Letters in Chinese

李察通訊 Letters in Chinese
https://leecha.blogspot.hk/

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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