Chapter 7 Your own little piece of magic
Chapter 7 Your own little piece of magic
第七章 你自己的小魔法
第七章 你自己的小魔法
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7. Your own little piece of magic
7. Your own little piece of magic
I am sure you can identify with this: it comes upon you quite unexpectedly. You can be walking or talking or engaged in some inane activity. It builds softly in the back of your mind, slowly muscling itself to the forefront of your consciousness. It is initially as extremely confusing as it is remarkably rare. And then, there it is joy – joy: unsolicited, stunning and exciting – joy! You are filled with gratitude to be alive.
I am sure you can identify with this: it comes upon you quite unexpectedly. You can be walking or talking or engaged in some inane activity. It builds softly in the back of your mind, slowly muscling itself to the forefront of your consciousness. It is initially as extremely confusing as it is remarkably rare. And then, there it is joy – joy: unsolicited, stunning and exciting – joy! You are filled with gratitude to be alive.
“Comfortably Numb” is the title of one of the most celebrated Pink Floyd1 songs. I listened to it the other morning. This led me to question what these words, independent of the song, truly mean. Will I live out a life of perverse affluence surrounded by my material possessions or will I discover the answer to the age-old question: what is the meaning of life? Will I eventually just be deadened or I am personally, still on a quest for the answer, though the field is narrowing.
“Comfortably Numb” is the title of one of the most celebrated Pink Floyd1 songs. I listened to it the other morning. This led me to question what these words, independent of the song, truly mean. Will I live out a life of perverse affluence surrounded by my material possessions or will I discover the answer to the age-old question: what is the meaning of life? Will I eventually just be deadened or I am personally, still on a quest for the answer, though the field is narrowing.
Every day must I fight off becoming dull and irrelevant? As you age, images of Austerlitz2 come to mind: winning against overwhelming odds. I am constantly confronted with people who appear, at least from their eyes, to be vacuous or lost souls. The other day, I bought gas. The attendant was a young man of perhaps 18 or 19. He barely knew that I was in front of him. He methodically, and yet efficiently, placed the nozzle into the car’s gas tank; upon finishing, he took my money and subsequently handed me my receipt and change: totally expressionless. I had a job much like this when I was 14 years old. It was my first job and I remember it as a time of great excitement and adventure. It was not filled with the obvious boredom experienced by this person.
Every day must I fight off becoming dull and irrelevant? As you age, images of Austerlitz2 come to mind: winning against overwhelming odds. I am constantly confronted with people who appear, at least from their eyes, to be vacuous or lost souls. The other day, I bought gas. The attendant was a young man of perhaps 18 or 19. He barely knew that I was in front of him. He methodically, and yet efficiently, placed the nozzle into the car’s gas tank; upon finishing, he took my money and subsequently handed me my receipt and change: totally expressionless. I had a job much like this when I was 14 years old. It was my first job and I remember it as a time of great excitement and adventure. It was not filled with the obvious boredom experienced by this person.
Was the “zeitgeist,” the spirit of my age, that different? I think not. It is our fault! Our schools, our parents and our society are not providing young people with that fundamental sense of wonder and spiritual intoxication that ignites the desire to learn how to soar. They are being forcefully co-opted into a system that is an extreme state of flux. Go to school and you will get a good job, marry “Mr. or Mrs. Right,” have 2 children, make a lot of money, retire at 50 and live to 100: in good health and in your own vision of Shangri-La. In my experience with young people, they virtually all know that this is a blatant, total lie. They can watch the news on the Internet and make their own evaluation.
Was the “zeitgeist,” the spirit of my age, that different? I think not. It is our fault! Our schools, our parents and our society are not providing young people with that fundamental sense of wonder and spiritual intoxication that ignites the desire to learn how to soar. They are being forcefully co-opted into a system that is an extreme state of flux. Go to school and you will get a good job, marry “Mr. or Mrs. Right,” have 2 children, make a lot of money, retire at 50 and live to 100: in good health and in your own vision of Shangri-La. In my experience with young people, they virtually all know that this is a blatant, total lie. They can watch the news on the Internet and make their own evaluation.
