Letters in Chinese

李察通訊 Letters in Chinese
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12/29/2011


南韓是可能戰勝北韓的嗎?

………………李察………………
 
 
  北韓的喪禮,無異向全世界打開了一隻窗子。從這窗子,可以看見朝鮮半島與及整個世界的新形勢。
 
  第一,金正恩的權威地位絕對穩定,沒有任何人能夠挑戰。這是被北韓的集體氣氛決定的。
 
  第二,北韓的集體意志已經成形。如果要觀察一個國家的力量,軍力和經濟是第二位考慮。內在的意志,才是最重要的。外界一向對北韓的印象,可能需要全部修改。
 
  第三,如果金正恩的健康和意志能夠持久,像若干長壽的政治家那樣,倘若他能在位六十年,則亞洲局勢和世界局勢,都會被小小的朝鮮半島左右。
 
  從以上分析可見,南韓人的意志和魄力,都是遠遠不及的。如果發生戰爭,後果將會悲慘。只除了一樣:歷史發展,有偶然因素。又如果這一位年輕統治者,不遵守老父的教訓,過早進行擴張,像亞歷山大大帝那樣,只能在短時間中發生影響力,則歷史也會改寫。
  (問到底 No. 8282, 2011.12.29)





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12/28/2011


在甚麼地方研究「文革」最好?

………………李察………………
 
 
  「文革」本來已成過去,而各種資料,亦日漸湮沒。時間愈久,記憶愈淡。到了將來,老一輩逐漸死絕,再沒有一張活著的嘴吧,能夠陳說文革舊事,就更加不可能有感性的研究資料。
 
  「文革」也絕不止是一場政治事件。政治行為,只是所有因素中的最浮表的。更加重要是內裡的文化因素。中國人的儒學內在架構,披上了馬列的外衣,表現出來,甚麼事情,都可能發生。
 
  幸運是今時今日,仍有一種接近於「活化石」的樣版存在。北韓的文化,基本上是十分相似於中國文化的。要研究文革發生的背景,北韓是十分好的地方。
 
  而中國文化,竟然可能跳過文字而傳播,有點好像以前希臘文化竟可能以英文傳播那樣。以韓文傳播儒學,以韓文宣示三年之喪,以韓文集體催眠,令人想像不到。
 
  今時今日,研究北韓文化的任務,可能要落在中國學者的身上了。世界上,亦只有中國學者,有更加方便的接觸機會。
  (問到底 No. 8281, 2011.12.28)



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12/27/2011


孔子是可能「修改」的嗎?

………………李察………………
 
 
  表面上,改一點,總比完全不改的好。海外的若干報刊、教師、社團、機構,在宣傳孔子的時候,總是要把孔子修改一下。他們口中的「萬世師表」,是富於求知精神的。他們拿著儒學中的那幾句話:「學而時習之」,「幼而學、壯而行」,「子入太廟,每事問」,「學以致用」等等,認為孔子是並無抹殺求知的。

  如果孔子真是這樣鼓勵求知,並無以背誦儒家經典的方法代替求知,那麼,中國兩千年封建制度,就不可能達到鴉片戰爭中,幾近亡國的地步。中國科技,也一早就能裨益中國農民,不會導致饑荒連連。
 
  孔子的否定求知,並不只是一種個人主張那樣簡單。這是整個孔子哲學系統的必然後果。
 
  孔子的整個哲學系統,唯一出發點是維護君權家天下。孔子的主張,全部導源於這個出發點。孔子為了提倡君臣父子的上下尊卑制度,造成了「知識的標準在於權威,而不在於探索」這樣的一種局面。
 
  就是這種局面,導致中國文化的落後。
 
  今日的若干好心人以為,只要稍為改一改就能重新提倡求知,是錯的。文化的基本格局,哲學的整個系統,是沒有這麼容易改變的。 (問到底 No. 8280, 2011.12.27)



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12/26/2011


為甚麼要實行「三年之喪」?

………………李察………………
 
 
  儒學的最終目的是家天下。要想實現家天下,三年之喪,是很管用的策略。
 
  當然不只是哭泣三年和披孝三年那樣簡單。三年之喪,最主要的功能,是要孝子「無改於父母之道」。三年之內,絕對遵守老父的規條。

  西方報刊說,北韓的集體哭泣,是一種集體竭斯底里,其實是不完全的。因為,只有在這種樣的集體意識之下,接班人的位置,才是非常鞏固的。任何不孝的企圖,都會迅速遭受集體力量制止。
 
  從這一點看,可以肯定,北韓的接班情況是絕對穩定的。三年之內,北韓不可能有重大的政治改變。只除非一項:接班者在三年之內無法守喪,胡作非為。那麼,反對派才有了行動的空隙。 (問到底 No. 8279, 2011.12.26)



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12/25/2011


「政治」和「文化」有何不同?

………………李察………………
 
 
  從北韓和南韓的情況看,政治和文化的區別,十分清楚。
 
  南韓和北韓的政制不同,依賴也不同。但文化上卻是相同的儒學主導。
 
  韓國和日本有分別。日本人竭力擺脫儒學而導致變態,韓國人則竭力擁抱儒學。
 
  北韓的儒學,最大特徵是家天下。南韓的儒學,雖然帶有民主色彩,但這種民主,無法挽救因為儒學盛行而出現的智力損害。強烈的服從精神和以長輩意見為尚的風氣,使南韓在政治上始終無法站穩,經濟上似乎穩定,但這種穩定,是被全球經濟帶動的被動式經濟。風浪一來,就難以應付。南韓科技,未見突破。經濟亦無法自成一幟。韓國所使用的西方科技,像是租來的臨時舖位,隨時被加租和迫遷。要作點小生意是可以的,但非長久之計。
 
  政治是可見的,是非也像很明確的。誰對誰錯,似乎容易判斷。但實質上,政治只是沙灘上的城堡。沙灘城堡,有不同款式。左派右派,各家各派,眼花撩亂。文化卻是沙灘下的岩層。岩層的質量,才是決定性的。
 
  政治使人力竭聲嘶。許多人相信,沙灘上的修補,可以有濟於事。而且,沙灘上的改革,也引動眾人目光。鎂光閃閃,誰個上台、那個落台都是盛大事件。
 
  韓國的局面,使人看到,原來,城堡底下確實是有岩層的。孔子文化,是韓國地下的傾斜岩層。這傾斜岩層,造成了北韓的領袖崇拜和集體竭斯底里,亦造成了南韓的遲滯。築在險坡上的沙灘城堡,比幻影更加不真實。
(問到底 No. 8278, 2011.12.25)



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12/24/2011


孔子怎樣在潛在意識中主導了北韓和南韓?

………………李察………………
 
 
  南韓和北韓,表面上政制不同,但在文化上,同樣深受儒家影響。
 
  雖然,具體的資料不多。北韓的教育情況也無法了解。他們會不會用中國的四書五經作為教材?會不會強迫學生背誦「弟子規」?他們用何種方法灌輸儒學?都有待深入了解。
  
  但是,從金正日喪禮的鋪排看,就使人看到了孔子的絕對影響力。政治只是枝和葉。底下的文化,才是主幹和根。沒有孔子文化,沒有「忠孝」和徹底服從的精神,就沒有今天北韓出現的個人崇拜和集體竭斯底理情緒。
  
  點題的行動,是「三年之喪」。這一種中國人幾乎忘記了的忠孝之道,想不到,金正日奉行不渝。當年他的父親金日成去世,他的確是守孝三年,才正式上任。家天下的傳統,在中國被否定,但北韓人照樣遵奉。
 
  南韓的儒式電視劇不斷上演,好像無傷大雅,其實卻是負面的儒家文化正在默默發展。北韓的警鐘,不知有沒有人聽見。
 
  以下片段,略為看過中國舊史的朋友,都是很熟悉的。「哭聲震天」,就是如此。白衣白甲,披麻帶孝,哀兵上陣,南韓和世人大約知道是甚麼一回事了。

(問到底 No. 8278, 2011.12.24)







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12/23/2011


何謂「撞板」?

………………李察………………
 
 
  有兩個題材在手上。一個是北韓的孔子影響。另一個是「撞板」。還是先寫「撞板」好了。
 
  因為,從「撞板」的「板」字裡,可以看見中國文化的一種無形傳播途徑。中國文化的傳播,文字是重要的一環。許多時,不用解釋,不靠書本,只要有一個詞,一個字,意思就出來了。所以,除非是連中國文字也廢除了,中國文化的精神,無論經歷多少阻礙,總是會延續下去的。
 
  話說,有一位女士,和他的爸爸爭辯,要不要參加某親戚的一場喪禮。女士極端不喜歡這喪禮的,因為她反對喪禮中的宗教。但女士的爸爸是老人家,只想到,親戚的喪禮,不去不行。
 
  所以,女士就在極不情願的景況下,被迫著要去了。但她是心有不甘的。她帶著老人家,先去飲茶,再去買花。或者,她不是有意拖延時間的,只是不能控制自己。
  
  等到她帶著老父去到殯儀館的一刻,大殮儀式已經完了。棺材亦己蓋好,跟著就是清開道路,忤工推著棺材,從大門出來。
  
  女士還在外面拖拉著,老父再等不及了,自己一個人,摔開了枴杖,往靈堂大門就直衝進去。忤工要喝止,也來不及,正在出來的棺材,跟老人家要直接相撞了。忤工急急把棺材停住。所有的人,都愕然了。
 
  這就是中國文化中的最大忌之一:撞板。
 
  這板,就是棺材的意思。
 
  到底,「撞板」的真正意思,是不是來自這樣的一刻?還是有其他的意思?或者,這仍是不能絕對肯定的。但中國文字的奇妙,亦可以感受得到了。一字可以傳神。這只是其中一個例子。
(問到底 No. 8276, 2011.12.23)







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12/22/2011

何謂「撞板」?

...............


這名詞本來不容易解釋。但李察在一個場合裡忽然有所領悟。但今天來不及詳寫了。明天一定寫出,以享讀者。


今日冬至,記得好好享受陽光!(2011.12.22)



................

12/21/2011


蓋棺的一刻,為甚麼不要看著?

………………李察………………
 
 
  在傳統的中式喪禮之中,最嚴重的一刻是蓋棺。這時,棺木會被推到大堂的正中,眾人肅立。許多人都聽過,在蓋棺的一刻,切莫看著。因為,死者會把活人的魂吸著,一同進入棺材中出不來。此時,堂倌會大聲宣佈,「請各位面向門外。」就是叫大家千萬不要看。你只能用耳朵聽到那一下重重的、鎮懾心魂的大響。跟著,就是鎚子丁咚的迅速敲擊。很快,蓋棺儀式就完成了,你也可以回過頭來了。
 
  其實,這一刻還是儀式性質的。真正的意義在於:人的能量是互相分享的。死者死去,有人會有茫然若失的感覺。如果死者和生者之間,關係密切,而生者的性格依賴柔弱,那麼,生者往往很難適應失去至親的能量損失。
 
  最近英國發生一件「懦弱狗」的事。報導說,英國有一隻公認全英國最懦弱的狗。這狗自從在2009年失去主人之後,就好像忽然失去靈魂那樣,變得勇氣全無。甚麼都怕。怕貓,怕小動物。連電視上的貓叫,也不能忍受。會自己躲到沙發後,還要不斷的咬啃自己的趾頭。這狗甚至會怕黑。一有風吹草動,就渾身戰抖。閉路電視顯示,如果沒有人在家,這狗獨自留在屋子裡,就更怕得要死。整天都要找地方躲起來。讀者如有興趣,可上網找找,只要鍵入「most cowardly dog in England」就會找到。
 
  問題是:這狗的能量損失,是發生在主人死去之後的。主人未死之前,這狗一點問題都沒有。幾乎可以確定,在主人和狗之間,肯定是互相能量分享的。主人死去,狗的能量,就一時失去了。
 
  相信,造物主早己料到,人類是有軟弱的一刻的。就創造了貓狗等等寵物,讓人類感覺好受一些。
 
  問題是:要怎樣,才有更強的能量?
 
  蓋棺的一刻,迴避一下就可以了嗎?
 
  而答案還是基本的那幾句:當人能夠真正與宇宙萬物建立起一種愛的關係之時,能量就是最強的。
 
  這就是「博愛」的外在的、物質上的意義。
 
  (你可以想像:一隻只能愛自己主人的狗,能量是多麼微小。)
   (Quest No.8275 2011.12.21)


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12/20/2011


「能量分享」能夠使人長壽嗎 ?

………………李察………………
 
 
  亦可能,「能量分享」中的能量,就是「氣」。有的中醫師傳言,醫生的「氣」會在無意中洩漏,使病人得益。所以,許多年輕醫生,「氣」比較旺盛,治病能力因此強些。
  
亦有人相信,「氣」是有限的,不宜讓他人隨便分享。「氣」被人「吸」去了,自己亦會折壽。
  
  在欠缺更加積極研究的今天,這類的傳言,是很多的。到底真相如何,有待研究。
 
  動物與人分享能量,甚至為人治病的情況,更是流傳廣遠。有電視報導,患病孩子,在與海豚嬉戲後,得到改善。亦有報導,說馬匹能夠為人治病。有的好馬,知道主人有病,會來主動親近。而主人亦會較易好轉。亦因此,有人相信,較大的動物,能量更多。至於小貓小狗之類,則未必能夠幫人分享能量了,只能把人的能量分去,云云。

  以上傳言,未有留意到一點:能量分享是與人的主觀情感有關的。漠不相干,是未必能夠分享能量的。而這種「愛」,甚至能夠在一件玩具,例如一隻毛絨製作的小熊身上出現。香港許多大學生拍畢業照片的時候,喜歡把家中的毛娃娃帶出來,捧著一起拍照。不信試試看,當你注視著一隻這樣的毛絨的時候,心中幾乎是立刻有某種安詳感覺出現的。這在空虛的現代人情懷中,是十分常見的。
 
  問題在於,我們是否能夠把一種真正的愛,分享給宇宙萬物,這樣,自己的能量,肯定是會湧現出來的。
  (Quest No.8274 2011.12.20)





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12/18/2011


為甚麼要愛我的敵人 ?

…………李察…………

 
 
  如果李察說,這是因為,只有愛了敵人,才可能更加有效的打擊敵人。許多人會有興趣知道多些。
 
  能夠真心愛上敵人的人,必定能夠有效地對敵。這是肯定的。只是,這裡有一個古怪的定律:如果目的為了打擊對方而愛上對方,那就一定不是真愛,結果,就不可能有效打擊對方。

對自己最親的人,「真愛」尚且是未必存在的,更何況,要面對一個自己徹底憎恨的敵人,更有甚麼「真愛」之可言?

  這道理,在理論層面上還是比較容易講的。
 
  因為,我們都是宇宙萬有的一份子,每個人,都是萬有之一。好像是人體內的千萬億細胞,在細胞和細胞之間,可能有時對立,但對立也是為了整體的好處。如果沒有了對立,就沒有進步。
 
  能夠這樣想的人,境界或者會高一層次。
 
  但是,這仍只是理論。那種內心的真正感覺,就未必是容易達到的了。有這一種真正胸襟,而不是口上說說的朋友,內在的能量必定超乎常人,而對於各種對立的了解,也必定更深刻。這樣,在真正需要解決對立的時候,就會從一個更高角度著手。
 
  以真正的高層次對付低層次,真是要多容易有多容易。  (Quest No.8273 2011.12.19)


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12/16/2011


何謂「能量分享」 ?

…………………………………………李察

 
 
  李察曾經養過一對貓兄妹。一對小貓帶回家,是很好的感覺。兩隻小貓到家,也沒有甚麼問題。又因為老人家的屋子裡有鼠患,把一對小貓寄放去嚇老鼠,也很有效。只是,後來貓哥哥忽然間病了。李察把貓哥哥隔離了,帶到另一個地方。那個晚上,貓妹妹整晚的哀叫。好像十分想念、哀傷那樣。
 
  李察後來想,貓兒的心中,是不是有「想念」、或者「哀傷」那樣的人類想法呢?或者沒有。但是,為甚麼貓兒失去伴侶會這樣反常?
 
