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標題: In my country .... [打印本頁]

作者: norman.ho 時間: 2011-11-26 06:43 PM 標題: In my country ....

本帖最後由 norman.ho 於 2011-11-26 06:54 PM 編輯 tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb* ^% [$ |/ M. A: C6 V( Q# V3 F
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A plaintive plea, out of love not hate, to cage the monster " W8 w2 m/ \; V
Murong Xuecun
Sydney Morning Herald November 26, 2011

This is an edited extract from Chinese author Murong Xuecun's recent speech at the Oslo House of Literature. Translation by Jane Weizhen Pan and Martin Merz. Murong Xuecun is the author of the novel Leave Me Alone: A Novel of Chengdu.
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I AM A Chinese writer. Allow me to say a few words about my country. Everyone knows that in the past 30 years China has built countless skyscrapers, commissioned countless airports, and paved countless freeways. My country's gross domestic product is the world's second largest and her products are sold in every corner of the planet. People exclaim in amazement: China is rising, the Chinese are rich! But behind this facade of power and prosperity there are details of which many people are unaware, and it is precisely these details that make my country a very strange place.公仔箱論壇+ k0 j# o+ v# {& }2 ~9 a' k
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Living in China is like watching a play in a giant theatre. The plots are absurd and the scenarios are unbelievable - so absurd, so unbelievable that they are beyond any writer's imagination.

In my country, the legal system works like this: countless laws are enacted, and then countless procedures are created, followed by countless enforcement regulations and detailed judicial interpretations, but ultimately it is up to the political leaders to decide who wins and who loses a case.
In my country, many innocent people disappear, and some people lose their freedom without ever being sentenced by a court.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。; H7 t) T5 g  ^3 B4 L: I
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In my country, there are many peculiar ways to die in detention and officials are more creative than a novelist like me in coming up with explanations: died playing hide and seek; died while dreaming; died of psychosis; died sipping water. But in all cases the bodies of those who die in custody are covered in bruises and wounds.

In my country, every city has demolition crews equipped with bulldozers and truncheons. The bulldozers are for leveling people's homes and the truncheons are for bludgeoning stubborn home owners. To protect their homes, some home owners beg on their knees, others cry, and some threaten to kill themselves or even actually self-immolate. But nothing can stand in the way of the demolition crews and no official is ever brought to account when demolitions result in deaths.公仔箱論壇  S* D3 |6 a7 T% W' e& p- W, }
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In my country, the job of the press and electronic media is to promote the government, not to report the truth. The education system is tasked with instructing the people to be loyal to the government and keeping the people ignorant, not with disseminating knowledge. As a result, many people have never grown up intellectually even though they are adults.

In my country, writing is a dangerous occupation. People are sent to prison for writing essays, or saying a few words of truth. Writers are not allowed to talk about history, or to criticize the present, let alone fantasize about the future. Many words cannot be written, many things cannot be spoken, and many issues cannot be mentioned. Many books are banned in my country, and then become bestsellers overseas.公仔箱論壇* W( V" \0 b! j2 j

My country is capable of launching a satellite into space but not of building a safe bridge across a river. My country is capable of building palatial government offices yet condemns children to substandard schoolhouses. It provides millions of luxury cars to government officials yet few safe school buses for children.9 ]4 Z' K; L# R- a" X
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My country was entirely a status-oriented society just over 20 years ago. What a person could do depended not on that person's intelligence and competency. Rather, it depended on who that person's father was. During the Cultural Revolution, if someone was deemed a ''son of a bitch'', then his son would be deemed a ''son of a bitch'', and many years later his grandson would also be deemed a ''son of a bitch''. Twenty years on, is there any progress? Yes, but not much.

