Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Diverse Co-existence?
最近發現，年紀越大，有一件事我越不喜歡做。爭論／議論／Debate.
It's not really about expressing your argument for the sake of understanding one another better. At the end of the day, it's about convincing others so that they'd eventually think that you are right and he/she is wrong. 9 out of 10 times it's not a debate or discussion. It's only persuasion.
In some worst cases, it's all about competition.
可是美國的教育多的仍就是爭論．議論的訓練。固然有它的好處；懂得如何將自我的意見充分表述也是現代生活不可欠缺的才能。可是，在爭論／議論／討論，甚至是辯論的同時，有多少時間是用在教導我們如何去真正地尊重對方不同的意見與想法？
To win a debate is easy. To pay respect to those who hold different opinions is the real challenge.
How to let the other person hear what you are saying? How to communicate so that it is out of respect and true willingness to hear? How to move on and co-exist with one another peacefully with differences of opinions and viewpoints in place?
That's called diversity right?
Taiwan has become a place of multi-diveristy, politically, cultually, and linguistically. Everytime I ride on MRT I continue to be amazed by how long each announcement takes since all 4 languages - Mandarine, Taiwanese, Hakkanese and English - need to be run through once. So there is diversity in the air, diversity on TV, diversity in political slogans and election apeals, and diversity at heart.
Yet there's no diversity in peace. There's only diveristy in contention and continual misunderstanding.
Borrowing the cliche of the metaphor of a salad bowl ... I'm not really sure if the cucumbers in Taiwan really understand the hearts and minds of the tomatoes or lettuces or olives in the bowl, nor vice versa. At the end of the day, every single vegetable seems to want to claim its own legitimacy and call out - I'm the king of the salad bowl, the tastiest and best for your health!
But who eats a salad bowl as if he/she is only enjoying one particular vegetable?
Or maybe that's why the salad bowl metaphor is never entirely correct or appropriate?
I don't know how I move from the issue of "debate" to the issue of "diversity." Perhaps these days I crave for someone who could hear me out and really listen to closely what's in my heart and mind without needing to challenge me or question me or pushing me to self-criticize right away.
Back to ground zero - perhaps all we really need to start learning more is how to first listen.
So I shouldn't be deducting points on those quieter students in sections who do listen very closely?
梅ちゃん at 11:57:00 AM