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(斷章寫義)刺殺亞馬留
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2012年10月5日星期五
【李爾‧在此】《Bibap》:徒具娛樂性的“文化產業”
繼令人印象猶深的《Jump》之後,韓國導演崔哲基的新作《韓瘋Bibap》登陸澳門文化中心,瘋魔澳門觀衆之餘,更引發藝評人林喜上周在本版“聲色短打”專欄以此劇為例,直陳澳門“文化產業”無法“跳出自設框框”的短板,値得大家深思。但整體而言,筆者不太認同的是,《Bibap》算不上“文化產業化”的“最佳示範”,因其旣有市場意義層面的成功,也有藝術意義層面的失敗,對澳門發展文化產業的路徑參考,旣有指引之功,也有誤區之謬。
回溯《Bibap》的創作起點是在二○○七年,當時為配合韓國政府“促進韓食世界化”的政策,由韓國農林水產食品部、三星集團及韓餐世界化推進團聯合企劃此表演,邀請韓國舞台劇導演崔哲基擔任創作總監(此前崔哲基的舞台劇《亂打》及《Jump》都是舞台演出注入韓國文化元素的代表之作,廣受觀衆歡迎)。《Bibap》以“美食”為主題,結合BeatBox、B-Boy、無伴奏合唱、武術、光影戲等元素,演出多次以片段形式成為各地國際旅遊展會內韓國館的必備娛樂節目,更於二○一○年受邀參加英國愛丁堡藝術節。發展至今,此演出除了赴世界各地巡演,在韓國本土亦已成為常駐演出節目,列入各大旅行團的赴韓必備行程,將表演藝術和飮食、購物、玩樂並列,成為地方的一項旅遊資源,對於同樣定位旅遊城市的澳門,其實不無借鑑作用。由政府產業政策主導,加上商業化營銷思維,可以說《Bibap》在創作階段就以“產業化”為根本目的,比如節目內充滿娛樂效果的觀衆參與互動環節,甚至在創作階段引入歐洲“舞台醫生”(專責挖掘、糾正舞台演出各種大小問題並加以督促改進的創作顧問),可見創作核心是以帶給觀衆豐富娛樂性為最大考量,這也是《Bibap》與通常意義的舞台演藝創作的最大不同。
若從知名度、娛樂性、入場率甚至票房收入來看,《Bibap》無疑是成功(至少不能算失敗)之作。然而,這齣完全由“產業化”思維催生的舞台創作,也暴露出不少問題:《Bibap》以一場“烹飪競賽”中紅、綠兩位廚師的對決比賽為軸線,整場演出由日式(壽司)、意式(披薩)、中式(麵條)、韓式(拌飯)五場美食對決構成。毫無疑問,此創作角度匠心獨運,但可惜的是,最終舞台效果卻“被手段掩蓋了目的”,本來從“飮食”切入“文化”,創作人如何展現對五國在飮食背後的文化理解和詮釋,是令人期待的亮點,但在大量娛樂元素稀釋之下,五場本來文化背景截然不同的“烹調比拼”卻變得大同小異,徒具嘻哈娛樂的技巧賣弄,有些搞笑手法更是一用再用,和曾在澳門上演的《Jump》、《仲夏夜之夢》(韓國旅行者劇團)在藝術層次上存有相當差距。就此來看,若說《Bibap》給澳門人帶來了甚麼啟示的話,除了“文化產業化”這種結合政府政策、旅遊開發、表演藝術,以商業頭腦推動文化產業聯動發展的開拓型思維,更重要的,是演出向我們做了一次示範:文化產業雖然從形式上看似一盤生意,但其內涵仍應該(而且必須)由“文化”擔當核心元素。否則若捨本逐末,即便能取得商業意義的成功,也不過是另一種“掛羊頭、賣狗肉”的急功近利之舉。
(觀演場次:二○一二年九月九日下午三時,澳門文化中心綜合劇院。)
【斷章寫意‧反思民主之二十六】民主的反思
近二百年前,在那次着名的旅行之後,托克維爾說過一句意味深長的話:“民主把一個人永遠地抛回給他自己,最終將他完全禁錮在內心的孤獨裡。”這話可以做多樣的解讀,我的理解則是,民主通過將公共生活的重負壓在每一個個體的肩膀上,挑戰每一個人的心靈和頭腦。如果說劣質的民主,正如專制,是給個體提供一個隱身於群體之中的機會,那麼好的民主則鼓勵每個人成為他自己,依賴於每個人成為他自己。“把一個人永遠地抛回給他自己”,這是一件好事還是一件壞事呢?勇敢的人和怯懦的人,勇敢的民族和怯懦的民族,也許有不同的回答。【摘自《民主的細節:美國當代政治觀察隨筆》,劉瑜著,上海三聯書店,二○○年六月】
“甚麼是民主?”如何回答這問題,是自己寫“反思民主”系列的初衷。但一連串文章寫下來,越寫越發現這題目的宏大廣博,自己要看、聽、學的實在太多。談論民主,很容易將之與“選舉投票”簡單掛勾,也很容易將之歸責於政府的作為。但事實非完全如此——民主,不僅是選舉投票、政治辯論,更是一種價値觀念、社會型態以及生活和思考方式。
這幾年間,自己對澳門、澳門人的看法,有了天翻地覆的轉變:斑馬線前猛響喇叭怒駡過街老婦的司機、禮貌欠奉態度馬虎的餐廳侍應、巴士上對孕婦老人熟視無睹的乘客……在社會發展大潮的衝擊下,澳門人竟似完全變了一番模樣。
若按字面意思來理解,“民主”就是“讓民作主”,這個“民”字才是關鍵——不是“順民”、“暴民”或“愚民”的“民”,而是“公民”的“民”。民主的成功與否,正取決於社會是否擁有一大批願意擔負起自身責任的社會公民。所以,與其臨淵羨魚,盼望“天上掉餡餠”的施捨式民主,不如退而結網,一點一滴培養出社會強大的公民意識。不講大道理,不談假空想,我們可以從身邊最微小的地方如撿一片垃圾、讓一個座位做起。“好的民主鼓勵每個人成為他自己”,澳門的民主之路,確比我想像的更加任重而道遠。
