看電視讓人快樂。但有時也會讓人難過、不忍、沮喪。
自覺把電視看得實在太多了，以致睡眠時間被壓縮成了個「黑洞」，還冀望能以睡眠「密度」，去補救慣性的缺覺。然而我的愚昧，似乎並未到家，固知這只能是癡心妄想。
看來錄像機裏的硬盤就是個「黑洞」了，裏頭總有看不完的電視節目。去年北京奧運前就錄下了，而至今未看的好些節目，都還存在硬盤的「底層」。昨天晚上終於又砍掉半小時的睡眠時間，草草「解決」了一個短的。
那是美國廣播公司的「20/20」, 專題內容是「快樂」。 節目裏接受訪問的有關專家，認為個人的快樂與否，一半是天生的，來自遺傳，百分之十由不可預知的生活遭遇帶來，而餘下的四成，卻是主觀意志決定的。
我活了一大把年紀，至今沒學會迷信專家。然而我倒覺得，這位專家的說法，就算迷信它一回，大抵不會有太大的壞處。
節目最後的一個環節，是要到2008年被選為世界上國民生活得最快樂的國家去走走。 這位美國記者於是到了丹麥。
記者訪問了一位有王子身分的年輕人，他住在家族的古堡裏，卻去當木匠學徒幹粗活，竟還沾沾自喜，洋洋自得！ 當然，這位王子能跟美國記者談笑對話，說的自然是流利的英語。
王子會說英語，在他，似乎是快樂的一個泉源；因為他有花不完的財富，沒事自然滿世界跑一下，旅途上能跟全球各國逾十億的人口通話，這敢情很好玩。
這讓我回想起來，當年咱這特區當局強制一些學校放棄以英語為教學媒介語，而改用方言母語，一些少年女學生竟然泣不成聲，如亡家邦，如喪考妣。如今看來，似乎並不為過。
事隔多年，這些當年的女中學生大概都已大學畢業了吧，不知道她們倘若有幸邂逅王子，能不能用英語談笑調情，因而感到快樂？
在丹麥，看來不僅王子說英語，就連一般工人都說英語。記者訪問了一個說英語的垃圾收集工人，他每天幹活5小時，工餘閒空之多，可以想象。他雖然大腹便便，卻喜歡手球，下班就去給他女兒的手球隊當教練了，似乎真的很快樂。
在這個人口小國，母親們進商場去買東西，就把娃娃留在嬰兒車裏，而車子竟就停放在商場門口，並不請人看管。
在咱這香港，人口比丹麥要多1百50萬，另有逾20億的同族同胞，咱們當不會比他們更珍愛自己的嬰兒；可如果哪一天在哪家超市門外，停著一輛無人看管的嬰兒車，車內躺著個娃娃的話，這多半會是個棄嬰了。在此地，當母親而不怕自己的娃娃會被偷拐的，幾乎可以假定，必然是個問題母親。
在咱們這裏，活的娃娃固然會被偷拐，就連活不成的，也能莫名其妙地丟了，而且還要發生在建築相當宏偉，設備相當完備的一家公營醫院的太平間裏！何其詭異乃爾！
看電視原意為求快樂。看到人家丹麥人快樂一生，引起的多般聯想卻讓我感到難過，於是思緒泉湧，延緩入眠。 我這一生，平白又多添半小時永遠不能追補的缺覺，確實有些划不來。
2009/02/12
春寒度歲訪鈴花
每年一月下旬到三月上旬，是吊鐘花的開花季節。
吊鐘花屬杜鵑花科，分類學叫 Enkianthus quinqueflorus, 有的地方又管它叫鈴兒花。它的盛花期在二月，也就是春節前後，在歸入「受保護」植物之前，曾是本地「年花」的名角。遠在香港開埠之前，粵地已流行把它用作年花，以為吉祥的象徵，迷信它能招財。此地習用的英文俗名，並不意譯為 hanging bell, 卻乾脆就叫它 Chinese New Year flower了。
吊鐘野生於山坡上，本地歷來未聞園藝栽植。由於「有幸」生為「年花」，從前常遭採折，因而幾至絕跡於本地山野。 1937年始在《林務規例》附表中列為受保護物種。
吊鐘屬灌木或小喬木，原產廣東、廣西和雲南，現今也分布於贛、閩、湘、黔諸省。似乎不見於台灣。但台灣也有所謂吊鐘花，卻是從外國引入，用作盆栽的另種植物。
吊鐘屬半常綠樹，既可常綠，又會落葉，似乎是一種介乎兩者之間的過渡樹種；每有老葉落盡，開花前整株光禿的現象。它的花蕾和葉芽都裹在枝頂的錐形鱗苞裏，流線的鱗苞綻裂之後，七八個花蕾先後向四周伸展，然後花梗往下彎曲，花蕾漸漸下垂，隨之綻開。
吊鐘的花冠共五瓣，但連合成一體，只在下端綻裂開口，裂端外捲反翹，構成一個鐘形，活像設計別緻的小搖鈴；花冠或紅或粉，基部較深而裂端較淺，每瓣最深色處隆起，反射臘質光澤，晶瑩剔透，有如寶石，和花簇上端青中透赤的嫩葉，搭配成再美不過的構圖；花團錦簇，意趣盎然。
根據內地網上資料，吊鐘能以扦插法來繁殖。它至今還是粵省的主要「年花」之一，而且很受歡迎，市價不菲，但似乎並無大量人工栽植。
我從來就愛這嬌美而堅強的奇葩，可說到了著迷的地步了。近年每逢春節，我必去觀賞，不管冷暖晴陰，總要紮營野宿，爬到陡坡之上，花叢裏流連半日，花簇下癡醉一番。
吊鐘耐寒，就算氣溫降到接近冰點，它照樣開得燦爛。它能禁受疾風寒雨，那些小鈴鐺看似嬌嫩柔弱，然而再大的北風，它就是不讓輕易刮落！它又開得很持久，一朵花能美上一個星期，而掉落時往往還鮮嫩如新，不像別的花朵那樣凋殘零落。
今年，我在小除夕的傍晚就跑到山裏去了，除了悽然自虐以熬冷，還要悠然自得去賞花。晚上，先在營地「享受」到了只有7度的難得低溫。翌日除了去憑弔了楓樹的殘紅，還爬了個大文字山――哦不，鼎鼎大名的大文字山是在日本的京都，不在這歷史短淺的香港西貢；這一座嘛，不是大文字山 Daimonji-Yama, 該是大蚊子山 Daimunji-San 才對。 這大蚊子山哪，以粵化簡稱大蚊山為正名，是否盛產大蚊子，不得而知。可幸它得保山野風貌，不像京都大文字山那樣，被人「剃」去一大片植被，強行「刺青」，黥上了偌大的一個「大」字，遠遠看去，怪難堪的！
這大蚊山海拔只有370米，可爬在它的東坡上，往北一望，倒也夠嚇人的，那個陡哇，確非兒戲鬧著玩，足有45度！我坐在突岩上看著出神，不免說漏一句不祥的話：摔下去可就甭過年了！
大蚊山東北方兩公里水平距離之外，是一座像樣的小山，那就是蚺蛇尖，海拔468米，比京都的大文字山，就高出那麼一丁點，兩米罷了，可它那峻峭勁，可要比大文字山氣派得多了。這蚺蛇尖雖屬丘陵，遠看卻儼然一座崢嶸秀嶽。