Failure to achieve the success that they have been promised quickly results in social opprobrium. “What, you still don’t have a job?” Conversely, they are cautioned against accepting a position that may “dirty their hands” or diminish their family’s social status. These attitudes are a direct result of consumerism and raw capitalism, and they won’t work. The new Renaissance is upon us and it promises, much like the previous one,3 to revolutionize and change our world. It is nothing short of criminal that we continue to espouse old, dead models of society. I believe that human society is being offered something extraordinary: the opportunity to change the world, one person at a time. This requires very little, just the commitment not to allow societal transgressions to go unnoticed and not be commented upon.
Failure to achieve the success that they have been promised quickly results in social opprobrium. “What, you still don’t have a job?” Conversely, they are cautioned against accepting a position that may “dirty their hands” or diminish their family’s social status. These attitudes are a direct result of consumerism and raw capitalism, and they won’t work. The new Renaissance is upon us and it promises, much like the previous one,3 to revolutionize and change our world. It is nothing short of criminal that we continue to espouse old, dead models of society. I believe that human society is being offered something extraordinary: the opportunity to change the world, one person at a time. This requires very little, just the commitment not to allow societal transgressions to go unnoticed and not be commented upon.
A small example: the other day a friend of mine was at a museum and saw a child aggressively assaulting the enclosed exhibit of a butterfly. For whatever reason, the young person was vigorously shaking the Plexiglas box hoping, perhaps, to dislodge the embalmed insect. Who knows, or cares? This kind of aberrant behavior is anti-social, to say the least. My friend felt that he should say something to the boy and subsequently did. The result was a terrified boy and an extremely embarrassed mother. I doubt that the individual will do this again. Some people certainly disagree with this proactive approach. You be the judge! We are left with the immortal words of Reverend Martin-Niemöller:4
A small example: the other day a friend of mine was at a museum and saw a child aggressively assaulting the enclosed exhibit of a butterfly. For whatever reason, the young person was vigorously shaking the Plexiglas box hoping, perhaps, to dislodge the embalmed insect. Who knows, or cares? This kind of aberrant behavior is anti-social, to say the least. My friend felt that he should say something to the boy and subsequently did. The result was a terrified boy and an extremely embarrassed mother. I doubt that the individual will do this again. Some people certainly disagree with this proactive approach. You be the judge! We are left with the immortal words of Reverend Martin-Niemöller:4
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.
You be the judge of the world you want to inhabit. It is difficult to live an authentic life, as the philosophers say, to have your values mirror your actions. But, at the very least, we must try. Life is a fast flowing river. It is sometimes difficult to pull your boat to the shore to bivouac for a day or so and just think. It is fortunate that the river is very, very long. You will have an opportunity to stop in other places and mature your thoughts in those venues.
You be the judge of the world you want to inhabit. It is difficult to live an authentic life, as the philosophers say, to have your values mirror your actions. But, at the very least, we must try. Life is a fast flowing river. It is sometimes difficult to pull your boat to the shore to bivouac for a day or so and just think. It is fortunate that the river is very, very long. You will have an opportunity to stop in other places and mature your thoughts in those venues.