(反思民主·二十六·完)
“甚麼是民主?”如何回答這問題,是自己寫“反思民主”系列的初衷。但一連串文章寫下來,越寫越發現這題目的宏大廣博,自己要看、聽、學的實在太多。談論民主,很容易將之與“選舉投票”簡單掛勾,也很容易將之歸責於政府的作為。但事實非完全如此——民主,不僅是選舉投票、政治辯論,更是一種價値觀念、社會型態以及生活和思考方式。
這幾年間,自己對澳門、澳門人的看法,有了天翻地覆的轉變:斑馬線前猛響喇叭怒駡過街老婦的司機、禮貌欠奉態度馬虎的餐廳侍應、巴士上對孕婦老人熟視無睹的乘客……在社會發展大潮的衝擊下,澳門人竟似完全變了一番模樣。
若按字面意思來理解,“民主”就是“讓民作主”,這個“民”字才是關鍵——不是“順民”、“暴民”或“愚民”的“民”,而是“公民”的“民”。民主的成功與否,正取決於社會是否擁有一大批願意擔負起自身責任的社會公民。所以,與其臨淵羨魚,盼望“天上掉餡餠”的施捨式民主,不如退而結網,一點一滴培養出社會強大的公民意識。不講大道理,不談假空想,我們可以從身邊最微小的地方如撿一片垃圾、讓一個座位做起。“好的民主鼓勵每個人成為他自己”,澳門的民主之路,確比我想像的更加任重而道遠。
(反思民主·二十六·完)
【斷章寫意‧反思民主之二十五】政治免費午餐
……從南灣的塡海拓地,到氹仔—路環濕地的被毀,這些工程常以犧牲澳門的自然和歷史特徵為代價。在環境規劃上,澳門並非中國的典範和樣本。正和香港一樣,它明顯已經淪為那種有缺陷的發展主義邏輯的犧牲品。……但是,憑藉其獨特的位置和環境,要想吸引投資,要想加速資本化,澳門就必須致力構建一個國際化的城市,像香港(或另一個層面的新加坡)已經實現的那樣。不敢做出這樣的努力,就等於宣判澳門的經濟和政治身份幾乎等同於珠海或任何一座中國內地的城市。……對澳門有利的是,中國內部已經開始向後鄧時代的秩序轉型:更注重管理,更強調專家治國,而且愈來愈多地參與到亞太經濟體中。最後可以說,對於澳門(還有香港)自治的未來,最好的保證是中國自身的民主化。(摘自《澳門史:1557-1999》,(澳)杰弗里·C·岡恩著,北京:中央編譯出版社,2009年3月)
“政治”不是學者或政客的專利,身為普通市民,我們若選擇和政治“絕緣”,只會任由奸惡者當政,為禍社會,終令自己及下一代付出巨大代價。身為中國人,筆者對中國政治的未來版圖充滿好奇——一國兩制“實驗室”的港澳社會政局好壞,關乎自己以及下一代的切身利益;而兩岸關係的未來進程,又是另一或許有機會親身見證的百年特殊個案。
筆者曾以為,在探索中國未來政治路徑的嘗試中,澳門具獨特價値:小城人口不多,社會問題不複雜,經濟政治架構簡單,民風純樸而且認同中國傳統文化,故澳門可摸索中國政治體制的“第三條路”——旣有別於港台,也不同於內地。但以這些年的親身經歷來看,筆者的想法或許有些一廂情願——回歸後澳門經濟騰飛,卻沒能把握機會在政治層面進行新的探索。就算觀鄰埠香港,固有文明和法制之利,看來也難在這塊“政治版圖”獨立成篇。回歸根本,也許中國的民主進程才是港澳民主進程的關鍵。但香港也好,澳門也罷,絕不應坐等這頓政治“免費午餐”,而應想辦法在這場新長征路上,找到發揮自身獨特作用的角色。(反思民主·二十五)
“政治”不是學者或政客的專利,身為普通市民,我們若選擇和政治“絕緣”,只會任由奸惡者當政,為禍社會,終令自己及下一代付出巨大代價。身為中國人,筆者對中國政治的未來版圖充滿好奇——一國兩制“實驗室”的港澳社會政局好壞,關乎自己以及下一代的切身利益;而兩岸關係的未來進程,又是另一或許有機會親身見證的百年特殊個案。
筆者曾以為,在探索中國未來政治路徑的嘗試中,澳門具獨特價値:小城人口不多,社會問題不複雜,經濟政治架構簡單,民風純樸而且認同中國傳統文化,故澳門可摸索中國政治體制的“第三條路”——旣有別於港台,也不同於內地。但以這些年的親身經歷來看,筆者的想法或許有些一廂情願——回歸後澳門經濟騰飛,卻沒能把握機會在政治層面進行新的探索。就算觀鄰埠香港,固有文明和法制之利,看來也難在這塊“政治版圖”獨立成篇。回歸根本,也許中國的民主進程才是港澳民主進程的關鍵。但香港也好,澳門也罷,絕不應坐等這頓政治“免費午餐”,而應想辦法在這場新長征路上,找到發揮自身獨特作用的角色。(反思民主·二十五)
【斷章寫意‧反思民主之二十四】“雞毛蒜皮”的選舉
……選舉議題的“雞毛蒜皮”化,在一定程度上,恰是美國社會在重大基本問題上達成了共識的表現。這個社會已經完成了對工人能不能組織工會、如何控制公司壟斷、公立中小學如何運營、婦女該不該投票、黑人能不能坐公車前排、言論自由是不是好事、人權是不是一個貶意詞等重大問題的辯論了,剩下的,至少就國內事務來說,基本都是小修小補的“雞毛蒜皮”了。如果一個國家連這些最基本的共識都還沒有形成,“右派”堅持工人不能成立獨立工會,“左派”堅持反對市場經濟,而我是那個國家的公民,那當然會舉着選票跑到投票箱前了。【摘自《民主的細節:美國當代政治觀察隨筆》,劉瑜著,上海三聯書店,二○○九年六月】
初到美國的劉瑜恰逢當地州長選舉,身為政治學者,當然不會錯過難得的近距觀察機會,可令她吃驚的是,幾位候選人的辯論議題——稅率加減0.3%、應否給非法移民發放駕照、是否支持幹細胞硏究——在她看來都是些“雞毛蒜皮”的小事,但仔細一想,也從中琢磨出道理:選舉議題大多聚焦在芝麻綠豆的小事,恰是因行之多年的民主制度,早令國民在一些根本原則問題上形成了基本共識。
