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Wednesday, July 09, 2008

瞎子摸象(三)

瞎子摸象(三)

  續評《紀事報》那篇《奧運環改造中國》的報道。撰寫該則報道的記者認為京奧是象徵著西方文明搶灘攻入中國,此觀點是以大西方為本位,認為西方文化優於中國文化,所以當從封閉落後中發展起來時,中國也將毫不保留地仰慕和吸納西方文明。夾雜著近年在西方極流行的環保概念(保護稀有瀕臨消失事物),記者帶譏諷地指出,中國在擁抱西方文明的同時,卻不懂得保護自己的文化。

  近年西方興起批評中國破壞環境,所謂的環境,除了天然地理資源外,還包括傳統文化。這些批評的背後思想是:中國人不懂得愛護環境,愛護自己的文化,無知地學西方的皮毛。因此,《紀事報》記者下了貶義的結論,認為京奧令中國政府加速西化,但卻犧牲了寶貴的傳統文化。 

  京奧反映轉變中的中國,記者在這點上是看對的,可惜卻沒有明白中國怎樣在變。京奧不等於討好西方,也不等於接受全盤西化。報道提到政府宣導教育民眾注重公共衛生及儀表,是為了討好西方來的遊客。這說法有小部份可能是事實,卻極不完全。從梁啟超的《論公德》到八十年代的「五講四美」,到近年中國政府提醒民眾在國內外注意儀態,其精神是一貫的。提高國民的公德及公共衛生意識或儀表,與國家的經濟條件關係最大,不見得是專為討好西方而做。

  自從改革開放政策促成中國經濟起飛,國民生活水準得到普遍提高之後,重尋社會價值觀便成為中國持續發展的重要一環。《紀事報》記者以為中國是在迎合西方,而事實上剛好相反。中國人崇洋於上世紀最烈,當代中國對西方的了解更深刻,也因而明白西方文明的優劣,不再是盲目的崇拜。如今年初國內民眾自發聲討CNN等西方傳媒、抵制法資超市,以及有九成網民不在乎法國總統是否出席京奧開幕式等,都反映了中國人就自身在國際的立足點的自信心大大增強了。這又與中國的經濟成長互為因果的。

  中國社會目前並不存在傾慕西方,以至自我摧毀傳統文化的問題,中國只是處於重整價值觀的時期。建構當代中國價值觀的材料,不是借奧運風吹來的西氣,而是從中華五千年文明裡重新汲取養分。一個本來沒名氣的師大女教授在電視台講經典《論語》,想會有多少觀眾呢?特別是一般人都會想中國經歷過共產思想及文革,這類經典還會有人感興趣嗎?與所謂的常理相反,于丹藉講《論語》而成為炙手可熱的名人,與品三國的易中天齊名。除了他們兩人外,國學在中國近年大受歡迎,不是老先生懷舊,是年青人也愛讀經典。

  所以,《紀事報》記者看到中國受西方文明的清洗是戴著有色眼鏡的結果,情況絕對不是如此單純。中國對外開放,受到外來文化的衝擊是必然的。與此同時,這種開放也是對內的。重新發現或檢討傳統文化,與新知識新思維相結合,表現出來的便是新中國的未來。就如唐人與宋人是不一樣的中國人,但他們都是中國人。中國正在走著自己的路,將之視為步西方的後塵,可謂失之千里了。

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It is a cultural thing in America, especially the white Americans.

They are brought up that way, show assertiveness, self-confidence. It is called self-expression. It does not matter if what they expressed is verified or not; just an opinion of the person. They are not doing scientific papers in the universities; just newspaper articles or book selling.

That leads to the freedom of speech. It is up to the reader to draw the conclusion (accept or reject). If it is invalid, or insufficent data to support the argument, then, "OK. Not good enough, but a good try" attitude.

These writer(s) went to China for a few years, then they self-promote themselves as China current events specialists (watch the old buildings got torn down). They thought they were "Pearl Buck" came to life again.
By the way, I am not a Pearl Buck person. I don't care much about her.
One more example is the PBS TV cooking shows. The shows are semi-infomercials. They sell products of course. Those cooks, excuse me; they are so called 'chefs". Most of them are just clowns. Anybody can handle the pots and pans are 'chef'.
PBS thought that they have created a melting pot of people around the world; as Ammerica is all about.

Somehow, I have not seen any Middle-East chefs yet. I am still waiting for such cooking show.