7. 你自己的小魔法
7. 你自己的小魔法
我相信你有同樣的經歷：也許你正在走路、說話或者做著不用大腦的事，突然有一種感覺浮現，這感覺一開始靜靜地在你的心中形成，然後慢慢地變得很明確。起初這令人感到很困惑，因為這種感覺很罕見，然而隨之而來的是喜悅，沒錯，是喜悅，不是刻意追求，卻令人感到驚豔且悸動的喜悅！你內心充滿感恩，感恩自己擁有生命。
我相信你有同樣的經歷：也許你正在走路、說話或者做著不用大腦的事，突然有一種感覺浮現，這感覺一開始靜靜地在你的心中形成，然後慢慢地變得很明確。起初這令人感到很困惑，因為這種感覺很罕見，然而隨之而來的是喜悅，沒錯，是喜悅，不是刻意追求，卻令人感到驚豔且悸動的喜悅！你內心充滿感恩，感恩自己擁有生命。
「舒適的麻木」是平克‧佛洛伊德1最受歡迎的一首歌的歌名。有天早上我聽這首歌時，讓我想到一個問題，撇開這首歌的內容不談，這首歌的歌名到底是什麼意思？我到底要過物質豐盛的生活，還是我要揭開那古老問題的答案，那就是，人生的意義是什麼？即便目標漸漸明確，我最終會不會變得麻木而放棄追尋生命的答案？
「舒適的麻木」是平克‧佛洛伊德1最受歡迎的一首歌的歌名。有天早上我聽這首歌時，讓我想到一個問題，撇開這首歌的內容不談，這首歌的歌名到底是什麼意思？我到底要過物質豐盛的生活，還是我要揭開那古老問題的答案，那就是，人生的意義是什麼？即便目標漸漸明確，我最終會不會變得麻木而放棄追尋生命的答案？
我有必要每天阻止自己不要變成麻木並過著跟人生目標毫不相關的生活嗎？隨著年齡增長，你會想到奧斯特里茲戰役2給我們的啟示：力挽狂瀾的勝利。我常常遇到看起來心靈空虛或失去靈魂的人們，至少從他們的眼神中看來是如此的。有天我去加油，加油員是個大約18、19歲的年輕男子。他幾乎無視我的存在。他有條不紊、很熟練地將加油管放入車子的油箱。加完油後，收了我的錢，然後拿收據和零錢給我，整個過程這位年輕人面無表情。我14歲時也做過類似的工作，那是我的第一份工作，我記得當時那種興奮、冒險的感覺，絕不像這位年輕人明顯表現出的厭倦。
我有必要每天阻止自己不要變成麻木並過著跟人生目標毫不相關的生活嗎？隨著年齡增長，你會想到奧斯特里茲戰役2給我們的啟示：力挽狂瀾的勝利。我常常遇到看起來心靈空虛或失去靈魂的人們，至少從他們的眼神中看來是如此的。有天我去加油，加油員是個大約18、19歲的年輕男子。他幾乎無視我的存在。他有條不紊、很熟練地將加油管放入車子的油箱。加完油後，收了我的錢，然後拿收據和零錢給我，整個過程這位年輕人面無表情。我14歲時也做過類似的工作，那是我的第一份工作，我記得當時那種興奮、冒險的感覺，絕不像這位年輕人明顯表現出的厭倦。
難道我所屬的「時代精神」與這代年輕人相比有這麼大的不同嗎？我並不這麼認為。這都是我們的錯！我們的學校、家長和整個社會都沒有讓年輕人感受到生命的奧妙與精神的喜悅，以至於無法啟發他們追求自由翱翔的熱情。他們被迫進入一個不斷急劇變動的狀態中。到學校受教育，便能找到一份好工作，並且和心中的白馬王子或白雪公主結為連理，生兩個孩子，累積很多財富，五十歲退休，然後活到一百歲，而且身體健康狀態良好，過著夢幻般的生活。以我和年輕朋友相處的經驗，他們都知道這不過是個徹頭徹尾的謊言，他們可以在網路上看這類的新聞報導，並做出自己的評斷。
難道我所屬的「時代精神」與這代年輕人相比有這麼大的不同嗎？我並不這麼認為。這都是我們的錯！我們的學校、家長和整個社會都沒有讓年輕人感受到生命的奧妙與精神的喜悅，以至於無法啟發他們追求自由翱翔的熱情。他們被迫進入一個不斷急劇變動的狀態中。到學校受教育，便能找到一份好工作，並且和心中的白馬王子或白雪公主結為連理，生兩個孩子，累積很多財富，五十歲退休，然後活到一百歲，而且身體健康狀態良好，過著夢幻般的生活。以我和年輕朋友相處的經驗，他們都知道這不過是個徹頭徹尾的謊言，他們可以在網路上看這類的新聞報導，並做出自己的評斷。
年輕人若沒有達到人們指望的成就，很快地就會引來了眾人的責難。「什麼？你還沒有工作？」然而，他們被告誡不要接受一份可能會「弄髒雙手」或是會降低家族社會地位的工作。這些態度都是消費主義的價值觀與早期資本主義所造成的，這是行不通的。新的文藝復興就要來臨了，而且跟之前的一樣3，它勢必會對我們的世界起革命性的改變。如果持續支持陳舊、行不通的社會模式，我們幾乎可說是共犯結構的一份子了。我相信人類社會的獨到之處就是我們被賦予改變世界的機會，就從一次改變一個人做起。這門檻並不高，我們所要做的就是做出承諾，對於社會上人們所犯的的過錯不要只是冷眼旁觀，連出聲評論的勇氣也沒有。
