Not because my paper got rejected multiple times, nor because my research is not moving the way I wanted. These things do not make me sad. They make me feel challenged. When I feel challenged, I begin to pay attention, and make plans, and execute them, until the challenge is removed.
Maybe the saddest thing of life is uncertainty. It is a state in which you do not know the answer to a question, and you do not know what to do to find it out. Worse still, all signs are pointing to the direction you would hate, and yet, nothing you could do to make certain. And you would not allow yourself to give up the last slice of hope. To feel sad is to feel hopelessly incapable.
Talking about being sad, who can be sadder than this fellow:
浣溪沙
李煜
风压轻云贴水飞，乍晴池馆燕争泥。沈郎多病不胜衣。
沙上未闻鸿雁信，竹间时听鹧鸪啼。此情唯有落花知。
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Some annoyance
Everyone has a set of personae, just like the faces of a polyhedron. And everyone has an anima, that is like an inner sphere. If I draw them out, it must be a geometrically intriguing thing. But there is something else. You are not only what you think you are, or what you project out to be. You, to everyone else, are what you are thought to be. And in that there is always a component called expectation.
Most of the time this is alright, and you try to fulfill the roles. Other times, it becomes annoying. There could be people close to you for one reason or another who just have this sort of imposive mindset. They would like you to choose the same way they do, and everyone else does. And they try to influence you this way, without respect for what you think is the most logical, or elegant (i.e., you like it, but may not reason it out fully), choice.
Worst of all, you cannot tell them not to do that to you. By their very nature, these people just cannot take reasons, and ignore what they cause you with a stunning ease.
Most of the time this is alright, and you try to fulfill the roles. Other times, it becomes annoying. There could be people close to you for one reason or another who just have this sort of imposive mindset. They would like you to choose the same way they do, and everyone else does. And they try to influence you this way, without respect for what you think is the most logical, or elegant (i.e., you like it, but may not reason it out fully), choice.
Worst of all, you cannot tell them not to do that to you. By their very nature, these people just cannot take reasons, and ignore what they cause you with a stunning ease.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
"Single-serving friend"
If you have seen "fight club", you might still remember what Edward Norton was referring to. Many people (who did not see it) think it is a movie about violence and all the Hollywood stuff, and therefore do not want see it. They are wrong. What I can tell you is that it is the only movie, after seeing which I went to buy the novel (links to the author's entry on Wikipedia, not an ad) of it.
The main character's only "friends" are those he meets on the planes amid his business trips, who he never sees again, -- hence "single serving". I will let you find out what the movie is about. The issue I want to raise is the fact that it becomes increasingly difficult to make close friends as one grows up, at least it is the case for me.
I do not claim I understand why this happens. I can only throw out some guesses. Maybe as we grow up, we also grow a protective cocoon around us, being aware of the risk of interpersonal relationships. Maybe we become so focused on our own agenda that we don't have the time or energy to build friendships. Or maybe our wives keep us from making friends?
Anyway, on the issue of friendship in general, how can we expect Sir Francis Bacon to not have pondered it? See his essay "Of Friendship". But he did not make this observation at all, let alone theorizing it. Maybe it was not a problem in his time.
The main character's only "friends" are those he meets on the planes amid his business trips, who he never sees again, -- hence "single serving". I will let you find out what the movie is about. The issue I want to raise is the fact that it becomes increasingly difficult to make close friends as one grows up, at least it is the case for me.
I do not claim I understand why this happens. I can only throw out some guesses. Maybe as we grow up, we also grow a protective cocoon around us, being aware of the risk of interpersonal relationships. Maybe we become so focused on our own agenda that we don't have the time or energy to build friendships. Or maybe our wives keep us from making friends?
Anyway, on the issue of friendship in general, how can we expect Sir Francis Bacon to not have pondered it? See his essay "Of Friendship". But he did not make this observation at all, let alone theorizing it. Maybe it was not a problem in his time.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Why blog
It appears that some people have stumbled into this blog of mine. Does it occur to you that I should at least explain why I started this blog? At any rate, it does to me.
Apparently I am not scribomaniac, not even prolific as a writer. Simply put, no obsession with writing. It might well be just that I am narcissistic. I put down pieces and bits now, and when I read back later, I become euphoric at what a smartie I was. :)
The above was just to make you smile. I am without a doubt narcissistic, just as much as narcissism is omnipresent, and mine is surely within one standard deviation of the mean, on whichever scale of measure.
Apparently I am not scribomaniac, not even prolific as a writer. Simply put, no obsession with writing. It might well be just that I am narcissistic. I put down pieces and bits now, and when I read back later, I become euphoric at what a smartie I was. :)
The above was just to make you smile. I am without a doubt narcissistic, just as much as narcissism is omnipresent, and mine is surely within one standard deviation of the mean, on whichever scale of measure.