In my country, the sons and grandsons of officials are still officials while second and third-generation migrant workers are still migrant workers. All power, all business and all resources are monopolized. There is almost no hope for the sons of ordinary citizens to move up. There is no possibility of them ever becoming an Obama or a Steve Jobs.) x! d4 w4 w: c5 N
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Creativity never flourishes in a status-driven society. That's why in every field of endeavor - industry, agriculture, commerce and culture - my country contributes few innovations and new ideas, but excels at counterfeits and imitations. I believe that without reforming this rotten system, China will continue to be a nation that contributes few innovations and new ideas to mankind. It may have a lot of money but there won't be much culture left. It may become a mighty military power but it will still be incapable of making its people feel secure.
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This rotten system is the mongrel of Stalinist Maoism and imperial Chinese political culture, a cross-breed of the rule of the jungle with traditional Chinese trickery and communism. Decades later, this creature now has become a monster. This monster is vain, tyrannical and arrogant. It never admits to mistakes. It destroys people in the name of justice and rehabilitates them, also in the name of justice. It takes credit for everything positive, and blames others for all failures. It wants to lord over everything and tolerates only one faith, faith in itself. This monster allows praise to only one thing, praise to itself. It owns every newspaper, every school, and every temple. Without its permission, even flowers may not bloom.

More than 2000 years ago, Confucius said one should only serve the state if it is righteous. However, to become citizens of a modern society, I say we should criticize the government if it does not do the right thing, and we should also keep an eye on the government even if it is already doing the right thing.  g& `/ d5 ]. U, S* {

Finally, I hope you believe me that I am not a class enemy, nor an overthrower of governments. All I want is to cage the monster. Yes, I am criticizing my country, but that doesn't mean I hate my country. Rather, I love my country. I love her splendid mountains and rivers and her great civilization. I appreciate the suffering she has experienced. In fact, I love my country even more because of the suffering she has been through. Yes, I am criticizing her rotten system, but I do not want to see bloodshed while my country is improving herself. I hope the system will improve gracefully. I hope in the near future, in my country, flowers of freedom will blossom and children will smile without fear. I hope in the near future, my country, an ancient civilization, a land of suffering, will become a nation of prosperity, peace and freedom, for all.

作者: felicity2010 時間: 2011-11-27 02:40 AM

本帖最後由 felicity2010 於 2011-11-27 02:42 AM 編輯

The writer practically summarizes the general condition in China which matches the understanding from all those who concern the future of the country. The criticisms are often met with hostile rebuke for being unpatriotic. “愛之深，責之切”, I believe at least, is often the sentiment behind all these criticisms and monitoring. os.tvboxnow.com( I$ x/ g5 c, O$ N0 K
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Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however,trumpets its country's virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, "the greatest", but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is.公仔箱論壇. r: m& m4 Q$ @. R2 e
愛國主義是因國家的美德而自豪, 並踴躍於填補它的不足; 它也承認其他國家合理的愛國主義, 有著其個別的美德◦ 民族主義卻自吹自擂國家的美德, 而漠視其不足, 同時輕蔑他國的美德◦ 它企盼並聲稱自己國家的偉大, 但國家不需偉大, 只要美善◦
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-Sydney J. Harris, journalist and author (1917-1986)TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。7 @$ `* y& E. H+ d
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Below is another article from the writer and it fundamentally continues on the same line of thought.- o! |( t' I6 h4 Y& l  }
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殺人的問題  ----讀漢娜.阿倫特有感慕容雪村3 [. D; A- E  _! L: m9 Y; @

