Yanwen’s blog

7/20/2026

I read a change in U.S. visa policy for international students. It makes me think a lot about America's greatest advantages. For more than a century, one of America's greatest competitive advantages has not been its natural resources or geography—it has been its ability to attract the world's brightest minds.

Briefly, the new rule is like this. The Department of Homeland Security has finalized a rule that ends the long-standing "duration of status" (D/S) system for F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors. 

Instead, new entrants will generally receive a fixed period of stay (typically up to four years, or the program length if shorter), and students who need more time must apply for an extension.

The new rule also places additional restrictions on transfers, changes in educational objectives, and shortens the grace period after completing studies.

Many of America's most influential scientists and entrepreneurs were immigrants or international students. Albert Einstein, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang, Satya Nadella, Andrew Grove, and Elon Musk are all well-known examples.

Likewise, immigrants account for a disproportionately large share of U.S. Nobel Prize winners and founders of major technology companies.

We don't yet know the full consequences of this new rule. However, there are a few things we do know with confidence.

For decades, the United States has benefited from a remarkably successful talent pipeline.

First, America's world-class universities and relatively open immigration policies have attracted talented students from around the world.

Second, many of those students stay to earn advanced degrees, conduct research, or launch innovative companies.

Third, their work contributes to scientific discovery, technological innovation, economic growth, and tax revenue.

If the United States comes to be seen as a less welcoming or less predictable and uncertain place, some of the world's brightest students may increasingly choose Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, or other countries instead, like what happened during World War II when many scientists like Einstein ran into the U.S.

The effects may not be immediately visible. America's leading universities, research institutions, venture capital ecosystem, and entrepreneurial culture remain huge advantages.

The greater risk lies in the long term. If enough highly qualified students begin choosing elsewhere instead of the United States, the U.S. gradually lose part of the talent pipeline that has fueled its innovation for generations.

Those advantages, however, are not self-sustaining. They depend on a continuous inflow of talented people from around the world. Talent is mobile. If the United States becomes less attractive, that pipeline may gradually shrink. Over time they could affect scientific research, technological innovation, and America's global competitiveness.

In the end, people matter more than anything else. America's greatest strength lies in its human capital—its ability to attract talented people from every corner of the world.

A reader comments, “ 如果附加了移民前景的美国教育收窄移民通道，国际学生可能变少，那会带来美国大学的萎缩。” That’ll definitely force some schools to close.

7/19/2026

I recently came across an explanation on the Chinese internet for why the crime rate is so high in the United States: 缺爹 (father absence). I did some research on this. 

Here's what I found:

Father absence is a significant social issue in the United States. Approximately 1 in 4 American children (18.2 million) live without a biological, adoptive, or stepfather in the home—one of the highest rates among developed countries. 

The problem is especially prevalent in the Southern states, with Mississippi having the highest rate. Among major U.S. cities, New York, Chicago, and Newark have historically ranked among those with the highest proportions of fatherless families.

Research consistently shows that father absence is strongly associated with a wide range of social challenges. 

Children growing up without a father in the home are, on average, FOUR times more likely to live in poverty, TWICE as likely to drop out of high school, and face higher risks of behavioral problems, mental health issues, homelessness, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, and teenage pregnancy. 

These findings suggest that father absence is an important risk factor that often intersects with all kinds of social and economic disadvantages later in life.

Overall, the research underscores the importance of having an involved father in a child's life. While no single factor determines a child's future, ultimately, an engaged father can serve as an important protection against many adverse outcomes later in life.

A reader’s comment: “… 像咱们这样的家庭， 没有父亲的陪伴可能也不会产生问题儿童。但对父亲来说是一大精神和情绪价值的损失。 我父亲就是如此，他工作忙，忽视我们，老年后很后悔，直到有了孙辈享受天伦之乐才有所弥补。 “

7/18/2026

Today I had planned to write about the relationship between father absence (缺爹) and crime. But something happening right now has disrupted my daily routine and keeps pulling my attention elsewhere. I feel compelled to write about it instead.

It's the poor air quality in New York lately. The smoke is so hazardous that I've been avoiding my usual morning walk outdoors.

Toxic smoke is drifting south from Canada, where more than 800 wildfires are burning, degrading air quality across a vast region and triggering air quality alerts as far south as New York.

One fire in northern Ontario, Canada forced residents from local First Nations to evacuate, with one chief saying that her community has been "burnt to ashes".

We are considered lucky because cities bordering Canada are clouded with a thick blanket of smoke. Non-urgent outdoor events had to be cancelled for fear of inhaling toxic fumes.

A few years ago, people tended to think of Canadian wildfires as occasional regional events. Now, they have become recurring international news because of their scale and the enormous amounts of smoke they produce.

There are probably multiple contributing factors:

• Warmer temperatures lengthen the wildfire season and dry out vegetation, making forests easier to ignite.

• Drier conditions and drought leave trees and underbrush highly combustible.

• Lightning ignites many fires in Canada's remote forests, especially during hot, dry summers.

• Forest conditions also matter. Decades of fire suppression in some regions can allow fuel to accumulate, making fires more intense once they start.