大蚊山和蚺蛇尖都很險峻，可是山坡上並不十分值得流連，尤其在這個季節，因為都沒有可愛的吊鐘花。
大年初一可得遠道去賞花了。同行還有洋夫婦約翰和珂麗雅。他們的度假居所在我營地西面小山後一公里腳程之外的小村裏。夫妻倆都是吊鐘迷。這一次，他們要引路，去他們熟悉的山坡。
這山坡我還真沒爬過，大抵也沒有人會去爬它，滿坡上的灌叢和藤蔓，讓人舉步維艱，特難對付；可我們有的是力氣，多番奮力掙扎，還是安然爬到半坡上。 約翰找到了這一片崎嶇的陡坡上唯一的一棵已經開花的植株。
農曆今年是閏年，春節始於立春前一旬，是個早年，正是吊鐘的始花期；加之入冬以來，低溫日子似乎比較多，因此，坡上還看不到大片的春紅，也就是說，大部分的吊鐘還在赧然含苞，要待立春之後，才會陸續盛放呢。
兩星期之後，元宵節的前夕，我又到了一處我竊用二十多年的半坡叢林營地。這是棄耕最早的階梯稻田，隱於深谷，灌叢茂密。只有大約20平方米的淺狹營地，從前是一片芳草，能下瞰海灣景物，也能仰望高坡上的山花群落，如今已經完全被樹冠覆罩，草坪缺乏陽光，早變成一片枯葉地了。
然而，叢林自有叢林的幽美。晴天的月夜裏，月光把樹冠投影在頂篷上，斑駁可愛。幸運的話，還可以看到臊臭的豪豬和優雅的果子貍；不那麼幸運的話，白天就會遇上冒失的野豬和狡猾的獼猴了。 另外，當然也有鳥，這季節還以鳴禽為最多，大抵都是南來過冬的候鳥。至於牠們患沒患上了禽流感，這可沒誰說得準！反正掉到頂篷上的鳥糞，處理起來，還以小心謹慎為是。
這片小小的營地位處半坡，隱於茂林，陰森過甚，景觀全無。然而它確實也有好處，就是澗水近便，終年不涸，並且能躲暑天烈日，可避八級強風。可我這一趟不是為的避風而來，卻是為了賞花。但我首先賞到的，卻是元宵前夕的晴空朗月。
黃昏下山到海灣去溜達，照些相，月亮卻早已升到了山岡上了。根據香港「天文台」的天文日曆，今天的月出時間是下午3點46分。
徑上偶爾走過三三兩兩的遠足者，無不疾步匆匆，大抵歸心似箭，要趕回市區去，好撮一頓美味的。
天黑之後，我在荒村的棄舍前，要照幾幀頹簷皓月。幾個歸途上的年輕遠足者擦身而過，一個竟說：「都幾陰森恐怖！」他們大概不能想象，有人還要住在黑糊糊的深谷叢林裏，聽貓頭鷹夜啼呢。
翌日午前爬上高坡，果然就看到了我每年都要賞看的春節年花的自然花景。
美中不足的是，在艷陽之下，山坡上暖和得彷彿初夏似的。沒準「地球升溫」已然是真確的現實了。近年香港的冷天，10度以下的低溫難得一見，冷鋒南下，往往只像曇花一現。因此，機會輒來，我都不會錯過，非得到野外去和它「遭遇」一番，以為一時應景，聊作短暫過冬。今年春節，我在營地錄得最低的氣溫是7度，去年是6度，2007年春節前2週是8度，2004年元旦是最冷了，只有4度。
這可愛的吊鐘，它在最冷月裏開花，似乎每年必須經歷一段低溫的日子，觸發花芽分化，才得在料峭的早春開花。倘使「全球升溫」真確無誤，氣溫果然一天一天的暖起來，總有那麼一天，它的花芽再也分化不出來，以致無花可開。確實現在就能看到一些植株，綻出大量的新葉，卻只有零星的花朵。
今天適逢達爾文誕生200週年，讓我不禁想起了他的劃時代巨著《物種源起》。 現在，人們都知道，物種的進化、絕滅，和生態環境的變遷，有直接的關係。 過去一百年間，人類對生態環境的破壞，不但是空前的，而其影響大於所有自然災害，其勢頭的迅猛，已讓無數的無辜物種，無法透過緩慢的進化過程去適應新環境，而遽然絕滅。目前還有無數的動植物，僅因人類的緣故，而走向絕滅的途中。
我有幸活在今天，還能和這可愛的奇葩，相約每年會面於早春，在山上的自然群落裏，欣賞它的千嬌百媚，這是和人們「金鐘一響，黃金萬兩」截然不同的另類福氣。倘若輪迴路上出個岔子，晚來世間200年，也許它早已絕滅，而人們只能在物種的圖譜裏，把它翻查出來，或者把它畫在年畫上了。
吊鐘花屬杜鵑花科，分類學叫 Enkianthus quinqueflorus, 有的地方又管它叫鈴兒花。它的盛花期在二月，也就是春節前後，在歸入「受保護」植物之前，曾是本地「年花」的名角。遠在香港開埠之前，粵地已流行把它用作年花，以為吉祥的象徵，迷信它能招財。此地習用的英文俗名，並不意譯為 hanging bell, 卻乾脆就叫它 Chinese New Year flower了。
吊鐘野生於山坡上，本地歷來未聞園藝栽植。由於「有幸」生為「年花」，從前常遭採折，因而幾至絕跡於本地山野。 1937年始在《林務規例》附表中列為受保護物種。
吊鐘屬灌木或小喬木，原產廣東、廣西和雲南，現今也分布於贛、閩、湘、黔諸省。似乎不見於台灣。但台灣也有所謂吊鐘花，卻是從外國引入，用作盆栽的另種植物。
吊鐘屬半常綠樹，既可常綠，又會落葉，似乎是一種介乎兩者之間的過渡樹種；每有老葉落盡，開花前整株光禿的現象。它的花蕾和葉芽都裹在枝頂的錐形鱗苞裏，流線的鱗苞綻裂之後，七八個花蕾先後向四周伸展，然後花梗往下彎曲，花蕾漸漸下垂，隨之綻開。
吊鐘的花冠共五瓣，但連合成一體，只在下端綻裂開口，裂端外捲反翹，構成一個鐘形，活像設計別緻的小搖鈴；花冠或紅或粉，基部較深而裂端較淺，每瓣最深色處隆起，反射臘質光澤，晶瑩剔透，有如寶石，和花簇上端青中透赤的嫩葉，搭配成再美不過的構圖；花團錦簇，意趣盎然。
根據內地網上資料，吊鐘能以扦插法來繁殖。它至今還是粵省的主要「年花」之一，而且很受歡迎，市價不菲，但似乎並無大量人工栽植。
我從來就愛這嬌美而堅強的奇葩，可說到了著迷的地步了。近年每逢春節，我必去觀賞，不管冷暖晴陰，總要紮營野宿，爬到陡坡之上，花叢裏流連半日，花簇下癡醉一番。
吊鐘耐寒，就算氣溫降到接近冰點，它照樣開得燦爛。它能禁受疾風寒雨，那些小鈴鐺看似嬌嫩柔弱，然而再大的北風，它就是不讓輕易刮落！它又開得很持久，一朵花能美上一個星期，而掉落時往往還鮮嫩如新，不像別的花朵那樣凋殘零落。
