Anxiety in the Depth of History (A Close Look at America)

Author: Lin Da
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The United States is not a country good at hiding its flaws. It casts a patch of sunlight, and then leaves behind a patch of shadow. All its shadows are exposed without any concealment to everyone, even strangers. Therefore, even ordinary foreigners like us can immediately spot a multitude of problems. This book tells stories from real-life American experiences through the form of letters! The author narrates stories from real-life American experiences in the form of letters. It vividly introduces the ideological principles, establishment and development process, operational methods, historical value, as well as 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, our initial settlement choices were quite accidental. We ended up in an ordinary place, living in a mundane and peaceful environment. The Americans around us, young and old, were all working hard, leading the most ordinary lives imaginable. For them, achieving a better life was not an easy task either. Before we had time to think about anything, the pressures of life as new immigrants immediately threw us into the same hard work. In this way, we naturally developed a common language with the ordinary Americans around us through our shared efforts to make a living, as well as shared joys and sorrows. Many Americans even became our good friends. Unconsciously, we found that the United States gradually moved from a collection of abstract concepts to become the land beneath our feet, turning into forests and pastures, and becoming one American after another. We too have experienced the frustration of being called "marginal people." It was obviously impossible for us to instantly enter its culture upon entering this land, and our original cultural background, distant as it was, began to feel increasingly unfamiliar. In real life, two completely different cultures often clash abruptly before our eyes, and at first, it was truly awkward and unavoidable. However, over time, we began to become more at ease with the situation of being "marginal people" and even gained some insights. Calmly reflecting, we realized that for the st time, we could sit in a quiet place while maintaining a distance from two cultures—one neither too close nor too far. They began to take shape as a landscape, and for the st time, they presented us with unprecedented meaning. The suffering of "marginal people" is very common among new immigrants; it is a tragic effect produced when two dominant cultures focus on a small individual. We are grateful that we managed to escape it. However, our situation made it impossible for us not to think about it: as immigrants caught between two cultures, we already felt the contradictions and pressures. Then, when these two cultures, two great powers, truly confront each other, how unfamiliar and bewildered they must be—perhaps it would not be an exaggeration to say that the situation is fraught with danger. Our position allows us to see more of their differences. We discovered that they not only have their own complete value systems but even have different vocabularies, contexts, and logic. Sometimes, starting from the same major premise and following their respective logic, they can lead to completely unrelated results. On this basis, dialogue can only be painful and difficult. Therefore, it seems that before making the decision to welcome or reject each other with open arms, there is a long and arduous path of mutual understanding that must be taken. Otherwise, easily calling "yes" lacks justification, and readily speaking "no" can also be off the mark. Moreover, history has determined that they cannot avoid each other forever. They have tried, but with no results in sight, so they have again tried to draw closer. Sometimes, if one does not temporarily distance oneself from one's habitual way of thinking, it is impossible to take even a small step forward on the path of mutual understanding. We are learning about this strange country as ordinary new immigrants. Since we are here, we must accept it, and there is no other way. The United States is not a country good at hiding its flaws. It casts a patch of sunlight, and then leaves behind a patch of shadow. All its shadows are exposed without any concealment to everyone, even strangers. Therefore, even ordinary foreigners like us can immediately spot a multitude of problems. But we quickly realized that we must wake up from our complacency, because later we found that it did not necessarily mean that we were smarter or more perceptive than the Americans. They seem to be very aware of this shadow, and they are only compelled to accept a simple truth: if you pursue sunlight, you cannot avoid the shadow behind it. We began to wonder what light burns unceasingly in their hearts when they tolerate this shadow (a tolerance that often causes them immense suffering). What are they seeking that they are willing to pay such a heavy price for? This is truly a question for us. In the process of understanding it, we developed an ever-growing interest in this strange country with a short history. Based on our experiences as ordinary people, we found that the first step in understanding is simple interaction. No matter how hard a great nation may appear on the outside, its people are just ordinary individuals, and even the greatest nation is 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 with a broader perspective. Last year, we gradually wrote these letters to our good friends back home. We hoped to share with them what we had read, seen, heard, and thought. Here, we sincerely thank the editors of the Sanlian Bookstore and all the friends who helped publish this book.