年輕人若沒有達到人們指望的成就，很快地就會引來了眾人的責難。「什麼？你還沒有工作？」然而，他們被告誡不要接受一份可能會「弄髒雙手」或是會降低家族社會地位的工作。這些態度都是消費主義的價值觀與早期資本主義所造成的，這是行不通的。新的文藝復興就要來臨了，而且跟之前的一樣3，它勢必會對我們的世界起革命性的改變。如果持續支持陳舊、行不通的社會模式，我們幾乎可說是共犯結構的一份子了。我相信人類社會的獨到之處就是我們被賦予改變世界的機會，就從一次改變一個人做起。這門檻並不高，我們所要做的就是做出承諾，對於社會上人們所犯的的過錯不要只是冷眼旁觀，連出聲評論的勇氣也沒有。
舉個小案例。有天我的朋友在博物館看見了一個小孩激烈地拍打一只蝴蝶的展示箱。不知為何，這個小朋友劇烈地搖晃著透明塑膠箱，也許是試圖讓這隻經過防腐處理的昆蟲恢復自由。誰知道呢？或者說，誰在乎呢？如此反常的行為至少可以說是有害社會的。我的朋友覺得他有責任對這個男孩說些話，然後他就去講了。結果這個小男孩受到驚嚇，他的母親則是極為尷尬。我不相信這個小男孩還敢再犯同樣的錯誤。也許有些人不認同這樣積極介入的方式，這由你自己評斷！底下是德國著名牧師馬丁·尼莫拉4的不朽話語：
舉個小案例。有天我的朋友在博物館看見了一個小孩激烈地拍打一只蝴蝶的展示箱。不知為何，這個小朋友劇烈地搖晃著透明塑膠箱，也許是試圖讓這隻經過防腐處理的昆蟲恢復自由。誰知道呢？或者說，誰在乎呢？如此反常的行為至少可以說是有害社會的。我的朋友覺得他有責任對這個男孩說些話，然後他就去講了。結果這個小男孩受到驚嚇，他的母親則是極為尷尬。我不相信這個小男孩還敢再犯同樣的錯誤。也許有些人不認同這樣積極介入的方式，這由你自己評斷！底下是德國著名牧師馬丁·尼莫拉4的不朽話語：
當納粹來抓共產黨員時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是共產黨員；
當納粹來抓共產黨員時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是共產黨員；
當納粹來抓社會黨員時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是社會黨員；
當納粹來抓社會黨員時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是社會黨員；
當納粹來抓工會的人時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是工會的人；
當納粹來抓工會的人時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是工會的人；
當納粹來抓猶太人時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是猶太人；
當納粹來抓猶太人時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是猶太人；
當納粹來抓天主教徒時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是天主教徒；
當納粹來抓天主教徒時，我沒有站出來為他們說話，因為我不是天主教徒；
當納粹來抓我的時候，已經沒有人留下來為我說話了。
當納粹來抓我的時候，已經沒有人留下來為我說話了。
你可以決定自己要生活在什麼樣的世界。如同哲學家們所說，要過一個真實的人生，讓你的價值觀反映在你的行動上是很不容易的。但至少，我們一定要去嘗試。生命是一條湍急的河流，有時就算你想把船停靠在岸邊宿營一兩天，並且好好思考一下都是非常困難的。好在這條河流很長，你將有機會停留在其他的地方，並且在那裡讓自己的想法越臻成熟。
你可以決定自己要生活在什麼樣的世界。如同哲學家們所說，要過一個真實的人生，讓你的價值觀反映在你的行動上是很不容易的。但至少，我們一定要去嘗試。生命是一條湍急的河流，有時就算你想把船停靠在岸邊宿營一兩天，並且好好思考一下都是非常困難的。好在這條河流很長，你將有機會停留在其他的地方，並且在那裡讓自己的想法越臻成熟。