Thoughts on America

当下美国之断想

By Jeffrey Sheehan[1]

文/沈本汉

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 superficial my understanding is and will always be. But as we have learned from Google, “Be together, not the same.”

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。”

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.

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。

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 finding a new path that allows the polity to move forward.

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。

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 first 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.

这正是美国当下现实的写照。在某些社会，这个过程需要一次革命；而在美国，我们的政治体系可以确保和平过渡。确实有些喧嚣，许多人也很愤怒，然而这也是体系所允许的。宪法第一修正案确保了这项权利。有人游行，我们并没有感受到威胁；政府也没有。这是辩证法中的正常因素，一直存在。

Mr. Trump is a thoroughly reprehensible person. He has neither morals, nor ethics nor compassion. I did not vote for him. A great majority of Americans did not vote for him. Only 26% of the population eligible to vote actually cast ballots for him. Do not think that he speaks for all of us. But he does represent an “antithesis” to how our society is organized and governed. His election means that a dialectic will ensue, in which he and his philosophy will be modified before there is a “synthesis”. Jimmy Carter, who was President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, was famously quoted as saying that his greatest frustration consisted in his inability to bring about change in the way the country was run. He said he spent 3% of his time coming up with new ideas and 97% of his time trying to convince other people to implement them. Mr. Trump will experience the same frustration.

特朗普该受到彻底谴责，他没有道德，没有底线，也没有同情心。我没有投他的票，大部分美国人也没有。事实上，在有资格投票的人中仅有26%为他投票。不要以为他的声音就是我们所有人的声音。但他的确代表了今天美国社会组织管理体制的对立面。他的当选意味着辩证法将持续，在实现对立统一之前，他和他的理念都会加以调整。吉米·卡特在1977年至1981年担任美国总统，因为他无力改变当时的国家状况，总有人引用他的话来说明：无能导致挫败。他说，他提出新观点只需要3%的时间，但说服人们实施却要97%的时间。特朗普先生将会重蹈覆辙。

But things will – and should – change. Bernie Sanders, a Senator from the State of Vermont who ran for President this year but who lost in the primaries to Mrs. Clinton, expressed many of the same ideas that Mr. Trump expressed. Of course, Senator Sanders is a decent person with humane values, and the way he expressed these ideas was quite different from Mr. Trump. But these two men, on diametrically opposite sides of the political spectrum, are arguing for many of the same changes in our society. These changes will come about – imperfectly, of course – but our society will emerge from this trauma as a stronger and better country. Probably not in the next four years, but eventually.

但事情将会改变，也应该改变。伯尼·桑德斯是弗蒙特州参议员，今年他也参加了总统选举，但初选败给了克林顿夫人。他有许多观点与特朗普先生并无差异。当然，桑德斯议员为人正派，价值观与大众一致，他表达这些观点的方式与特朗普先生截然不同。这两个人站在完全对立的政治立场上，却都在主张许多相同的社会变革。改变终将到来——当然，或许不那么完美——但是我们的国家会从这次痛苦的经历中崛起，变得更强大、更美好。或许不是未来这四年，但终会崛起。

I am not going to support Mr. Trump. I will fight him and oppose him and do everything I can to make sure that nobody like him is ever elected again. And I hope that my children, and all the other young people who have been so disillusioned by this election, will become energized and take active roles in opposing this monster and returning America to a leader with good values.

我不会支持特朗普。我坚决反对他，会跟他作斗争，并尽一切力量确保不再有任何像他那样的人当选总统。我希望自己的孩子，以及所有因这次选举而理想破灭的年轻人，都能够振作起来，积极参与反对这个妖怪，让美国回归到一个贤良方正的领导人手中。

In the meantime, I say to my friends in China, please do not be afraid of the United States. Your children are still welcome in our schools and universities, which will remain rock-strong communities characterized by tolerance, empathy and compassion. You are still welcome to do business in the United States. Mr. Trump has exaggerated fears of Latin Americans who enter the USA illegally. He also has a ridiculous ignorance of Islam which results in absurd policy proposals. But he has no fears about the Chinese people. He is mistakenly convinced that China is “stealing” jobs from Americans and that the Chinese government is manipulating its currency. But it is important to separate the hostilities that he expresses towards government policies from the warm welcome he offers to Chinese people. I would have to assume that he has many Chinese who have purchased real estate from him. Nobody has ever accused the Chinese of sneaking across the borders or of being terrorists.

同时，我想告诉在中国的朋友，不要担心美国。我们的中小学和大学依然欢迎你们的孩子，这些校园秉持宽容、同情和关爱的理念，个个都是紧密团结的社区。我们依然欢迎你们来美国经商。对于非法入境的拉丁美洲人，特朗普先生危言耸听。对于伊斯兰教，他也愚昧无知，提出了荒唐的政治议案。但是他并不害怕中国人民。他误以为中国正在“偷走”美国人的工作，还认为中国政府在操控货币。但是一定要区分开他对政府政策表达出的敌意和对中国人民的热烈欢迎，这至关重要。我必须要说明，有许多中国人就是从他那里购买的房产。没有人指责中国人偷渡入境或是恐怖分子。

I know that the headlines are lurid, but remember that the media need to sell content, and the more sensational the news, the more money they make. It is not all true, and what is true is often exaggerated. The United States is undergoing a revolution, but it should be something to watch with interest in person rather than to observe in fear from a remote location. Please come visit, and bring your children. Americans are friendly people and they warmly welcome you.

我知道新闻头条总是触目惊心，但请各位谨记，媒体是在兜售内容，新闻越耸动，获利就越多。媒体说的并非都是真相，即使有真相，也常常被夸大。美国正在经历一场革命，与其带着恐惧远远观望，不如饶有兴趣地切身关注。请你们来，带着孩子一起来，友善的美国人民热烈欢迎你们的到来。

[1] Jeffrey Sheehan是宾夕法尼亚大学沃顿商学院前副院长。本文写于2016年11月13日，新东方教育集团董事长俞敏洪先生特向本刊推荐。