Civilization's Illusion (Reflections and Challenges on Western History and Culture)

Author: Shi Yishi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: In today's era of economic globalization, as the information age compresses and condenses humanity's living space into a "global village," when the dawn and dusk lines of human destiny waver between the paradise of high technology and mushroom clouds, connecting the hollowed ozone layer, and when the explosion and competition of knowledge can either lead to the madness after human civilization or guide humanity to jointly create an eternal paradise of freedom and happiness, we can no longer satisfy ourselves with mere objective records and generalized reviews of history. The tragic fate that chokes humanity is precisely because predecessors have never truly demonstrated independent and powerful discernment to penetrate the fog of history and deeper critical insight. Now more than ever, we urgently need to find a new and crucial cultural perspective to seek a guiding light full of hope and never extinguishing, for humanity's seemingly chaotic and bewildered future.
I particularly hope that all people around the world who are striving to achieve the ideal of a modernized strong nation: when learning from the Western world, consider posing this century-old question: Will Western civilization be a huge trap in the process of social development? Does Western culture resemble a lush, gigantic, and beautiful opium poppy? Does Western culture resemble an unsteered giant ship loaded with nuclear weapons, displaying immense power while terrifyingly threatening the vibrant and hopeful green wilderness of global civilization? Will the Western world decline as predicted by Spengler? I enjoy Sartre's contemplation, I praise Kierkegaard's challenges, and I marvel at Toynbee's vastness—Western culture is not a panacea and has no special privileges, nor does it possess any inherent advantages—Even when facing a "paradise," we must pour our contemplation, skepticism, and challenges into it!