今年，我在小除夕的傍晚就跑到山裏去了，除了悽然自虐以熬冷，還要悠然自得去賞花。晚上，先在營地「享受」到了只有7度的難得低溫。翌日除了去憑弔了楓樹的殘紅，還爬了個大文字山――哦不，鼎鼎大名的大文字山是在日本的京都，不在這歷史短淺的香港西貢；這一座嘛，不是大文字山 Daimonji-Yama, 該是大蚊子山 Daimunji-San 才對。 這大蚊子山哪，以粵化簡稱大蚊山為正名，是否盛產大蚊子，不得而知。可幸它得保山野風貌，不像京都大文字山那樣，被人「剃」去一大片植被，強行「刺青」，黥上了偌大的一個「大」字，遠遠看去，怪難堪的！
這大蚊山海拔只有370米，可爬在它的東坡上，往北一望，倒也夠嚇人的，那個陡哇，確非兒戲鬧著玩，足有45度！我坐在突岩上看著出神，不免說漏一句不祥的話：摔下去可就甭過年了！
大蚊山東北方兩公里水平距離之外，是一座像樣的小山，那就是蚺蛇尖，海拔468米，比京都的大文字山，就高出那麼一丁點，兩米罷了，可它那峻峭勁，可要比大文字山氣派得多了。這蚺蛇尖雖屬丘陵，遠看卻儼然一座崢嶸秀嶽。
大蚊山和蚺蛇尖都很險峻，可是山坡上並不十分值得流連，尤其在這個季節，因為都沒有可愛的吊鐘花。
大年初一可得遠道去賞花了。同行還有洋夫婦約翰和珂麗雅。他們的度假居所在我營地西面小山後一公里腳程之外的小村裏。夫妻倆都是吊鐘迷。這一次，他們要引路，去他們熟悉的山坡。
這山坡我還真沒爬過，大抵也沒有人會去爬它，滿坡上的灌叢和藤蔓，讓人舉步維艱，特難對付；可我們有的是力氣，多番奮力掙扎，還是安然爬到半坡上。 約翰找到了這一片崎嶇的陡坡上唯一的一棵已經開花的植株。
農曆今年是閏年，春節始於立春前一旬，是個早年，正是吊鐘的始花期；加之入冬以來，低溫日子似乎比較多，因此，坡上還看不到大片的春紅，也就是說，大部分的吊鐘還在赧然含苞，要待立春之後，才會陸續盛放呢。
兩星期之後，元宵節的前夕，我又到了一處我竊用二十多年的半坡叢林營地。這是棄耕最早的階梯稻田，隱於深谷，灌叢茂密。只有大約20平方米的淺狹營地，從前是一片芳草，能下瞰海灣景物，也能仰望高坡上的山花群落，如今已經完全被樹冠覆罩，草坪缺乏陽光，早變成一片枯葉地了。
然而，叢林自有叢林的幽美。晴天的月夜裏，月光把樹冠投影在頂篷上，斑駁可愛。幸運的話，還可以看到臊臭的豪豬和優雅的果子貍；不那麼幸運的話，白天就會遇上冒失的野豬和狡猾的獼猴了。 另外，當然也有鳥，這季節還以鳴禽為最多，大抵都是南來過冬的候鳥。至於牠們患沒患上了禽流感，這可沒誰說得準！反正掉到頂篷上的鳥糞，處理起來，還以小心謹慎為是。
這片小小的營地位處半坡，隱於茂林，陰森過甚，景觀全無。然而它確實也有好處，就是澗水近便，終年不涸，並且能躲暑天烈日，可避八級強風。可我這一趟不是為的避風而來，卻是為了賞花。但我首先賞到的，卻是元宵前夕的晴空朗月。
黃昏下山到海灣去溜達，照些相，月亮卻早已升到了山岡上了。根據香港「天文台」的天文日曆，今天的月出時間是下午3點46分。
徑上偶爾走過三三兩兩的遠足者，無不疾步匆匆，大抵歸心似箭，要趕回市區去，好撮一頓美味的。
天黑之後，我在荒村的棄舍前，要照幾幀頹簷皓月。幾個歸途上的年輕遠足者擦身而過，一個竟說：「都幾陰森恐怖！」他們大概不能想象，有人還要住在黑糊糊的深谷叢林裏，聽貓頭鷹夜啼呢。
翌日午前爬上高坡，果然就看到了我每年都要賞看的春節年花的自然花景。
美中不足的是，在艷陽之下，山坡上暖和得彷彿初夏似的。沒準「地球升溫」已然是真確的現實了。近年香港的冷天，10度以下的低溫難得一見，冷鋒南下，往往只像曇花一現。因此，機會輒來，我都不會錯過，非得到野外去和它「遭遇」一番，以為一時應景，聊作短暫過冬。今年春節，我在營地錄得最低的氣溫是7度，去年是6度，2007年春節前2週是8度，2004年元旦是最冷了，只有4度。
這可愛的吊鐘，它在最冷月裏開花，似乎每年必須經歷一段低溫的日子，觸發花芽分化，才得在料峭的早春開花。倘使「全球升溫」真確無誤，氣溫果然一天一天的暖起來，總有那麼一天，它的花芽再也分化不出來，以致無花可開。確實現在就能看到一些植株，綻出大量的新葉，卻只有零星的花朵。
今天適逢達爾文誕生200週年，讓我不禁想起了他的劃時代巨著《物種源起》。 現在，人們都知道，物種的進化、絕滅，和生態環境的變遷，有直接的關係。 過去一百年間，人類對生態環境的破壞，不但是空前的，而其影響大於所有自然災害，其勢頭的迅猛，已讓無數的無辜物種，無法透過緩慢的進化過程去適應新環境，而遽然絕滅。目前還有無數的動植物，僅因人類的緣故，而走向絕滅的途中。
我有幸活在今天，還能和這可愛的奇葩，相約每年會面於早春，在山上的自然群落裏，欣賞它的千嬌百媚，這是和人們「金鐘一響，黃金萬兩」截然不同的另類福氣。倘若輪迴路上出個岔子，晚來世間200年，也許它早已絕滅，而人們只能在物種的圖譜裏，把它翻查出來，或者把它畫在年畫上了。
2009/02/04
An email to a friend - to chat about education
I was lucky (or more precisely, unlucky) to have seen a pair of bound feet, which belonged to my grandmother who has long gone. In my vivid memory she is still always in her eighties, sitting on a wooden stool undoing her binding strips, washing her terrifying deformed feet in a basin.
