Scott explores cultural translation by reimagining Xi Jinping's life as that of a fictional American president, Jason Shea, and reflects on the challenges of this creative exercise.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents a creative writing exercise where he attempts to 'translate' the biography of Chinese leader Xi Jinping into an American context, creating the fictional character of Jason Shea as the 44th US President. He explores the challenges of cultural translation, drawing parallels between Chinese and American political systems and historical events. The post is divided into two parts: the fictional biography and a reflection on the writing process and its limitations.
Shorter summary