People tend to zone out in fashion - Urban New Blog Sample

Author: Mo Youqun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Lady · China Book · Long Underwear
Nora Ephron, a renowned American best-selling author, returned to her alma mater, Wellesley College, for a lecture after achieving success. She shouted to the countless pairs of ears filled with anticipation: "No matter what you choose to do, no matter what path you take, I only hope you don’t choose to become a ‘lady’!"
Before the liberation, a magazine asked scholars and experts what books young people must read. When asked about Lu Xun, he replied, "I’ve never paid attention to it, so I can’t say now." He then added, "I think you should read less—or perhaps not at all—Chinese books."
Nora Ephron may not have truly despised ladies in her heart, and Lu Xun certainly didn’t entirely reject Chinese books; everyone knew he had delved deeply into ancient Chinese classics. However, they both detested pretentiousness and the oppression of others with old traditions. Thus, they deliberately made shocking statements to awaken young people to the importance of forming their own opinions. These two could be considered "admonitory mentors" for the youth.
A young American was about to study at Oxford and visited the great poet T.S. Eliot before leaving. Eliot asked him, "Forty years ago, I went from Harvard to Oxford. Now you’re going from Harvard to Oxford. What advice should I give you?" The young man listened eagerly, expecting the poet to offer some golden words that would guide him for life. After much thought, Eliot finally said, "Do you have long underwear?"
Similar to Eliot, Mark Twain had a different kind of effect. This great writer was also invited to speak at a women’s college, with the topic being "Advice to Girls." The girls in the audience expected to hear profound truths illuminated by wisdom, but instead, Mark Twain began to ramble on like an old woman: "You must not smoke, you must not drink, and you must not eat too much."
At first glance, you might think these two were on par with housewives, but in reality, they were using this almost humorous approach to tell the younger generation that the path of life and the path of learning must be walked by themselves. They could be called "unboxed heads" mentors for the youth.
However, such lovable youth mentors are now extremely rare. Today, society is filled with "loud-style" mentors who dress themselves up as preachers, busy pouring "inspirational soup" into the youth. They teach middle school students how to get into Ivy League schools; they advise girls on how to maintain their virginity; they instruct young people on how to see through the truths of life; they guide fresh graduates on how to dig for their "life’s fortune"; and they offer advice on how to find a rich father, how not to let others move their cheese, how to start a "revolution in learning," and how to spark a "brainstorm." In short, from essential books for life to essential paths in life, the "loud-style" mentors are always eloquent.
Bertrand Russell once said that among all living things, especially among humans, "there are some things that are sacred, difficult to define, limitless, and some things that are personal and exceptionally precious, the source of life’s growth, a fragment of the silent competition in the world." Therefore, every educator should remember the spirit of freedom and maintain enough humility in front of the youth.
What is the "spirit of freedom"? In the words of an American scholar, "the spirit of freedom is the spirit of not being very sure of one’s own correctness." For those who are truly great, the richer their life experience and the deeper their learning, the more they will realize how elusive and indescribable the "principle of life’s growth" is.
Regarding the indescribable, we should remain silent or "sidestep the issue," which is actually a genuinely sincere and honest attitude. On the other hand, those who speak excessively about the indescribable or give unsolicited advice to growing life at any time are either shallow or hypocritical.
China Central Television has a program called "Dialogue," which often invites celebrities from the business world to discuss with the audience in person. Seeing these celebrities explain the principles of making money as if it were sacred, while the young students listen with such devotion, always leaves me with many reflections. I believe that what can be said is nothing more than lofty, profound yet hollow maxims, or exaggerated, self-righteous "brilliant nonsense" that the speakers themselves don’t intend to implement. Many real techniques for making money are things that celebrities are reluctant or too embarrassed to share. (2002.10) P5-6