It was quite to my greatest surprise that a young medical student, whom I met with in Guangzhou just a little more than a year ago, told me that his grandmother in her nineties was among the last living victims of foot-binding! That means this old lady's feet began to be bound long after Xinhai Revolution.
With profound ignorance, this infamous sexual fetishism of an artificially inflicted deformity had prevailed for more than a thousand years!
When it comes to Chinese alchemy, with rampant ignorance, other than sending many to immortality, it did not evolve into chemistry as it happened in the Western world.
Only well developed education can remedy many, if not all, of the defective characteristics and behaviours of a people, especially one of an ancient civilization with a huge population, several thousand years of continuous history, deeply rooted traditions, and primal superstitions.
Poor education is the root of collective ignorance. Collective ignorance begets rampant unjustness and evil. Rampant unjustness and evil obstruct education improvement and reform. And this is a deadly vicious spiral many backward nations are suffering from.
Only when it happens that there are adequate selfless, righteous and intelligent conscious reformers inside the education system, nurturing more and more selfless, righteous and intelligent young people, that this vicious spiral can be broken. Only when this kind of young people make up a significant part of a population that the same could enjoy a just and fair society with a well received governing mechanism.
Education is the only key to civilization evolution, retaining the good traits, eliminating the bad ones.
China had known little about education when Western colonialism invaded the aged and sick Qing Empire. Whilst education had developed fast in the Western world synchronizing the course of Christianity evolution, China was content with its rotten imperial feudal bureaucratic examination system that had buried the intelligence and creativity of the most literate along history.
Then coming with colonialism were the Western missionaries. They came to the Middle Empire with the Good Book and they established schools. And this was the real beginning of education in China. By then the invading Great Britain's oldest university had already had a history of 7 centuries.
It was quite to my greatest surprise that a young medical student, whom I met with in Guangzhou just a little more than a year ago, told me that his grandmother in her nineties was among the last living victims of foot-binding! That means this old lady's feet began to be bound long after Xinhai Revolution.
With profound ignorance, this infamous sexual fetishism of an artificially inflicted deformity had prevailed for more than a thousand years!
When it comes to Chinese alchemy, with rampant ignorance, other than sending many to immortality, it did not evolve into chemistry as it happened in the Western world.
Only well developed education can remedy many, if not all, of the defective characteristics and behaviours of a people, especially one of an ancient civilization with a huge population, several thousand years of continuous history, deeply rooted traditions, and primal superstitions.
Poor education is the root of collective ignorance. Collective ignorance begets rampant unjustness and evil. Rampant unjustness and evil obstruct education improvement and reform. And this is a deadly vicious spiral many backward nations are suffering from.
Only when it happens that there are adequate selfless, righteous and intelligent conscious reformers inside the education system, nurturing more and more selfless, righteous and intelligent young people, that this vicious spiral can be broken. Only when this kind of young people make up a significant part of a population that the same could enjoy a just and fair society with a well received governing mechanism.