香港關於“國民敎育”存廢之爭,就其本質而言,其實也就是社會就“國家/政權認同”層面的基本共識之爭。當年設計“一國兩制”本是權宜之策,其邏輯顯而易見:如果內地那套制度好,何不延用於港澳?而若港澳的制度先進,幹嘛內地不採納?之所以“一國”內要存“兩制”,其實就是設立一個緩衝區,但最後始終還是要“一國一制”的,不過屆時的“一制”要在舊“兩制”之間尋找平衡點,希望找到(或設計出)一套優化改良、大家接受的新制度。而“國敎”之爭,也就是香港社會對日後那“一制”該循何方向發展之爭,比如國家或地方政權當怎樣產生?該如何運作?不論港或澳,如普選等一系列議題,其實都是關乎政體根本的原則議題,只要大家一日未能就這些基本原則形成共識,日後類似的紛爭怕還陸續有來。 (反思民主·二十四)
初到美國的劉瑜恰逢當地州長選舉,身為政治學者,當然不會錯過難得的近距觀察機會,可令她吃驚的是,幾位候選人的辯論議題——稅率加減0.3%、應否給非法移民發放駕照、是否支持幹細胞硏究——在她看來都是些“雞毛蒜皮”的小事,但仔細一想,也從中琢磨出道理:選舉議題大多聚焦在芝麻綠豆的小事,恰是因行之多年的民主制度,早令國民在一些根本原則問題上形成了基本共識。
香港關於“國民敎育”存廢之爭,就其本質而言,其實也就是社會就“國家/政權認同”層面的基本共識之爭。當年設計“一國兩制”本是權宜之策,其邏輯顯而易見:如果內地那套制度好,何不延用於港澳?而若港澳的制度先進,幹嘛內地不採納?之所以“一國”內要存“兩制”,其實就是設立一個緩衝區,但最後始終還是要“一國一制”的,不過屆時的“一制”要在舊“兩制”之間尋找平衡點,希望找到(或設計出)一套優化改良、大家接受的新制度。而“國敎”之爭,也就是香港社會對日後那“一制”該循何方向發展之爭,比如國家或地方政權當怎樣產生?該如何運作?不論港或澳,如普選等一系列議題,其實都是關乎政體根本的原則議題,只要大家一日未能就這些基本原則形成共識,日後類似的紛爭怕還陸續有來。 (反思民主·二十四)
2012年9月14日星期五
【斷章寫意‧反思民主之二十三】別逼我吃三明治
……“選誰都差不多”又是好事,因為它說明不同的政黨都在使勁諂媚“多數老百姓”。好比我喜歡吃麵條,不喜歡吃三明治,那麼一個黨請我吃拉麵,另一個黨請我吃刀削麵,我當然“選誰都差不多了”——反正沒人逼我吃三明治。投票率低,至少對某些人來說,恰恰說明他們對政治體制的信任:旣然我就算不投票,也要麼能吃到拉麵,要麼吃到刀削麵,那我投不投票也無所謂了。【摘自《民主的細節:美國當代政治觀察隨筆》,劉瑜著,上海三聯書店,二○○九年六月】
不少成熟民主國家的投票率連年走低,相反,不少民主制度仍在發展階段的國家或地區,投票率卻大多高開,偶而更有媒體將之標榜為“公民意識覺醒”或“民主素質提升”。但其實這可能只是一廂情願的解讀,因為“高投票率”往往代表民衆無法就重大社會議題達成共識,一派要往東走,另一派要向西去,誰也說服不了誰,最後只有投票站見眞章。但就像一輛好車絕非單靠一副好引擎,民主制度要有效運作,也不能單靠數年一次的選舉投票。運轉良好的成熟民主社會,民衆表達意見的渠道決非只有“投票”一途,除了行政、司法體系,多元對話渠道、活躍公民團體也擔當重要角色,行之多年的民主選舉經驗,令社會各層各界已建立起一套反饋問題、吸納意見的方法和默契,大家便不再一門心思地逼對方“吃三明治”。
民衆以“投票”來贊成或反對政府(或執政黨/派)的權力,平日大多引而不發,只有當社會出現重大問題或爭議之際,你才會看見選民們紛紛湧向投票站,用手中選票表態,所以說投票率高,未必是好兆頭。從台灣到香港乃至未來澳門,其實也有相似之處:“對抗式政治”(藍綠之爭或建制與民主派之爭)的大氛圍下,本應引發社會開展政策辯論的“選戰”很容易變成某種站隊歸邊的兩極拉鋸,選民平時被逼吃自己不喜歡的“三明治”,心有不忿又無計可施,只好用手中選票當“出氣筒”。所以說,咱們的投票率連年向上,或許非因公民素養不斷提高,而是社會不滿正在不斷加大。(反思民主·二十三)
2012年9月7日星期五
The First Lady's Democratic Convention Speech
The First Lady's Democratic Convention Speech
(Source: www.huffingtonpost.com)
Over the past few years as First Lady, I have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country.
And everywhere I’ve gone, in the people I’ve met, and the stories I’ve heard, I have seen the very best of the American spirit.
I have seen it in the incredible kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our girls.
I’ve seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay.
I’ve seen it in people who become heroes at a moment’s notice, diving into harm’s way to save others…flying across the country to put out a fire…driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.
And I’ve seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families…in wounded warriors who tell me they’re not just going to walk again, they’re going to run, and they’re going to run marathons…in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, “…I’d give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do.”
Every day, the people I meet inspire me…every day, they make me proud…every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth.
Serving as your First Lady is an honor and a privilege…but back when we first came together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we’d begun.
While I believed deeply in my husband’s vision for this country…and I was certain he would make an extraordinary President…like any mother, I was worried about what it would mean for our girls if he got that chance.
How would we keep them grounded under the glare of the national spotlight?
How would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends, and the only home they’d ever known?
Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys…Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at grandma’s house…and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn’t stay awake for both.
And the truth is, I loved the life we had built for our girls…I deeply loved the man I had built that life with…and I didn’t want that to change if he became President.
I loved Barack just the way he was.
You see, even though back then Barack was a Senator and a presidential candidate…to me, he was still the guy who’d picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door…he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he’d found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small.
But when Barack started telling me about his family – that’s when I knew I had found a kindred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine.
You see, Barack and I were both raised by families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable – their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.