  李察在茶餐廳裡寫稿,忽然聽到鄰座一個婦人哭得非常傷心。她的丈夫和兒子在一旁安慰,也未能止著她的傷心。李察坐得遠,聽不清楚,以為她的甚麼親人有意外,好像是從樓上摔下來跌得重傷那樣。又忽然聽得她說,手術費這樣貴,要好幾萬元,都是任他去好了,不要醫治了。當時李察身上無錢,如果有錢,幾乎就要立刻借給她的。但見她哭聲不止,終於忍不住,上前插話,希望也能盡一點力。李察說:天無絕人之路,任何疾病,都要盡力去救治,總是有希望的。並且滔滔不絕告訴她:李察的一個朋友,怎樣在四層樓的高度摔下來,脊骨斷為四截,仍得救活的故事、、、
 
  好一會,她才不好意思地說,跌下來的是她的狗,不是人。李察一時尬尷非常。但是,尬尷很快被另一件事轉移了。她說,她要出去走走,她立刻就離開了茶餐廳,出去了。她的丈夫和兒子仍不以為意,只是告訴李察她的狗是盲的,在複式住宅的樓上,失足跌了下來。李察忽然想到,她這樣傷心,讓她一個人走到街上不好,便叫她的兒子立即跟著她。她的兒子也有二十幾歲了,應聲便出去找她。但見他在門外向左看,又向右看,不能確定,她是走了那一個方向。好一會,才帶了她回來,只是淚痕仍然未乾。
 
  這件事,使李察想到:是不是在生命和生命之間,生命的能量是互相分享、甚至加強的呢?如果一個生命離去,另一個生命,可能會有一時的能量損耗,因此才會感覺痛苦。
 
  這只是猜想。
 
  為甚麼人需要愛?從物質上看,也是有原因的。在愛的雙方,生命能量是互相分享的。所以,無數的人渴望愛。愛到臨的時刻,生命能量會自動相加。

  兩個人相愛,能量是一加一等於二。相愛的兩個人,每人都有了二倍能量。等到後來,有了新的加入者了,兩個人結合生了孩子,那就是一加一加一等於三了。每個人,都擁有三倍生命能量、、、。
 
  是不是這樣簡單的算術,可以說明生命的深奧原理?或者未必。
 
  以色列和日本,都是以民族為思維單位的。他們之中,能夠真正愛國的人,生命能量都極強。
 
  而莊子和耶穌的博愛思維,是以宇宙整體為思維單位的。當一個人的生命能量,能夠和宇宙整體分享,那豈不是更強、更真實?
 (Quest No.8272 2011.12.16)


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Inquiry 852- 9186-4286


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12/13/2011


何謂「結構中的結構」 ?



…………………………………………李察
 
 
   好比,我們居住在一幢磚頭結構的房子裡面。這房子共有三層,有十八個房間,三個大廳,六個浴室,兩個廚房。這是房子的外在結構。但是,你忽然發覺,磚頭發生了問題。本來可以用五十年的磚頭,現在紛紛出現裂痕。原來,五十年的限期已經超過了。你已經在房子裡居住了六十年。這磚頭,就是結構中的結構,是內在性質的結構。
 
  目前在地球上出現的經濟問題。第一個外在結構是全球化。全球化把生產責任,調配到了不同的國家。美國專門負責高尖精的第一線產品。至於裝嵌工序和其他二線產品,就交給了其他國家。
 
  本來這是沒有問題的。問題在於分配。這是私有化的世界,美國的高尖精產品,都是私人產業,至於失業問題,則是公有問題。如此,則利潤歸私,而責任歸公。
 
  如果美國總統真有誠意去尋找問題,他是不可能把責任推到二線國家頭上去的。
 
  以上,就是第一個結構問題,是外在化的表面問題。
 
  但更加嚴重的問題,是第二個結構問題,就是所謂「結構中的結構」問題,是磚頭的問題。
 
  在現代世界的經濟大廈之中,內在結構是甚麼?
 
  這是從未聽過的問題。亦因此,在人類的語言之中,大約是沒有這樣一個專門名詞的。大量的經濟學家,他們在研究世界經濟的問題的時候,亦很少接觸到這一個範疇。多半都是研究各種貨幣問題,市場問題等等。
 
  勉強說明一下,這內在結構,可能是在西方文化影響下的一種認識和利用世上資源的能力。

  這種能力,幾乎是唯一的能力。所以,人們是沒有一個專有名詞,去說明這種能力的。沒有一個例如是:「A能力」的名詞去指稱這一回事。這能力是這樣的普通,這樣的常見,好像是空氣那樣。我們現在的境況,就好像古代人不知道,世界上是有「空氣」的。
 
  就如同今日的我們,不能自覺知道,世界經濟也是有一個內在結構的。而且,這內在結構,也像日益污染的空氣那樣,使我們的生存,日益受到威脅。
 
  這種能力,是從九個符號開始的。
 
  那九個符號呢?大約你需要稍為用幾秒鐘的時間,才想起,原來,這九個符號,就是從1 到 9 的九個阿拉伯數字。
 
  最初是尚未發現有 0 這符號的,所以符號只有九個。等到後來發現了0,這種能力才算是正式成形。
 
  這種能力,不等於是西方文化,但卻是在西方文化土壤下長成的能力。這能力,從最簡單的數字開始,到今日製成的數碼電話、電池汽車或者隱形戰機,甚至計算各種經濟指標的數據,都是一種從外在觀察與利用地球資源的力量。
 
  從來都沒有人質疑這能力的。
 
  但是,今日的人,被地球上各種不可解決的困難壓迫著,才不得不地想到,大約是這種能力,這種可能名叫做「A能力」的能力,這種代表人類智慧的能力,可能出了問題。
 
  暫時我們只能觀察得到,這種A能力,是一種外在力量。數目字本身,就是外在的。而相對的力量,可能是另外一種,以內在體會加上外在觀察的合一力量,或者,可能勉強名之為「AB能力」。
  
  今日地球上的經濟難題,可能是來自 A能力的弱點。發展到了今日今時,單靠外在觀察,是不能了解世界大勢的。這許多極力推動全球化的政治家和經濟家, 大約從未想到,好像很合理的全球化經濟安排,卻會導致這樣大的危機。
 
  而我們的結論,可能與美國的政治家想法相同:再不能在相同的層面去解決經濟問題了。
 
  只是,美國政治家的想法,是要從軍事層面去解決,而我們的想法,是要在一個更加廣闊得多的層面,包括了內在觀察的層面去解決。
 
  原來,經濟危機就是文化危機。
  
  本來這就是很容易的。一念之轉,著眼點改變,制定經濟預算的想法有了改變,撥款不同,危機就有希望解決了。
(Quest No.8271 2011.12.13)


李察直線電話:9186-4286
Inquiry 852- 9186-4286

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12/11/2011


單靠財金官員,能否應付經濟危機 ?

…………………………………………李察 Leechard
 
 
 
  聰明的美國總統,一定深深了解,這一場經濟危機,是結構性的。第一個大結構是全球化的安排無法逆轉,搬走了的企業,不能回流美國。而且,這一個大結構裡面,尚有更深埋藏的、決定性質的結構。好比如果一幢大廈是用鋼鐵支持的。但現在 忽然來了報告,鋼鐵出現了氣泡和裂痕。這就是說,石油文化的西方科技,已經走到盡頭,除了改良一下iphone 之類,不可能有革命性質的新產品。
 
  靠幾個財金官員,任他們有三頭六臂,東挪西移,把有限的財金搬來弄去,整個全球化的結構,還是一樣的。鋼鐵仍是有氣泡的。
 
  怎辦?
 
  幸運是白宮裡面,除了向來受人妒忌與眼紅的財金官員之外,尚有其他部門官員,包括了外交官員,與及五角大樓的軍事官員。
 
  上任聯儲局長格林斯般說,經濟危機是沒有甚麼可怕的,美國人隨時可以印刷多些鈔票。相信,印刷廠的同事,早就準備好了。全新美鈔,隨時出廠。
 
  中國人不是持有兩萬億嗎?印給他們就是。
 
  如果印刷不成,也有更好用的其他工具。
 
  槍桿子肯定好用得多。甚麼時候,大炮一響,黃金萬兩。找個機會,趁中國人尚未站穩腳,把各種新科技新武器全數抖出來,一來可以促進軍事工業,二來,亦可以把失業危機化淡,讓多些人從軍,即使是後勤也好。經濟解決有望了。
 
  這是甚麼?
 
  這是叫做事不宜遲。愈早動手,勝算愈大。
 
  這一個經濟危機新形勢。聰明人們都是早有準備的。

Quest No.8270 2011.12.10











Inquiry 852- 2559-4690

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12/10/2011

經濟發展的層次有多少?

每當經濟不景的時候,人們總是在經濟內裡尋找原因。為何國家會無端端窮起來?

李察最近思索的問題是:會不會,在其他層次,也會有原因?

例如,如果有國家,國民都是非常懶的,那麼,這種態度,會影響整體經濟呢?

事關重大,有待研究。quest 8269

12/09/2011

中國人是否願意割讓釣魚台?

這就是中美之間,必須交待與解決的問題。日本不過是過場。美國才是大老闆。中美雙方,會簽訂不平等條約嗎?(Quest 8268 2011.12.9.)

12/07/2011

中國和美國可以怎樣竸爭?




美國好比一隻狼。而中國好比一隻龜。狼要想圍堵龜。龜縮起尾巴,狼還要拿鼻子去哄。忽然,狼的鼻子,就被咬住了。

說真的,龜和狼之間的竸爭,會是何種形式的竸爭?還是同樣老掉大牙的「圍堵」和「反圍堵」之戰嗎?

到底,兩家的真正戰場何在?


答案是:不知道的一方,必定輸。

quest 8266






!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12/06/2011


圍堵中國,是否有效?


圍堵中國,是否有效?
…………………………………………Leechard

 
  其實是明知沒有效的。從這一種行為,亦可以看見美國人的想法,從未走出第二次大戰後的格局。

  他們以為,只要在日本、菲律賓,甚至緬甸等地,建成了軍事基地,就能把中國包圍,甚至是縛住了。
 
  中美之間,真正的戰場何在?
 
  這才是更有趣的問題啦。(Quest No.8265 - - 2011/12/5)






Inquiry 852- 2559-4690

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12/04/2011


如何重新評價昂山素姬?


如何重新評價昂山素姬?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8264 - - 2011/12/4)
 
  昂山素姬的「慈悲民主」,本來是很吸引人的。因為,她為理智的民主,加進了人性的成份。
 
  而她的慈悲民主,背後的理念,源自佛教哲學。而問題只是:到底佛教哲學,能否解決世界問題?
 
  哲學,本來是可以很純潔的。但不幸是當哲學牽涉了外交和政治,特別是緬甸被無端端捲進了地域政治的紛爭之中,哲學眼光能否依舊保持純淨,就是問題了。
 
  如何重新評價昂山素姬?這問題,需要看她自己了。她今後的言論和行動,自然會告訴世人,到底她的智慧高度,達到那裡。








Inquiry 852- 2559-4690

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12/03/2011

因何你需要醒覺?

以「已知」行事的人,猶如乘坐火車。有固定的路軌,他根本不需要知道方向。
但,以「問題」行事的人,知道甚麼叫做「路」。更知道,路是活的,是變的。今天的直路,明天可能是死路。所以,他不能睡覺,他必須知道,路變,變在那裡。

以下,是李察閱讀聖經的一點筆記。沒有興趣的人,可以不看。(Quest 8263 2011.12.3.)




There are always unknown factors ahead waiting. We never can be sure where we are, and what we are going to do, or where we are going.

Being awake is to aware the route always. One can always going on and on and on, every day is just like yesterday. But the world had secretly changed, without telling us.

Keep asking, keep reading, keep eyes open. Do not let the railway track betray you.

There are no fixed tracks ahead, and you should always search your way.

12/02/2011

我們不知道甚麼?

世人都以「已知」行事。都以為所知就是真理。勇往直前,氣焰萬丈。

只有極少數的人,會注意到,在各種大問題的背後,某種未知因素,才是真正原因。我們看待世界萬物,以為了解,其實是全未聚焦。

一個真正好的領袖者,不是要看他知道了些甚麼,而是要看他,能否自覺知道自已的不知道。(Quest No. 8262 2011.12.2.)

11/26/2011


為甚麼中國人要愛中文?

…………………………………………李察 Leechard
 
  先說幾點中文的好處。雖然,有好處的文字,不代表你必須要愛她。
 
  中文的好處如下:
  
  第一,中國文字更能發揮右腦思維。就如同蘋果電腦更加適合繪圖那樣,中國文字,更加有利於右腦的綜合思維。因為,右腦是使用圖像多於符號的。
 
  第二,中國文字閱讀速度最快,比拼音文字快。
 
  第三,中國文字的打字速度最快,比拼音文字更快。
 
  第四,中國文字的字數不多,常用字只有三兩千,
全部文字,連那些從未在一般出版物上出現的古字、僻字一起算,也只有幾萬字。而以英文為代表的拼音文字,字數是以百萬為單位計算的。因此,學習中文比其他文字,更為容易。
 
  第五,中國文字最美。書法美,音調美,意境美。中國詩詞,獨步古今。

  問題是,有好處的東西,你未必愛。一個人當是珠寶,另一個人以為是爛草。中國人漠視中文的情況,已經到了不可忍受的地步。
 
  為甚麼要愛中文?
 
  因為,中文是古今上下數千年來,唯一最強的維繫力量。中文使中國人團結不分裂,使中國統一強大,使中國人溝通無間。更加重要的是:未來世界,如果中國文化果然能夠與西方文化結合,新一代能夠用內外兩種眼光檢視物質與心靈,更上層樓,擺脫舊科技與舊習慣的羈絆,中文是最重要的橋樑。中西結合,內外結合,經濟危機就不再是危機。

  所以,我愛中文!
(Quest No.8261 - - 2011/11/26)




Inquiry 852- 2559-4690

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11/17/2011


明天會塌樓嗎?

…………………………………………Leechard

  明天也許會下雨,但卻未必會塌樓。
 
  李察是屬於所謂「戰後的一代」,是二次大戰後的嬰兒潮產品。這一代的人,跟上一代是很不同的。上一代是戰亂的一代,這一代是和平的一代。多少年的和平歲月,早已悶得淡出鳥來。很多人都期望天下大亂的。整個國際大局的形勢,會不會再來一場洗牌,都推倒了,重新再來一次?