Education is the only key to civilization evolution, retaining the good traits, eliminating the bad ones.
China had known little about education when Western colonialism invaded the aged and sick Qing Empire. Whilst education had developed fast in the Western world synchronizing the course of Christianity evolution, China was content with its rotten imperial feudal bureaucratic examination system that had buried the intelligence and creativity of the most literate along history.
Then coming with colonialism were the Western missionaries. They came to the Middle Empire with the Good Book and they established schools. And this was the real beginning of education in China. By then the invading Great Britain's oldest university had already had a history of 7 centuries.
2009/02/03
罵國
請別錯看了，這不是所謂的「國罵」，這是罵國。也就是罵的中國。不但罵的中國，還罵的中國統治集團，罵的中國領導人，罵的所有中國人；而所謂中國人，大體指的漢民族，包括香港華人。
這罵國的，當然不是我，我還遠遠不夠格，也不是指的今天在英國劍橋大學向咱們溫家寶總理破口大罵，還拿髒鞋拽他的那個粗野小子，而是說的另有別人。
這一位他寫了一本暢銷書，把自己的祖國和同胞罵個體無完膚。
但罵之何益呢？ 我往好處猜想，是希望給讀者一點刺激，讓他們生氣，讓他們反省。當然還有可能基於別的動機，因為這祖國的國運走到了今天的地步，你歌頌它，書一定賣不出去；罵它呢，反倒會有市場。 果其然一點不差，這罵國之書，竟成了暢銷書，與教人炒股的不遑多讓呢。
可這長於管控意識形態的內地當局，可謂愚不可及，竟把這罵者的書給禁了，當然不但禁不能絕，還給日後解禁，醞釀大暢銷的機會呢。
當年罵國罵得最兇的要數魯迅了。他被派到日本留學，在影片上看到了日本侵略軍在東北殘害我國同胞，抓去遊街殺頭，而別的民眾竟在一旁冷漠地看熱鬧。 魯迅受到了很大的刺激，於是棄醫從文，企圖以筆桿子救治同胞的靈魂。五四運動之後，1921年，他揪出了一個愚昧無知的阿Q, 給他立個「正傳」，冷嘲熱諷一番之後，還是把他送去刑場槍斃了，以「大團圓」作終篇。
魯迅對阿Q的無情嘲諷，當然是指桑罵槐，拿個愚昧無知的可憐小人物來「鞭撻示眾」，完了來個詼諧滑稽的戲劇性槍斃，間接控訴了那個到處充斥腐爛惡臭的社會。然而這小小的阿Q何辜，值得魯迅那樣苛待他？！他何嘗算個大奸大惡！他的愚昧無知，不過只是沒有受過任何教育罷了。 而當時的魯迅，已然放洋留學回國，在教育部裏做事，也在大學裏兼任教員。中國的讀書人，對待愚昧的小老百姓，就只能是這個心眼了，六分鄙視，三分憐憫，一分同情。
作品發表至今快90年了，中國人之中，還像阿Q那樣極度愚昧無知的人物或許絕無僅有，但因缺乏教育而文化素質低下，缺乏思考能力，無力反省和改進的各階層老百姓，恐怕多而又多吧。
現如今，有一位自覺有良知的，香港前殖民地高等教育培育出來的知識分子於是不耐煩了，要拿這萬年古國和西方做個無條件的徹底比較，於是先拿一面照妖鏡往自己臉上一湊，看真了，哎呀慚愧了，竟然自覺面目猙獰，裏外何其大異西方人！於是感到無地自容！
我的一位老同學愛讀書。最近他來電郵告訴我，正讀這本名為《來生不做中國人》的書，大抵希望我也看看，好跟他討論。
我雖久矣不逛城中日見其少的書店，卻也彷彿聽聞此書「大名」，可是並不知道具體內容。我於是到網上去搜尋了一下，卻找到了作者的網誌。
從網誌上的自我介紹，得知作者鍾祖康「生於1960年代中期香港一個傳統的貧農家庭」，是「香港第一個高調以文章公開聲援台灣獨立建國的香港華人」，因而被厲斥「喪心病狂鼓吹台獨……比台灣島內台獨分子的言論更為囂張、荒謬和無恥」。 2003年作者隨挪威籍妻子移民挪威。
我沒有看過這本書，不得妄評。這裏只學著點犬儒腔調，僅就書名胡謅一下。
「來生不做中國人」這句話徹底表達對中國、中國文化和中國人的絕望，是一句怨蒼天、唾國人的悲誓。
漢文化原來沒有「來生」，佛教傳入中土之後，受盡苦難的人們才知道原來眾生可以輪迴，人死可以投胎。這些無從用理性去質疑的宗教信念，和漢地固有的各種原始鬼、神、仙、精之說相結合，於是成為沒受教育的苦難黎民的精神支柱。這所謂因緣果報的簡單觀念，助他們「想通」困惑，既然前世造孽，自當今生受苦，不應怨天尤人。這種雖則無稽，卻根深柢固的信念，支撐他們天天勉力苟延殘喘，垂死走完痛苦的一生，好把血汗擠搾淨盡，對確信前生積了厚德、今生享盡榮華的居上位者們，作出悲慘的奉獻，不思反抗、懶得吭聲。
也就是說，「上輩子做了壞事，才被罰做中國人的」，活該，無可如何了，這就認了吧！
漢族人口之中，虔誠信佛的並不多，可是這種「今生」、「來世」的觀念，卻能代代承傳，幾乎潛移默化到了每一個個體的思想裏，牢不可破。大抵是由於簡單易懂的緣故吧。捱苦捱得難受，隨口就說出來了。記得小時後我媽罵我和弟妹，每每會以「真係前世唔修」這句口頭禪作收束。
似乎這位作者也不能倖免。既然以為書名，看來他也打心眼裏喊著同樣一句話，以身為漢人為可悲、可恥，倘有來世，倘能選擇，也絕對不願做中國人了。我看這很好，倘若人人都不做中國人，中國人口必當減去大半，剩下來的人口就能分配較多的資源，競爭就不會那麼慘烈了。
但這位作者不必等到來生投胎，冒再「被罰做中國人」的風險，他也許上輩子作了足額的好事，就跟很多漢人知識分子一樣，僅在此生的下半輩子，得益於香港殖民地高等教育的培育，他有充分條件可以遠走高飛，適彼樂土。這位作者娶得挪威籍妻子，移民到了斯堪的納維亞半島的那個「人間天堂」。 倘若來生投胎，並不降格為豕，還做現代智人，而地利、人和俱備，那麼獲准解除漢裔，改授高加索人種名額，大抵是意料中事吧。
從作者的網誌文章看來，他大概是一位基督徒。儘管信奉基督了，可他要賣書的時候，還是要利用這種毒性緩慢、毒力持久的佛統陳腔濫調，來吸引讀者。
我這麼想：當你還能說出「來生」這個詞，情緒往往就得到一點宣洩，潛意識就以為讓你受苦的人會在意、會生氣。可我又想：一如罵娘，儘管對方真的生氣了，那又管個什麼用！
由此可見，傳統觀念的力量夠多麼大！靈魂確實不容易救贖。摩西從西奈山下來，把背棄上主而去拜金牛的同胞，整整殺掉三千，恐怕就是為的這個原因。可是不管怎麼樣，人應有宣洩不滿的自由，也有尋找樂土的自由。 還該恭喜這位作者，有幸今生就得以隨妻子離開了他心目中的「人間地獄」！
然而，你儘管恣意惡貶，「地獄」與否，往往是見仁見智的。現在的中國，包括港、澳特別行政區，唯其遠不能稱為公平、正義的社會，卻正是不少既得利益者的「人間天堂」。 那些識時務者、有權勢者、大發達者，也許都會說：這種人雖然不成氣候，走了倒也好，任他滿世界嚷嚷，壞影響肯定要比留下來輕微一些。
對於今天的中國，作者雖然看得那麼絕望，努力要在固有文化的劣根裏頭探挖癰疽，我看他也得承認，一個世紀以來，中國文化是有長足發展的。但是歷史越是長遠，文化越是深邃，改進起來就越是緩慢，越是舉步維艱。 就算再來一次文化大革命，在革命當中被顛倒了的，往後多半都會重新顛倒過來。要從根柢的層次改進文化，只能透過漸進的教育改革和長遠的教育實踐。
然而，教育固然有開放、公平、正義、人道的教育，也有殖民奴化教育，又有競技場式的「精英」教育，更有專為統治階級利益服務、意識形態受管控的教育。這些，都取決於一些關鍵人物的作用，這些人物，要不在最要害的統治階級裏，就是在教育系統裏了。