My father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when my brother and I were young.
And even as a kid, I knew there were plenty of days when he was in pain…I knew there were plenty of mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed.
But every morning, I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform.
And when he returned home after a long day’s work, my brother and I would stand at the top of the stairs to our little apartment, patiently waiting to greet him…watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other, to slowly climb his way into our arms.
But despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work…he and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only dream of.
And when my brother and I finally made it to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.
But my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself.
And every semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out loans when he fell short.
He was so proud to be sending his kids to college…and he made sure we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.
You see, for my dad, that’s what it meant to be a man.
Like so many of us, that was the measure of his success in life – being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to support his family.
And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he’d grown up all the way across the country, he’d been brought up just like me.
Barack was raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who stepped in when she needed help.
Barack’s grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank…and she moved quickly up the ranks…but like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling.
And for years, men no more qualified than she was – men she had actually trained – were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack’s family continued to scrape by.
But day after day, she kept on waking up at dawn to catch the bus…arriving at work before anyone else…giving her best without complaint or regret.
And she would often tell Barack, “So long as you kids do well, Bar, that’s all that really matters.”
Like so many American families, our families weren’t asking for much.
They didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success or care that others had much more than they did...in fact, they admired it.
They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don’t start out with much, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids.
That’s how they raised us…that’s what we learned from their example.
We learned about dignity and decency – that how hard you work matters more than how much you make…that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.
We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters…that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules…and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.
We learned about gratitude and humility – that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean…and we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.
Those are the values Barack and I – and so many of you – are trying to pass on to our own children.
That’s who we are.
And standing before you four years ago, I knew that I didn’t want any of that to change if Barack became President.
Well, today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are – it reveals who you are.
You see, I’ve gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like.
And I’ve seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones – the problems where no amount of data or numbers will get you to the right answer…the judgment calls where the stakes are so high, and there is no margin for error.
And as President, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.
But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.
So when it comes to rebuilding our economy, Barack is thinking about folks like my dad and like his grandmother.
He’s thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day’s work.
That’s why he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work.
That’s why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses and fought to get the auto industry back on its feet.
That’s how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again – jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America.
When it comes to the health of our families, Barack refused to listen to all those folks who told him to leave health reform for another day, another president.
He didn’t care whether it was the easy thing to do politically – that’s not how he was raised – he cared that it was the right thing to do.
He did it because he believes that here in America, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine…our kids should be able to see a doctor when they’re sick…and no one in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or illness.
And he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care…that’s what my husband stands for.
When it comes to giving our kids the education they deserve, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, he never could’ve attended college without financial aid.
And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage.
We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.
That’s why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down, because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt.
So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren’t political – they’re personal.
Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.
He knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids.
Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it…and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we’re from, or what we look like, or who we love.
And he believes that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity…you do not slam it shut behind you…you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.
So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.
He’s the same man who started his career by turning down high paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work…because for Barack, success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.
He’s the same man who, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to everyone we knew.
That’s the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering their questions about issues in the news, and strategizing about middle school friendships.
That’s the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him.
The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills…from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won’t cover her care…from the young person with so much promise but so few opportunities.
I see the concern in his eyes...and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, “You won’t believe what these folks are going through, Michelle…it’s not right. We’ve got to keep working to fix this. We’ve got so much more to do.”
I see how those stories – our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams – I see how that’s what drives Barack Obama every single day.
And I didn’t think it was possible, but today, I love my husband even more than I did four years ago…even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met.
I love that he’s never forgotten how he started.
I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do, even when it’s hard – especially when it’s hard.
I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as “us” and “them” – he doesn’t care whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above…he knows that we all love our country…and he’s always ready to listen to good ideas…he’s always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.
And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we’re all sweating it – when we’re worried that the bill won’t pass, and it seems like all is lost – Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise.
Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward…with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace.
And he reminds me that we are playing a long game here…and that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once.
But eventually we get there, we always do.
We get there because of folks like my Dad…folks like Barack’s grandmother…men and women who said to themselves, “I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will…maybe my grandchildren will.”
So many of us stand here tonight because of their sacrifice, and longing, and steadfast love…because time and again, they swallowed their fears and doubts and did what was hard.
So today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming – or even impossible – let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation…it’s who we are as Americans…it’s how this country was built.
And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us…if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, and connect the world with the touch of a button…then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids.
And if so many brave men and women could wear our country’s uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights…then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights…surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day.
If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire…if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores…if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote…if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time…if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream…and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love…then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.
Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country – the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle.
That is what has made my story, and Barack’s story, and so many other American stories possible.
And I say all of this tonight not just as First Lady…and not just as a wife.
You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still “mom-in-chief.”
My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world.
