Wednesday 22 August 2018

Trump's Clash with Civilisation




Clash of Civilisation is an oxymoron. Truly civilised tribes clash over vital resources and existential issues, not values or beliefs. So what makes a society civilised? Clever technologies are not a defining condition. In uncivilised hands, they only make the world more dangerous and confused. 

   Queuing straight and calm on a hot day for ice cream is but a superficial indicator. When ten starving persons compete for three breads, those who insist on lining up nicely for their empty turn had long been eliminated by recurrent harsh reality in experienced old countries. Not long ago, no self-preserving Chinese would line up unless under supervision of a big stick. Now that there are eleven breads for ten well-fed folks, especially in the cities, orderly lines are the norm. It’s that simple.

Tolerance, if not necessarily respect, of differences is a fundamental attribute of civilised behaviour. 

   If you tell the typical Chinese that your god flies higher and faster than his ancestors and the Buddha working together, he’d be politely awed: “Wah! So impressive! Very good! Got to go now. Let’s have lunch sometime okay?” He won’t debate, and certainly won’t punch you for your amusing belief. He’d be even less inclined to comment on how your country elects leaders. It’s none of his business. Is it not? Before recent times, if you told him that Country A bombs Countries B, C, D, E, F… to make them vote for their leaders, he wouldn’t have believed you. 

Civilisation clash therefore seemed to me somewhat irrelevant to China, until recently. Trump’s trade war makes me think that differences in “cultural genes” could at least be partly responsible for the current conflict.

從貿易戰看 “不文明” 衝突






我一向認為「文明衝突」這概念有些自相矛盾。

自古以來,人類群體為了生活爭奪有限資源在所難免,但與文明無關。何謂文明?科技先進不一定代表文明;軍事技術先進的野蠻人只會令世界更危險,更多戰禍,生靈塗炭。至於乖乖排隊則是表面風度,在資源豐富的社會屬自然現象,並不稀奇,也不代表心裡「文明」。

在十個人爭三份菜的的苦日子,只有傻瓜才會在第四位慢慢排隊。這類傻瓜中國不多。現在十個人有十一份菜,在國內城市基本上看不到爭先恐後的鏡頭,就是這麼簡單。說開便說,究竟是誰令我們這曾經富甲天下的文明古國挖破臉皮插隊搶飯吃的呢?

算啦,不翻舊賬,言歸正傳。其實真正的文明人,是不會為了信仰不同而你死我活的。人家說他的上帝飛得比我們的祖先高快遠,而且無所不在,典型中國人都會客氣大贊:「哇厲害!佩服哦!有點事,改天喝茶!」,根本不會爭論,更莫說拔刀斬人了。至於別人喜歡以何種方式挑選領導,更切底與我們無關,理都懶理。為了逼使別國搞投票民主而出兵討伐的行徑,在文明人眼中簡直匪夷所思。

所以國際間「不文明」的衝突,我們至少表面不太關心。但川普對華發動「貿易戰」,令我意識到中美「矛盾」似乎與文化背景有某程度的關聯。