在社會制度落後的地區，教育制度和系統的變革，如果朝向比較理想的方向發展，往往就要損害既得利益集團成員們的眼前利益，他們當然不會高興。好比說精英教育吧，他是萬中無一的精英，經過千般苦練，百回競技，才得據此高位；倘使普及高等教育，就能把多數公民都培育成為人才，那麼這些精英，還能獨享尊位嗎？
我硬是這麼想，中國的知識分子，可能歷來都是世界上最自私自利的一群。今天，他們有機會接受了有世界市場價值的高等教育，要嘛對當權者唯唯諾諾，安享高官厚祿；要嘛一走了之，奔赴西方理想國。 願意犧牲個人利益，在制度內勉力發揮不受歡迎的作用，冒險爭取點滴變革者，確是絕無僅有。
然而廣大的無知小百姓不能深責他們，他們也是這些未老先衰的教育制度下的病態產物。他們也有苦衷。須知在此地要把一個孩子體體面面地養活大，據說得花400萬港元！ 另外，如果過得實在太不愜意了，西方的人間樂土確實又那麼多，那麼吸引人，既有選擇，何必強留於此！這位作者，就隨他夫人去了挪威。
這麼一來，歷史短淺的教育制度長保不義，古老大國和其特區的教育人員代代不肖，培育出來的，自然只能是些只宜用作工具的所謂知識分子。如是者惡性循環，社會不義充斥，資源分配越趨不均，一旦最壞的經濟時機到來，就有可能爆發可怕的動亂了。 然而動亂何足懼哉！只要在機場關閉之前，一飛沖天！
這罵國的，當然不是我，我還遠遠不夠格，也不是指的今天在英國劍橋大學向咱們溫家寶總理破口大罵，還拿髒鞋拽他的那個粗野小子，而是說的另有別人。
這一位他寫了一本暢銷書，把自己的祖國和同胞罵個體無完膚。
但罵之何益呢？ 我往好處猜想，是希望給讀者一點刺激，讓他們生氣，讓他們反省。當然還有可能基於別的動機，因為這祖國的國運走到了今天的地步，你歌頌它，書一定賣不出去；罵它呢，反倒會有市場。 果其然一點不差，這罵國之書，竟成了暢銷書，與教人炒股的不遑多讓呢。
可這長於管控意識形態的內地當局，可謂愚不可及，竟把這罵者的書給禁了，當然不但禁不能絕，還給日後解禁，醞釀大暢銷的機會呢。
當年罵國罵得最兇的要數魯迅了。他被派到日本留學，在影片上看到了日本侵略軍在東北殘害我國同胞，抓去遊街殺頭，而別的民眾竟在一旁冷漠地看熱鬧。 魯迅受到了很大的刺激，於是棄醫從文，企圖以筆桿子救治同胞的靈魂。五四運動之後，1921年，他揪出了一個愚昧無知的阿Q, 給他立個「正傳」，冷嘲熱諷一番之後，還是把他送去刑場槍斃了，以「大團圓」作終篇。
魯迅對阿Q的無情嘲諷，當然是指桑罵槐，拿個愚昧無知的可憐小人物來「鞭撻示眾」，完了來個詼諧滑稽的戲劇性槍斃，間接控訴了那個到處充斥腐爛惡臭的社會。然而這小小的阿Q何辜，值得魯迅那樣苛待他？！他何嘗算個大奸大惡！他的愚昧無知，不過只是沒有受過任何教育罷了。 而當時的魯迅，已然放洋留學回國，在教育部裏做事，也在大學裏兼任教員。中國的讀書人，對待愚昧的小老百姓，就只能是這個心眼了，六分鄙視，三分憐憫，一分同情。
作品發表至今快90年了，中國人之中，還像阿Q那樣極度愚昧無知的人物或許絕無僅有，但因缺乏教育而文化素質低下，缺乏思考能力，無力反省和改進的各階層老百姓，恐怕多而又多吧。
現如今，有一位自覺有良知的，香港前殖民地高等教育培育出來的知識分子於是不耐煩了，要拿這萬年古國和西方做個無條件的徹底比較，於是先拿一面照妖鏡往自己臉上一湊，看真了，哎呀慚愧了，竟然自覺面目猙獰，裏外何其大異西方人！於是感到無地自容！
我的一位老同學愛讀書。最近他來電郵告訴我，正讀這本名為《來生不做中國人》的書，大抵希望我也看看，好跟他討論。
我雖久矣不逛城中日見其少的書店，卻也彷彿聽聞此書「大名」，可是並不知道具體內容。我於是到網上去搜尋了一下，卻找到了作者的網誌。
從網誌上的自我介紹，得知作者鍾祖康「生於1960年代中期香港一個傳統的貧農家庭」，是「香港第一個高調以文章公開聲援台灣獨立建國的香港華人」，因而被厲斥「喪心病狂鼓吹台獨……比台灣島內台獨分子的言論更為囂張、荒謬和無恥」。 2003年作者隨挪威籍妻子移民挪威。
我沒有看過這本書，不得妄評。這裏只學著點犬儒腔調，僅就書名胡謅一下。
「來生不做中國人」這句話徹底表達對中國、中國文化和中國人的絕望，是一句怨蒼天、唾國人的悲誓。
漢文化原來沒有「來生」，佛教傳入中土之後，受盡苦難的人們才知道原來眾生可以輪迴，人死可以投胎。這些無從用理性去質疑的宗教信念，和漢地固有的各種原始鬼、神、仙、精之說相結合，於是成為沒受教育的苦難黎民的精神支柱。這所謂因緣果報的簡單觀念，助他們「想通」困惑，既然前世造孽，自當今生受苦，不應怨天尤人。這種雖則無稽，卻根深柢固的信念，支撐他們天天勉力苟延殘喘，垂死走完痛苦的一生，好把血汗擠搾淨盡，對確信前生積了厚德、今生享盡榮華的居上位者們，作出悲慘的奉獻，不思反抗、懶得吭聲。
也就是說，「上輩子做了壞事，才被罰做中國人的」，活該，無可如何了，這就認了吧！
漢族人口之中，虔誠信佛的並不多，可是這種「今生」、「來世」的觀念，卻能代代承傳，幾乎潛移默化到了每一個個體的思想裏，牢不可破。大抵是由於簡單易懂的緣故吧。捱苦捱得難受，隨口就說出來了。記得小時後我媽罵我和弟妹，每每會以「真係前世唔修」這句口頭禪作收束。
似乎這位作者也不能倖免。既然以為書名，看來他也打心眼裏喊著同樣一句話，以身為漢人為可悲、可恥，倘有來世，倘能選擇，也絕對不願做中國人了。我看這很好，倘若人人都不做中國人，中國人口必當減去大半，剩下來的人口就能分配較多的資源，競爭就不會那麼慘烈了。
但這位作者不必等到來生投胎，冒再「被罰做中國人」的風險，他也許上輩子作了足額的好事，就跟很多漢人知識分子一樣，僅在此生的下半輩子，得益於香港殖民地高等教育的培育，他有充分條件可以遠走高飛，適彼樂土。這位作者娶得挪威籍妻子，移民到了斯堪的納維亞半島的那個「人間天堂」。 倘若來生投胎，並不降格為豕，還做現代智人，而地利、人和俱備，那麼獲准解除漢裔，改授高加索人種名額，大抵是意料中事吧。
從作者的網誌文章看來，他大概是一位基督徒。儘管信奉基督了，可他要賣書的時候，還是要利用這種毒性緩慢、毒力持久的佛統陳腔濫調，來吸引讀者。
我這麼想：當你還能說出「來生」這個詞，情緒往往就得到一點宣洩，潛意識就以為讓你受苦的人會在意、會生氣。可我又想：一如罵娘，儘管對方真的生氣了，那又管個什麼用！
由此可見，傳統觀念的力量夠多麼大！靈魂確實不容易救贖。摩西從西奈山下來，把背棄上主而去拜金牛的同胞，整整殺掉三千，恐怕就是為的這個原因。可是不管怎麼樣，人應有宣洩不滿的自由，也有尋找樂土的自由。 還該恭喜這位作者，有幸今生就得以隨妻子離開了他心目中的「人間地獄」！
然而，你儘管恣意惡貶，「地獄」與否，往往是見仁見智的。現在的中國，包括港、澳特別行政區，唯其遠不能稱為公平、正義的社會，卻正是不少既得利益者的「人間天堂」。 那些識時務者、有權勢者、大發達者，也許都會說：這種人雖然不成氣候，走了倒也好，任他滿世界嚷嚷，壞影響肯定要比留下來輕微一些。
對於今天的中國，作者雖然看得那麼絕望，努力要在固有文化的劣根裏頭探挖癰疽，我看他也得承認，一個世紀以來，中國文化是有長足發展的。但是歷史越是長遠，文化越是深邃，改進起來就越是緩慢，越是舉步維艱。 就算再來一次文化大革命，在革命當中被顛倒了的，往後多半都會重新顛倒過來。要從根柢的層次改進文化，只能透過漸進的教育改革和長遠的教育實踐。
然而，教育固然有開放、公平、正義、人道的教育，也有殖民奴化教育，又有競技場式的「精英」教育，更有專為統治階級利益服務、意識形態受管控的教育。這些，都取決於一些關鍵人物的作用，這些人物，要不在最要害的統治階級裏，就是在教育系統裏了。
在社會制度落後的地區，教育制度和系統的變革，如果朝向比較理想的方向發展，往往就要損害既得利益集團成員們的眼前利益，他們當然不會高興。好比說精英教育吧，他是萬中無一的精英，經過千般苦練，百回競技，才得據此高位；倘使普及高等教育，就能把多數公民都培育成為人才，那麼這些精英，還能獨享尊位嗎？
我硬是這麼想，中國的知識分子，可能歷來都是世界上最自私自利的一群。今天，他們有機會接受了有世界市場價值的高等教育，要嘛對當權者唯唯諾諾，安享高官厚祿；要嘛一走了之，奔赴西方理想國。 願意犧牲個人利益，在制度內勉力發揮不受歡迎的作用，冒險爭取點滴變革者，確是絕無僅有。
然而廣大的無知小百姓不能深責他們，他們也是這些未老先衰的教育制度下的病態產物。他們也有苦衷。須知在此地要把一個孩子體體面面地養活大，據說得花400萬港元！ 另外，如果過得實在太不愜意了，西方的人間樂土確實又那麼多，那麼吸引人，既有選擇，何必強留於此！這位作者，就隨他夫人去了挪威。
這麼一來，歷史短淺的教育制度長保不義，古老大國和其特區的教育人員代代不肖，培育出來的，自然只能是些只宜用作工具的所謂知識分子。如是者惡性循環，社會不義充斥，資源分配越趨不均，一旦最壞的經濟時機到來，就有可能爆發可怕的動亂了。 然而動亂何足懼哉！只要在機場關閉之前，一飛沖天！
2009/01/31
2009/01/24
Sweet Home
Home, sweet home!