中國近代史上，有過無數次人道主義災難，這些災難讓千萬人受損乃至慘死。然而災難過後，人們對於災難的反思常常只著眼於體制，而不及於個人。那些曾為體制效力的人會坦然地為自己辯護，說他們身不由己，他們只是螺絲釘而非機器的開動者，是被動而不是主動作惡。應該指出的是，體制本身並不能獨自運行，正是因為有那些看似無辜的人的參與，罪惡才得以實現，也正是因為有了他們，災難才能如此深重。公仔箱論壇4 U3 a, B: [6 G) L) v
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1964年，漢娜‧阿倫特發表了題為《專制下的個人責任》的著名演講，她尖銳地指出，不僅要反思體制，不僅要追究政治責任（政府必須對其前任的行為負責），也要追究個人責任。
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第一種辯護會說：我只是一個微不足道的僱員，只是機器上的一個齒輪，甚至連齒輪都不是，只是齒輪上的一個齒牙。你看，我也是人，也要養家餬口，即使我不去做那些事，肯定也會有別的人替我去做。對此，阿倫特的回應是：請告訴我們，為甚麼你會變成一個齒輪？又在何種情況下，你才會繼續願意做一個齒輪？如果從上到下的每個公職人員都是齒輪，難道就沒有人需要對罪惡負責任了嗎？她繼續追問：難道我們每一個人不是具有獨立意志的個體嗎？難道我們沒有主觀意志和選擇的自由嗎？我覺得，她一定還有更嚴厲的質問沒有說出口：難道你是豬嗎？
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還有一種說法是：如果我不去做那些事，可能會有比我更壞的人去做。我們參與其中，事實上避免了更壞的事情發生。還有些人會說，我們在體制中做了一些壞事，但也做了一些好事。我們沒有加重災難，相反，我們使之減輕，瞧，我們甚至挽救了一些人。阿倫特的回應是：這種辯護或許可以減輕法律上的責任，但並不構成道義上的合理性。當人們辯稱自己在體制中做了一些好事，那就要問：這些好事是否最終改變、終止或推翻了邪惡的體制？如果沒有，那麼與體制妥協就沒有任何意義，因為它還在繼續作惡，並將迫害更多的人。事實上，一個小的罪惡通常會成為更大罪惡的前奏，人們會很快走向「道德的滑坡」，從一件壞事到多件壞事，從小的罪惡到大的罪惡。如果你為保護一個村而交出一個人，也必然會為了保護一個鄉而交出一個村，更會為了一個縣而交出一個鄉。在這種不間斷的「道德滑坡」中，最明智的辦法顯然只有一個：停止作惡，不管你有甚麼樣的理由。如果體制內的工作是邪惡的，就應該立即停止與體制合作。tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb1 @5 w& x7 d' F( U: |" _

第三種說法認為：服從命令、遵守法律是每一個公民、每一個公職人員的天然責任。我雖然做了某些事，但我只是在履行職責。阿倫特的回應是：上級的命令和「法律」並不能為眾多的犯罪行為開脫，對成年人來說，「服從」就意味著「認可」，「認可」就意味著「贊同和支持」，所以，不應該問那些作惡的人「你為甚麼服從」，而應該問：你為甚麼支持？──當上級命令你把猶太人押進毒氣室，你為甚麼支持？當上級命令你開動坦克，你為甚麼支持？當上級命令你囚禁一個盲人，你為甚麼支持？法學中有句話：惡法亦法。而事實上，如果你是一個有良知的人，就不應該把邪惡的法律再視為法律，更不應該支持。

