Unfiltered wisdom
Feeling lost, anxious or uncertain about the future? A growing number of young people in China have found an unlikely source of reassurance: an 84-year-old British anthropologist.
Alan Macfarlane, emeritus professor of anthropological science at the University of Cambridge, has quietly become a social media sensation. Over the past year, he has posted simple, unfiltered videos on Xiaohongshu about work, anxiety, relationships and social change. There are no flashy effects or elaborate edits — just Macfarlane speaking calmly from his study and greeting viewers with a warm "Ni hao".
His topics range from the prospects facing liberal arts students in the age of AI to feelings of emptiness. When asked how he thought about death, he gave a characteristically eccentric answer: "I hope that in the end I can become a handsome sea slug."
Macfarlane once asked his followers why they kept watching. Three words repeatedly appeared: gentle, sincere and respectful.
One follower captured the appeal: "We like having an adult who truly listens, answers our questions patiently and never lectures or shows off."
Macfarlane told The Beijing News that his connection with young viewers in China is not accidental. He has visited the country more than 20 times and spent decades studying Chinese society and civilization. That experience, he said, helps him relate his observations to young people's lives.