Einmal ist keinmal
There are so many things in the world one can have. But know that you can get hold of no more than a handful, or two. Then there come the issue of choice, and concomitantly, opportunity cost. And it is the nature of the opportunity cost that it is not normally precisely predictable, even for what might be in the short terms; in the long run, unknowable.
It follows then that we are never given the possibility of evaluating the choices we make in our life, as one will never be able to see what might have become of his or her life if one had made one choice differently. It is not an option to warp into the parallel universes, so to speak, that represent the alternative pathways.
That is what he meant when Milan Kundera said "Einmal ist keinmal". If we can live our life but once, we have not lived. That is because we are never given the opportunity to comprehend it, as we are not capable of comprehending any of the choices or decisions we make.
Quite an astonishing and amusing view, which certainly adds nothing to our wisdom. It says nothing about what is right or good, or otherwise. It is a quite ignorable thing , just like the sex scenes in his book, though people like to talk about it --eh, them, actually.
It follows then that we are never given the possibility of evaluating the choices we make in our life, as one will never be able to see what might have become of his or her life if one had made one choice differently. It is not an option to warp into the parallel universes, so to speak, that represent the alternative pathways.
That is what he meant when Milan Kundera said "Einmal ist keinmal". If we can live our life but once, we have not lived. That is because we are never given the opportunity to comprehend it, as we are not capable of comprehending any of the choices or decisions we make.
Quite an astonishing and amusing view, which certainly adds nothing to our wisdom. It says nothing about what is right or good, or otherwise. It is a quite ignorable thing , just like the sex scenes in his book, though people like to talk about it --eh, them, actually.
Monday, June 22, 2009
又读“行路难”
行路难
作者：李白
金樽清酒斗十千，玉盘珍馐直万钱。
停杯投箸不能食，拔剑四顾心茫然。
欲渡黄河冰塞川，将登太行雪满山。
闲来垂钓碧溪上，忽复乘舟梦日边。
行路难，行路难，多歧路，今安在？
长风破浪会有时，直挂云帆济沧海。
意境不算上佳。不是触景生情，而是境由心生，显得生硬了。
不过，“行路难，行路难，多歧路，今安在”却很有诗的冲击力。此诗作于李白被“赐金放还”，无奈离开京城之际。当读者理解了这一背景，那这一句读起来，仿佛就能感到是李白在击节而唱了。直抒胸臆，不琢而工，是此诗的点睛之句。
作者：李白
金樽清酒斗十千，玉盘珍馐直万钱。
停杯投箸不能食，拔剑四顾心茫然。
欲渡黄河冰塞川，将登太行雪满山。
闲来垂钓碧溪上，忽复乘舟梦日边。
行路难，行路难，多歧路，今安在？
长风破浪会有时，直挂云帆济沧海。
意境不算上佳。不是触景生情，而是境由心生，显得生硬了。
不过，“行路难，行路难，多歧路，今安在”却很有诗的冲击力。此诗作于李白被“赐金放还”，无奈离开京城之际。当读者理解了这一背景，那这一句读起来，仿佛就能感到是李白在击节而唱了。直抒胸臆，不琢而工，是此诗的点睛之句。
Sunday, June 21, 2009
A classic of personal statement: 与韩荆州书
与韩荆州书
作者﹕李白 (收入"古文观止"）
白闻天下谈士相聚而言曰：“生不用封万户侯，但愿一识韩荆州。”何令人之景慕，一至于此耶！岂不以有周公之风，躬吐握之事，使海内豪俊奔走而归之，一登龙门，则声誉十倍，所以龙盘凤逸之士，皆欲收名定价于君侯。愿君侯不以富贵而骄之，寒贱而忽之，则三千宾中有毛遂，使白得颖脱而出，即其人焉。
白陇西布衣，流落楚汉。十五好剑术，遍干诸侯；三十成文章，历抵卿相。虽长不满七尺，而心雄万夫。王公大人，许与气义。此畴曩心迹，安敢不尽于君侯哉？
君侯制作侔神明，德行动天地，笔参造化，学究天人。幸愿开张心颜，不以长揖见拒。必若接之以高宴，纵之以清谈，请日试万言，倚马可待。今天下以君侯为文章之司命，人物之权衡，一经品题，便作佳士。而君侯何惜阶前盈尺之地，不使白扬眉吐气，激昂青云耶？
昔王子师为豫州，未下车，即辟荀慈明，既下车，又辟孔文举；山涛作冀州，甄拔三十余人，或为侍中、尚书，先代所美。而君侯亦荐一严协律，入为秘书郎，中间崔宗之、房习祖、黎昕、许莹之徒，或以才名见知，或以清白见赏。白每观其衔恩抚躬，忠义奋发，以此感激，知君侯推赤心于诸贤腹中，所以不归他人，而愿委身国士。傥急难有用，敢效微躯。
且人非尧舜，谁能尽善？白谟猷筹画，安能自矜？至于制作，积成卷轴，则欲尘秽视听。恐雕虫小技，不合大人。若赐观刍荛，请给纸墨，兼之书人，然后退扫闲轩，缮写呈上。庶青萍、结绿，长价于薛、卞之门。幸惟下流，大开奖饰，惟君侯图之。
作者﹕李白 (收入"古文观止"）
白闻天下谈士相聚而言曰：“生不用封万户侯，但愿一识韩荆州。”何令人之景慕，一至于此耶！岂不以有周公之风，躬吐握之事，使海内豪俊奔走而归之，一登龙门，则声誉十倍，所以龙盘凤逸之士，皆欲收名定价于君侯。愿君侯不以富贵而骄之，寒贱而忽之，则三千宾中有毛遂，使白得颖脱而出，即其人焉。
白陇西布衣，流落楚汉。十五好剑术，遍干诸侯；三十成文章，历抵卿相。虽长不满七尺，而心雄万夫。王公大人，许与气义。此畴曩心迹，安敢不尽于君侯哉？
君侯制作侔神明，德行动天地，笔参造化，学究天人。幸愿开张心颜，不以长揖见拒。必若接之以高宴，纵之以清谈，请日试万言，倚马可待。今天下以君侯为文章之司命，人物之权衡，一经品题，便作佳士。而君侯何惜阶前盈尺之地，不使白扬眉吐气，激昂青云耶？
昔王子师为豫州，未下车，即辟荀慈明，既下车，又辟孔文举；山涛作冀州，甄拔三十余人，或为侍中、尚书，先代所美。而君侯亦荐一严协律，入为秘书郎，中间崔宗之、房习祖、黎昕、许莹之徒，或以才名见知，或以清白见赏。白每观其衔恩抚躬，忠义奋发，以此感激，知君侯推赤心于诸贤腹中，所以不归他人，而愿委身国士。傥急难有用，敢效微躯。
且人非尧舜，谁能尽善？白谟猷筹画，安能自矜？至于制作，积成卷轴，则欲尘秽视听。恐雕虫小技，不合大人。若赐观刍荛，请给纸墨，兼之书人，然后退扫闲轩，缮写呈上。庶青萍、结绿，长价于薛、卞之门。幸惟下流，大开奖饰，惟君侯图之。
