The Peasants' Mentality, etc
I asked H2 on the bus today what constitute the "Peasants' Mentality" (PM), a term popularized in post- modern China. For I suspect that it's the most suitable classification in terms of social psychology for my mum. Qualities of the PM include:
1. short-sighted
2. tight with spending
3. ting1 tian1 you2 ming4
4. unhygienic (this is more like a joke)
5. lack of desire to pursue a goal
I was about to conclude that these fit mum pretty well except 3 & 4, especially 5, while H2 kept shaking his head. He said that if my mum had no desire or passion, she wouldn't have wanted so much to control the family life. I said granted that it's some distorted passion, but I didn't see in what constructive ways and through what channels it had been expressed before distortion. At that minute we got off the bus and went through the checkpoint. When we came back on, H2 asked, "You have some form of hope and passion for something in life right now, don't you?"
My immediate response was guilt for I'm taking taxpayers' money, but not sure if I'm "doing what I want to do" (as what everyone likes to say about a dignified and fault-free career). So replied, "Yeah I guess."
H2: "So what happens if I throw you into jail? You may wait, but passion wears off unless you have an unusually strong will. And what if you don't know when the imprisonment will end? It's much easier to escape into a state of "unenlightenment", ie, loss of consciousness, than to be aware of the slim hope there might be to repair damages, retrieve the passion and purpose of living."
(Eye accident + migration = my mum's imprisonment)
H2 went on: "Hope is frail like a blade of grass. One finger can smother it out. But it still grows everywhere. It all depends on what people want to do. Your family is to some extent already a tragedy. You must use your power, your understanding, resources and capabilities to turn it into a comedy. That's what life does to you - it starts as a comedy from childbirth (I guess he means births are always joyous), but tends greatly to become tragic. It's you yourself, and no one else, who can reverse the tragedy of your own life."
And how do you do it? According to H2,
1. Do not take advantage of others for own gain.
2. Be prepared for the possibility of others taking advantage of you.
3. Be assured in the correctness and meaning of own actions. Don't be too bothered by others. (I had minor improvements on this since I came back to Singapore.)
1. short-sighted
2. tight with spending
3. ting1 tian1 you2 ming4
4. unhygienic (this is more like a joke)
5. lack of desire to pursue a goal
I was about to conclude that these fit mum pretty well except 3 & 4, especially 5, while H2 kept shaking his head. He said that if my mum had no desire or passion, she wouldn't have wanted so much to control the family life. I said granted that it's some distorted passion, but I didn't see in what constructive ways and through what channels it had been expressed before distortion. At that minute we got off the bus and went through the checkpoint. When we came back on, H2 asked, "You have some form of hope and passion for something in life right now, don't you?"
My immediate response was guilt for I'm taking taxpayers' money, but not sure if I'm "doing what I want to do" (as what everyone likes to say about a dignified and fault-free career). So replied, "Yeah I guess."
H2: "So what happens if I throw you into jail? You may wait, but passion wears off unless you have an unusually strong will. And what if you don't know when the imprisonment will end? It's much easier to escape into a state of "unenlightenment", ie, loss of consciousness, than to be aware of the slim hope there might be to repair damages, retrieve the passion and purpose of living."
(Eye accident + migration = my mum's imprisonment)
H2 went on: "Hope is frail like a blade of grass. One finger can smother it out. But it still grows everywhere. It all depends on what people want to do. Your family is to some extent already a tragedy. You must use your power, your understanding, resources and capabilities to turn it into a comedy. That's what life does to you - it starts as a comedy from childbirth (I guess he means births are always joyous), but tends greatly to become tragic. It's you yourself, and no one else, who can reverse the tragedy of your own life."
And how do you do it? According to H2,
1. Do not take advantage of others for own gain.
2. Be prepared for the possibility of others taking advantage of you.
3. Be assured in the correctness and meaning of own actions. Don't be too bothered by others. (I had minor improvements on this since I came back to Singapore.)
posted by Azzurra | 1:42 PM
6 Comments:
Who is this H2? He gave really sound aadvice.
Really really good.
Think he gave the issue a new perspective.
Yup, seems like this H2 has really "seen through life" and understood a lot about it. He/she is no doubt a deep thinker as well
To Ruizhen: H2 is the tall Chinese guy whom you might have seen. Works in the lab next to mine.
Yeah he's a cool guy. He is about 50 but is still filled with youth. Right now he's a good consultant for my mum-related issues haha
The three points sound very Confucian, especially in the way u stated them.
Indeed. Confucianism might just come down to the best way of living *in* life (vs *out* of it. Like Buddism) - just a vague feeling. Works for a more passive attitude such as mine =)
Btw, have u read 'The Diamond Age' by Neal Stephenson? Highly recommended.
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