  當然是不會的。這一次的和平時代,不會這樣快結束。政治家都從經濟上的困難著眼,警告說形勢危險。但從文化大局看,危樓尚未到倒塌的時候。從經濟上的小循環看,是有點風險。但從文化的大循環看,局勢還是相對穩定的。
 
  第一個大局是:美國不會倒。
 
  美國的困難,是從全球化來的。甚麼叫做「全球化」?這是一個有誤導性的名詞。其實,所謂「全球化」,只不過是全球的不適當分工。美國是一線國家,專門負責高尖產品的設計和推銷,而中國和其他周邊國家,只負責二線產品,例如成衣和裝嵌等等工作。此外的三線國家,就只是其他負責供應石油和礦產以至農林業資源或者風景資源的國家了。如此全球化,美國人自然會大量失業,但不會大量破產。地球上的主要利潤,還是美國人賺的。在全球化之下,中國人是「有得做沒得吃」,開的都是加工廠,大多數中國商人都是利潤微薄。美國人的職位,並非被中國人取走的,而是被美國老闆掉換了的。他們把職位都交給了機械人和二線的加工國家。
 
  這樣的全球化環境,會像塌樓的環境嗎?在美國還有大量利潤的情況下,樓是不會塌的。雖然,美國人將會被迫把利潤吐出來,擴大本國的福利開支。
 
  相反的是歐洲。美國人搞的是全球化,而歐洲人搞的是歐元化,其實即是地區化。地區化的歐洲諸國,自成體系,也不能說是自我孤立於全球化之外,但卻無法享受全球化帶來的便利。因為,歐洲諸國是落後了。無法製造美國式的尖端產品。連諾基亞亦無法戰勝蘋果。如果說,全球的大廈不會倒,歐洲的危機,才是比較像是危機的危機。

  德國總理嚴厲指責若干歐元國不顧經濟規律行事,影響了歐洲大局。其實,歐元體系的問題,來自西方文化的根本問題。美國人由於有了全球化的平衡,有二線國家為美國提供了大量廉價勞工,又提供了幾乎是無邊無際的市場,這才使美國產品有了迴旋餘地,不至倒塌。但歐洲國家無法佔領尖端位置,只能做些小製作,所謂「現炒現賣」,經濟只能在小範圍內自己周轉,一旦問題出現,就無法轉寰。

  地球人不是沒有危機的。危機來自西方文化的根本缺陷。西方科技造成了人口暴增,但這科技本身,不能解決生產和分配的結構平衡,亦沒有足夠的生產能力以應付大局,更無法兼顧環境污染。以燃燒石油為主力的經濟體系,未曾出現真正有自覺能力的思想領袖。亦因此,無法以人為的主觀理智推動全面改革。
 
  但科技危機,是不會忽然出現的。這是長遠效應。
 
  況且我們尚有第二個大局:中國亦不會倒。
 
  中國和美國,將會為我們撐起半邊天。歐洲那邊,未必管得到了。

  放心吧,我們這些二戰嬰兒,是不會看見塌樓的。問題只是,和平長大的孩子們,可以做甚麼:
 
  是各為其主地不斷爭吵、指責、爭奪,還是潛心寂靜,多讀詩書?(Quest No.8260 - - 2011/11/16)
 



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11/08/2011


經濟發達的因素是甚麼?

…………………………………………李察 Leechard



  當今世界,最現實,最急迫的經濟問題,共有兩個。第一個是:經濟發達的因素,第二個是經濟崩潰的因素。找到了箇中原因,才有穩定和平之可言。
 
  經濟發達,有甚麼重要因子是必須具備的?
 
  歸結起來,在於以下的三種因子:
 
  「科技」、「私有制」,或者「中式自由」。
 
 
        * * *
 

  第一因子是「科技」。
 
  印度人,日本人,俄羅斯人,都曾經盡了全力去學習西方科技。俄羅斯的彼得大帝,甚至改名換姓,潛到荷蘭的船廠去當學徒。而印度的尼赫魯總統,更聲言西方科技是唯一的經濟發展之路。走得更快的是日本人。日本在明治維新之後,不但只是全盤採用了西方科技,更連政治制度也徹底改革了,二次大戰後,依足美國人的建議,日本民主制度,被廣泛贊揚。不幸是日本人的經濟,忽然在一場地震中陷於崩潰,照抄西方科技的問題,全部暴露。
 
  第二因子是「私有制」。
 
  上一世代,人們傾向社會主義的計劃經濟。 包括了愛因斯坦和托爾斯泰在內的精英之士,都以為生產沒有計劃,會產生問題。這一世代,人們轉向資本主義。認為社會主義公有制思想,才是失敗的根源。又認為只有利己主義的自利精神,才是經濟發展的動力。部份轉向資本主義的國家,經濟上升。好像是証明了,自私才是社會發展的動力。但是,這許多同時轉向「私有制」的國家和地區,為甚麼仍然不能發展?「私有制」未必是經濟發達的保証。特別是當許多老舊的「私有制」國家,面臨惡劣經濟危機,更使問題突出。菲律賓的民主,是美式民主。但是,菲律賓卻從未擺脫貧窮。
 
  第三因子是「自由」。
 
  所謂「自由」,也不是普通印象中的自由,而是叢林經濟中的自由、「中式」的自由。
 
  中式自由,並不是一個單獨概念,而是成對出現的雙概念。
 
  這概念就是:大範圍內的「絕對」穩定,小範圍內的「絕對」自由。
 
  何謂「絕對」穩定?何謂「絕對」自由?
 
  中國人有句成語,「可以意會而不可以言傳」。言語是不能表達的,只有右腦中的意念可以領會。總之,明白的人是心領神會,一通百明,而且可能揮灑自如,得心應手。而且他們會譏笑不明白的人,以為他們就是一輩子不明白。但是,另外的一個因素,也永遠在不遠的地方等待著這些自以為明白的通達之士。樂極可以忘形,樂極也會生悲。經濟崩潰的陰影,永遠存在。經濟崩潰,不會因為「中式」自由而消失。
 
 
* * *
 
 
  有一個忽然發達的具體例子,讓人們看見,一個鄉下佬,怎樣利用一千元的本錢,造出價值五萬元的商品。
 
  為了減少不必要的誤會,故事中的人物,都是虛構的。讀者都明白,我們追求的是本質,而不是表面真實。如果有個出版商對李察說,看,你的事例都是沒有根據的。請先出示那一千元的會計單據,否則,我們絕對不會為你出版的。對於諸如此類的疑惑,李察只能報諸微笑。
 
  鄉下佬名叫阿財。阿財的全部家財,只有一千元。幸運是他有個年輕貌美,十分能幹的老婆。他老婆不但擁有一輛腳踏衣車,而且更有一手車衣絕技。她在製衣廠工作多年,日產牛仔褲無數。工廠倒閉,她留在家裡,為人車縫度日。
 
  又或者,個人性格也的確是有點影響的。他成功之後,記者蜂湧而至,都希望從他的性格裡,找到他發財的因子。
 
  其實,對於整體經濟而言,個人性格並不重要。毅力,勤勞,創意,勇敢,意志,諸如此類的品格,車載斗量,要多少有多少。
 
  那麼,甚麼才是重要的呢?
 
  有一天,阿財回家,神秘兮兮的對老婆說,他有一個發財大計。老婆不睬他。因為,他幾乎是隔個星期,便想到發財大計,卻從來沒有一次是可行的。
 
  兩天之後,阿財買了很多布料回家。家中地方不夠,便拿到後街的空地上剪裁。他對圍觀的孩子說,他要做一個會飛的熱氣球。
 
  他的老婆倒是支持的,為他日夜趕工的車縫。
 
  阿財又花了幾個星期的時間,找來一個能夠載人的籐籃,還有繩索,還有一部製造熱風的天然氣炊具。為了防避炊具在半空中失靈,又另備了一部後備的輔助炊具。他還預備了二十公斤的氣筒,總共是四個。此外,就是一部柴油的鼓風機。他的所有裝備,就只有這許多了。幾乎連指南針也沒有。風速計,氣壓計,衛星定位儀等起碼工具,全部欠奉。他所憑著的,就是高中時學的一點皮毛知識。他只知道,熱的空氣比較輕,能夠使氣球起飛,僅此而已。
 
  試飛當日,他的老婆半信半疑,不知這氣球能夠不能夠真的升起。但阿財堅持要老婆一起坐進籐藍裡去。那天也沒有甚麼風,氣球居然一下子就搖搖晃晃的往上升,嚇得他的老婆尖聲大叫。
 
  很快,叫聲就化為笑聲了。氣球在田野上空,低飛掠過,穿過了城鎮,穿過了河流,在不太遠的另一個縣城降落。
  
  這件事,很快傳遍附近一帶的城鄉。早有不少好奇者,在他試飛當日拍了很多照片。鎮上的一家報紙,率先派來記者採訪。圖文並茂,一下子成名,帶來了甚麼呢?
 
  不久,鄉鎮的官員來友善探訪。告訴他,這是一次違規飛行事件。他既沒有飛行執照,熱氣球也尚未通過安全檢測。如此這般,等等,等等,等等。故事還有很多下文。也不必在此講述了,鄉鎮企業違規的事情太多,恐怕要一部百科全書的篇幅,才說得完。
 
  有一個名詞是「叢林經濟」。你好像是在叢林中探險。你生你死,保障是很少的。你要想在充滿猛獸與毒蛇的叢林中生存,必須用盡自己的智慧與精力。你是沒有甚麼保障的。但你可以自由。你可以用盡你自己的一切或正或邪的方法以謀求自保、生存,或者發展,甚至發達。如果有了保障,自由也就消失,你也同樣不能生存。在「自由」與「保障」之間,你如何謀取平衡?在「發達」與「行乞」之間,你又如何取捨?或者有人也會喜歡一點「道德」。但是,在叢林之中,是沒有道德這一回事的。當然有人是極度厭惡,亦也有人無限喜歡這種冒險環境。他會在瞬間發達,也會在瞬間滅亡。但無論如何,這種環境是有利於整個叢林的生長的。叢林中,植物茂盛,動物繁衍,品類充足,非常富裕。而失敗者早已被人吃掉了。叢林中,是沒有屍體的。死老鼠早就惹來了蒼蠅,螞蟻,一乾二淨。雖然這是動物境界,但,這是繁榮。
 
  不久,阿財就把熱氣球賣了。他用的材料,只花了大約一千塊不到。但鄰縣一個富戶,竟肯花五萬塊錢來買。當然,這是更加哄動的。
  
  阿財自己的興緻,更加高脹。他在網上發佈新聞,以氣球製造商自居。而他的氣球,也一個比一個造得更好。加添了許多必要裝備,又參考了外國氣球的規格,改善了各種材料。而他的家財,也就五萬、十萬地增加了。不久,阿財已經是個小富翁。
 
  這件事,對於中國經濟有甚麼後果呢?
 
  後果是:阿財一下子引來了二十幾個競爭者。有的是很有規模的廠商,他們有大型的廠房,還僱用了外國的專業工程師,還有優秀的行銷人材,把中國製造的熱氣球,推銷全世界。這方面,阿財雖然是很有意志和毅力,但也是無法跟他們競爭的。很快,阿財的喜劇,就化為悲劇了。他又再不名一文,至於他的妻子是不是仍然為人車縫過活,則是永遠沒有人知道的。因為這件事,在宏觀的政治經濟眼光看,是不重要的。阿財事件是沒有經濟學價值,亦沒有統計學價值的。
 
  亦是因為這個原因,中國經濟發展的一個最重要內在因子,從此就鎖在浩如煙海的繁瑣理論裡,真相反而沒有人知道。
 
  這因子,不止是西方科技。許多人以為科技十分神聖,其實也可以是十分粗淺的。像熱氣球之類的原理,連中學生也可以掌握。
 
  這因子,亦未必完全是「私有制」。而且,「自由」和「自私」,更是完全兩碼事。
 
  中國經濟迅速發達的因子,在於一種我們叫它做「絕對」自由的東西。
 
  這一種特殊的自由,很接近於莊子的「絕對自由」。但卻是不相同的兩回事。只能姑且叫做「中式自由」。
 
  「中式自由」,把限制減到最少,使每一個人,都有大展拳腳的機會。幾乎是想做甚麼,都可以。只要有膽量,違規或者甚麼的,你可以做,雖然你亦可以死。這就是叢林經濟的現實。亦是唯有在右腦傾向的文化中,有這一種特殊的自由。
 
  「中式自由」是在一個大框架裡進行的。如果沒有了這個大框架,一切「自由」都不會存在。這大框架十分重要,就是在大範圍裡的「絕對」穩定。沒有了這個穩定,一切成空。如果有人敢於衝擊這大框架,肯定碰壁。或者,這框架會不會是「過份」了一點?會不會是太過「絕對」了一點?會不會是特別「敏感」了一點?有的人,根本無意冒犯,但已經被先行整頓。(例子是李察的文章,從未能在大陸發表,或者,有人是過份敏感了。)
 
  一個軟殼的框架,會不會比一個硬殼的框架好些?把鋼鐵都用軟材料包裹起來,色彩和賣相會好看些?但這是不重要的。重要的是:我們已經看到中國經濟的實質,就是:「小藏於大」。小範圍裡的「絕對」自由,前提是要有一個大範圍裡的「絕對」穩定。
 
  何謂「中式」的「絕對」自由?
 
  這是「可意會不可言傳」,甚至是「可以做不可以說」的。
 
  像阿財的例子就是一個。他不可以違規飛行,但他又確實是在違規飛行。雖然,他知道出事的時候,死的是他自己。沒有批文,不可以生產的物品,他大量出廠。如果查起來,他的財產,可以在一夜之間,變化為零。但是,他仍是在做。他在盡量利用他的「中式」自由。
 
  這種「中式」自由,跟普通人印象中的自由,有微妙不同。但卻是使勇於嘗試的人,有了嘗試的可能。亦可以說,這「中式」自由,就是中國經濟的內在生命力量之一。
 
  阿財一個人,當然是不重要的。重要的整個經濟環境。著眼大處的人,會看到大環境的變化,而不是那一個人死了。所以,更加重要,而且更有價值是那一批跟蹤而至的仿傚廠家。一種新興行業出現了。就業機會出現了。小鎮多了許多工廠,還有很多外圍的服務性行業,都出現了。小鎮的生產總值,大大標升。
 
  違規當然是不好的。違規造成了危險,違規損害了無數人。誰要是適逢其會,誰就遭殃。
 
  有人說,中國人的建築材料,都是用最先進的植物性蛋白纖維造成的。質量輕,承托力強。所以,房子一間一間的迅速建成,城市整體經濟,一下子冒升。人人口袋裡,都有了錢,都忽然發達了。有人問,這先進的「植物性蛋白纖維」是甚麼?就是「豆腐渣」。
 
  沒有豆腐渣,就沒有叢林經濟。
 
  有「絕對」的保障,就沒有自由;有「絕對」的自由,就沒有保障。
 
  如果有人支持豆腐渣,必定會被痛罵。但是,這卻是中國經濟的規律。如果全部的違規事件「一下子」消失,中國經濟就會同樣地在「一下子」裡進入低潮,恐慌性拋售發生,飢荒和各種災難事件,亦會接踵而至。
 
  沒有人認同豆腐渣的。但是,如果有人利用豆腐渣去衝擊大框架,卻是絕對不容。就算不是真的衝擊,也會被誤會是衝擊的。因為,「絕對」自由的對應概念,是「絕對」穩定。
 
  問題是,甚麼叫做「絕對」呢?為甚麼要在「絕對」二字上加上引號呢?因為,這不是一般意義上的「絕對」,而是含有變動因素的微妙「絕對」。這同樣是可意會不可言傳的中式概念。沒有中國文化根底的人,是不可能明白的。
 
  違規事件,是沒有人贊同的。但是,這卻是「中式」自由中的現象。這種「絕對」的「自由」,才是經濟暴發的推動因素。這「自由」,能使思想活躍,能使思想化為行動。相反的是規章太多,會使經濟活力失去。
 
  北歐的小城鎮,都十分乾淨、整齊、清潔,每天晚上六時,所有人都下班回家。連鎮上唯一的小酒館,亦已關門。如果中國的城鎮都像這些北歐城鎮,違規事件自然是不會發生的。但經濟亦同樣不會增長。這就是水至清則無魚的道理。右腦傾向的中國人,深明此道。
 
  那麼,保留一點髒,容忍一點腐,又好不好呢?這是很敏感的。因為,受到最大損害的,通常都是最底層的那一大群。他們是用生命與鮮血,承托起整體經濟的。容忍了貪腐,就對他們不起,就要肩負所有的罪名。沒有人肯這樣「說」的。
 
  問題是:水要有多清,才不算是太清,又要有多濁,才不至把所有的魚,都濁死了。這就叫做通盤考慮。這才是觀察中國國情的起碼層次。如果要講甚麼「智慧」,這就是「智慧」之所在。
 
  「小藏於大」只是問題的一半。還有就是:「大來自小」。無小則無大,小企業需要保持活力,這種活力,使整體的中國經濟興旺。但如果整體環境失去穩定,小企業也不可能生存。不許違規,就只有大企業能夠生存了。而大企業是活力不足的,也是承不起整體經濟的。
 
  問題只是:中國經濟的這一種特殊情況,是有意栽花呢,還是無心插柳?
 
