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2009年1月21日星期三
2009年1月16日星期五
A Letter to My Daughters
What I Want for You — and Every Child in America
When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.
I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.
I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.
Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.
That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.
She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.
I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.
I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.
Love, Dad
By President-elect Barack Obama
01/14/2009
Dear Malia and Sasha,
I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.
When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.
I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.
I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.
Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.
That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.
She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.
I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.
.
These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.
I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.
Love, Dad
2009年1月2日星期五
【斷章寫意】我有一個夢想
……此時此刻，我們雖然遭受種種困難和挫折，我仍然有一個夢想…… 我夢想有一天，這個國家會站立起來，真正實現其信條的真諦：“我們認為真理是不言而喻的，人人生而平等。”；我夢想有一天，在佐治亞的紅山上，昔日奴隸的兒子將能夠和昔日奴隸主的兒子坐在一起共敘兄弟情誼；我夢想有一天，甚至連密西西比州這個正義匿跡、壓迫成風、如同沙漠般的地方，也將變成自由和正義的綠洲；我夢想有一天、我的四個孩子將在一個不是以他們的膚色，而是以他們的品格優劣來評價他們的國度裏生活……（摘自：1963年8月23日馬丁·路德·金在華盛頓林肯紀念堂發表的著名演講《我有一個夢想》，http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm）我有一個夢想：我夢想有一天，當這城市討論任何社會議題的時候，每個市民都可以各抒己見、不同觀點可以自由交鋒，而不是一開始要先表立場、統一答案；我夢想有一天，在這社會裏發生重大事件之後，我們可以透過新聞媒體了解到全部或大部分接近事實的真相，而不用在聽完、看完浮光掠影的新聞報道之後，又迷失於街頭巷尾不置可否的狐疑與猜測……
我夢想有一天，我可以將自己的小孩放心地交給這個社會，因爲這社會的教育制度和教育工作者值得信賴——大家的教育方式或許各有不同，但我們可以相信：這社會尊崇正直誠實、敢講真話的普世價值；我夢想有一天，每一個澳門人都可以站在相同的起跑綫上追尋各自的夢想，這社會沒有那麽多潛規則，人們也不會因爲後臺背景、社會階層而被區別對待，只要一個人積極努力、奮發向上，就有可能得到認可、取得成功……
我夢想有一天，在澳門電視上看到的新聞字幕不再錯字連篇；我夢想有一天，澳門城市裏不再賭場遍地；我夢想有一天，“以民為本”不再是一句只在標語牌上看見的口號；我夢想有一天，澳門人與澳門人、澳門人與外地人之間能夠互相信任、共建城市未來；我更加夢想有一天，以上這些夢想都不再是遙不可及的夢想，而是澳門人看得見、摸得着的現實……
2009年的第一天，謹祝各位心想事成、願望成真。
（“誰的未來”系列，二十六，完）
【斷章寫意】看得見的未來
香港人的困局是一種“遺憾”，不能選擇自己人生的“遺憾”。殖民教育重視的是一種自我制約，一切爲了“呢份工”。爲了生存，便需要違背自己的本質，去做一些自己不想做或不適合的事，所以香港人只會用自由去“批評”別人，而不會用自由去選擇自己的命運，所以香港的負能量很強，一切都是陰謀動機論又或者是一種沒必要的“涼薄”，也沒有什麽道德，因爲大家都不相信道德，道德只是一種包裝。這個城市是一個有太多迷信、但沒有多少宗教的城市。宗教的最高表現是藝術，因爲只有藝術才能感動人才能令人有信念，但在這個城市，藝術和宗教都成爲了一種心靈卡拉OK，為的是發洩、是尋找藉口。（摘自“在這城創作華嚴經”，胡恩威，2008年7月29日香港《明報》）