The home is something every human must have.
If a guy lives in a flat on his own, he normally doesn't call it home. He might call it his place. If he has a family, then he has a home.
A home though it has to be, it can turn into something like a cage if the sweetness turns sour, with one or more family members having become bad or foul, or with the mortgage balance to be paid off exceeding the market value of the home by onefold or two, or with most of the timber got eaten hollow by termites to a poor state beyond repair, or......
When these sorts of things happen, one still has to go home everyday to enjoy the unhappiness it provides. He might go away as the door is free to open. But he simply can't. There exists an invisible bondage.
People have to have a home to be happy. Yet many people are not happy just because they have a home, many failed family relationships render a bitter home instead of a sweet one. People just have to put up with the bitter part, in order to maintain the home as it is, and let themselves be trapped in a confining unhappy space.
In the ancient times one builds himself and his family his own house, or hut, or shelter. Our forefathers came a long way from Africa to this part of the world to settle down. They created their homes with their own hands. This was what every single man was once supposed to be capable of doing. Nowadays in developed cities such capability has no place.
I built myself a hut when I was a teenager, and called it my place for more than two years. It survived torrents from the sky, typhoons from the ocean, and two cold winters from Mother Nature. The winters were a bit colder than we are having now, I recall vividly that I had to add a fireplace to burn some charcoal to keep it warm inside. With a space of only roughly 2 metres by 1.5 metres by 2 metres, it just didn't take much charcoal to keep it warm. It must be a miracle however, that the tiny wooden hut hadn't caught fire, and the builder and owner hadn't died of carbon monoxide poisoning!
Before building the hut, I had even dug a small cave on the hillside. Amazingly it didn't collapse in the rains, but it got really wet as water dripped from the root tips of the vegetation on top of it all the time, so it was not inhabitable during the rainy season. Soon I deserted it because it didn't feel really good staying in there.
Many little American boys sleep in a tent for the first time in their courtyard to experience camping. When they hear an animal approaching in the middle of the night they abandon the tent and rush back to their cozy room.
Back then in my early teens I was yet to know anything about camping. To the best of my belief all places other than home just had to be hazardous and scary. Without a courtyard and a tent I never had the luxury of enjoying such funny experience. But I did do something that no other kids across the world would like to do. I once fixed in a tree a piece of timber from a used traditional coffin of Southern Chinese style found on a hillside used to be a cemetery, for lying down up there as an option of enjoying a hot sunny afternoon under the foliage during summer vacation. I didn't call it my place of course. I recalled no caterpillers came to disturb. I was very much afraid of caterpillers.
Now a local city kid simply can't do any of these sorts of naughty things in this over developed metropolis. The several hundred square kilometres of land mass have long been packed with monster buildings and fancy houses. What a boy can do is to urge his parents to choose some units in there, have the father written a cheque, and then move in with all his electronic games devices. And there are places nearby in which he can eat to get fat conveniently. And there are still places nearby in which he can have fun when he has had enough computer games. And there are extra places abroad to which he can fly for holidays and shopping with his family. His father just needs to make enough money by doing what he is good at, like speculating in flats and stocks.
If the father goes well with his speculating, the boy will soon have a second home and even a third home without doing anything but being lazy.
I was unfortunate, without a successful father, I had to build myself a second home when I was a teenager. Now a poor old wildlander though I might be, I have a mobile shanty as my second home. I can always choose a scenic spot of greenery to set it up and call it my temporary place.
The home is something every human must have.
If a guy lives in a flat on his own, he normally doesn't call it home. He might call it his place. If he has a family, then he has a home.
A home though it has to be, it can turn into something like a cage if the sweetness turns sour, with one or more family members having become bad or foul, or with the mortgage balance to be paid off exceeding the market value of the home by onefold or two, or with most of the timber got eaten hollow by termites to a poor state beyond repair, or......
When these sorts of things happen, one still has to go home everyday to enjoy the unhappiness it provides. He might go away as the door is free to open. But he simply can't. There exists an invisible bondage.
People have to have a home to be happy. Yet many people are not happy just because they have a home, many failed family relationships render a bitter home instead of a sweet one. People just have to put up with the bitter part, in order to maintain the home as it is, and let themselves be trapped in a confining unhappy space.
In the ancient times one builds himself and his family his own house, or hut, or shelter. Our forefathers came a long way from Africa to this part of the world to settle down. They created their homes with their own hands. This was what every single man was once supposed to be capable of doing. Nowadays in developed cities such capability has no place.
I built myself a hut when I was a teenager, and called it my place for more than two years. It survived torrents from the sky, typhoons from the ocean, and two cold winters from Mother Nature. The winters were a bit colder than we are having now, I recall vividly that I had to add a fireplace to burn some charcoal to keep it warm inside. With a space of only roughly 2 metres by 1.5 metres by 2 metres, it just didn't take much charcoal to keep it warm. It must be a miracle however, that the tiny wooden hut hadn't caught fire, and the builder and owner hadn't died of carbon monoxide poisoning!
Before building the hut, I had even dug a small cave on the hillside. Amazingly it didn't collapse in the rains, but it got really wet as water dripped from the root tips of the vegetation on top of it all the time, so it was not inhabitable during the rainy season. Soon I deserted it because it didn't feel really good staying in there.
Many little American boys sleep in a tent for the first time in their courtyard to experience camping. When they hear an animal approaching in the middle of the night they abandon the tent and rush back to their cozy room.
Back then in my early teens I was yet to know anything about camping. To the best of my belief all places other than home just had to be hazardous and scary. Without a courtyard and a tent I never had the luxury of enjoying such funny experience. But I did do something that no other kids across the world would like to do. I once fixed in a tree a piece of timber from a used traditional coffin of Southern Chinese style found on a hillside used to be a cemetery, for lying down up there as an option of enjoying a hot sunny afternoon under the foliage during summer vacation. I didn't call it my place of course. I recalled no caterpillers came to disturb. I was very much afraid of caterpillers.