  如果是有意栽花,則中國的經濟領導者就真是絕頂天才了。他們早已經預計這情況。
 
  如果是無心插柳,就要研究,為甚麼中國文化裡會有這許多違規事情。是不是右腦傾向的中國文化,本來就是有這種特性的。
  
  而更有智慧的人,亦必定會同時看到,中國實在是太大了。中國不止是有叢林,亦有無數森林與原野。高山密林與荒漠曠野,文明都市與窮鄉僻壤,同時存在於神州大地。叢林對於整個中國經濟的貢獻,不可抹殺。但是,叢林也不是唯一的。叢林經濟,只是過渡期間的產品。而一時的暴發,也不是長久富強之道。那是虛火。虛火上升,只能消耗體力,是亞健康,不是真健康。仿效中國的若干國家,當然更不可能明白這一點。他們以為無心插柳就是有意栽花,暫時的誤會,是不要緊的。但是,叢林卻不是人為力量所能夠繁殖起來的呢。此所以,學習中國的朋友,往往只能得其皮毛,不可能再造另一個叢林。
 
  以上問題,可算中國經濟高速發展的因素。 忽然發達,也該知道,原因何在。
 
  還有另一個問題,忽然崩潰的問題,亦是不可不注意的:現代經濟,包括了中國經濟在內,會不會也有可能「高速崩潰」呢?是不是有了外在的穩定,就不會崩潰呢?
 
  問題是,何謂「內在的穩定」。
 
  當有一天,不知誰個抓來一服遠古的中葯,把我們的內在體魄都調理好了,從此遠離了孔子的偏愛哲學,抬起頭來,真真正正做為一個人。甚麼樣的叢林,都只能把一個人鍛鍊得更加堅強,而不是變為一隻獸。
 
  「內在的穩定」,才是真正的穩定。探討未來的經濟崩潰危機,這是不可忽略的一點。
 
  再有才是關於西方科技的問題。目前所有的地球經濟,都以西方科技作為唯一工具。連中國一個鄉下佬,也懂得利用「熱空氣比較輕」的原理。但這一種西方科技,其實已經到了發展盡頭了。需要從新format了。這也是探討未來的重要考慮。
 
  文章太長,超過五千字了。讀者可能全不介意,但李察的手指已經疲倦,不可能長時間呆在電腦鍵盤上了。下回分解吧。 (Quest No.8259 - - 2011/11/08)






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11/03/2011

風力



李察常希望設計一種風力發電機。利用「風閘」的原理,加強風速。
誰有興趣?



請參看以下文章

what is wind

10/28/2011


我怎樣評價六四?

一九八九年六月五日的清晨,我如常地吃早餐。當時正在用小鋼匙在攪溶奶茶裡的糖。忽然電視傳來新聞,鎗聲,火燒,鎮壓,坦克,一連串的畫面,我立刻就震動不能自己了,小鋼匙摔在杯裡,並沒有推翻茶杯,只有一下撲落響聲。這響聲二十多年後的今天,仍然記得。當時只是震顛嘴唇,對著桌上的杯子說:「你叫我還能怎樣喝下去呀?」

  那時,我正在明報寫一個問到底專欄。是幾個人合寫的。每天一個問題,都是寫的自然科學問題。後來,陸續有人退出,結果是全部由自己一人,硬著頭皮獨力包辦了。我並非科學專才,只有拼命四處去找資料。而當時的讀者對象是兒童。工作說大不大,說小則是很小的:要寫一些給兒童看的,有啟發性的科學問題。由一九八八年十二月開始寫,到了八九年六月,剛好是寫了半年。這半年來,大約是香港圖書館裡所有找得到的兒童科學書,都翻過了。浸淫在科學天地,原來是這樣有趣的。圖書館裡工作的一位女孩子,每天看見我這樣努力的翻書,有時是同時翻看幾本書,忍不住了,就問:「你這樣看書,一定是有來頭的,是不是?可以告訴我你是誰嗎?」試問,我可以怎樣回答?難道告訴她,本人是大作家?只能支支吾吾應付。她一再要求我給她名片,其實,那時的我,那有名片了?明報也沒有給作者印名片的。

  一九八九年的前半,就是在這樣的氣氛中過去的。

  六四震蕩之後,自己就主動跟當時的明報編輯尊子先生聯絡,問可以不可以把專欄的性質改了。以後多寫人文科學,少寫自然科學。想不到,答案竟然是可以。真是喜出望外,一氣寫了好多跟社會和政治制度有關的題目,而報上也並無干涉,好像十分自由。干涉是後來才出現的,批評孔子,高層就不高興了。但無論他們多麼不高興,他們無法改變一個事實:從八九到零七,本人已經在書海裡任意飛翔了一十八年,才被迫離開。不敢說是有甚麼心得,但是,每天提出一個問題的壓力,卻是天賜良機,很少人是擁有如此機會的。只希望,這機會不會在我的手裡虛擲了。而更加奇妙的卻是:這些文章,並無機會結集出版。更不要提後來才寫成的莊子理論了。這才是更巨大的壓力,迫使思想蘊釀的壓力。從這樣的角度看,我可算是最幸運的、獲得上天恩寵的幸運兒了。雖然文章並未和廣大讀者見面,但思想已經存在,觀念已經形成,文章已經寫出。壓力愈大,思想愈加活躍。

  這些年來,寫了很多的小文章,也提出了很多的問題。每天一問,有一個總的感覺,無論小鳥要飛到那裡,總是離不開地心吸力。每一個小問題,都好像有一根線,飛到那裡,這線都是縛在肚臍上,離不開。

  這一根線,也可以說,是一個總的大問題;我們從何處來?往何處去?

  到底,中國人的未來會怎樣?中國人要往何處去?美國人要往何處去?全世界又要往何處去?生命的奧祕,人生的難題,都往那裡尋找?

  而六四的問題,歸結也是一個問題;中國要往何處去?

  按本人不成熟的觀察,這一個問題,到今天為止,也是只有兩個明顯的答案。而李察自己的答案,是未成熟的,不算數的。

  其中第一個答案,是劉曉波、艾未未,和若干六四之後留美人仕的答案。他們認為,中國人只要仿效美國,走上美國之路,就是了。

  而這樣的答案,大約當日天安門上的學生們,是不會想得到的。學生們是沒有這個要求的。要一直等到最近幾年,等到劉曉波弄出了「零八憲章」,還有各種文章和言論,答案才明顯了。

  到底中國要往何處去?他們思考了這這十幾年,到底想到甚麼?

  「零八憲章」是全無新意的。只是全盤照抄美國獨立宣言裡面的一套。

  美國人的民主,出發點是沒有愛的。美國人最欠缺的就是愛,這是德蘭修女說的。如果美國人也真心想尋覓解決經濟問題的出路,請不要忽略德蘭修女的話。因為,這才是美國文化的缺口。美國人強調追尋快樂的自由、平等,是言行不一致的。獨立宣言出來的時候,美國還是個奴隸國。追尋快樂,漸漸變相為追求物質享受,捨棄靈性。美國帶動西方文化向著物慾和反智向下走。直到今時今日,美國的外交,仍是利益外交。美國總統奧巴馬上台的就職演說,其中一個愛字都沒有提到。美國人在越南、中東,掀起連串戰事,最近還大力包圍中國,在中國周邊不斷挑起事端,又用金錢支持各種政治派別,以學術幌子提倡孔孟儒術,企圖把中國巨龍催眠,回復往昔日子。

  所以,本人極度懷疑,這少數幾位人仕,他們經歷了這十幾年,有沒有認真思考過、探索過,到底中國人要走上甚麼道路。照抄美國?難怪西方世界這樣吹捧他們。無論劉曉波還是艾未未,可說是在西方世界一帆風順,寫文章、開展覽,都有人大力捧場。還要拿諾貝爾獎,真是春風得意。但這樣做,是當日大部份學生的真心想法嗎?

  他們有探索過,中國文化和西方文化的基本區別在那裡?有沒有思考過文化的向內和向外問題?有沒有留意到中國文化的右腦思維傾向?有沒有提防儒家思想的致命毒素?曾經試過從文化角度觀察嗎?封建儒學大翻身,為何視若無睹?美國圍堵中國,他們站在那一方?

  六四問題,就是一個問題:中國要往何處去?

  美國之路,是第一個答案。
  
  第二個答案,是鄧小平提出的答案。這答案只有一句話:「摸著石頭過河。」

  而這是可大可小的一句。何謂「過河」?哲學家和宗教家眼中的「彼岸」,意思其實也是一樣。問題是,怎樣才能達到彼岸?

  鄧小平提供了一個方法:摸著石頭過去。

  重要的是去「摸」。你要去摸索。但是,摸索卻是有前提的。這前提,鄧小平也沒有詳說。但是,意思卻是存在的,是不可能否定的。

  前提總共有三個之多。其實,本來也不用說的。因為,意思已經存在。聰明人一早已經領會。說出來,不過是口癢,讓朋友們一笑吧了。

  第一個前提是:先要站穩。這是不用說的。如果站也站不穩,一早己經被大水沖走,還怎樣過河?

  站穩,也是要腳踏實地的意思。先要試清楚,落腳之地是浮沙還是硬地。

  有了落腳之地,還要清清楚楚的知道,我是自己站起來的,還是被人扶植的?有許多人,身懷的不是絕技,而是美國人答允的綠卡。他的頭上,有的是直升機。一揚手,就飛走。比召計程車更快。這樣的人,自然,就是永遠站不起來,也用不著站起來的。

  所以,第一個前提就是:要自己站起來!外來誘惑,不能動搖自己。自己的誘惑,更加不能動搖自己。甚麼貪污、甚麼腐敗,醇酒美人,絕對不沾。溫柔鄉是英雄塚,知道不知道呢?當然是知道的。做不做得到呢?自己或者做得到,兒子、孫子、媳婦、親戚、表弟、表妹甚麼的,就未必了。這是儒家留下的惡劣傳統,是兩千年的舊習慣。而習慣的力量,是無比巨大的。所以,要千方百計監督、制衡。中國人的許多問題,都來自此處。監督不力,制衡不足,就作怪了。所以,不但只是要自己站得起來,還要讓整個中國站得起來,這是難中之難。但是,難也要做,如果不做,就無法渡河,只有在河中淹死。

  站起來,當然是不容易的。但是,只要想到,要站起來的,不是少數人,而是全中國的人、全世界的人,從整體角度著眼,改變了思維的視野,難題可能解決。

  以上說了這麼多,都是第一個前提:要站得起來。

  第二個前提,就是要彎腰。站得起來,固然是自豪的。但也要彎得下腰,謙虛一些。不彎腰,無法摸到石頭,也過不了河。問題只是:中國人的求知慾夠了嗎?中國人知道,下一塊石頭在那裡嗎?第一塊石頭,鄧小平已經摸到了。那就是改革開放。但這只是第一步。第二步怎樣走?求知慾不足,就不可能摸到第二塊石頭。傳統儒家的謙虛,只是教人低首下心,不要妄自出頭。那不是真的謙虛,那只是自殺。真的謙虛,就是渴望知道,下一塊石頭在那裡。

  第三個前提,就是要伸手摸索。不但只是伸出左手,也伸出右手,還有無數其他的觸手。這是求知慾的延伸。為甚麼許多人不敢伸手摸索呢?因為站不穩。站不穩,手一伸,人就跌。學功夫,會學到馬步和站踳的原理。站穩了,重心移正,就可以伸手出去。這一前一後兩大功夫,是不可以錯的。錯了,就要摔跤。外面人看打太極,總有問題:為甚麼他遲遲不肯出手呢?明白的人就會知道,他是要先站穩。這是有道理的。

  本文的題目是要評價六四。想不到,卻帶出了一個問題:下一塊石頭在那裡?

  評價六四,就是要從全部的歷史看。只看局部,是很難看到真相的。六四的真相,有需要進一步研究探索。沒有看到真相,不能定案。但從宏觀的角度看,卻能看到,六四也是一場大辯論:到底中國要往何處去?有了這個心,這第二塊石頭的問題,就上心了。不止上心,是燒心了,不能自己了。
(Quest No.8258 - - 2011/10/28)

…………………………………………李察

  
  
  


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10/23/2011


黑暗是在前面還是後面?

…………………………………………Leechard

小女孩是陌生人,如果是「親人」、「自己人」,那十八位視同陌路的冷漠者,就會忽然搶上前去的。


最近,小貨車在佛山市撞倒女童事件,不是小事,是大事。這件事引發出一個問題,到底中國人的前面,還有沒有黑暗。

香港傳媒,引述孔言孟語,認為事情是所謂「傳統價值」失去作用。以為只要回歸到孔孟之道,問題就會解決。

  幾乎這是一個鐵的規律。兩千幾年來,每一次改朝換代,一無例外,統治者必定重新尊孔。把一種中國人頭上的思想枷鎖,重新鞏固。新中國會是例外嗎?

兩千幾年來,儒家人物中,自然是有人說過一些動聽好聽話的。例如,「老吾老以及人之老,幼吾幼以及人之幼。」或者「惻隱之心,人皆有之。」之類。

就是這些好聽的說話,把儒家的基本架構遮掩了。

儒家的問題,可以從兩方面看到。

  第一方面是從歷史事實看。封建文化令中國巨龍久睡,兩千年來的悲慘往事,辦報文人,不可能失憶。如果真的失憶,請看看「阿Q正傳」和「孔乙己」,中國民族性的問題,一清二楚。

  第二方面是從儒家的哲學架構看到。這本來是不難的。難的是,有人從既得利益出發,按上方命令辦事,只作傳聲筒,未曾深思。幾年前的香港報章,絕少引述孔言孟語。只是最近。不知是不是出於某種祕密指示,要提倡孔孟。報人忽然改口,異口同聲,口徑一致,只消引幾句好聽的孔言孟語,「先賢孟子」如此如此說,就能「証明」了,中國是必須走上孔孟之途的。

  這一種趨勢,本來是只有在傳媒上看到的。各種提倡民主的政客,素來是置身事外,封口不言,迴避表達自己的真正思想。或者,當他們奪得權力之後,就會搖身一變,變回儒家鄉愿的原貌。

  儒家的哲學架構,其實是絕對簡單,只有以下幾點:


一,現實。儒家認為,人是在大自然和超自然之外的。不需要禱告,也不需要敬拜鬼神。這是儒家的「現實」觀念。他們以為,做人就是要「現實」些。儒家是屬於泛神思想的。他們不是否定,亦不是承認有神。只是主張「現實」。(今人說的「務實」一詞,潛在的意思接近。)

二,權威。儒家主張尊敬權威。真理的標準,是在權威的手上。他們有權決定一切,包括了知識的對和錯。所以,儒家的「現實」是有前提的。前提就是「天命」。他們以為,天命降在誰的身上,誰就是真命天子。真命天子,有絕對的統治權威。

三,知識。儒家的傳統是不許求知,只許背誦。這一點,反映到了考試制度上,學生吃苦。但更加大苦是社會停滯。兩千年封建社會無進步。無知是主要原因。

四,差等。儒家提倡的「仁」,有等級上下觀念,有親疏內外之別,而且重男輕女,男尊女卑。(小女孩是陌生人,如果是「親人」、「自己人」,那十八位視同陌路的冷漠者,就會忽然搶上前去的。)後世出現的「仁愛」思想,企圖挽回這種可怕的差等思想,並非儒家的本意。在儒家哲學的基本架構之下,「仁愛」思想會流於空洞。只有「博愛」才是有針對性的,有用的。

  以上幾點,就是儒家的基本哲學架構。既得利益的文人,要駁斥也是很容易的:「甚麼?儒家不是主張「一視同仁」的嗎?孟子不是主張人要有「惻隱之心」嗎?不是有人主張「老吾老以及人之老,幼吾幼以及人之幼」嗎?」

  自然,這些都是對的。一視同仁是對的,惻隱是對的,老吾老也是對的。但是,十八位冷漠者卻只有一種兩千年封閉教育的反應:那是哲學架構決定了的。

  還有一點應該一提,儒家的哲學架構,構成了阿Q行為的主要方面。阿Q的行為,平時不怎樣,但遇到了經濟壓力,和政治壓力,都會暴長。無論是忽然暴富或者忽然股市低迷,又或者是遇到了錯誤政策,官僚統治,都會擴充極化。在某些地區、某些時刻,阿Q和孔乙己特別多些,是必定的。 就好像一顆惡瘡一樣。惡瘡在皮膚出現,其實病情是在裡面。

  而這樣的惡瘡,遇到不良的外在環境,必定劇烈擴張。經濟和政治,都是外在環境。經濟忽上忽落,政治陰晴不定,惡瘡就出來了,看得到了。

  儒家之害,要從歷史事實看,亦要從基本哲學架構看,中國人的前路遙遠漫長,到底黑暗是在前面還是後面?新中國要不要走舊路?各位文化界前輩們,請不要讓儒學的片言隻語遮蔽了眼睛。 (Quest No.8257 - - 2011/10/23)



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特首何罪?

