Calling Evangelicals \u2018Cancer\u2019<\/a> (Bonnie Kristian, The Free Press): \u201c\u2026it\u2019s impossible to imagine the vitriol she directs at [evangelicals] being targeted at any other religious group by a major media figure with so little consequence. Take one clip that has circulated among evangelicals recently. I assumed its caption on X, \u2018White Evangelical Christianity is a cancer,\u2019 was intended to scandalize with the most incendiary quote. I thought wrong. If anything, the caption undersold a slanderous, incurious, unserious screed that informed Welch\u2019s viewers that evangelicals are \u2018the worst people in our country.\u2019 They are, Welch says, people who want others to suffer, who belong to a \u2018cult.\u2019 And for Welch, this kind of language is par for the course. \u2018I detest, with every molecule\u2026 in my being, evangelical Christianity,\u2019 she said in&nbsp;May.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compactmag.com\/article\/get-married-young\/\">Get Married Young<\/a> (Brad Wilcox, Compact): \u201cFirst, the culture is telling you to lean into work and travel. But working for the man and \u2018traveling to Thailand\u2019 is not going to bring you the fulfillment you think it will. Second, you will minimize your odds of being miserable and maximize your odds of living a meaningful and happy life by getting married and having kids. So, don\u2019t wait to embark on life\u2019s most important journey. Third, do not assume that you can wait until your thirties to find a spouse and start your family. If you wait, you may miss&nbsp;out.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lots of good data in this one. The author is a sociologist at&nbsp;UVA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/11\/opinion\/america-china-universities-rankings.html\">Don\u2019t Trust the Rankings That Put China\u2019s Universities on Top<\/a> (Ariel Procaccia, New York Times): \u201cThe gap between the rankings and reality can be explained by Goodhart\u2019s law, which says that when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure. It\u2019s like trying to cure a fever by icing the thermometer: You\u2019ve cooled the instrument, but the patient is still burning up. China has made success in global university rankings a national policy goal, in the process creating incentives that prioritize the appearance of excellence over the health of the research environment.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Two articles about prevalent secular sexual ethics:&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/tech\/ai\/openai-executive-who-opposed-adult-mode-fired-for-sexual-discrimination-3159c61b\">OpenAI Executive Who Opposed \u2018Adult Mode\u2019 Fired for Sexual Discrimination<\/a> (Georgia Wells &amp; Sam Schechner, Wall Street Journal): \u201cOpenAI has cut ties with one of its top safety executives, on the grounds of sexual discrimination, after she voiced opposition to the controversial rollout of AI erotica in its ChatGPT product.\u2026 Before her firing, Beiermeister told colleagues that she opposed adult mode, and worried it would have harmful effects for users, people familiar with her remarks said. She also told colleagues that she believed OpenAI\u2019s mechanisms to stop child-exploitation content weren\u2019t effective enough, and that the company couldn\u2019t sufficiently wall off adult content from teens, the people said.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/the-sexbot-revolution-is-already\">The Sexbot Revolution Is Already Here<\/a> (Debra Soh, The Free Press): \u201cThough sex dolls\u2014meaning human\u2011like, anatomically accurate, anthropomorphic figurines\u2014were once believed to be used only by socially inept weirdos, today nearly 10 percent of men in the U.S. have bought or owned one. And it\u2019s not just the guys; 6 percent of women in the U.S. have done the same.\u2026 The average sex doll owner is a middle-aged heterosexual man who is single or divorced, high-school educated, and employed. Research has shown that doll owners have sex with a doll about 11 times a month and sex with a human partner about 2.6 times a month. In contrast, non\u2013doll owners have sex with a human partner about 4.5 times a&nbsp;month.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I am not convinced the numbers in this article are reliable (ten percent of guys sounds like a lot), but even if the numbers are off this is kinda&nbsp;wild.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/09\/opinion\/regulate-legalized-marijuana.html?unlocked_article_code=1.K1A.p2on.1vcTKk0qcTt0&amp;smid=nytcore-ios-share\">It\u2019s Time for America to Admit That It Has a Marijuana Problem<\/a> (Editorial Board, New York Times): \u201c\u2026supporters of legalization predicted that it would bring few downsides. In our editorials, we described marijuana addiction and dependence as \u2018relatively minor problems.\u2019 Many advocates went further and claimed that marijuana was a harmless drug that might even bring net health benefits. They also said that legalization might not lead to greater use. It is now clear that many of these predictions were wrong.\u2026 At least one in 10 people who use marijuana develops an addiction, a similar share as with alcohol. Even some who do not develop an addiction can still use it too much. People who are frequently stoned can struggle to hold a job or take care of their families.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unlocked.