• Human activity—whether accidental or intentional—still causes a portion of wildfires, particularly near populated areas.

Most climate scientists would conclude that climate change is increasing the likelihood of the hot, dry conditions that allow large fires to spread rapidly. This changes the background conditions so that once a fire starts, it is more likely to become large and out of control.

Sadly, when disaster strikes a distant land, its consequences seldom remain local. Smoke freely crosses borders, just as pandemics, pollution, and climate do. We often think of distant disasters as someone else's problem—until they become part of our own daily lives.

Perhaps this is Mother Nature's reminder that, despite the borders we draw on maps, we all breathe the same air. When forests burn hundreds of miles away, we are reminded that we share not only one atmosphere, but also one future.

7/17/2026

Yesterday a friend shared an interesting Pew Research Center report with me titled "People in Many Countries Now View China More Positively Than the U.S."

The Pew report compares favorability toward the U.S. and China in 36 countries. It finds that, China is viewed more positively than the U.S. in most of those countries. 

This is a big deal because it marks the first time in more than two decades of Pew's global polling that China has enjoyed a measurable advantage over the United States in overall favorability.

Interestingly, the six countries where the U.S. retains a favorable image all have close military relationship with the U.S. -- Poland, Japan, South Korea, India, the Philippines, and Israel. Whether those military ties influence public opinion is an intriguing question worthy of further study.

This naturally raises another question: How much of international public opinion is shaped by a country's security dependence The survey itself doesn't answer that question. It identifies a pattern, but explaining the causes requires additional evidence.

The Gallup report measures approval of national leadership, not overall favorability. It reports that in 2025 the median approval of China's leadership was 36%, compared with 31% for U.S. leadership—the widest lead China has held in Gallup's nearly two decades of tracking.

Regardless of the causes, these findings have practical implications. That is, International public opinion influences a country's attractiveness to international students, skilled workers, tourists, investors, and international partners.

If public opinion is indeed shifting, what is driving the change? Is it security, economics, diplomacy, culture, media narratives, or dissatisfaction? The Pew and Gallup reports show that perceptions are changing. Understanding why may be even more important than the rankings themselves.

7/16/2026

Recently I came across a discussion about a common workplace frustration: someone reads your message but never replies, "read-but-unreplied" messages (已读不回).

For example, you send your supervisor a message. The "Read" label appears almost immediately—but nothing else happens. Ten minutes pass. Then an hour. Still no response. You send a follow-up email. The next day comes, and still you hear nothing. Your emotions shift from calm, to anxious, to dejected. You begin to feel ignored, insignificant, even snubbed or belittled.

While this describes a workplace situation, it reminded me of a conversation I once had with my sister.

"Do your children usually reply to your messages right away?" she asked.

"Sometimes. Why?"

"My WeChat messages to my son often go unanswered for days," she said. "I'm sure he'd reply immediately if the message came from his girlfriend."

Unlike Telegram, iMessage, or many workplace messaging platforms, WeChat doesn't display a "Read" indicator, so you never really know whether the recipient has seen your message.

"Maybe that's actually a sign that he feels secure in your love," I said. "He knows you won't stop loving him just because he doesn't reply immediately."

Of course, my sister wasn't convinced. I couldn't help thinking that perhaps her son takes her unconditional love for granted. He knows his mother's love won't change no matter how long he leaves her messages unanswered. I'm sure he is not consciously exploiting that fact.

I didn't say any of this to my sister. I'm still not sure what I could have said to comfort her. From what she said, perhaps the pain comes not from an unanswered message, but from wondering where you now rank in someone else's priorities.

Perhaps the real issue isn't the "Read" label at all. Technology merely makes silence more visible. What hurts isn't knowing that someone has read our message without a reply. It is wondering whether we still matter enough to deserve a reply.

In the workplace, that silence threatens our professional standing and relationships. Between parents and children, it touches something even deeper. A child may delay replying because he never doubts his mother's love. The tragedy is that those who love us the most are often the ones we unintentionally neglect.

A reader comments, “这是微信（腾讯）的老板马化腾故意设计的，微信团队讨论了很长时间，最后马化腾拍板决定。马化腾是个理工男，不善于社交，他说让收到信息的人回复，或者显示状态（信息是否已经阅读），会给人压力”

Reader’s comment, “我给外甥发知识性的，英语的，做饭的，中国文化的，基本都不回[Scream][Scream][Scream]”

One reader commented, “ Life!  When our children have a significant other in their life, we get shifted to a not so important role. We no longer are their focus or priority. Therefore, they often stay quiet. However, if they need something from the parents, they won’t hesitate to call or text. That’s because they know you will be there for them!  Tell your sister to relax. This happens to more families than we think.”

Another commented, “A good question to ponder. This is a common phenomenon in any relationships nowadays. It’s a matter of priority as well as a sense of reciprocity. (My child) replies my messages but seldom replies immediately and I do not expect her to do so. Among friends, I do not expect a reply neither. It’s up to the receiver’s decision that is beyond my control. Unfortunately, more relationships stagnate or cause anxiety because of these “no replies,” a side effect of social media.[Grimace].”