Humanities Volume - Modern Teacher Reader

Author: Wang Dongsheng / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The very nature of thought is not inherently dangerous; only ignorance and hypocrisy are the most perilous things, and only prohibiting thought is the most dangerous act. Recently—just as it has always been the case—many people, upon hearing unfamiliar or incomprehensible terms, become greatly alarmed, calling them dangerous thoughts. When asked what is dangerous about these thoughts, why they are dangerous, and what exactly they consider dangerous thoughts to be, they cannot articulate a single reason. To live with such people is truly perilous. A few years ago, when the application of science was just introduced to China, the ignorant masses called it heresy and evil doctrine. They regarded those who applied science as inventions as if they were (floods and beasts). Unaware that these people are also human beings who live in the same world as us and have evolved beyond us, they labeled them "foreign devils" and "barbarians." From this, one must ask: Is knowledge and thought dangerous, or is ignorance and lack of understanding dangerous? I heard that a member of the Japanese Diet once claimed that the Bolsheviks in Russia were implementing Tolstoy's teachings, and the educated people in that country were already shocked by such talk. Now, another enlightened ambassador has emerged, claiming that the Chinese are promoting anarchism by advocating patriotism. He himself is indeed ignorant and foolish, making these statements even more pitiful and laughable. Some say that his words are merely a deliberate joke, exploiting the ignorance and fear of our government. Oh! That would be a great disgrace to us! It turns out that fear and ignorance are closely related. On a clear day, a person with eyes walking by a deep pool is in no danger at all. Neither the deep pool nor the act of walking contains any inherent danger. P69