But today, I have none of those worries from four years ago about whether Barack and I were doing what’s best for our girls.
Because today, I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all our sons and daughters…if we want to give all our children a foundation for their dreams and opportunities worthy of their promise…if we want to give them that sense of limitless possibility – that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it…then we must work like never before…and we must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward…my husband, our President, President Barack Obama.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
2012年9月6日星期四
【斷章寫意‧反思民主之二十二】民主化的“社會準備”
……一個社會裡如果沒有基本一致的“國家認同”,民主化不但可能解決不了問題,反而可能帶來很多新問題。如果說專制時代還可能一個“大流氓”鎭住無數“小流氓”,民主化過程中則有可能出現“群氓亂舞”。……畢竟,眞正的民主化,不僅僅是政治體制的變化,而且是政治文化、社會形態的轉型。在崇揚民主價値的同時,對民主化進程中的陷阱保持警覺,才是眞正的“民主現實主義”。【摘自《民主的細節:美國當代政治觀察隨筆》,劉瑜著,上海三聯書店,二○○九年六月】
“國民敎育”及其衍生議題在香港社會不斷發酵,又逢同期立法會選舉,社會瀰漫躁動不安,對一衣帶水的澳門也影響不小。單就“國民敎育”本身而言,即如有論者指出應改為“公民敎育”或替以“國史敎育”,但問題核心其實還在敎育模式——在敎育過程中是否容得下多元批判聲音?是否注重和鼓勵學生獨立思考?畢竟,在媒體相對自由、發達之地如香港,“洗腦式”敎育模式已很難立足(香港此起彼伏的民間聲音已是例證,甚至筆者不少內地朋友亦早已不再buy那套只曉“歌功頌德”的官樣文章)。眞正需要警惕的,反倒是為爭取選票而逐漸形成的“對抗式”民主模式,只論立場,不辯是非。
國家認同首先源自眞實、深入的了解,除了多閱讀、多討論,也應多走多看,畢竟中國太大,問題太多,很多時我們談論“民主化”總覺得問題的根在體制變革,但其實在大衆層面還有很多更切實細微的問題,如:公民力量如何成長,民衆智慧如何凝聚,民權運動如何深化,均是龐大社會如中國或微型社會如澳門所需面對的。
劉瑜指出,在一個族群、階級裂痕很深的社會,“民主化”需要一個“社會準備”的過程:“如果沒有強大的公共領域在意識形態上與政治煽動家相抗爭,如果沒有一定的民權運動作為民主化的基礎,如果沒有種族調和甚至同化的政策相配合,民主化很可能被煽動成多數對少數的暴政甚至內戰。”此番分析絕非危言聳聽,放在衆聲喧嘩的當下港澳社會,尤其發人深省。
(反思民主·二十二)
2012年9月5日星期三
(轉引) The Future of Newspaper:奇連伊士活的創意
The Future of Newspaper:奇連伊士活的創意
奧巴馬民望一直領先,但最近兩天,選情出現逆轉,羅姆尼支持度超前奧巴馬,中間發生了甚麼事?
在共和黨的全國代表大會上,年屆82歲的奇連伊士活,放棄千篇一律的發言方式,相反,他選擇對着一張空凳自問自答,當作自己正與奧巴馬對話,質詢最難招架(事實上也沒法招架)的政績問題。
結果這幕獨腳戲非常奏效,短短十分鐘的「談話」,立即在Twitter、facebook、Instagram等社交媒體瘋傳,奇連伊士活變成潮流指標,更有人受啟發馬上開了「Invisible Obama」的Twitter賬號,不到一小時,追隨者人數已突破二萬。
有人或會問:究竟這齣獨腳戲,是經過周密計算的創意,還是奇連伊士活幾十年演戲功力的神來之筆?而選舉工程的背後,又有幾多後着?Invisible Obama是否計劃內的一步棋?真相大概只有羅姆尼團隊自己才知道。
對觀眾而言,是否計算的結果,並不重要,但對選舉工程管理者而言,「空凳」有可能影響最後賽果。問題是,世上是否有系統性的方法,可以預知一個創意、一段對話或一則內容的受歡迎程度?