Now a local city kid simply can't do any of these sorts of naughty things in this over developed metropolis. The several hundred square kilometres of land mass have long been packed with monster buildings and fancy houses. What a boy can do is to urge his parents to choose some units in there, have the father written a cheque, and then move in with all his electronic games devices. And there are places nearby in which he can eat to get fat conveniently. And there are still places nearby in which he can have fun when he has had enough computer games. And there are extra places abroad to which he can fly for holidays and shopping with his family. His father just needs to make enough money by doing what he is good at, like speculating in flats and stocks.
If the father goes well with his speculating, the boy will soon have a second home and even a third home without doing anything but being lazy.
I was unfortunate, without a successful father, I had to build myself a second home when I was a teenager. Now a poor old wildlander though I might be, I have a mobile shanty as my second home. I can always choose a scenic spot of greenery to set it up and call it my temporary place.
An email to a friend – on "choosing not to be Chinese upon next reincarnation"
Old C.,
I simply do not know how to begin with the topic you re-opened, as I think actually we have been discussing the same in many aspects on and off for quite some time.
I haven't read that author's book. But I've just found something on his blog. I must say I quite agree to many of his opinions. But he might have gone too far. He is completely lost in his Western Shangri-La. He seems to have found some poisonous soil, yet he doesn't know how to neutralize it. What he has put forward is no reasonable solution.
Re-examining the Chinese culture should no longer be a "let's do it now" thing, of course we should keep on doing it, while reflecting deep inside ourselves; what we should do right away is change it, repair it, bit by bit, by changing and repairing our very selves in the first place. But this means personal sacrifice for those who are well educated, like the author himself, for education is the only means.
Only the well educated could help renew the education system. This will not succeed if they are not willing to sacrifice their own interest. Only their sacrifice would count, setting an example to all others including those of the greediest and corruptest classes, not that of Ah Q, not that of the peasants, and not that of the poorly educated.
But this just has to be a mankind dilemma, when there is a well developed Western world, which includes that tiny part called Norway where that author's wife is from, for them to turn to. Many highly educated simply can freely choose, painfully though it might look, not to be Chinese anymore, though partially and not racially, in this very present life. There is no need to wait till their next life.
One could be reborn a pig if the reincarnation thing is real. How risky! Who knows?
I think this author must have once been in love with China not as his motherland, but more or less as if it were his mother. He must be very proud of her. But one day he found this was no good mother, it was actually a mean, dirty, hypocritic and stupid woman, his love for her turned into anger, hatred, shame and disdain.
A country is not an individual, not a woman, not a guy. You encounter a certain ordinary good man somewhere sometime, later he might transform into a very bad thug and end up in prison, and later still he could renew himself to become an old nice fellow. All changes happen in one single lifetime.
A civilization, or just a country, as a whole cannot enjoy such dramatic changes, not to mention during a certain individual's lifetime.
If Barack Obama was born a couple of decades earlier and ran for the top office, there would be no way for him to succeed. Even he did he would be dead long before he could take the messed up oath.
So, born a Chinese and not a bad one, you can be angry, can feel shameful, can go hysterical, can swear your voice broken, can go to Norway, but it just doesn't help much. You just should be patient and calm, and do something positive and constructive with a sense of humour.
Even so pathetic a Chinese people has produced so good an individual as that author himself! How couldn't he see any hope?
If the U.S. were a non-Christian country, Barack Obama wouldn't have stood a chance. Yet you don't dream that you invited the crusaders to invade the ancient Empire of Ming back in history.
Jesus Christ saved the Western civilization. Christianity has evolved dramatically during a course of 2 thousand years. Yet not many Christians today know how to deal with their brothers created by the same God.
I would say, being Chinese, I seek to be as good, as creative, as reflective, as courageous, as righteous a person as I can during this present life, and leave the next life, if some day I would commence believing there is one, to the Hindu reincarnation mechanism.
And when it comes to the choice between Chinese and non-Chinese, or human and non-human, or swine and non-swine, I would like to consult Buddha if He lets me see Him without kneeling down and kowtowing.
I simply do not know how to begin with the topic you re-opened, as I think actually we have been discussing the same in many aspects on and off for quite some time.
I haven't read that author's book. But I've just found something on his blog. I must say I quite agree to many of his opinions. But he might have gone too far. He is completely lost in his Western Shangri-La. He seems to have found some poisonous soil, yet he doesn't know how to neutralize it. What he has put forward is no reasonable solution.
Re-examining the Chinese culture should no longer be a "let's do it now" thing, of course we should keep on doing it, while reflecting deep inside ourselves; what we should do right away is change it, repair it, bit by bit, by changing and repairing our very selves in the first place. But this means personal sacrifice for those who are well educated, like the author himself, for education is the only means.
Only the well educated could help renew the education system. This will not succeed if they are not willing to sacrifice their own interest. Only their sacrifice would count, setting an example to all others including those of the greediest and corruptest classes, not that of Ah Q, not that of the peasants, and not that of the poorly educated.
But this just has to be a mankind dilemma, when there is a well developed Western world, which includes that tiny part called Norway where that author's wife is from, for them to turn to. Many highly educated simply can freely choose, painfully though it might look, not to be Chinese anymore, though partially and not racially, in this very present life. There is no need to wait till their next life.
One could be reborn a pig if the reincarnation thing is real. How risky! Who knows?
I think this author must have once been in love with China not as his motherland, but more or less as if it were his mother. He must be very proud of her. But one day he found this was no good mother, it was actually a mean, dirty, hypocritic and stupid woman, his love for her turned into anger, hatred, shame and disdain.
A country is not an individual, not a woman, not a guy. You encounter a certain ordinary good man somewhere sometime, later he might transform into a very bad thug and end up in prison, and later still he could renew himself to become an old nice fellow. All changes happen in one single lifetime.
A civilization, or just a country, as a whole cannot enjoy such dramatic changes, not to mention during a certain individual's lifetime.
If Barack Obama was born a couple of decades earlier and ran for the top office, there would be no way for him to succeed. Even he did he would be dead long before he could take the messed up oath.
So, born a Chinese and not a bad one, you can be angry, can feel shameful, can go hysterical, can swear your voice broken, can go to Norway, but it just doesn't help much. You just should be patient and calm, and do something positive and constructive with a sense of humour.
Even so pathetic a Chinese people has produced so good an individual as that author himself! How couldn't he see any hope?
If the U.S. were a non-Christian country, Barack Obama wouldn't have stood a chance. Yet you don't dream that you invited the crusaders to invade the ancient Empire of Ming back in history.
Jesus Christ saved the Western civilization. Christianity has evolved dramatically during a course of 2 thousand years. Yet not many Christians today know how to deal with their brothers created by the same God.
I would say, being Chinese, I seek to be as good, as creative, as reflective, as courageous, as righteous a person as I can during this present life, and leave the next life, if some day I would commence believing there is one, to the Hindu reincarnation mechanism.
And when it comes to the choice between Chinese and non-Chinese, or human and non-human, or swine and non-swine, I would like to consult Buddha if He lets me see Him without kneeling down and kowtowing.
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