Wildfire Collection: Thirty Years Anniversary Edition

Chapter 9 Starting from "5" ([-])
On the eve of my going abroad, a friend brought a few volumes of Chinese paintings and said earnestly: "Give it to foreigners to promote the beauty of Chinese culture!" What I heard was only deep sorrow--do Chinese people today want the approval of others so much?We hope so much that others will pat us on the shoulder and say, "It's okay?!" If today's Taiwan really has a rich cultural tradition, it doesn't need to "promote" it hard, and people will naturally come here to admire it.If Taiwan's interior is empty and shallow, then what's the point of "propagating" it?We are so eager to ask others to pay attention, which itself is a manifestation of guilty conscience and lack of self-confidence.But lack of self-confidence is nothing, why not bravely admit your guilty conscience and weaknesses, and really improve yourself!On the contrary, what we do is mindless "propaganda" work - put up slogans, make publicity, and cast the largest, heaviest, tallest, and most expensive bronze statue in the world... This is not the mentality of the upstart with a guilty conscience, it is What?
It's not shameful to be thin, it's shameful to swell one's face to pretend to be fat.It is not shameful that we have social problems and cultural crisis. What is shameful is to build a big bronze statue to get self-intoxicated and claim to be the master of Chinese culture.Walking through the dark and narrow alley, I saw a hunchbacked old man sitting on a bench, stitching a worn-out leather shoe with his withered hands—does he know a city hall with clean clothes? Officials want to take money out of his pocket to build a giant bronze statue "reviving Chinese culture"?Had it been such a title on the tax return, I would have refused to pay the bronze tax as Thoreau had done, and would rather go to jail than support such a foolish feat.

Taipei is bad enough!Give us a piece of green grass, give us a little fresh air, give us a quiet community, give our children a clean toilet, a wide park, a children's library, but don't, don't give us a place that will cover The big bronze statue of the sun.

Different freedom
Originally published in "China Times Human World" on April [-], [-]

Her dress was really weird and ugly.Her hair was tied tightly around her left ear, and a short bunch was raised up. Her fat face looked like a white radish lying sideways.The legs are very short, and they wear loose and fat pants, and the top is covered long enough to cover the knees. The short person seems to be propped up in a flour sack for an event advertisement.She held her head up, flicked her hair, and walked in front of herself proudly.

She was really ugly, but I smiled as she walked by, admiring her courage to wear something different from others.

The student stood up and said loudly that he disagreed with me.He gave an example, an example where the logic was completely wrong.After gesticulating, he finished speaking and sat down.The whole class was silent, squinting at him, thinking that he was arrogant, self-showing, and extremely unstable.

His arguments were very biased, but I smiled and listened to him, admiring his courage to say things that others dared not say.

My friend sent [-] wedding invitations and they are getting married next week.However, I realized that this was not an ideal combination—what about two hundred guests?He abruptly canceled the wedding reception.

His decision was really a bit too late, but I tore up the wedding invitation with a smile, admiring his courage to do things that most people dare not do. He got in the car and had the courage to get off.

On the crude podium, the candidate wearing a red strip spoke hoarsely.Policemen in uniform and plainclothes supervisors stood nervously in the crowd.Candidates froze and yelled things that would never have been published in the normal papers.

The examples he gave were full of fallacies, and his language was rough and low-level, but I stood in the shade of the banyan tree, listened to him patiently, and admired his courage to advocate opinions different from the public.

That carrot head may be naive, just to be different from others.My students may be superficial, standing up and talking just to show off.Friends who cancel the wedding banquet may have a temperamental personality and are extremely unreliable.Candidates who make the police nervous may have low knowledge and style, with only a shallow understanding of what democracy is really about.

But, I think, they have different freedom from me, and also have different freedom from you.

Look at the west

Originally published in "China Times Human World" on May [-], [-]

Said that Taiwan is very foreign?
seems like it.Regardless of whether the goods are good or bad, as soon as they are packaged in foreign languages, some people flock to them.Walking into a luxury hotel, the waiters are attentive to foreign guests, but they often turn a blind eye to their compatriots.If there is a problem, it can only be solved quickly by labeling it as "impeding international view". If a politician comes to visit, what the reporter emphasizes the most is whether the person has a good impression of Taiwan.In terms of education, the generation that recited "Moonlight Before the Bed" and "My Minister's Secret Words, My Minister's Provocation" is now busy sending the next generation to English kindergartens to read "Hello, how are you".Every summer, batches of young people, good or not, go to the West in [-]s to undergo brain and spiritual transformation.When they get to the other side, most of them don't look back.