第四種是所謂的「集體過錯理論」，每次災難過後，總會有人拿著完美的道德標準質問別人：你說他做的不好，難道你就沒做過一點壞事？在這種完美道德之下，誰都沒有資格質問別人，最終每個人都有罪，每個人也都無罪。人們不再追究個體責任，轉而去拷問制度、拷問歷史、拷問文化，把全部罪惡歸諸集體，如果要懺悔，那就所有人一起懺悔，如果要受懲罰，那就所有人共同受罰。阿倫特對此的回應是：這種集體認罪、集體悔過的理論，其實無助於認清真相，只能讓真正有罪的人順利脫罪，並最終將演化為「道德虛無主義」。她說：「世上根本就沒有甚麼集體愧疚或集體清白，愧疚和清白只有落實到每一個具體的人時才有意義。」當真正有罪的人拒不懺悔，並以「集體過錯」為自己辯護，那其實是在逃避責任。os.tvboxnow.com6 q0 i8 I; Q1 _% m4 G
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中國文化常常強調「寬容」而忽視「責任」，但我認為，只有在私人生活中「寬容」才有意義，而在公共生活中，在巨大的人道主義災難中，主張寬容其實是一種智力低下的表現，至少也是糊塗，或者用孔夫子的話說，鄉願，德之賊也。在《專制下的個人責任》中，漢娜‧阿倫特提出一個更加尖銳的問題，她認為，那些效力於體制的人，通常不是因為恐懼，也不是為生活所迫，而是因為他們抗拒不了誘惑，專制制度總是會給它的效力者提供各種優待：鐵飯碗、顯赫的身份、滿足感以及可觀的物質利益。當德國人紛紛加入納粹軍隊，實際上是為了追求自己的功成名就；幾十年前的年輕人紛紛加入紅衛兵組織，其中的絕大多數都是受了虛榮心的驅使。當數以百萬的人踴躍報考公務員，我相信，他們不僅是為了一份體面的工作，更是為了潛規則和巨大的灰色利益。在這種情況下，再以「齒輪說」或「服從命令說」為自己辯護，其虛偽不言而喻。

邪惡制度是人間災難，更是對人類良知的考驗，換成更形象的說法，它其實是兩個問題：一、給你很多錢，你會不會去殺人？二、如果你不殺人，自己就會被殺，你將如何選擇？許多體制內的人都會誇耀自己的道德水平，而事實上，正是因為有了這些道德高尚的人，邪惡的制度才得以運轉。還是那句話：做幫兇還是不做幫兇，這是一個問題。5 x9 S& J  W% R9 ]" R% j
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By the way, 漢娜.阿倫特 (Hannah Arendt), though an authority in Kant, has written extensively on this topic.Her books (usually very short) such as The Origins of Totalitarianism; The Human Condition and On Revolution are interesting.

作者: norman.ho 時間: 2011-11-28 10:06 AM

本帖最後由 norman.ho 於 2011-11-28 12:02 PM 編輯
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The writer practically summarizes the general condition in China which matches the understanding from all those who concern the future of the country. The criticisms are often met with hostile rebuke ...
felicity2010 發表於 2011-11-27 02:40 AM

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Felicity, thanks for your comment; however, I find your comment a bit neutral and reserved.  I know its looks silly for me to make this request, can you post an English version of "殺人的問題"?  I find this article far more interesting than that of Murong Xuecun.  Actually I find his speech to be somehow of flowery rhetoric (always starting with In my country), echoing issues that had been discussed and reported in various printed and broadcasting media.  He was not offering any personal experience or insight, lack of specificity; let alone suggesting any pragmatic solution other than saying "caging the monster".  And many of the issues I find to be over critical and over generalize. ; F% u2 M5 l: L* u% Z) `
Take an example of "My country is capable of launching a satellite into space but not of building a safe bridge across a river. My country is capable of building palatial government offices yet condemns children to substandard schoolhouses. It provides millions of luxury cars to government officials yet few safe school buses for children.".( t+ R5 n4 i" ^0 z) ^0 T9 _
I visited my ancestral village in southern China over 10 years ago, I saw many of the old traditional relics that was rundown or ruined during the cultural revolution were being restored, bridges across the river were being reinforced, the "ancestral hall" in the village was being renovated, primary school and secondary school were being refurbished.  And that was over 10 years ago.1 a3 e/ s/ h8 c$ _) K7 T& G/ m, h
Even the last time I visited China, (only a few months ago), I did not notice any "palatial government office".
So I wonder if the speaker was actually being over critical in order to seek sympathy/empathy so as to sell a few more his books.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。9 P, x: W! K: e. B

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p.s.  Just realized "慕容雪村" is Murong Xuecun.  His/her article on 殺人的問題 is far more substantial than his/her speech.

作者: felicity2010 時間: 2011-11-28 03:32 PM

3# norman.ho
Sorry, I don't have an English version of the article. He has written a number of books (which I have not read) and a blog.

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