Individual? Collectivity?
I’d like to say sorry to all of you for nding this article to the public e-mail. The article below is not downloaded from any English newspaper on the Internet but written by mylf.
While having arched for some articles online, I eventually made up my mind to write something down to express my ideas. The days I have been busy doing various kinds of things, from which I get something that is worth thinking. Words are not the only substance that can be read. And something small or tiny happens around us and something that we are experiencing or have experienced are just there, ready for us to read.
Not long ago, Mr. Zhuyibin, the world-famous cellist, a professor of the Central Conrvatory of Music, held a chamber concert in our campus. There crowded countless students and teachers, some have ats while others didn’t. It was a common phenomenon that many people took their cameras with them, eager to take pictures of the musician. (or let’s call him a celebrity) As a result, too much “noi” sprang up on the arrival of him and later during the concert when he and his contemporain were deeply intoxicated in their musi
c. All of a sudden, the melody stopped in the air with “clicks” rising now and then. Mr. Zhu was waiting for respect from his audience. It reminded me of the request which Langlang made in his recital. Listeners are required to appreciate the music without making any unnecessary sounds ,which can in a n bother the players. But just right there almost everyone with a camera do the same thing which is considered impolite to the musician.
Well, let’s come to the point. What is the relation between individuals and collectivity? What should we do to be a better lf while making contributions to the whole? Is the individualism totally opposite to the collectivism? Should we sacrifice private interest to satisfy collective interest all along? How to survive the society with both profile and social environment ahead of us?
When having the chamber concert, Mr.Zhu showed how the music was compod by asking different cellists to play different pieces in the same bar. Each of them made thoroughly different notes. However , when combined , things changed. The passionate Carmen flowed into the hall enlightening our ears. That was called enmble, or harmony.
According to the cellist, western music is full of that enmble. Westerners invent different music instruments to make different sounds together, creating a piece of music. While we, Orientals, tend to make one instrument or veral instruments of different tambers all along to do the same melody. I can treat the diversity as part of cultural differences.
Think about it , when all the people speak one language, live in the same room, eat the same food , have only the same idea, ware the same kinds of clothing……What a horrible world!
China had a period of time when the Cultural Revolution was booming around the country. People nationwide were just like one person. At that time, being different and unique was dangerous. Later, some people realized we need change and changed to be various. Hence, everybody began to vary himlf (or herlf). Some in a good way while some in a bad one. Tho who have a preference to show off themlves through doing things like drunk driving, furious driving, spiting or throwing litters around or even committi
ng crimes are what we called rule breakers. It just like that in an orchestral, some musicians don’t follow the beat and rhythm that the conductor give.
To be unique doesn’t mean you have to do everything different from other people. There is still something that every individual in a team should follow, for instance, laws, regulations, social morality, professional ethics and etc. Only are we each equipped with basic qualities can we diversify ourlves into various kinds of individual without doing harm to the collectivity. By then, we should be good listeners in a concert or some other occasions where there is a need of large amount of civilians attending. There, we act as a whole, doing the same thing in order to be a better lf and to make better surroundings for us to live in.
Meanwhile, personal development is important. We live in the society, and can’t make a difference without the help of other people. You can do nothing if you don’t get bread to fulfill your stomach or can’t find a piece of clothing to keep yourlf warm. Tho bread and clothes are bought from shops and made by others. Different people do different jobs.
You find something to do in a certain place, sooner or later, your work can help or satisfy other people and then you get your rewards. That’s it. But the point is how can we be a suitable individual to the collectivity and at the same time be a unique person who is to our satisfaction?
I encountered some of words in Walden and Other Writings which say that “Be a Columbus to whole new continents and world within you, opening new channels, not of trade, but of thought. Every man is the lord of a realm beside which the earthly empire of the Czar is but a petty state, a hummock left by the ice. Yet some can be patriotic who have no shelf-respect, and sacrifice the greater to the less.” In my understanding, to think for onelf is human nature. One should consider the needs inside: What am I going to be ? What am I going to do? What kind of life am I going to live? To find out what a particular person wants, then to look around the environment one lives and gradually cultivate in himlf (or herlf) with the opportunities, resources around, aids from other individuals or teams and etc. next, to do some rearch on the demands of the society or collectivity. Everyone, as an individual, should know what the collectivity need and should
do his (or her) duty to better the collectivity, though in different position.