But does Taiwan really worship the ocean?
It seems not.A blond friend was watching the monkeys in the fence at the zoo, and a young man next to him suddenly said loudly: "Wow! Monkeys watch monkeys!" The people around laughed happily.The friend who was very good at Chinese walked away without saying a word.There are quite a few Chinese who think that Westerners are monkeys, devils, and barbarians.Chinese cuisine is number one in the world. Chinese people are really smart to use chopsticks. Chinese people value etiquette, integrity, and ethics, while Westerners are utilitarian and realistic, and they are not humane.Chinese couples have eternal love overnight, while Western men and women are frivolous and have corrupt morals.When the Chinese are making rituals and making fun, Westerners are still drinking blood!
If it is said that Taiwan's admiration for foreign countries is very deep, then its "anti-foreign" sentiment is not weak at all.Once the writer of an article mentions the advantages of the West, he has to quickly write a note: "I am not worshiping the West!" as a parry. The word "Chongyang" itself is a curse word, indicating that our society is deeply attracted to Western civilization on the one hand, and on the other hand has a deep sense of rejection in our hearts.Under the influence of these two conflicting emotions, many strange phenomena arise.

For example, if a blond kid born in Taiwan says, "I want to be Chinese, I don't want to go back to the United States," or a missionary says, "I love Chinese culture, and I will dedicate my life to China," our The newspapers will make a lot of noise, and every Chinese will feel proud.On the other hand, if a Chinese child born in the United States says, "I don't want to be Chinese", or an international student dares to declare "I love American culture, and I want to dedicate myself to the United States", I am afraid that very few Chinese will not fill their chests with anger and scold them. This man is a traitor who has forgotten his ancestors.In other words, it is natural for others to admire us, but we must never admire others.How to explain this psychology?

Many parents do everything possible to send their children abroad to evade Taiwan's entrance exam system.These parents have been accused of xenophobia.In fact, every parent in Taiwan probably has an inextricable knot in their hearts: they want their children to grow up carefree, but under the restraint of the education system, they have to watch their glasses get thicker and thicker. , The more you read the book, the more you die, and the more you are forced, the more nervous you become.What parent wouldn't want his or her children to escape the system if given the chance?Under such circumstances, when parents send their children abroad, we don’t seriously review the shortcomings of the education system and ask why Taiwan can’t keep people, but instead use the hat of “worshiping foreign countries” to criticize. Isn’t it strange?

Struggling between the two mentalities of admiration and xenophobia, we sometimes feel like individuals with both inferiority complex and megalomaniac.To people, it is impossible to be neither humble nor overbearing.Although many people are flattering and flattering to blondes excessively, there are also many people who deliberately show self-esteem and deliberately treat them with an attitude of arrogance and disrespect.Our personnel stationed abroad sometimes make things difficult for outsiders in visa procedures, probably adopting the mentality of "I want to punish you".Under the confusion of inferiority complex and arrogance, we cannot be objective and calm about things.When discussing various social issues in Taiwan, I often find three intuitive responses.

One is: "Why, you always say that we are not good, so the West doesn't have these problems?" I don't understand, what does Taiwan's shortcomings have to do with the West?Could it be that, well, Italy is also dirty, so it makes sense for Taiwan to be dirty?Mexico is also heavily polluted, so it doesn't matter if we pollute?Other countries have similar problems, so our problems can be left alone?Regardless of whether the West has similar problems, we still have to face up to our own shortcomings, don't we?

The second reaction is: "You always talk about the progress of European and American civilization, and you worship foreign countries!" This kind of rhetoric is completely emotional.If someone says that Europe is clean, then the normal reaction should be, the first question is, is it true that Europe is clean?The second question is, is "clean" what we want?If the answer to the two questions is yes, then the third question: How can we follow suit and be "clean"?The whole procedure has nothing to do with admiration or not.

The third common reaction, especially from the official, is to say: "That's from the West, it's not in line with Taiwan's reality!" Practically speaking, on the one hand, it also blocks the call for reform.As long as any suggestion or concept is labeled as "Western", it is easy to dismiss it as "not in line with Taiwan's reality".As a matter of fact, anything that is "Western" does not necessarily mean that it is "unsuitable for Taiwan's actual conditions", and "unsuitable for Taiwan's actual conditions" does not mean that it cannot be done.Public morality does not match the real situation in Taiwan, right?Do we need public morality?Modern democracy belongs to the West. Do we want democracy?Abiding by the law does not seem to be in line with Taiwan's reality. Should we abide by the law?
All three responses were emotional.What we should be concerned about is whether some European and American values ​​or behaviors are worthy of our capture.If it is worth it, then regardless of whether it is the West or not, we should learn from others and work hard to "worship the West".If it's not worth it, then let's not be tempted, Western or not.But if we can't get rid of the emotional impact on the West—whether it's blindly flattering the West or fighting against the West in the Boxer style—we will never be able to face the West and make objective and reasonable judgments based on the facts.