特首何罪?

幾年來,世界經濟風雨飄搖,但香港人仍有安定生活,在平穩中前進。但部份人仕竭力攻擊,無事生事。本來,這是偏私的政黨政治常態。但是,無限攻擊卻會造成無端端的緊張,阻礙真理追求。經濟和各種困難,目前是迫在眉睫,極需積極探尋,為未來找出可行路徑。但攻擊者卻絕無半點寬容之心。不問是非,倡言孔孟,製造混亂,四處點火。傳媒跟風,搖旗吶喊,多方呼應,已失公正。這一批人仕,根本心中從未有過求知心態,更不知香港人的前途在那裡。唯望特首本著大局為重,沈著應戰,不會跟他們一般見識。這才是未來的希望。(李察 Quest No.8255 - - 2011/10/18)

10/21/2011


Are the Chinese soul sick, or dead?

*Leechard

A surveillance camera recorded a tragic event in China last Thursday(2011/10/13). A two-year-old girl was knocked down by a van. The van paused and drove away. The girl was lying on the street, while 18 passers-by ignored her, not one of them offered any help, later on, a truck ran over the child the second time, also left and without stopping. It was an old woman that was a rag collector came to her aid finally.

And this is not the first time. Similar events happened again and again. Only this time, a surveillance camera recorded the scene.

The soul of the Chinese was sick, though not dead. Eighteen passers-by were healthy in their bodies, but only the rag collector had a soul. She was responding with a normal human reaction.

We have 18 non-human reactions and one human reaction here. And it is a little proving that the Chinese soul is not dead, but in deep trouble.

Is it the simple result of a high-pressured dictatorship? Or is it the result of a long forgotten struggle of the Cultural Revolution? Or a sudden change into richness?

But the problem happened long before all these.

It might be the outcome of the special Chinese philosophy, which was designed and carried out through the ages by Confucian scholars and the authorities.

That man is alone and separated from the Heavens and it is not necessary to pray or worship them as it is more practical to tend to the material side of all matters.

That Heavenly Orders are in the hands of a selected emperor.

That one should obey the authorities, as they are the final judgement of every thing including knowledge.

That one should not try to quest for knowledge but memorize the teachings from the authorities is enough.

That if there is love, love should not be the same between inner circles and outsiders. One should love the authorities, parents and relatives more.

That women are subordinate to men.

It is this special philosophy that constituted the basic believe and behavior in Chinese history. That the little girl lying on the street was but a stranger, not relative, not kinship. It would not be the same attitude if the girl was their next of kin, though baby girls are always not welcomed. Boys are more welcomed to the world then girls. It is more practical not to care the trivial matters of the non-relatives.

The question is whether the philosophy had changed in the present day situation.

Would it be more tolerant or more severe under economic stresses as well as authoritarian manipulation policies? (No.8256e - - 2011/10/21)




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10/17/2011


Will there be an easy answer to the global problem?

Will there be an easy answer to the global problem?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8254e     2011/10/16)

To find fault is easy. To find the real answer need lots of patience and effort.

The global economy has come to such a situation, that it is not only the problem of who is getting more, but it is deteriorating so quickly that things are getting real worse and it needs an urgent study to find out the causes.

To find fault only stops the mind. When we are facing a difficult situation in searching a better path for the country, we need patience not force.

Blaming some one is useless.

We need to reset our minds to prepare for some totally new concepts that has never had a place in our minds before.

We have the concepts of Capitalism, Socialism, etc.
No matter which one was in force, the “Practice” was the same. Some rules, some laws, some constitutions were changed, and election methods changed, but the basic “Practice” remained unchanged: We “treat” things the same way. We “treat” people the same way.

Concept No.1,
We have the same practice on “Treating Things”:

Humans were using the same kinds of electricity. They are burning the same kinds of fuel. The Newtonian method was the only method available. The Indians had tried to abandon machine, but soon failed. They had to come back to Newton. What is the difference between Einstein and Newton? It seems confused. But in every field of human practice, it is always the same old method. We are still using the Arabic number and the same kinds of adding and subtracting arithmetic, etc.

Will there be a completely “NEW” practice that we need not do any kinds of “counting” and abandon electricity?

In a sense, electricity can not be “stored” effectively. We can not stored electricity for another city, or the next decade to use. We should try some better thing.

We had been thinking that we are not making things big enough, fast enough. But actually we were making things too big we cannot handle. A container tanker recently collided into a reef near New Zealand, and there is no way to remove the containers from the sinking ship. The same thing happens in the nuclear science. We are making something we cannot handle.
We are making nuclear wastes as well as carbon monoxide; those are the things we cannot handle. Some one has asked, if God is all-powerful, can God make something He cannot lift up? Here comes God’s answer, if humans are so powerful, can humans made something humans cannot handle? And here is the tragic answer of “yes”.


What is the next “practice” for us? Probably no answer. But it is time we must try to reset our mind into a new mold of thinking. And it is not easy. We need a completely open mind to do this.

And the new commandment for the new age is:

Thou shall not kill new ideas.

This is a big problem, but we can say only this much here. It is too big a story to tell in a short time.


Concept No.2

The second problem: We have the same practice on “Treating People”.

Families break up as quick as in Capitalism or Socialism. Self-interest is the same every where, with only very little difference in each places. We have parents to resort to in the old ages. But now we have nothing to resort to except money. How do we treat our fellow human beings?

And the new concept of love has been new for the last two thousand years. Love has no important place in the human mind. Courts judge in law, but not love. Countries fought in self-interests but not love. Businessman deals with others in exchange of materials, but not love. Love is not respected in the modern society. To change this concept need more than an old mind. We need to re-format ourselves to achieve this.


There is no easy answer to our problems. Blaming anyone is to stop thinking.

Don’t blame others. Quest for the truth.

Thou shall not kill new ideas.




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10/14/2011


What is “Growth”?

What is “Growth”?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8253e     2011/10/14)


It depends.

In the fields of economics or politics, “growth” is not something happening in a tree. It is only a numeric increase rate.

Economists were working feverishly to find out the possible reason of the EU problems recently. Shawn Tully wrote in the Fortune Magazine in September 5, 2011: ”…Growth in Europe is already slowing sharply and will probably keep weakening. The reason: Interest rates will be far higher then predicted….”

What is “growth”? It is a number shown in computers. When the figures increase, things are growing.

People are trying to solve the life and death problems of the globe in a mathematical way. Increase some figures here, decrease some figures there. If the interest rates are low enough, then people will have money to buy, to spend, to invest, and problems solved.

But growth itself is more than a figure.

Financial manipulation can not help the growth. Extra-effort is essential.

What extra-effort?

The extra-effort must be so powerful that it could have the power and authority to re-format the old thinking system, to change the way humans think.

We are not talking about re-formatting the economic system or social system or class system. Because, All the external structures are the reflection of the internal thinking system.

When humans have a clear insight to see into the present situation, real growth will emerge.

A real growth is not making more i-phones or selling more Fords. We have been making the same thing and selling the same thing for too long a time.

What is growth?

Growth is the total development of mankind. We are growing from Stone Age to electronic age. We are growing from a tree-shape national economy to a globalize economy. And the globalize economy is not balanced, is shattered.

Hopefully, we are growing from unbalance to balance.

And it is idealistic. It is against pragmatism. If we do need a change, this is the real change.

In the future, we need a very good cooperation of idealism and pragmatism. Pragmatism without ideal is just like a diligent worker, he never reads, but works and works. And he will never change.

And the question is how. Where do we start? How can we humans have a better thinking system and re-format our minds? Should we take off our skins like a snake changing herself?

Yes. You are right.

Lets start here. Lets scratch here. Drop a few lines into the Internet, to irritate people and ourselves think. That is all we needed right now.













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10/11/2011


Who is accountable, Wall Street, or China?

Who is accountable, Wall Street, or China?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8252e     2011/10/10)


Now people are gathering around Wall Street, protesting the plutocrats of hurting their livelihood. Days before, politicians were still debating who is accountable for all the difficulties of America. It is an obvious game, once the accountable were found, then things will be immediately settled, at least, in the minds of those who do not know globalization.

Globalization has broken the tree.

In the good old days, economy was just like a tree. With roots on the ground, leaves under the sun, and fruits on the branches. On my library desk, there is still a very old Kodak photo-slide viewer, which was made in USA, probably in the late seventies. American designers designed it, American workers assembled the body. And it was sold to the Far East.

Now the tree is amputated.

If the machine is still marketable, it will be assembled somewhere in Asia, not in the States.

At first, there are some barriers between the countries, different laws, taxes, and customs, resisting the tree. Trees cannot grow so easily around the world.

But the barriers are fragile.

The European Union has taken away the barriers of money exchange, thus making the tree separated more easily. Southern countries like Greece exported their vegetables and fish to the North, and buy French TVs and German cars from them.

The EU is a small-scale globalization. Much bigger scale globalization happened elsewhere.

At first, this is a funny game of merry-go-round. Advanced countries pushed their dirty industries and labor-intensive industries to other countries. Business was an exquisite magic. Fashion patterns designed in the morning in France, stitched up somewhere in Asia in the afternoon, by nighttime, ladies were wearing them in New York.

If business was like a tree, now the tree had been broken into different parts all over the world.

What happen?

Humans were alienated from their roots. They lost their jobs.

And the question is not who is accountable.

The question is how can we deal with the tree-animal.





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10/09/2011


Why is it so hard to resume full employment in the States?

Why is it so hard to resume full employment in the States?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8251e     2011/10/09)

In the old days, you could always go into the plantation and find a job. Or went into the construction site, if you were in Egypt, to help build the pyramid.

What is the difference between a plantation and a pyramid? Plantation is productive, and pyramids not.

For example, if pyramids are to be building in the States, tens of thousands of jobs could be easily created.

But it is not productive; it will soon consume all the resources and bring the country to an end.

Smart people will know immediately the problem.

Job creation is to create the whole practice. And the practice MUST bring in profit. The profit could push the practice into another round of practice, thus keeps its life, and the jobs.

I have used the term “practice” instead of “business”.

A business is self-motivated. Business will like to use machines to replace jobs. And they will remove the whole business into another country from time to time. Business is not job motivated.

A practice is human-motivated. The aim of the practice is to push the whole practice of globalization into a healthy way.

And the problem is nobody knows how. We do not know where we are going. We do not know how.

Thus, the practice itself should solve this problem first. We shall ask where we are going. We shall seek, what is our aim.

I had written something about the concept of “Labrary”

I shall write again later.





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10/07/2011


Why the American apple has turned sour?

Why the American apple has turned sour?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8250e     2011/10/05)

Parable is a very good tool. Tree is a parable. But it is too simple to compare to the human behavior. In this days of global economy, I would rather say, it is more like a tree-animal, then a tree.

Trees in good soil can produce good fruit. There is a strange relationship between the soil and the tree. Trees cannot be relocated. A good tree in America, if relocated to China, the fruit will turn bitter, if not sour.

The Asians can always hire American talent, and buy up the whole American company, in a while their economy seemed growing healthily, but sooner or later, they will have problem.

Culture is just like tree in the soil. Trees can be copied, imitated, or even relocated. But if the trees do not have the sources of the soil, they will simply turn out complicated sour fruits.

We saw different western trees were growing in the soils round the globe. They can turn out money for a short time.

And the real problem is in America itself. American apples have turned sour, too.

In the times of Henry Ford, the American tree was healthy. The apples are sweet. A few apples can support the whole tree. The apples good, the leaves green, the branches strong. No body complains job losing.

But in the times of Steve Jobs, the American apples were scarce, though still sweet, but the market result told us, the apple products plus other advanced products cannot make the whole market healthy, the fruits cannot support the whole tree. The leaves are not as green, the branches are not as strong. Then people like Paul Krugman started talking about American competitiveness. They doubt the American success. They wish to “lower the price”, so as to strengthen the “competitiveness”.

Why are the Americans not the same as before?

It is because, the soils did changed within the American boundary.

Every thing have changed but one. Only politics has not changed. There are the same old arguments every day. But education changed. Religion changed. Atmosphere changed. Minds changed.

It does not mean, the old times are better. Good old days are always but a dream. We are not in a dream, but in a stream. And the stream is running downwards.

Why can’t the sweet iphone support the whole tree?

Its because, one iphone is not powerful enough. And now we have the “globalization”.

What is that?

It is a tree-animal.

And it is very strange. Iphones are American product, but they are “Made in China”.

You cannot expect, a tree grows in the United States, but the fruits are picked up in China. (Though the American people still owns the tree and the fruit.)

We are forced to change concepts. What does “made in somewhere ” mean? And trees are no more trees. They are tree-animals. Trees have feet, they can walk. Trees are walking every where round the globe, and they are animals, because they can only think half-consciously. The economy beast is not human.

Americans are working hard. They are working hard to drive away new immigrants from the south, fighting crime gangs in the street, and not to mention the terrorists and wars. But they cannot handle the tree-animal.

What is “globalization”?

It is a separated tree. Roots in a country, leaves in another, fruits in the third, etc.

And the tree is trying to balance itself. It is not balanced now. And it is not a human. It has a brain, but it has no mind.

What are we fighting for now?

Are we fighting for a “lower price”? Or an unbalanced money system? Or change the status of US money? Should we build an exchange system to govern the whole world? Do we have enough power to do this?

What are we fighting for now?

I would say, we should be fighting for time. And time can give us enough mental power to clear the problems. We need a quiet mind to do this, if we do mean it.

The tree-animal is not coming. It has come. Lets sit down quietly under the tree, and figure out what to do.

(P.S. One more word: tree-animal is not a fire. If fires are burning, we should run for our life, giving up every thing. Why? It is because you know it. You know what is a fire. But we do not know, what is “globalization”. )



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10/05/2011


What makes America products competitive in Paul Krugman's view?

What makes America products competitive in Paul Krugman’s view?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8249e     2011/10/05)


In my view, America products are competitive in their advanced culture. The American has been leading the way for the last two hundred years. They have the most advanced airplanes, space ships, computers, mobile phones, etc. These kinds of products are very competitive. Apple had opened two new stores in Hong Kong and Shanghai last week. They proved people like American products; people are willing to pay more for them; not a little more, but a lot more. People queue over night for new products coming from America.

Why the American people could have a better technology, while the others could not? Even the Europeans like the Nokia, or the Asians like the Sam Sung can hardly complete with them. Why?