《Great By Choice》作者Jim Collins,在全美24000家企業當中,找出7家效率遠超越對手10倍的企業,並用上了九年時間,研究和分析這些企業的管理者,其中一個值得參考的結論:「創意非王牌,10倍效率企業並不特別富創意,但他們善於把創新系統化、規模化,善於結合創意和紀律,其間要下苦功,成功非僥倖。」
書中進一步解釋,所謂將創意結合紀律,即是基於實證的創意(Empirical Creativity),因為企業在漫長而且動盪的環境下,將不斷受到過往經驗、主流意見、專家權威等左右決策,問題是如果創新路向過份依賴「人的意見」,一旦遇上環境驟變,企業可能不只迷失方向,更有機會走上倒退之路。相反,10倍企業選擇不斷實驗和收集數據,事實證明,作出的決定更經得起時間和環境的考驗。
媒體踏入網絡年代,收集數據的工夫變得簡單,以奇連伊士活的演出為例,簡短、幽默、有創意、而且內容兼備,完全符合社交媒體觀眾的口味,瘋傳的結果,只要善用專門分析社交媒體的工具,久而久之,其實也不難預計得到。報業能否在逆境中自強,與運氣無關,其實是關乎選擇。
方己程
2012年8月30日星期四
【李爾‧在此】《世界末日到了嗎?》:“媒體”和“舞台”的換位思考
瑪雅人有關“世界末日”的預言近年甚囂塵上,各地“末日”主題創作也一浪接一浪,從全球熱銷的荷里活大片《2012》到充滿現實隱喩的香港小說《香港關機》,此類作品雖大多以“末日”為噱頭,但其實箇中滲透不同地方對社會、人性的終極想像,澳門曉角劇社的《世界末日到了嗎?》也是如此。《末》的故事軸線很有趣:賭場舞台技術員Sky在某次卡拉OK聚會上突發奇想,決定建“方舟”躱避世界末日,但經多方奔走,在不同政府部門之間被踢來踢去之後,大計落實無望,連帶令朋友——本地電視台半紅不黑主持人Gary被炒,更處處被人恥笑。不料,事件突然峰迴路轉,外地投資人樂小姐決定來澳創辦TVD電視台,與Gary、Sky合作強檔“末日主題節目”,但兩人策劃的“知性”節目風格很快被“槍斃”,換成集娛樂、八卦於一身的綜藝類型。與此同時,當年也在卡拉OK的Micheal以“末日敎主”姿態出現,主持的節目大受歡迎,更成各種品牌代言熱門人選,Gary更淪落到要轉職其節目當“小弟”。到了傳說中的世界末日凌晨,Gary、Sky及家人朋友齊聚松山燈塔下“爛尾”大廈天台打邊爐,正當大家為沒有到來的“末日”鬆了一口氣之際,突然……
擅長“奇思狂想”的劇場創作人大鳥,在《末》劇中延續《七十三家半房客》的風格(以及人物,如:讀書不成的“魚蛋筆”發明人Sky、因炒股失敗而半瘋半醒的Sa姐等),《末》劇的創作核心其實指向澳門林林總總的社會問題,折射編導對本土議題的思考。《末》劇重心雖在“人物角色”而非“故事情節”,但有趣的“末日方舟”設計亦為演出增色不少,幾位擔綱演員如吳嘉偉(Gary)、鄭儉倫(Sky)、張家樵(Micheal、高官)、李芯怡(小小、雲南舞蹈女)等都有不錯的發揮,而劉雲峰、梁兆富、淡如等幾位配角也發揮出相當水準,在不同角色之間穿梭變幻的功夫固然驚人,對幾個極具影射意涵的角色演繹(如馮大炮、蘇山人等)也令人嘆為觀止。《末》劇令觀衆省覺:原來“媒體”才是眞正的“劇場”——劇中Gary那個“觀衆叫不出名字”的節目主持人,不正是對本土媒體生態的自嘲?從外地來澳的傳媒高層以及非常“港式”的綜藝娛樂式媒體風格,不正代表澳門人在資訊吸收方面倚重的“奶水源頭”?《末》劇中呈現出舞台創作對社會現象的評論和反思,“劇場”變成某種意義層面的“媒體”,而反過來看,平日我們所接觸的媒體亦是大家茶餘飯後的消遣以致創作靈感來源,“媒體”又變成某種意義層面的“劇場”,兩者角色互換,着實耐人尋味。
《末》劇也有不足之處,其最大問題就如《七十三家半房客》一樣——“死唔斷氣”的超常時長(演出近三小時),太過貪心的編導對於內容取捨拖泥帶水,不但令作品臃腫不堪,大大消磨觀衆的耐心和專注力,更令演員有時無所適從,在表演上屢有瑕疵。但好在演出大量有趣細節令人捧腹,充滿荒誕感和娛樂性:梁兆富和關妙姬扮演的卸膊政府工、維妙維肖的馮大炮、七子之歌的爆笑演繹……在在顯示編導細微的觀察力、瘋狂的創作力,以及最重要的——對澳門的深沉眞摯關愛之心。至於結尾收合於爛尾天台的闔家溫馨“圍(打邊)爐夜話”,雖略欠力度,卻極具澳門特色,更讓人對此劇日後是否可能以“環境劇場”形式再度重演而充滿想像。
(觀演場次:二○一二年八月二十四日晩八時,澳門文化中心小劇院。)
【斷章寫意‧反思民主之二十一】除了派錢,還懂甚麼?
