Outliers: Xi and Putin

Future historians will look back on the beginning of the 21^st Century as the end of one era and the beginning of a new one – thanks in no small measure to two gifted leaders –both much misunderstood and even demonized as enemies of “freedom” and “democracy”.

That’s Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, who, over the last decade, have not only done more for the people of their respective countries than any leaders in their national histories — but offered new paths and new choices to the global majority that allow them to realize the “freedom” and “democracy” that West knows only as slogans.

These new choices are the core concept of “multipolarity”. Equality rather than hegemony.

Vladimir Putin is well publicized. His athleticism at least makes him interesting, as does his KGB background, and his success in the SMO. Love him or hate him-- he projects personality.

Xi Jinping, however, is an enigma at best, boring at worst.

The foreign press yearns for someone like Mao – or even Deng-- both of whom had interesting personalities and in the case of Mao a somewhat adventuresome sex life . Xi, as far the MSM is concerned, is just another bureaucrat.

If you deep-dive into Xi’s biography, you find an interesting history, which I will not go into here for lack of space.— and, yes, a sex life too since he was married twice and has children. His is not a rags to riches story like Putin’s — but rather a riches to rags story, ending with the respect of the Chinese people.

He is a hidden outlier.

Buy me a coffee and read my Special Article on Gifted Leaders and you will find out more.

Paradoxically, Xi is a man of the 21^st Century — while following the centuries old traditions and the logics of Confucianism and Taoism, creatively translated into modern terms.

Here’s a Chinese analysis.

Xi Jinping has no real face.

He is a typical successful Chinese leader who follows the Chinese political tradition that has been circulating for thousands of years. Just as the increasingly powerful China will eventually demand that this country return to the glory of the past, the great traditions still rule China's political ethics until today.

天地不仁，以万物为刍狗。

The highest will is neither merciful nor cruel, it treats all people or things equally and operates only in accordance with established natural laws.

As a leader of China, Xi Jinping must be silent, cold, and completely selfless. His thinking and decision-making are not affected by emotions, except for the professional advice of the highest think tank and the final resolution of the Politburo.

The Chinese people do not care about Xi Jinping’s private life, nor do they care whether he is a qualified husband and father. His only identity is the president of China.

A variety of political commentators will try to interpret him with an established position. Obviously, you can never get a fair and objective answer from their discourse.

But things are not so complicated, because China has rules of the game that belong to China. As long as you understand the rules, you can reversely speculate on "real Xi Jinping.”

When you try to interpret China with their (the West’s) rules, you are always wrong.

Liu Lisong, Quora

In Confucian ethics, a leader must sacrifice personal ambitions and feelings – and act rationally, doing what is best for the country. The primary values are reason, moral justice, and “natural law”. Service and sacrifice are the keys.

A leader’s tastes in this or that, his private life, family and interests are all irrelevant. It is how he performs his duty that counts.

You will notice the Putin also keeps his private life “private”—his family is off limits—although hje is quite public about his emotions .

Then again, Putin and Xi are playing different games with the West.

Putin is playing chess.

A little distraction now and again helps. I’m the one on the left.

Xi’s public “poker face” indicates that he is playing poker. He has no “tells”.

Western leaders are constantly showing their cards. Trump is a good example. All show and tell.

The Xmas that was!

It’s now 1:30 AM in Tokyo. Xmas has passed. My thanks to so many people for their messages yesterday, wishing me well, full of kind words and feeling.

I was overwhelmed by the good feeling which made this Christmas one of the best since I was a kid. It is not presents or yummy food that make Xmas — it is people reaching out.

It is a wonderful thing to get to my age and have the goodness of the human heart affirmed in this way.

THANK YOU. I love you all.

Coffees

The Special Article seems to have a life all its own. It is now over 5000 words, so it’s going to be lonnnnnnnnng — and I will have to break it into parts, for readability. Among other things I have been looking at Western intelligence reports, “profiling” both Putin and Xi! Thank you Wikileaks!

So, the SA is coming along.

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