当下美国之断想

2017-04-06沈本汉唐静

英语世界 2017年1期

文/沈本汉译/唐静

当下美国之断想

文/沈本汉译/唐静

I have always felt a kinship with China. I was born just before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, so I have lived my life at the same age as the PRC. I love China and the Chinese; I have visited China more than 100 times although I have been resoundingly defeated by the Chinese language, despite endless efforts to learn it. Every time I visit China and the more I learn about China, the more I realize how super fi cial my understanding is and will always be. But as we have learned from Google, “Be together, not the same.”

[2] I have heard from many Chinese friends with questions and concerns about the presidential election that took place in the United States on November 8th. In the spirit of friendship, I decided to write this open WeChat letter to my friends, and they are welcome to forward it if they think that it may help to spread understanding and dispel concerns.

我一直觉得和中国有一种亲密联系。我出生于中华人民共和国成立之际，因此和共和国同岁。我热爱中国和中国人民，曾到中国一百多次，还曾努力学习汉语，不过总以失败告终。每次我来中国，都会对中国多一分了解，了解越多，就越觉得自己对中国的理解仅限皮毛，或许将来依然如此。不过，这也正如我们向谷歌学到的精神：“和而不同。”

[2] 11月8日的美国总统大选，许多中国朋友有的质疑，有的担心。基于友好的精神，我决定在微信平台写下这封公开信，呈给我的朋友们，如果你们觉得这封信有助于增进理解、消除疑虑，欢迎转发。

[3]有一种讨论问题的方法叫“辩证法”。从亚里士多德到毛泽东，从哲学家到政治家，他们都广泛应用辩证法。在辩证法中，有一个正面论点，有一个对立论点，随后讨论的最终结果就是“对立统一”，这种对立统一既不同于正面论点，也不同于对立论点。两个论点无所谓对错，它只不过是在为政体的进步探索一条新途径。

[3] There is a form of discussion known as the “dialectic.” It has been used by philosophers and politicians from Aristotle to Mao Zedong. In the dialectic, there is a “thesis,” which is challenged by an “antithesis.” The result of the ensuing discussion is a“synthesis,” which is not the same as the thesis or the antithesis. Neither the thesis nor the antithesis is “right” or“wrong.” It is simply a matter of fi nding a new path that allows the polity to move forward.

[4] This is what is happening in the United States right now. In some societies this process requires a revolution; in the United States, our political system assures that the process is peaceful. It is loud, and many people are angry, but this, too, is allowed within the system. The fi rst amendment to our constitution guarantees this right. When people protest, we do not feel threatened. Our government does not feel threatened. It is a normal component of the dialectic that goes on all the time.