In my view, this remains a culture secret.

An apple tree grew in the soils of America, if removed else where, like Japan or Korea or China, will never has the same good apples on the tree. The tree is but the tool of the soil. The apple is from the soil. The iphone 5 is from the soil. And the soil is the western culture itself. And the culture is in the minds of every American. Or we can say the iphone 5 is from Benjamin Franklin, from Abraham Lincoln, from Thomas Edison, from Martin Luther King, from John Lennon and etc.

The Japanese, the Korean, the Chinese all bought trees from America. They hired American scientists and engineers, but can they produce the same good apples? Obviously not. They can buy the tree, but they can never buy the soil. If hot competition is coming in the future, people should watch out for products from the other soil, not products from the relocated trees.

And more of the America competitive power is hidden, for they have not put all their products to the market. You can never buy a stealth plane, or other higher secret military product from the market. That means, the Americans have not shown all their might in competitiveness.

Competitive power is from the inner core of the culture itself, not from a lower price.

Now, from the Global edition of the New York Times yesterday (2011.10.4.), we saw comments from Paul Krugman. He said, “…we need to make American product more competitive, which in practice means that we need the dollar’s value to fall in terms of other currencies….”

May be he needs to reconsider the real inner power of the competitiveness of the American culture.




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10/04/2011


What is “wind”?




What is “wind”?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8248e     2011/10/04 Tuesday)


Wind is air moving in a block. Wind has a body. And the body can move. Wind is more than a stream. Wind is a moving body. Streams were but part of our experiences. And this is important. If we cannot see the body, then wind is hardly harnessable.

We should try to measure how wide and how high are the wind blocks. Scientists were interested mainly on the “speed” of the wind stream. And that is not enough. If winds are moving, then the whole blocks are moving. What is the shape of the block? Is it like a belt? Or a cake? Or a river? When one block moves, will other blocks turn around? Its only when you could see the sizes and locations of the blocks, then you can know their relation.

And our problem is: How to harness the block?

Turbans could only harness the stream, not the block. And that is far more then not enough.

We should build “wind dam” to make use of the wind energy.

And more interestingly, the wind dams could be built by nylon materials, not stones and concrete.

I do hope, we could have cheaper energy created by wind dams in the very near future.



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愛因斯坦是否有錯?
(何謂「外在時間」)


愛因斯坦是否有錯?

(何謂「外在時間」)
………………………………………………………李察
(問到底No.8247     2011/10/03 Monday)    

*周一人物*

所有可以在鐘表上看到的時間,都是外在時間。事物都是有自己的內在發展時間的。用外在的鐘表工具,只能得到外在的時間。這一種想法,其實是很基本的。將來必定是人人都明白。

例如,如果你在另外的一個星系上,測量我的時間。你發覺,我只有十歲。雖然,我實際上是九十歲。這曾經是科學家常常描述的。(不是科幻小說,而是科學家們,包括了愛因斯坦自己,也是這樣說。)

但是,這不過只是外在的量度。

如果我今年九十歲,這是我的真實年齡。如果你用一枚慢一些的表去數我的年齡,是沒有甚麼意思的。

我是否挑戰偉大的愛因斯坦?我不敢。

我只是想指出,事物都有自己的生長規律。而外在的量度,不能改變這內在的生長規律。

或者有人會爭論:去到另外的星系時,心跳會減慢,新陳代謝也會減慢。那又如何?

當然這是可能的。但是,你只是生長得慢了。但你不是重返當年。今天我九十歲,到了外太空生活了十年, 或者我不會是一百歲,而只是九十二歲。更不會重新回到我的童年,不會變成只有十歲。我也不會打一通電報,給從前的我。(從前在另一時空中生活的「我」)(又或者,愛因斯坦如果到今天仍活著,他不會打電報了,發一封電郵就是。)

因為,「時間」是不能從「事物」身上分開的。每一件事,都有自己的時間。而能夠測量計算的,都只是外在的時間。外在時間,或者是真的能夠變化的。但是,內在的時間不會。

這樣說,是不是挑戰愛因斯坦?我希望不是。因為,我不明白相對論。我只是想研究,時間的基本意義是甚麼。如果愛因斯坦真的是錯了,他就是錯在這起點的地方。

 
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10/01/2011


What is “external time”?

What is “external time”?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8247e     2011/10/01 Saturday)


I hope this is the very basic understand that all people should know it in the near future. That all time from the clocks we know on earth are external time. You can use a clock, or any other means to measure the growth or development of something, then you are measuring the external time.

For example, if you measure my time from another galaxy, you will find I am only 10 years old, even actually I am now 90. Though these kinds of measuring of time are hot topics on science stories, some people predicted if you go to another galaxy and you “will” become 10 years old then.

However, this is but the external counting only.

I am 90 years old and that is the real time of my life. If you use a slower clock to count it, that is meaningless.

Am I challenging the formidable Einstein? I dare not.

I only tried to point out; things could have their own growth rate. In addition, external counting does not change the growth rate.

Some will argue with me. What if I have a slower heartbeat and metabolic rate in another galaxy?

Of course, that is possible. Then, You are growing slower, but you are not going back. I am 90 years old, ten years later perhaps I will be 92 only, but I will never come back as 10 years old. And I cannot send a telegraph to another “me” who is living in another “time”. (If Einstein lives today, he will send email instead of telegraph.)

Because, time cannot be separated from the things. Every “thing” has its own time. What is countable is external time only.

Even though the external time could change, but the internal time will not.

Am I challenging Einstein? I hope not. Because I do not understand his theory. I only tried to find out the very basic meaning of time. If he was wrong, he must be wrong from the very beginning.








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9/30/2011



時光是會倒流的嗎?

時光是會倒流的嗎?
………………………………………………………李察
(問到底No.8246     2011/09/29 Thursday)    

親愛的Prosephine :

真是十分謝謝來信。因為,這封信,掀起了我長久在心裡的一個問題。我自從很小很小的時候,已經常常想到這一個問題了:甚麼是「時間」?今天再次檢視相同問題,趣味特別濃厚。

我想到,時間只不過是一種量度事情發生的工具。自然,這也是很幼稚的。例如,我想到,從學校走路回家,要多少「時間」呢?那時,我是沒有手錶的。雖然我發瘋似地渴望有一隻手錶。從學校走路回家,要看看那山上教堂的大鐘。只要指針走了兩格,就是大約十分鐘,我已經到家了。每次當我看見那巨型的指針在吃力地跳動,就想到,時間是在這針裡面的嗎?當然不是的。這針也不過是一種計算工具。這是小學生也會明白的。那時,也時常讀舊式小說的。小說中時常提到,「一柱香」那麼久的時間,或者,「一盞茶」時份,也是另外的一種測量時間的工具。甚至,眼皮也能測量時間的,「一貶眼之間」,也是時間。連「口氣」也可以是時間。學校離家這樣近,「一口氣」就到了。大約「兩口氣」之間,就可以來回。

又好像那日出日落,或者出生死亡之類,都是各有時間的。只要用一種工具,無論那是手錶也好,大鐘也好,都可以算出來。

那麼,時間是不是可以獨立計算的呢?

好像很簡單。時間當然是可以獨立計算的。一秒、兩秒、加上去就是。

但有時數字太大了,就要依賴專業人仕去計算。

又或者專業人仕們太忙了。他們發明了很多符號,去簡化計算。例如,他們找到了一個「無限大」的符號“∞”,到了無法計算的一刻,就用這符號填上去。時間到了這麼久遠,是無限了,那麼,時間會回頭嗎?

如果時間沒有跟「事情」(things)的發展脫開了,大約人們是不會這樣想的。

時間本來只是「事情」的發展,是不能獨立的。要有事情,才有時間。沒有事情,就沒有時間。現在的所謂「時間」,不過是一種數學。而這數學,是可以隨意計算,不必理會事情是怎樣發展的。

這就是說,所謂「時間」,不過是人類測量事情發展的一種外在的工具。就好像是一把尺子。這尺子,本來是要附同「事情」一起的。現在是拆了尺子出來,我們已經忘記了,宇宙間本來是沒有這把尺子的。這尺子,不過是一種人造的符號,一種人為的想像。

你當然是可以想像一下,一種「無限長」的時間,是怎樣的。更加可能想像,時間到了無限長的「境界」,會不會往回走。“∞” 會不會回來,又變為 ”1”?甚至變為“0”? 而更有趣的是,我們明明知道,所謂 “0”,也完全是一種想像,宇宙間是沒有“0”這一件東西的。

有甚麼問題呢?

問題就是,我們已經把「時間」和「事情」分割開了。

時間與事情的分割,就是現代科學的重要特徵。

當計算混亂的一刻,人們又不自然地想到,要把「事情」放回去,放回去「時間」裡面。

他們以為,「時光」倒流,「事情」也會倒流的。

我們會跟著時間一起「復活」嗎?

請注意,我不是反對「復活」的。事情會發生,會發展,會生長,那是「事情」自己的事。如果「事情」會重新發展,甚至走回頭,也並非不可能。但是,時間回頭,卻未必等於事情倒流。這是要分清楚的。

時間有兩種。一種是外在的,人為的計算。另一種,是事情本身的發展順序。時間是分為「外在時間」和「內在時間」兩種的。

一朵花開了,就是一朵花開了。如果我們嘗試測量,花仍是花。但如果你把你的數字拿走了,你讓數字自己獨立了,離開了,只是你自己的想像。就好像現在是二千零幾多年。你再加一千,兩千上去,也只是計算。至於兩千年之後,還有沒有這個地球存在,則是另外一回事。地球不是因為「日曆」而存在的。如果「日曆」回頭,地球是未必跟著一起回頭的。

時間不可以跟事情(現實)分割,因為,時間本來是內在於現實之中的。外在時間,是作不得準的。

我們時常希望知道, 「現實」是往何處去,又會回頭不會回頭?

時光倒流,現實未必倒流。花開了,未必會變回種子。花兒開過了,不會好像從未曾開過那樣。青春過去,不再回頭。回頭只是外在化的想像而已。

如果時間只不過是一種外在計算,那麼,我們就會被迫想到:

事情的內在發展,會是怎麼樣的?我走完了這一段路,下一段路又是怎樣的?

這問題是好的。因為,這問題會引人前瞻。往前看,是很快樂的。

真的希望,這一類問題,可以把我們的層次提升。


李察謹上


 
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9/29/2011

Will “time” come back in the future?


Will “time” come back in the future?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8246e     2011/09/28 Wednesday)




Dear Prosephine,


Thanks for your question.

Ever since I were a little boy, I have been thinking: What is time?

Time is but a human measurement of the “things”. That is the conclusion of a little boy. Though I didn't know what is the “things”, however, that will not affect the conclusion.

We will come to “notice” something. Like sunrise and sunset, like baby and old folk. How long does it take?

Can we take away the time from the things, and count it, and make a calender?

It seems simple.

You can always count the “time”.

One second, two seconds, three seconds, like that.

Now we have some professional people to do these things. May be they are lazy. They have invented some symbols when they found the counting is difficult. When you just count 1, 2, 3, 4,…. until one day, the numbers are so big, you find it confusing, and you say, that is it, and that is infinitive“∞”. And you will say, when time is so so so long, then time is going to a very very very long long future, like “∞”, when time has gone so far, and we can not imagine such a distance, then, we will ask: will time come back?

Now we have come from the human measurement to the human imagination. At first we tried to measure things with some numbers. Now we found the measures are so big, then we invented some more symbols like “∞”. Then we studied the “∞”, and decided time could come back from “∞” to 1, and to zero! (And zero is another human invention too. There arent any zero in the universe.)

What had gone wrong?

It was all because the separation. We human beings had decided to separate the “time” from the “things, and when the counting is so confused, then we tried to put back the “things” into the “time”.

Can we come back from death together with time when the time comes back? This is one of the interesting question arising from the separation.

And please take note that, I am not against resurrection. Things can change, or growth, or develop, what happens to the things are not in the external calculations, but in the things itself.

If we go back to the inner study of “time”, we will found, time can not be separated from the “things”.

A flower is blossoming, and that means, a flower is blossoming. If we try to measure it, the flower is still the flower. But you can take the “measure” away. You think, a measure is a measure, and the measure can stand away from the things. The measure could go further away from the things. From calculation, you will know now is two thousand years something, and there will be three or four or more thousand years ahead.

And this, is the separation.

All measurements are from outside.

It seems that, things are always changing. We can not help to think, is there a rate for the change? And what will come next? And some people had “hoped” that the flowers could one day go back as seeds, and old people can become young again. Though it can not be proved or denied, yet it is but our external imagination.

If time is but the external calculation of reality, then, we will be confronted with a more important question:

What is the internal development of things?

I do hope this question can bring us to a higher level of views.


with regards,

Leechard




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9/28/2011

Will time come back?

Hi, Leechard

Most ancient cultures seems to have cyclical concept of time except for Hebrews who see time as linear. Any idea why that's the case? How does that contribute to the differences in their religions?


Thanks,
Prosephine

9/27/2011


怎樣盜取馬克吐溫的火?


怎樣盜取馬克吐溫的火?
………………………………………………………李察(問到底No.8245     2011 0927 Thursday)    

*周一人物*

普羅米修士所盜取之火,屬於天上。但其實火種已經留落人間,我們也隨時可能取用。

到底火在那裡?

火就在許多有火的先行者心裡。只要略花心力,就能夠取得。

最近李察看了一本馬克吐溫(Mark Twain)的早期自傳。此書是他死後才出版的。他不是一生下來就是文學家的。他生下來的時候,是一個鄉下青年。那是密西西比河畔的一個靜靜的小鎮。街上行人稀少。僅有的幾個人,都在門前閒坐,打瞌睡。

但是,只要河上的蒸氣船一來,整條村的人,就都醒來了。那時的英雄,是船上的駕駛者。馬克吐溫十分羨慕,很想也當一個駕駛蒸汽船的水手。

此書大半就講他怎樣努力,學會了駕船。

而火就在他的努力之中。

原來在河上駕船,是非常不容易的。要記熟全部的河上地形。各種河曲的彎曲形狀,還有各處深淺,沒有地圖,全部都要熟記在心。一不小心,就會翻船。他就好像要把這整條河都吞了。那是一條他夢中睡中都不會忘記的河。

心火略少的人,一早就放棄了。

而我們後來後世的讀書人,最重要的,就是沾上這火。至於怎樣在沒有地圖的情況下學會密密西比河的各處險惡形勢,還是次要的。或者此書的吸引力,不會比他其他作品那樣大。讀者亦未必喜歡那長長的河上旅程。但其實,火在其中。取得到的人,有福了。






 
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(明天問題:


How did Mark Twain learn to drive a steamboat?


How did Mark Twain learn to drive a steamboat?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8245e     2011 0927 Tuesday)

Whenever I am reading a book, I always tried to find out “something” from the book. It has been a habit of me. And I had a very simple objective: to find out some thing to write about. However, it was only recently that I had the feeling to get “something” more then “something” from the books. It was the energy within the books. Alternatively, you may call them “fire”. Is there any inner energy in the books?

It was like fire.

Reading is like Prometheus stealing the fire. The fire is so attractive, that you will pay anything to get it.

Is there anything so special in the autobiography of Mark Twain?

In his early days, he had been a steamboat pilot.

How did he manage to do that?

It turned out that to drive a steamboat, is to know the Mississippi completely. That means, he had to learn it by heart all the particulars of the river, the bends, the chutes, the various dangers…..And he was in the four hour working shift. He could only write down his notes within four hours. And his notebook will become blank when he was asleep….

He had been working extremely hard.

It is an interesting book. It seems you are in the same boat, driving the boat together with him. When you finished reading, you probably have a question:

If I were in his position, will I be working as hard as he will?




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9/25/2011

星期天籟, 一首不可錯過的圓舞曲

何謂「生長」?

