Anxiety in the Depth of History: One Close Look at America

Author: Lin Da
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The author narrates stories from real-life in the United States in the form of letters. Vividly introduces the ideological principles, establishment and development process, operational methods, historical value, and the costs paid and to be paid for implementing this system. The size of the United States is about the same as that of China. Like most international students and new immigrants, when we first set foot on this vast and unfamiliar land, the choice of our initial settlement was quite. We landed in an ordinary place, living in a mundane and tranquil environment. The Americans around us, young and old, were all working hard, leading ordinary lives to an extreme. For them, achieving a better life was not an easy task either. Before we could even think about anything, the living pressures faced by new immigrants immediately threw us into the same hard work. In this way, we naturally shared a common language and experiences with the ordinary Americans around us, as well as their joys and sorrows. Many Americans even became our good friends. Unconsciously, we found that the United States had gradually moved beyond a collection of abstract concepts, becoming the land beneath our feet, turning into forests and pastures, and becoming one American after another. We also experienced the frustration of being called "peripheral people." It was obviously impossible for us to enter its culture at the same moment we entered this land, and our original cultural background, distant as it was, began to feel unfamiliar. In daily life, two entirely different cultures often collided abruptly before our eyes, and at first, we felt truly lost and unable to avoid the awkwardness. However, over time, we began to accept the situation of being "peripheral people" and even gained some insights. Calmly, we realized that for the first time, we could sit in a quiet place, maintaining a distance from both cultures—one that was neither too close nor too far. They not only began to form a landscape but also, for the first time, presented us with unprecedented meaning. The suffering of "peripheral people" was very common among new immigrants; it was a tragic effect produced by the clash of two dominant cultures on a small individual. We were fortunate to have escaped it. However, our situation made us unable to help but think that as immigrants squeezed between two cultures, we still felt the contradictions and pressures. Then, when these two cultures, two great powers, truly confront each other, how unfamiliar and confused they must be—perhaps it would not be an exaggeration to say that the situation was fraught with danger. Our position allowed us to see more of their differences. We discovered that they not only had their own complete value systems but even different vocabularies, contexts, and logic. Sometimes, starting from the same premise and following their respective logic, they would lead to completely unrelated results. On this basis, dialogue could only seem painful and difficult. Therefore, it seemed that before making a decision to welcome or reject each other, there was a long and arduous path of mutual understanding that had to be taken. Otherwise, easily calling "yes" would lack justification, and readily speaking "no" could also be off-topic. Moreover, history had already determined that they could not avoid each other forever. They had tried, but to no avail, so they attempted to draw closer to each other. Sometimes, if one did not temporarily distance oneself from one's habitual way of thinking, it would be impossible to take a step forward on the path of mutual understanding. We, as ordinary new immigrants, were learning about this strange country. Once we arrived, we had to accept it—we had no other choice. The United States is not a country good at hiding its flaws. Where it casts sunlight, it also casts shadows. All its shadows are exposed without any concealment before everyone, even strangers. Thus, even ordinary outsiders like us could immediately spot a multitude of problems. However, we quickly realized that we must wake up from our complacency, because later we found that it did not necessarily mean we were wiser or more perceptive than Americans. They seemed to be very aware of these shadows as well—they were only forced to accept a simple truth: if you pursue sunlight, you cannot avoid the shadows behind you. We began to wonder, when Americans tolerate these shadows (a tolerance that often caused them immense pain), what was the unwavering light in their hearts? What were they seeking, to the point of paying such a heavy price? This was truly a question for us. In the process of understanding it, our interest in this short-history, unfamiliar country grew day by day. Based on our experiences as ordinary people, we found that the first step in understanding was simple interaction. No matter how hard a great power may appear, its people are all ordinary—and the greatest power is still made up of these ordinary people. When people become friends, communication turns into friendship, and mutual understanding naturally begins. It is always a good thing when either side can view the world from a broader perspective. Last year, we gradually wrote these letters to our good friends back home. We hoped to share our thoughts, observations, and reflections with them. Here, we sincerely thank the editors of Sanlian Bookstore and all the friends who helped publish this book.