When a Westerner says, "Eating in Taiwan is dangerous of being poisoned, crossing the street is likely to be hit to death, Chinese people are dirty, messy, noisy, and rude", there are probably few Chinese who do not fly into a rage, but I No, because I know that when the Chinese come back from Southeast Asia or other areas, they also say: "Wow! It's so backward over there, there is a danger of poisoning if you eat, and you will be killed if you go to the street. They are dirty and messy , It’s noisy, I can’t bear it!” So ​​what if “they” heard it?It is not only Westerners who use their own ruler to measure the world.In this world, there are ugly Americans, as well as ugly Japanese, Germans, and French. Do you think there are ugly Chinese?
What's more, when hearing criticism from others, the normal and reasonable reaction should be to first ask whether what he said is true?If so, how can it be improved?After hearing criticism from Westerners, it is an abnormal psychological manifestation to be furious because of the rising national sentiment, or to rush to please the West.

On the radio, I heard a "legislator" say: "We went out to investigate and found that European and American congressmen have assistants. We don't have them, so we are very embarrassed..." I was confused when I heard the truth: because they have, so We also want to - what kind of logic is this?But today it seems that this phenomenon is very common: New York has graffiti on the subway, and Taipei must have it, no matter how ugly it is.The United States has the Statue of Liberty, so let's also have a statue of Confucius, whether it is realistic or not.This is psychological slavery.Conversely, when others go abroad for further study, I don't want to, because I love my country.The West talks about openness and tolerance, but I tend to talk about conservative virtues.Westerners talk about respecting the individual, but I prefer to say that the team comes first.The worse the West is, the worse I am.This, too, is a psychological slave.We must get rid of this demon, so that we can look at the West in the right direction—they are anti-nuclear, should we?They are anti-pollution, should we?They have a vacation system, do we want it?They talk about sexual openness, should we?Only by discussing everything objectively and calmly, without inferiority, arrogance, or emotional reactions, can the Chinese stand out from the huge shadow of the West.Otherwise, we are all others' slaves, adoring or anti-foreign.

What about "opposition"?

Originally published in "China Times Human World" on May [-], [-]

Using the word "confrontation" seems to be waiting for a knife hanging over the head to drop. "Fucking the Kuomintang" means that since you have power, the people's indiscriminate resentment must also be borne in a general way.

"This article can be published, can it be regarded as a small indicator?" Writing this line shows that I also feel guilty.

The Department of Agriculture and Forestry originally had a contract with the people who raise pigs: when the price of pigs is good, the government will take a cut; when the price of pigs is low, the government will subsidize them.Whether this policy is wise or not is irrelevant.The market has been so bad recently that the Department of Agriculture and Forestry has taken an action: unilaterally renege on the contract.Then the head of the department said in the newspaper: I hope farmers will "understand" the government, "support" the government, and not sue the government.

When Taipower decided to build a nuclear plant, it first spent millions of dollars from ordinary people before seeking approval.After the voices of opposition arose, Taipower made a lot of advertising on the one hand, and on the other hand said, please "understand" the government and "support" the government.

The reason why the heads of these government agencies make such demands on the people is, of course, because they feel that they have the right to make such demands.From the civics textbooks in primary schools to the posters and slogans on the street, we have been indoctrinated with the concept that the people should "support", "support", "love", and "grate" the government for the so-called "virtuous government".The "confrontation" between the people and the government is dangerous.

Such a concept, such a word, cannot be called democracy, can it? !The so-called government does things for me, a small citizen; whenever he does something, I will use the eyes of supervision to measure his efficiency and results. "Public servants"), if they don't do well, they have to be replaced.Why should I "support" and "support" the government without distinguishing between right and wrong?The government must take practical actions to win my support, and it has no right to ask for my "love" comprehensively.Things are done well, not to mention the "virtuous government" that I have to be grateful for, it is his "partial" responsibility.

The Department of Agriculture and Forestry unilaterally broke the contract, can it ask the damaged pig farmers to support it?The government can break the contract, so can the slaughterer also refuse to pay the slaughter tax of four to five hundred yuan for a pig?Can the slaughterer also ask the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry for "understanding" and "support" after refusing to pay taxes?If the Department of Agriculture and Forestry does not take remedial measures, and our barefoot pig farmers and slaughterers do not resort to the law, it means that Taiwan's democracy has not taken root at all.

What Taipower has done is even more frightening.Regardless of whether the nuclear plant should be built under ecological and economic considerations, it is an act worthy of discussion that it used the money of ordinary people before the plan was approved.It even used children's programs on TV to use elementary school students to say in their innocent and lovely voices: "The teacher said that nuclear power plants do not cause any damage to the ecology!" Taipower really treats our people like fools.

But are our people fools?
I went to the Daan Household Registry Office to apply for a copy of the household registration, and found dozens of people crowded back to back at a counter. Behind the counter, there was only one working lady working hard, while the people in other departments were very relaxed, chatting and laughing, eating and drinking. Sugar eats sugar.A man wearing glasses found out the director who was walking around and questioned him.

"Why can't you increase the manpower?"

The director put on a posture of self-defense, and said impatiently: "The staff at the top is just one person, it cannot be added!"

(End of this chapter)