Quest 8244 2011/09/25 Saturday



你可以種一棵樹,但你未必可能種一間屋。

種是內在的。

總有一天,我們找到方法,以內在的方法,建設文化。

把文化也好,經濟也好,種植出來。



.................


What is “growth”?


What is “growth”?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8244e     2011/09/20 Tuesday)



You can build a house, but you can not grow a house.

Can we grow our culture?

Can we grow our economy?


see what is growth



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9/24/2011

切開一隻橙,能夠找到內在嗎?

………………………………………………………李察
(問到底 No.8243     2011/09/23 Friday)    




......

如果你切開一隻橙、橙汁四濺,但那仍是外在。

橙的內在在你的心裡。不在橙的表皮裡。

同樣,地球的內在,也在你的心裡。

氣侯的內在,也在你的心裡。

下次的台風路徑,也在你的心裡。

明天的股市表現,也在你的心裡。

如果你們曾經溝通的話。



...

Can I find the internal by cutting open an orange?

…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8243e     2011/09/23 Friday)



If I cut open an orange, the juice may spill, but it is external.

The internal is in your mind, not in the orange skin.

The internal of the earth, is in your mind.

The internal of the weather, is in your mind.

The internal of the market, is in your mind.

When you can communicate with them.



...

9/23/2011


何謂「內在的生長」?

何謂「內在的生長」?
………………………………………………………李察(問到底No.8242     2011 0922 Thursday)    

此處是兩個很陌生的意念。一個是「內在」,另外的一個是「生長」。

何謂「內在」?

在拙著「莊子原著與莊子原理」書中,曾經寫過。但這意念十分重要。我期待,這會是未來世界的一個重要討論課題。多討論是必要的。

而我將會盡量不去定義何謂「內在」。因為那是幾乎不可定義的。何謂「內在」,這是心靈溝通的範疇,而不是言語界定的範疇。

而在討論的時候,我比較喜歡用「溝通」一詞,去代替所謂的「認知」。當人類第一次來到世界,他們是盡量去溝通世界上的所有事物,而不僅僅只是去認知。我們是與萬物溝通,而不是僅僅探索、閱讀、測量,或使用各種認知技術去研究。我們是在彼此溝通。

溝通是與認知不同的。

認知是外在的。而溝通是內在、外在、甚至是多向度的。

怎樣去認識一個人?

我們是用心去和這人溝通的。我們使用內在的方法,多於外在的方法。外在的方法,例如偵測、調查,是有用的,但也是有限的。你愈是去調查,你就愈是無法溝通。
這樣,你就是把自己放逐於知識之外。在你和你的對象之間,無論那是一塊石頭,一本書,一件事,或者你的配偶,都是不能用外在調查的方法去互相認識的。你只是互相拒絕。

溝通是以內在為主的,外在為輔的。

那麼,何謂「內在」?

「內在」是與溝通並存的。如果想知道「內在」,就必定是有兩方面的。「外在」也是一樣。如果沒有了另外的一方面,所謂「外在」,是沒有意義的。

而最奇妙的是,這些方面,都是互相聯結的。所謂方面,並非方面。他們只是一。他們都是屬於同一個整體的。
在同一個整體之內,是可能互相溝通的。這就是莊子原理。我們都是同一。我們完全是可能從內在方面,互相了解的。

明白了這一點,你就可能跟世界上的任何人溝通。一個你喜歡的女孩子,一個你喜歡的男孩子。一個你尊敬的學者,一塊石頭,都是不陌生的。

我怎樣和一塊石頭溝通?

我可以給你最少兩個例子。

一個是卞和。他和一塊石頭溝通,發現了其中的美玉。他用了自己的生命,把這塊美玉,加進了中國文化之中。這是一個長長的故事,此處無法敘述。

另一個例子是寫作《紅樓夢》亦即《石頭記》的隱名作家。他跟一塊石頭溝通,石頭背後的整個宇宙,就都對他開放了。

還有更有趣的。

怎樣和地球溝通?我們會知道下次地震何時的。怎樣和經濟溝通?我們會知道下次低潮的。

項目是有無限之多。如果都能在內在角度溝通了,我們會快樂些。

下次課題:何謂「生長」?



*(我寧願使用「意念」一詞,總比「概念」好。因為,概念是屬於左腦,而意念則屬於不清楚的一類,那是很難定義的。)



 
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(明天問題:


What is “internal growth”?

What is “internal growth”?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8242e     2011 0920 Tuesday)

Actually these are two very unfamiliar ideas here. One is “ internal”, and the other is “growth”.*

What is “internal”?

I have explained “internal” and “external” in my book: “Zhuang Zi Original and Zhuang Zi Theory”, but this is an idea so important that I expect it will be the most popular subject in the near future, that more discussions are always needed.

And I shall refrain from defining “internal”, as it is not in the definable field. What is “internal”? We need to use the mind to communicate with this term.

And I would use the term “communicate” instead of “cognition”. When human beings are born into the world, we communicate with every thing around us. When we tried to understand something, we are communicating with them, not only “searching”, “reading”, “measuring” or using any kind of “cognitive skill” to approach. We communicate.

Communicate is very different from cognition.

Cognition is mainly external. And Communication is external plus internal plus multi-dimensional.

How do we come to know someone?

We use our mind to communicate with the one. We use internal method more than external method. The external method, like espionage or investigation, is useful but limited. The more you investigate, the less you communicate. And you will be excluded from knowing. You and your object, no matter that is a rock, a book, an issue or your spouse, do not know each other via external investigation. You are excluded from each other.

To communicate is to communicate internally more than externally.

What is “internal” then?

“ Internal” is something coming together with “communication”. There must be two or more parties if you really wanted to find out what “internal” is. And the same applied to “external”. You will see, if there is no other party present, then the so called “external’ is meaningless.

And the wonderful point is here: the parties are connected. The parties are actually not parties.
They are one. So, they can communicate with each other. And this is the principle of Zhuang Zi. We are all one, then we could find out the internal interests of every thing.

Bearing this in mind, you can communicate with any one on earth. A girl you like, a boy you appreciate, a scholar you admire, or even a rock, is no strange to you.

How do I communicate with a rock?

At least, I can give you two examples in communicating with a rock.

One is Bian Huo(卞和) He had communicated with a rock , and found the most beautiful jade inside, and used his life to add the jade and its spirit into the Chinese culture. And I can not make a long story short here.

The other is the unknown writer of the book: “The dream of the red chamber” (The story of a stone).
The writer had communicated with the rock, and to the complete universe behind the rock.


And more important issues are coming

How do we communicate with the earth? Then we would know when is the next earthquake? How do we communicate with the economy? Then we would know when is the next depression?

It’s simply too many issues here. If we can communicate with the issues internally, we will be happier.

(*I would use “idea” instead of “concept”, as concept is coming from our left brain and is easier to define and idea is always not clear and can hardly be defined. )




Next time: What is “growth”




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What is “internal” then?

..................................................................


“ Internal” is something coming together with “communication”. ....

(See me tomorrow)





one click here and you can communicate with me....


......

9/22/2011

What is internal growth?

I am working on the problem of "internal growth"....

there is no other issue more important in the modern economy......


...

9/20/2011


夏目漱石的困難何在?

夏目漱石的困難何在?
………………………………………………………李察
(問到底No.8241     2011/09/20 Tuesday)    


當我正在看夏目漱石的一篇演說稿時,忽然感覺一陣震蕩。他怎能有這樣的智慧,一百年前就已經如此清楚地看見了一切?

他說,文化發展就好像開花那樣,是「生長」出來的。日本人在明治維新之後的發展,是外在的。不像西方文化那樣,是自然地發展出來的,

他說,西方文化的發展,是內在的發展。就像開花那樣,一步一步那樣走出來,雖然是慢些,但卻是有生命力的。西方用了一百年光陰,日本卻只用了十年就追上去了。

日本的情況,就不是「生長」。而這樣的發展,是外在的。

夏目漱石是極少數能夠分辨內外的人。

但他提出的問題,到今天仍未能解決。

發展需要一百年時間,但你卻只有十年。你是被迫加速的。你被迫使用各種外在的方法去幹。如果你不跑著幹,就會被毀滅。無論是你、或者我、或者我們,能否找到好方法,安全的方法,只用十年就跑畢這一百年的長途?

夏目漱石說,所以,結局是必定悲慘的。而他是對的。今日的日本情況,就是他的見証。他有眼見嗎?當然他是有眼見的。今日,他的頭像是印在日本一千元鈔票上的。從1984到2004 發行的鈔票,都印上了。他就每天都親眼看到了今日日本經濟的情況。事實上,他是真正看見了,日本的人為經濟,並不是內在發展出來的。只是一種匆忙的、人為的、操縱出來的政策。


他是在1911 年講這話的,今天已經是2011年。一百年來,他的意見都是被忽略的。雖然日本人仍然十分尊重他,否則不會印他的頭像在鈔票上。

如此受尊重的人物,為何意見仍會被忽略?

這是另一個有趣問題。而我相信,解決了這問題,現代經濟的大難題,也會有眉目了。

(參考:《世界著名作家演說精粹》,百花洲文藝出版社,中國、南昌,1996。 頁150, 夏目漱石:「現代日本的開化」)


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(明天問題:


What is the problem of Natsume Soseki?


What is the problem of Natsume Soseki?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8241e     2011/09/19 Monday)


I was reading Chinese version or Natsume Soseki's speech. Suddenly I was shocked. How could he see things so clearly one hundred years before?

He said, culture development is just like flowers growing. The Japanese development after the Meiji Period was external!!!!!! And it is not like the Western culture, which was developing in a very natural way. He said, the Western growth was an internal growth, just like flowers, step by step, they grow slowly but with a life! The West has used 100 years to grow, now Japan was using 10 years only to catch up.

And that is not growth. And this kind of development was external.

Natsume Soseki was one of the few who can distinguish between internal and external.

But his problem remains unsolved until today.

The development needed 100 years to grow. But you have only 10 years. You are forced to run, to use any kind of external methods. If you don’t run, you will die. How can you or me or us to find a way to develop safely and quickly, using only 10 years to run the 100-year highway?

And that could be ended up in a very tragic way, Natsume Soseki said. And he was right. To day’s situation in Japan is his witness. Will he had an eye to see it? Yes of course he had. His portrait appeared on the front of the Japanese 1000 yen note between 1984 and 2004. He faces Japanese economy every day. Actually he IS seeing the decline of a man-made economy, which is not coming from internal growth, but a hurried artificially manipulating policies.

His speech was delivered in 1911, and now we are in 2011. Natsume Soseki had been neglected for one hundred years exactly, though the Japanese were still honoring him, or else they will not put his portrait on the 1000 yen note.

And why the Japanese neglected him?

It is another interesting problem. And I believe, by solving this problem, the clue to modern economy could be found.



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What is the problem of Natsume Soseki?

I was reading a Chinese version of Natsume Soseki's speech.
Suddenly I was shocked. How could he see things so clearly
one hundred years before?..................

9/18/2011


中秋節的內在意義何在?


中秋節的內在意義何在?
………………………………………………………李察
(問到底No.8239     2011/ 09/17 Saturday)    


中秋節有兩種內在意義,都是需要略加解釋的。

第一種是遠古傳下來的意義。這意義代表了中國人的奮鬥精神。

一, 你可奮鬥。
二, 你是在地上。你或者會錯。
三, 你們應該彼此相愛。
四, 你可以是快樂的。


第二種是經過儒家解釋的意義。那是自從周朝就已經開始的岐路。

一, 我們是在一個圓內生活的。
二, 我們在圓內,以仁相待。
三, 外國的圓,不會比我們的圓更圓。

那麼,中秋節與奮鬥何干?月亮是何等平和,怎樣奮鬥?

中秋節的故事,是這樣的:

很久很久以前,天上有十個太陽。天神后羿發覺,這是不可忍受的。百姓的苦,已經受夠了。十個太陽,不斷煎熬老百姓。后羿決心要改變這種情況。他就用自己的弓,去射落太陽。他射落了九個太陽。

中國人的原始奮鬥精神,是跟孔子服從天命的思想,很不相同的。

這就是故事的第一重內在意義:你可奮鬥。人類是天賦有奮鬥權利的。連天上的太陽,也是可能射落的。

而不幸的是:這九個太陽是天帝的兒子。天帝見后羿射殺自己的兒子,十分憤怒。就把后羿貶為凡人。從此,后羿唯有流落人間,變成了一個人。

后羿向西王母求援。西王母給了他不死之藥。吃了這藥,就可以重返天庭,永生不死。

后羿十分快樂。他回家,藏好了藥。他想等到一個合適的時候,就回返天庭。

但是,有一天,他卻發覺失去了藥。有人偷了他的藥。是他自己的妻子,把藥偷了。

…………………………………

或者,這原因是永遠不可知的。為甚麼他的妻子,要把藥偷了?還要吃了?

後世所有說故事的人,說到這裡,總是要添加一點情節。或者,她是害怕了?怕被遺棄在人間?又或者,另有甚麼重大的因由?

而唯一可能的象徵意義是:在超自然的力量底下,人為力量仍是有的。雖然,人的行為,往往不可逆料。人為力量,可能是對、亦可能是錯。又或者是不對不錯的模糊境界。我們也很難斷定,結果應該怎樣。

只是,我們可能猜想得到,故事中的內在意義。

內在意義就是:我們是人,而人的作為,是可能有錯的。
這一點其實十分重要。因為,只有承認了,人為力量是可能錯的,則才有可能終於走上正路。這一種想法,跟西方的罪的觀念也很相似。雖然,犯錯和犯罪仍是不相同的。

還有的是,所謂「命運」,是可能因為人自己的作為導致的,不一定是上天註定的。故事說,藥是被另外的「人」偷去的。未必是上天的旨意。
.

此刻 ,后羿就被正式遺棄在人間了。他是一個人。

而后羿的美麗妻子,是嫦娥。

嫦娥吃了藥,發覺身體竟然輕了。她走路輕快,當她踏在梯上的時候,發覺有一股力量在托著自己。她從未曾經試過這種感覺。

又過了不久,她發覺自己會飛。她一飛就飛到月亮。從此,她就永遠留在月亮裡面了。

她一定是很寂寞的。

而故事的內在意義就是:你們應該彼此相愛。或者,他們就是因為沒有彼此相愛,才分開了的。

寂寞來自愛的欠缺。她多麼渴望有人相愛。

她是寂寞的。而他後來,也遭遇到更多的不幸。

愛的另一面就是妒。后羿就是被妒忌心所殺的。他的學生,謀殺了他。

他的學生,妒忌他的箭術。以為,后羿雖然是箭術天下第一。但是,只要后羿一死,他自己就是天下第一。而這一位愚蠢的學生永遠沒有想到,就算是后羿死了,他仍是一個二流的弓箭手。更永遠不可能進入那內在的、美的境界。雖然,他或者已經得到了世界冠軍的名銜。

這學生趁后羿沒有留意,就用一根桃木棒子,從後面擊碎了后羿的腦袋。從此,這位學生,就被永遠開除了。他永遠也不可能進入美的天國。

沒有愛的地方,妒就出現。所以,你們一定要彼此相愛。

這件事也提醒了我們:后羿一定是沒有愛嫦娥的。人是會錯的。否則不會導致這樣的分離。

也是要到了此刻,我們才漸漸明白了。知道了故事中的空白位置,裡面有甚麼。當后羿被逐來到地上的時候,他遇到了一位女郎。他們一定有過一段濃濃的情。到了後來,他卻要走了。留下這位可憐的女子。他要獨自享受天庭的生活。任何人都可能想像,甚麼事情會發生。

而故事的明確意義,也是到了這裡才出現的。

在中國人的心中,團圓是極度重要的。每一次抬頭看見月亮,這一種內在的迫切感覺,就會出現。

渴望團聚,本來就是一種正常的感覺。

但是,儒學卻走多了一步。他們斷定,愛是在這圓圈裡面的。因為,愛是有差等的,愛是有範圍的。而離開了人際之間的階梯,愛就應該減少。而在範圍之內,長輩應該享受更多的愛,擁有更大的威權。

月是圓的。這圓圓的月,就形成了中國文化的象徵圖像。
中國人的月亮是圓的。外國人的月亮,會不會更加圓些?當然是不會的。雖然這是個笑話,但是,卻反映了中國文化的一個側面。他們是極端重視這一個「圓」的。他們以為,一切都是在這個圓的內裡發生的。他們的心態是內射的,是不會向外的。

愛只是一種階梯裡的遊戲。可以愛愛圈外的人嗎?當然是可以的。但潛在的告誡卻是,愛是有差等的。而且,應該尊敬長輩。長輩才是真正的權威。

知識來自經典,而權威的意見,是決定性的。

從此,中國人就喪失了思想的自由。

………………………………

最後,還要談談一個所謂「內在」的問題。

有三種觀察角度。內向的、外向的,還有多向的。

中國文化是右腦傾向的。他們比較喜歡從內在角度觀察。這是否孔子的影響呢?還是只是中國文化的自然發展傾向?這是有待研究的。

至於西方文化,則是比較外向的。除了若干心理學的研究之外,一般來說,西方科學都是否定內在觀察的。這是很大的題目,這裡只能說一點皮毛。初步的印象是,中國人喜歡內在觀察,在外在觀察方面卻有困難。而西方則相反。西方文化常常有這種印象,以為內在觀察是不可能的。甚麼直覺之類,也是作不得準的。拙作「莊子原著與莊子原理」裡,有一章是專門講述內外的。或者可供參考。此書目前只有網上版本。

遊筆至此,大約已經講完。而中國人的悲哀故事,也說完了。






 
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(明天問題:


What is the inner meaning of mid-autumn festival?