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/lifestyle\/relationships\/stanford-students-experiment-dating-date-drop-92a4aea8?mod=djem10point\">A Stanford Experiment to Pair 5,000 Singles Has Taken Over Campus<\/a> (Jasmine Li, Wall Street Journal): \u201cMore than 5,000 Stanford students have used Date Drop at a school with about 7,500 undergraduates. It has spread to 10 other colleges including Columbia, Princeton and MIT, and Date Drop just raised $2.1 million in venture-capital funding. The growth, fans say, reflects a reality about many college kids: They\u2019re intimidated by real-life courtship and overwhelmed by the endless scroll of dating apps. Entrepreneurial students have found huge demand for alternate matchmaking tools.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Less Serious Things Which Also Interested\/Amused Glen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list simple-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ROFblZ_-9q4\">Definitely Only for Dogs: Ring\u2019s Superbowl Commercial<\/a> (Wyze, YouTube): one minute<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.atrandomcomics.com\/at-random-comics-home\/2026\/1\/28\/hotdog-dna-test\">Hot Dog DNA Test<\/a> (At Random Comics)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/babylonbee.com\/news\/pharmaceutical-companies-wondering-if-they-should-develop-anti-depressant-whose-first-listed-side-effect-isnt-severe-thoughts-of-suicide\">Pharmaceutical Companies Wondering If They Should Develop Anti-Depressant Whose First Listed Side Effect Isn\u2019t \u2018SEVERE THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE\u2019<\/a> (Babylon Bee)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xkcd.com\/3201\/\">Proof Without Content<\/a> (xkcd)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mpierce.substack.com\/p\/okay-but-what-if-my-neighbor-is-gross\">Okay, but What if My Neighbor is Gross<\/a> (Matthew Pierce, Substack): \u201cWhy are people telling me to love my neighbor? First of all, this isn\u2019t even a thing that Jesus said, and if he did, it meant something else. Because, when you think about it, Jesus didn\u2019t even have neighbors, because he was unhoused. Second, I do not even know who my neighbor is. Short of loving everyone, there is literally no way to be certain that I am loving my neighbor. And third, what if my neighbor is disgusting? Yes, I said&nbsp;it.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Why Do You Send This&nbsp;Email?<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the time of King David, the tribe of Issachar produced shrewd warriors \u201cwho understood the times and knew what Israel should do\u201d (1 Chron 12:32). In a similar way, we need to become wise people whose faith interacts with the world. I pray this email gives you greater insight, so that you may continue the tradition of Issachar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Disclaimer<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chi Alpha is not a partisan organization. To paraphrase another minister: we are not about the donkey\u2019s agenda and we are not about the elephant\u2019s agenda \u2014 we are about the Lamb\u2019s agenda. Having said that, I read widely (in part because I believe we should aspire to pass <a href=\"http:\/\/econlog.econlib.org\/archives\/2011\/06\/the_ideological.html\">the ideological Turing test<\/a> and in part because I do not believe I can fairly say \u201cI agree\u201d or \u201cI disagree\u201d until I can say \u201cI understand\u201d) and may at times share articles that have a strong partisan bias simply because I find the article stimulating. The upshot: you should not assume I agree with everything an author says in an article I mention, much less things the author has said in other articles (although if I strongly disagree with something in the article I\u2019ll usually mention it). And to the extent you can discern my opinions, please understand that they are my own and not necessarily those of Chi Alpha or any other organization I may be perceived to represent.\n\nAlso, remember that I\u2019m not reporting news \u2014 I\u2019m giving you a selection of things I found interesting. There\u2019s a lot happening in the world that\u2019s not making an appearance here because I haven\u2019t found stimulating articles written about it.\n\nIf this was forwarded to you and you want to receive future emails, sign up <a href=\"https:\/\/theglendavis.substack.com\/\">here<\/a>. You can also <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/category\/links\">view the archives<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve heard of TGIF? This is TGFI: Things Glen Found Interesting On Fridays I share articles\/resources about broad cultural, societal and theological issues likely to be of interest to Christians in college. Be sure to see the explanation and disclaimers at the bottom. I welcome your suggestions, so if you read something fascinating please pass \u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/archives\/2026\/02\/13\/tgfi-volume-542-the-humanities-backstory-and-overhyped-chinese-academia\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> \u201cTGFI, Volume 542: the humanities backstory and overhyped Chinese academia\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[16],"tags":[131,125,201,160,112,163,135,247],"class_list":["post-7910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-links","tag-academia","tag-china","tag-drugs","tag-how-the-church-is-perceived","tag-marriage","tag-sex","tag-stanford","tag-wisdom"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6Ded-23A","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7910"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7910\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7912,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7910\/revisions\/7912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}