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Coincidence? Or not?
颜若桃李，心如蛇蝎
Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under it.
- Lady Macbeth
-- 06/19/2009
Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under it.
- Lady Macbeth
-- 06/19/2009
Reading "Of Love" by Francis Bacon
"Of Love"
By Francis Bacon
** Meaning excess or exaggeration. From ancient Greek; [hai-pER-be-lee].
*** Cf. amare et sapere vix deo conceditur, to love and to be wise is scarcely allowed to God. [Publilius Syrus Sententiae xxii.]
**** Helen of Troy (and of Sparta earlier) maybe?
***** This guy can't.
By Francis Bacon
The stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is even matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief, sometimes like a siren , sometimes like a fury. You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons, (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent,) there is not one that hath been transported to the mad degree of love; which shows, that great spirits and great business do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius (also here) the half partner of the Empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius the Decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely,) that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus : Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus;* as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are,) yet of the eye, which was given him for higher purposes. It is a strange thing to note the excess of this passion; and how it braves the nature and value of things by this, that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole ** is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it has been well said, that the arch-flatterer (??), with whom all the petty flatters have intelligence, is a man's self; certainly the lover is more; for there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, that it is impossible to love, and to be wise.*** Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved, but to he loved most of all; except the love be reciprocal. For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded either with the reciprocal, or with an inward and secret contempt: by how much the more men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things but itself. As for the other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure them; that he that preferred Helena,**** quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas : for whosoever esteemeth too much of amourous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion hath his floods in the very times of weakness, which are, great prosperity and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more frequent, and therefore, show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who, if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarter; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs and actions***** of life: for if it check once with business, it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men that they can no ways be true to their own ends. I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think it is, but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man's nature a secret inclination and motion toward love of others, which, if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself toward many, and maketh men to become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometimes in friars. Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth and embaseth it.
-- 06/18/2009
* Each is to another a theatre large enough. Magnum --> great.** Meaning excess or exaggeration. From ancient Greek; [hai-pER-be-lee].
*** Cf. amare et sapere vix deo conceditur, to love and to be wise is scarcely allowed to God. [Publilius Syrus Sententiae xxii.]
**** Helen of Troy (and of Sparta earlier) maybe?
***** This guy can't.
-- 06/19/2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