What is the inner meaning of mid-autumn festival?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8239e     2011/09/17 Saturday)



There are two different inner meanings of the mid-autumn festival, both need some elaboration.

The first one is the ancient meaning, it represents the original Chinese fighting spirit.

1. You can fight.
2. You are living on earth, You might have errors.
3. You should love each other.
4. You can be happy.

And the second one is the modification of Confucius doctrine, which was developed after the Chou Dynasty :

1. We are living in a round circle.
2. We are kind to each other within the circle.
3. The foreign circle is no better than our circle.
.

What is the fighting spirit to do with the mid-autumn festival? The moon is so peaceful; it seems impossible to associate with fighting.

The story goes on like this:

A long long time ago, there were ten suns running on the sky. One of the Gods Houyi found it unbearable. He did not want to see people suffer. The ten suns were burning them every day. Houyi determined to do something. He used his bow to shoot them. He shot down nine suns.

This spirit to fight for a better living, is the original Chinese philosophy which is very not the same as the Confucius thought to obey the heavenly orders.

The first inner meaning here is: You can fight. Human beings are entitled to have a choice to fight.

However, the suns were in fact sons of the God King. The God King was angry. He punished Houyi, for Houyi had killed his sons. Houyi was banished from the heavens and sent to Earth. He was demoted to become a man.

Houyi begged the Western Queen Mother to help him. The Western Queen mother gave him the everlasting medicine. If he eats the medicine, he could have eternal life, and can go back to the heavens again.

Houyi was happy, he got home and stored the medicine at home. He was waiting a good time to go back to the heavens.

But when he got home, he found his medicine disappeared. Some one had stolen it. His own wife had stolen it.
……………………………………

We might never know why. Why his wife had stolen the medicine and ate it herself?

Storytellers like to add stories to make up a reason. May be she was afraid that she would be left behind, or may be there were some other reasons.

The only possible symbolic meaning is that, under the powers of the supernatural forces, human efforts are possible, though human behavior can never be predicted. The efforts could be right, or wrong or something go between right or wrong, we can not judge which one is better.

From the story we can guess the inner meaning: That we are human, and we could have errors. This is important. Only those who can admit he could be wrong, could find the right path next time. This concept is very much like the western concept of sin, though they are not the same.

And fate itself could be the result of human effort, not the designation of the Gods. The story illustrates that the medicine was stolen by another human being, and not taken by the designated Houyi.

Now Houyi must stay behind. He is a man.

The beautiful wife of Houyi was Chang’e.

Chang’e had taken the medicine, and found her body lighter. She can walk faster and when she tried to step on the stairs, she found that a force lifted her. She had never had such feelings before.

Now she can fly. She flew all the way to the moon. She stayed there ever since.

She must be lonely.

The inner meaning: You should love one another. It might be that they have not loved one another, that separated them.

It is love itself that had aroused such lonely feelings. She longed to be loved.

She was lonely and he had more misfortunes later. The other side of love is jealousy. He was killed by his own student. His student was jealous about his archery success, thinking Houyi was the best and if he was killed then the student himself will be the best. And the stupid student could never understand that even if Houyi was dead, he would still be a second class archer, and could never enter into the inner beauty of the sport, though he might be the champion then. The student used a piece of wooden club to strike Houyi in the head behind him. And this action excluded the student himself from the heavens of beauty forever.



Jealousy emerges where love diminishes. Therefore, you must love one another.

And this also reminds us:

Houyi must had made a terrible mistake. Human is to err. He had not loved Chang’e. Or else, they will not be separated.

Now, we are able to make up the story gap. When Houyi was banished to Earth, he met a girl. They must had a very hot affair. Now, he is going to leave. Leaving behind the poor girl. He will enjoy his heavenly life alone. Any one could have imagined, what will happen.


And now, we had come to the more important part of the story. There is always an unbearable urge in the minds of the Chinese people: People wanted to be reunited. Whenever people see the moon, the urge is there.

A wish to get together is a normal feeling.

However, the Confucius doctrine had gone one step more. They determined that love is something happening within the family circle, as human relations are under a fixed ladder hierarchy. The superiors should be respected more in the circle.

The moon is a circle, and that becomes an icon of the Chinese culture. And the circle had such important meaning that they thought the “foreign circle” is not “rounder” then the Chinese circle, though it is more or less a joke. And it shows us, the Chinese is taking the circle very seriously. In Confucius culture, every thing happens within the circle, they are always searching inward, not outward.




Love is a hierarchic game. Should people love someone outside the circle? Though the answer is positive, but people are always reminded that love comes in the form of a ladder, and they should respect the elders more, loving them first and their judgements are final.

Knowledge is from Confucius doctrines, and only authorities could judge them.

In this way, the Chinese had lost their freedom to think under the Confucius rule.

Finally, more about the so called “Inner” meaning.

There may be three kinds of observations, internal, external and perhaps multi-dimentional observation. The Chinese culture are right-brain inclined. They are more inclined to see things from within. Is this the result of Confucius doctrine? Or is this the natural Chinese way of observation? It is not clear yet.

And Western culture is more external inclined. Except in some studies of psychology, most of the time, western science denies internal observation. This is a very large topic and we can only touch it form a very beginning starting point. And all we can say is that the Chinese may have some difficulties to see things from an outside angle, while the west found it almost impossible to observe from the inside. More about in and out observation can be found in my book: “Zhuang Zi Theory and the original Zhuang Zi” which is written in Chinese and published on the web.


And this ends my observation and the sad story about mid-autumn festival.




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9/17/2011

what is the inner meaning of the mid-autumn festival?

it is so important, and it is
coming soon.....

(今晚的美國英雄新聞,真的很震奮。違抗命令去救人,竟也能夠得到獎?西方文化的精華,全在此處。)

(想想我們的岳飛!!!!)

(讓我們一起發誓: 誓不做岳飛!!!!)



............

9/16/2011


我的中秋之夢在何方?


我的中秋之夢在何方?
………………………………………………………李察(問到底No.8240     2011 0916 Friday)    

中秋夜的早上五時醒來,忽然想到一點中秋的道理。
寫了三天寫不出。想法明明都在,但臨到寫時,卻又像沒有靈感。一連拖了三天。

或者明天吧。這中秋的道理,必定要寫出來的。








 
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(明天問題:


Where is my mid-autumn night's dream?


Where is my mid-autumn night's dream?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8240e     2011 0916 Friday)

In the night of the mid-autumn, I woke up in a very bad dream. The time was five in the morning. Actually, I always welcome such dreams. It provides endless inspiration for me. I cherished the moments.

It was in that moment, I had come up with some thoughts about the mid-autumn festival. I wish to write them down.

The first day, though I had thoughts in my mind, I could not write a word. The second day, I could only write a few lines. The third day, I had found new ideas, and needed some more time to prepare it......





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9/13/2011


傑仔岩士唐的將來怎樣?

傑仔岩士唐的將來怎樣?
………………………………………………………李察
(問到底No.8238     2011 0912 Monday)    


*周一人物*

傑仔岩士唐(Kit Armstrong)是一個很特別的孩子。現年十九歲,他是很有天份的鋼琴家和作曲家,又是數學家。他在代數幾何學和拓撲學的研究,已經超過了博士生。

他可能是個雙天才。五歲的時候,他已經完成了高中的數學課程。三歲的時候,他的母親買了一個鋼琴給他,他就每天彈奏,他的母親餵食,他也不肯停手。

天才都是使人迷惑的。常人做不到的,他們卻輕而易舉。

最高贊譽來自鋼琴家布倫特爾(Alfred Brendel)。他退休之後,就特別專門收了傑仔做學生,奉獻全部的時間給他。布倫特爾說,天才有十倍的學習速度。有一部記錄片值得找來看看:「Set The Piano Stool on Fire」(Mark Kidel 導演)

倫敦音樂學院的鋼琴老師 Benjamin Kaplan說,十一歲時的傑仔能在四十五分鐘之內,背識了八頁長的德布西音樂,期間手指碰都沒有碰過琴鍵。(參看“Kit Armstrong, Playing by numbers”, Independent.co.uk, 20 February 2011 )

世上曾經出現了不少神童。Menuhim, Kissin, Barenboim, Anne-Sophie Muttter等等都是十三歲就震驚世界。而其中也有人是很快枯萎的。小提琴家 Michael Rabin 十幾歲技驚四座,二十幾歲墮落,三十五歲死亡。(See “At three he was reading the Wall Street Journal” by Stephen Moss, The Guardian, 10 November 2005)
 
  而問題是:有幾位天才神童是後來有用的,而又有幾位是浪廢了的。

  而李察對天才的期望,或者會更高一點。李察期望他們能夠為人類帶來希望和將來。
 
  自從莫扎特離去之後,就再沒有人填補真空了。沒有一位天才,有莫扎特那樣大的貢獻。.
 
  天才連成長都有困難,更不要說推動人類,走向未來。
 
  每次有新名字出現,都有很多的期望。期望就是壓力,如果天才們真的渴望得到賞識的話。
 
  所以,人們常說要「保護」天才。天才們實在是太脆弱了。
 
但問題其實不在於「保護」。
 
  問題是為何種子不能成長。
 
  有了種子,問題就在於土壤了。撒種人是隨意撒種的。有的種子落在荒野,有的落在沙漠,有的落在城市的垃圾堆。他們是必定不能成長的。只有落在好土壤裡的種子,能夠長成。如果我們根本沒有土壤,所有的種子,都會荒廢。
 
  土壤是重要的。那即是說,文化是重要的。
 
  我們需要的是耕耘自己。作好了自己的一份,土壤才會成型,種子才會生長,未來才是有希望的。莫扎特是千年文化的蘊釀。而我們的文化,已經毀滅了這許久。
或者我們都會知道,應該怎樣做的。
 
(還要多說一句:天才是有腳的種子。如果你發現,腳下跟本沒有土壤,那就要快走了。不要被一時的光芒,遮蓋了眼睛。)
 
 
 
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What is the future for Kit Armstrong?


What is the future for Kit Armstrong?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8238e     2011 0912 Monday)


Kit Armstrong is a very special child. Now he is 19, a brilliant piano player and composer, and a mathematician, his research in algebraic geometry and topology has taken him way past PhD level.

He might be a double genius. At the age of 5, he had completed his studies on higher secondary math. And at the age of 3, when his mother first brought him a piano keyboard, he could sit there playing all day without stopping. His mother needed to feed him by the side of the piano.

Talents are always a puzzle for us. How can they do things we can never do?

And the biggest compliment came from the renowned pianist Alfred Brendel. He had retired from performance, but taken Kit as a student. Brendel said talents have a ten-fold learning speed. A documentary film by Mark Kidel under the title “Set The Piano Stool on Fire” recorded their interesting encounter.

Banjamin Kaplan was piano teacher for Kit in Royal Academy of Music when he was 11 years old. Banjamin sain, he can learn a formidable eight-page Debussy piece by heart in 45 minutes, without touching the piano. (Indepent.co.uk, 20 February 2011, “Kit Armstrong, Playing by numbers”.)

There were quite a few podigies around the world. Menuhim, Kissin, Barenboim, Anne-Sophie Muttter, were all superstars by the age of 13. And some of them get lost quite easily. The American violinist Michael Rabin, feted as a teenager, in emotional free-fall in his 20s, dead at 35. (See “At three he was reading the Wall Street Journal” by Stephen Moss, The Guardian, 10 November 2005)

And the problem is, how many of the talents will finally become useful, and how many wasted.

I have a higher expectation for talents. I expect they can bring us human beings hope and future. However, ever after Mozart was gone, no one could fill up the gap in music. None of the talents have such impact as Mozart had done to human being.

Talents have difficulties even growing up, not to say that they can help us the human race to walk on to future.

Whenever there are new names appear, there will be much expectation again. And people are giving them much pressure, if they wish to stand up and gain approvals.
 
People are talking how to “protect” genius now. Talents are fragile and easily broken.

But the point is not protection.

The point is why some seeds are never able to grow up.

If you have a good seed, then the next issue is the soil. If seeds were felt upon rocks, or deserts, or rubbish heaps, they will surely die. Good seeds will come up once for a while, but if we have no soil at all, then all the seeds are wasted.

The important thing is to have a good soil. And that means a better culture. We can have a better culture by cultivating ourselves. And every one can do that. We must prepare ourselves first, and cherish every seed we have, then the future is for us. Mozart was a seed grown on an old culture of more then one thousand years. Now our culture had been ruined for so long a time. We might know what to do first.

(One last word here: Seeds do have feet. They are human being, and human can walk. If you found there is no soil, then it is time to go. Don’t let the temporary brightness darken you eyes.)
    




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9/11/2011

長弓淡酒------請看星期天籟


沒有秘密的世界在那裡?

沒有秘密的世界在那裡?
………………………………………………………李察(問到底No.8237     2011 0910 Saturday)    

  「沒有秘密的世界?」「我們都不需要保守秘密?」「我們彼此公開?」

  曾經有這樣的一個地方,在那裡,人們都不需要穿衣服。但這故事是不完全的。因為,我們收藏的不是肉體,而是心。所謂「衣服」,不過是一種比喻法。事實上,我們的心都是封閉的。 

  如果有一天,人們都彼此開放,人們都再不用秘密,也不需要任何秘密,那麼,我們一定已經到達了理想世界。

  或者這就是我們在這醜惡世界裡的最高理想。

  以下,就是我們所發現的一點小小「秘密」。
 
一, 沒有秘密的人,是最快樂的。

二,收藏最多秘密的人,就是最有權勢的人。也可以是最快樂的。

三,小百姓的秘密,都被掌握了。

四,但權勢的人們未必知道,掌管愈多的秘密,就愈無知。

五,先進的偵察器材,都在權力階層手上。他們可以偵測任何祕密。以為掌握了秘密,就是掌握了世界。

六,祕密是跟知識不同的。人們用了極大力量去偵測祕密,但只用極少精力尋求知識。他們看了過百萬的電郵,偷聽了過千萬的電話。但結果卻是無知。最有權勢的人,通常都是盲的。

七,盲人正在領導世界。





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