国际政经跟大街上吵架斗殴一般 | 余世存杂记096 正观新闻

旧时京津混混街头斗狠，先给自己一刀，看你怕不怕。对方不怵，拿块火炭放大腿上滋滋冒烟，看谁狠过谁。大家都看呆了，谁也不敢劝，谁也劝不动。有人感叹，以前都觉得国际政经是多么高级、多么精英、多么深思熟虑的事情，现在看跟大街上的吵架斗殴也差不了多少。

津门故多桀黠，尝有斗狠者，先自刃其肤，以慑对手。对手不惧，乃取炽炭置股，滋滋作响，以角狠戾。观者无不股栗，莫敢劝，亦莫能劝。或叹曰：曩昔皆以举世政经为至迫、至臻、至深，今观之，与闾巷斗殴几无二致。

In old Beijing and Tianjin, ruffians would fight fiercely in the streets. One would first cut himself, to see if the other would be scared. If the opponent was not intimidated, he would place a burning charcoal on his own thigh, sizzling, to see who was more ruthless. Everyone was stunned, no one dared to intervene, and no one could stop them. Someone sighed, “We used to think that international politics and economics were such advanced, elite, and profound matters, but now it seems they are not much different from street brawls.”

能欣赏别人的优点甚至承认其优秀的人，自己往往也不会太差。因为承认和欣赏了，才能去追赶。相反，一味地贬低他人的人，很多时候，只是不自知而已，只是为了安慰可怜的自己罢了。

夫能赏他人之长，乃至认其优者，己身往往亦不逊。盖因赏认之后，方能奋起直追。反之一味贬人者，多不自知，徒为自欺耳。

He who can appreciate the strengths of others, and even acknowledge their excellence, is often not inferior himself. For only after appreciation and acknowledgment can one strive to catch up. Conversely, those who constantly belittle others are often just unaware of their own shortcomings, merely seeking to comfort their pitiful selves.

参加影子老师的春季时装秀，天气冷，风大，但参加走秀的我们和观众非常欢乐，有亲友家人的感觉，估计不认识的人之间只需一个朋友就能找到彼此。小诗打油：四月风狂朔气横，霓裳旋舞踏春声，魔金石解姜茶意，凤岭清谈猫步行。

赴影师春日时装之展，天寒风劲，然则登台步秀者与观者皆甚欢愉，有亲友同堂之乐也。素昧平生者，只需一友相牵，便可寻得彼此。戏作小诗一首：四月风狂朔气横，霓裳旋舞踏春声。魔金石解姜茶意，凤岭清谈猫步行。

We attended the Shadow Teacher’s spring fashion show. It was cold and windy, but both the models and the audience were very happy, with a feeling of family and friends. Strangers could probably find each other with just one mutual friend. I’ve dashed off a little poem: In April, the wild wind howls, the northern air prevails, colorful gowns swirl in a dance, a springtime tale. Magic stones understand the kindness of ginger tea, chatting on Phoenix Hill, a catwalk scene.

用毛笔和筷子的传统造就的手指灵巧的文化基因，在现代的作用仍有待发现。一位退休的硅谷企业家说，上世紀90年代末光纤业盛极时，他的公司急于招工人，都来不及面试，他就告诉人事部门，直接带人去中餐馆吃顿饭，十个八个坐一桌，谁能很快学会用筷子，就录用，效果奇好。

夫毛颖竹箸之传统，养成指尖灵巧之文脉，其于今世之用，尚待探赜。昔有硅谷企业家，退休闲居，尝言：上世纪九十年代末，光纤之业鼎盛，其司求才若渴，无暇面试。遂谕人事，径引应者赴中餐馆，群坐一桌，凡能速习用箸者，即录之。其效奇佳。

The cultural gene of dexterous fingers fostered by the tradition of using brushes and chopsticks still awaits discovery in its modern application. A retired Silicon Valley entrepreneur once recounted that during the peak of the fiber optics boom in the late 1990s, his company was so desperate to hire workers that they didn’t even have time for interviews. He instructed the HR department to take applicants directly to a Chinese restaurant. They would sit around a table, and whoever could quickly learn to use chopsticks would be hired. The results were remarkably successful.

有作家说：一个作家发表一部作品就像开饭馆的提供菜饭，而不是贵人请客。贵人请客，客人对菜饭只能说好吃，不能说不好吃。作家是开饭馆的，客人花钱来吃饭，饭菜不好，客人可以批评。今天的社媒也有这样的差异。

有司言者云：夫文人著述，犹若市井供餐，非贵胄宴客也。贵胄宴客，食客唯赞珍馐之美，不得言其味劣。文人如市井，读者付资求食，若餐飧不甘，自可评骘。今之社媒，亦有此分野也。

A writer once said: “A writer publishing a work is like a restaurateur providing a meal, not a nobleman hosting a banquet. When a nobleman hosts a banquet, the guests can only praise the food and cannot say it’s bad. A writer is like a restaurateur; guests pay to eat, and if the food is not good, they have the right to criticize it.” Social media today also has this kind of distinction.

严复翻译《天演论》影响了一个时代，其开篇是：赫胥黎独处一室之中。在英伦之南。背山而面野。槛外诸境。历历如在几下。乃悬想二千年前。当罗马大将恺彻未到时。此间有何景物。计唯有天造草昧。人功未施。其借征人境者。不过几处荒坟。散见坡陀起伏间。而灌木丛林。蒙茸山麓。未经删治如今日者。则无疑也。

It may be safely assumed that, two thousand years ago, before Caesar set foot in southern Britain, the whole countryside visible from the windows of the room in which write, was in what is called “the state of Nature”.Except, it may be, by raising a few sepulchral mounds, such as those which still, here and there, break the flowing contours of the downs, man’s hands had made no mark upon it; and the thin veil of vegeta- tion which overspread the broad-backed heights and the shelving sides of the coombs was unaffected by his industry.