有次看美國某地方選舉的電視辯論,主持人問幾個候選人:你們認為政府的目的是甚麼?我當時一愣,好大的問題啊。這個問題貌似簡單,似乎所有人都能夠給出一個“正確答案”,但對它的回答及爭論,實際上構成一部兩千多年的政治哲學史……當時有個候選人的回答最貼近我的想法,他說:政府的目的是幫助人們幫助他們自己。我之所以喜歡這個答案,是因為它暗含了我的主張:一方面,它主張政府應當“為人民服務”,但另一方面,這個服務的方式不是直接給公衆餵飯,而是通過保護公平競爭的法制來幫助他們自力更生。【摘自《民主的細節:美國當代政治觀察隨筆》,劉瑜著,上海三聯書店,二○○九年六月 】
金牌運動員代表團訪澳,政府豪爽派錢一千○二十萬港元,再次彰顯澳門特色。但此舉背後的邏輯——恕小弟愚昧不化——卻百思不得其解:這筆款項是奬金?那相關章程規條何在;是資助?老實講,代表團內大腕雲集,分分鐘一個體育明星的一份代言合約也不止此數;那好,算是特區政府最拿手的“現金分享”做派,可目的意義價値在哪裡?大喇喇一筆公帑花費,好像也沒人來說清楚、道明白。
並非我見錢眼紅,因問題在於,若眞為“發揚體育精神”,那“派錢”就是最懶惰、最沒有誠意之舉。政府存在的意義是甚麼?它不應是一個派錢的窗口,而應着眼如何從制度層面不斷改善社會。龐大體育代表團裡每個人背後都有一個故事,如何讓故事裡的精神鼓勵更多年輕人?政府可否考慮與內地體育部門合作,推出類似“駐市運動員”計劃,讓澳門有志者得以近距離觀摩,傳承拼搏精神,瞄準世界水平;又或選拔具一定成績的澳門靑少年,赴內地對口機構集訓;還可啟動發展基金,政府注資加民間捐款,資助有心投入體育事業的年輕人進修訓練;又或修建更多社區運動設施,推動全民健身體育普及……一千多萬可做的事太多,但偏偏澳門“就是與別不同”——開幕、剪綵、歡呼、拍照之後,一切回復原狀,我們的標語口號,依舊嗌得響亮。
(反思民主·二十一)
2012年8月27日星期一
【斷章寫意‧反思民主之二十】運動場上的政治題
(圖片來源:新華網)
……他(喬良)認為中、美兩個體操大國的體操發展方式不同。中國採精英主義,即主力培訓高水準的專業運動員;美國的體操運動卻更為普及,主要由私人俱樂部培訓外,孩童參與卻不純為摘世界冠軍,而在全面鍛煉人身體每個部位肌肉;他還欣賞美國體敎結合。【摘自二○一二年八月四日香港《明報》】
美國選手Gabby Douglas倫奧一鳴驚人,成為奧運體操史上首位黑人冠軍,經媒體報道,大家才發現“美國奇蹟”的背後功臣原來是中國敎練——曾任中國國家體操隊副隊長、國際賽事中獲奬無數的喬良,九一年退役後移居美國執敎。比較中美兩地體育狀況,他說最明顯的差別就是:一個講求精英主義,另一個較重全面普及。
“體育”二字被賦予濃厚政治意涵,金牌變成某種國家實力象徵,體育運動也非單純“友誼第一”的賽場競技那麼簡單。事實上,一國獲取奧運金牌的多少,不僅有關人口基數、選手資質,也確是一場國家之間的經濟、科技、制度的大比拼——有統計二○○○至二○○四年奧運備戰期間,中國共投入二百億(人民幣),即以當年中國獲三十二枚金牌計,每枚金牌成本約六億,這可不是隨便哪個國家都付得起的。但“金牌大國”的風光背後,另一串數字也令人憂心:據統計,中國目前約六成國民處於“亞健康”狀態,經常參與體育鍛煉的人只有總人口的三成左右,而在人均運動場地面積方面,中國的室內運動場所(0.014平方米)和室外運動場所(0.027平方米)人均面積遠低於發達國家……
中國“重精英、輕平民”的體育風氣折射到政治現實亦大同小異:官二代、富二代壟斷大部分政經資源,普羅民衆參與政治決策的機會和渠道少之又少。但若國家政治架構欠缺穩定民主根基、公民力量成長遭遇阻礙重重——或有不少論者推崇新加坡式“精英政治”作為中國未來政治模式的參照——那不管是國家的“政治體魄”還是國民的“個人體質”,恰如缺少運動機會和場地的中國現狀:當大量國民處於“亞健康”的現狀,多拿幾十枚金牌,能否讓中國因此變得更健康、更強壯?
(反思民主·二十)
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