我承認，對於未來，我屬於悲觀派。當然，你可以不認同我的觀點，但請你把上面引用那段話裏的“香港”換成“澳門”，然後再讀一遍。我敢打賭：你應該也樂觀不到哪裏去。
早知三日事，富貴千萬年。當我們談論“未來”的時候，我們發現，“未來”最奇妙的地方就在它的“不確定”——正因爲未來不確定，所以，未來就什麽都可能發生：未來，大家會不會覺得我們今天面對的那麽多“諮詢”真的有用？未來，我們的子孫後代會不會生活在一個我們今天努力為他們建設的安居樂業家園？未來，我們這些選民會不會真的好好把握澳門的未來，比如説，不會爲小小利益出賣自己，而會認真去研究每個參選人的政綱，再投下莊嚴一票？未來，所謂的澳門和澳門人的概念會不會變得越來越模糊，人們將在中山居住、在澳門上班、去香港買東西，周末相聚深圳音樂廳看演出或去廣州宵夜？
我們的未來，或許有一千萬種可能，但大家都知道，我們真正將經歷的未來，只有一個，而那個“未來”卻不會憑空而來，就如最高的大樓也必須由最下面一塊地基開始。所以，不要再踮起腳尖、拼了命地向前張望面前那不知道什麽樣子的未來了，真的，請相信我吧！想預見未來，一點也不難，你要做的，只不過是低下頭來，好好看看屬於我們的“現在”。
（“誰的未來”系列，二十五）
我承認，對於未來，我屬於悲觀派。當然，你可以不認同我的觀點，但請你把上面引用那段話裏的“香港”換成“澳門”，然後再讀一遍。我敢打賭：你應該也樂觀不到哪裏去。
早知三日事，富貴千萬年。當我們談論“未來”的時候，我們發現，“未來”最奇妙的地方就在它的“不確定”——正因爲未來不確定，所以，未來就什麽都可能發生：未來，大家會不會覺得我們今天面對的那麽多“諮詢”真的有用？未來，我們的子孫後代會不會生活在一個我們今天努力為他們建設的安居樂業家園？未來，我們這些選民會不會真的好好把握澳門的未來，比如説，不會爲小小利益出賣自己，而會認真去研究每個參選人的政綱，再投下莊嚴一票？未來，所謂的澳門和澳門人的概念會不會變得越來越模糊，人們將在中山居住、在澳門上班、去香港買東西，周末相聚深圳音樂廳看演出或去廣州宵夜？
我們的未來，或許有一千萬種可能，但大家都知道，我們真正將經歷的未來，只有一個，而那個“未來”卻不會憑空而來，就如最高的大樓也必須由最下面一塊地基開始。所以，不要再踮起腳尖、拼了命地向前張望面前那不知道什麽樣子的未來了，真的，請相信我吧！想預見未來，一點也不難，你要做的，只不過是低下頭來，好好看看屬於我們的“現在”。
（“誰的未來”系列，二十五）
【斷章寫意】博弈未來
從歷史長河上看，任何制度、規則、法律等等條條框框都是在為當權者服務，此次金融危機、經濟衰退又將是另一個政客們的武器。探究任何危機的發生，一點足以解釋全部——人性的貪婪、自私、自大、恐懼等等弱點，都是產生危機、朝代更替的源泉。好好想一想，我們無一不是短視的，我們不會理會環境污染會給子孫生活造成的不利影響，不會理會貪污腐敗會給社會穩定造成的不利影響，不會理會亂穿馬路、造假販假會對別人造成的傷害等等。因為我們只能活七八十歲，我們只需要把現在的生活過好點就行了。（摘自：“人性的弱點才是造成危機的根源”，阿思達克財經網，http://www.aastocks.com）
剛完成的一個TEAM BUILDING訓練課程，其中一個有趣環節是關於“博弈”的遊戲：遊戲很簡單，導師將隊員分成幾組並向他們提供A與B兩個選項，每隊可在A或B中任擇一個，然後同時展示自己的選擇，導師按結果的不同組合予以扣分或加分。在遊戲裏，如果大家協議選擇同樣的答案，自然人人得分、多贏共榮，但如果其中有人願放棄自己的“誠信”，不管協議好的結果而突然變卦，就有機會從中得利——獲取極高的分數。
遊戲結果相當令人驚訝：就算不過只是個遊戲、就算不過爲了毫無意義的分數，一樣有人會爲之放棄誠信。人性的醜陋，真的很可怕。
記得在Discovery Channel看過一齣關於“螞蟻”的紀錄片，其中講述一個龐大蟻群跋涉途中被困於一股湍急水流，慌亂的螞蟻很快想到辦法——整個蟻群抱成團，從水上滾過去，雖然死傷藉枕，但蟻群總算得以幸存並繼續前進。這一幕讓身處“萬物之靈”隊列的自己羞愧莫名。人類的所謂“文明”社會，自私人性主導的博弈無處不在：每個人都想等別人先付出，自己可以從中得到好處，甚至，出賣他人，獲取巨大利益。但慢慢地，大家都學精了，一心付出的“傻子”越來越少，只等別人付出的“聰明人”越來越多，結果，整個社會就這樣屏着氣，寧願它變得越來越糟，也不想自己蝕底、行先死先。有時候，靜下心來想想，真的很氣餒：我們，真的連螞蟻也不如？
（“誰的未來”系列，二十四）
剛完成的一個TEAM BUILDING訓練課程，其中一個有趣環節是關於“博弈”的遊戲：遊戲很簡單，導師將隊員分成幾組並向他們提供A與B兩個選項，每隊可在A或B中任擇一個，然後同時展示自己的選擇，導師按結果的不同組合予以扣分或加分。在遊戲裏，如果大家協議選擇同樣的答案，自然人人得分、多贏共榮，但如果其中有人願放棄自己的“誠信”，不管協議好的結果而突然變卦，就有機會從中得利——獲取極高的分數。
遊戲結果相當令人驚訝：就算不過只是個遊戲、就算不過爲了毫無意義的分數，一樣有人會爲之放棄誠信。人性的醜陋，真的很可怕。
記得在Discovery Channel看過一齣關於“螞蟻”的紀錄片，其中講述一個龐大蟻群跋涉途中被困於一股湍急水流，慌亂的螞蟻很快想到辦法——整個蟻群抱成團，從水上滾過去，雖然死傷藉枕，但蟻群總算得以幸存並繼續前進。這一幕讓身處“萬物之靈”隊列的自己羞愧莫名。人類的所謂“文明”社會，自私人性主導的博弈無處不在：每個人都想等別人先付出，自己可以從中得到好處，甚至，出賣他人，獲取巨大利益。但慢慢地，大家都學精了，一心付出的“傻子”越來越少，只等別人付出的“聰明人”越來越多，結果，整個社會就這樣屏着氣，寧願它變得越來越糟，也不想自己蝕底、行先死先。有時候，靜下心來想想，真的很氣餒：我們，真的連螞蟻也不如？
（“誰的未來”系列，二十四）
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