Chapter 21 Five Between Tradition and Modernity

In fact, the embarrassment of "urban tribal people" is not only because of "unknown origin", but also because they are caught between tradition and modernity, and they are not human inside and out.Because the modernity in them is difficult for people in traditional society to understand, and the inferiority endowed by traditional society cannot be completely eradicated.As a result, no matter in anyone's eyes, Shanghai people are very "ring". Shanghai people are not bad.Even if some people are a bit bad, they are mostly bad enough, just as although they are smart, they are mostly smart in the open.Smartness lies in the obvious, which is the characteristic of Shanghai-style shrewdness, and it can also be regarded as another interpretation of the word "smartness".Since it is clear, it cannot be said that it is "very bad". As for the fact that Shanghainese look down on foreigners, it cannot be regarded as the basis for "Shanghainese are bad".Shanghainese look down on outsiders, but outsiders also look down on Shanghainese.Shanghainese are just "bullying" foreigners in Shanghai, but foreigners are "slandering" Shanghainese all over the country, who is more "bad"?

The conflict between foreigners and Shanghainese is, in the final analysis, the conflict between tradition and modernity.There are three main things that outsiders look down on or dislike Shanghainese: stinginess, shrewdness, and selfishness.Shanghainese have some of these problems.Generally speaking, Shanghai people are more "stingy" and not generous.Asking them to sacrifice their own interests to help others is sometimes more difficult than reaching heaven.For example, in old Shanghai, when a smoker borrowed a fire from someone, he could not say "borrow" but "beg".If you say "borrow", the answer you get is likely to be: "borrow fire! When will you pay it back?" (Xu Guozhen) This makes people feel stingy.Even now, Shanghainese are not "cool".Many small citizens in Shanghai are still digging and searching, haggling over everything, and calculating everything very carefully.Anyone who wants to take advantage of the Shanghainese is not much easier than ascending to the sky.Yang Dongping told a "classic joke" that was widely circulated in Beijing: A Shanghai child bought a needle for 1 cent, but the price of the needle was 2 cents and 3 needles, so the child refused to take the needle after getting it. Go, and said to the salesperson: "You still have to find me two straw papers." Of course, there is no way to verify the authenticity of this joke, but everyone who heard it thought it was "like".

However, not all Shanghainese are as petty, shrewd, and selfish as outsiders imagine.Maybe it's because "people are divided into groups", but my Shanghai friends are not like this.Some of them are bold, some are simple and honest, and some are quite fond of fighting against injustice.Besides, even if Shanghai people are all stingy, shrewd, and selfish, who are they to provoke?In fact, although Shanghai people are stingy, they are not greedy; although they are shrewd, they are not sinister; although they are selfish, they are not harmful to others.Then, why do outsiders get angry when they mention Shanghainese's stinginess, shrewdness, and selfishness?Not for anything else, just because they conflict too much with traditional values.In the traditional society, boldness is the most important thing, so it is natural to despise stinginess; dullness is the beauty, and it is natural to hate shrewdness; humility is the virtue, and selfishness is naturally abhorred.What's even more exasperating is that Shanghainese not only have these "problems", but also show these "problems" openly and nakedly, not ashamed, but proud, without losing face at all.Take the matter of "borrowing fire" as an example. In theory, of course fire cannot be "borrowed", because "returning" is not only the same as "borrowing light" when "light" cannot be "borrowed". "Speaking as "borrowing fire" is nothing more than a little human touch.Generally speaking, in addition to loan sharks, people who can open their mouths to borrow money are not relatives, friends, acquaintances, and neighbors.If you say "begging", you will not only become a beggar yourself, but also become divided between the two parties.However, the people of Shanghai don't care about this, and insist on the "reasons" of his commercial society: to borrow is to borrow, to ask is to ask, if there is a loan, there is still repayment, and it is not difficult to borrow again.Since you can't "repay" it at all, just ask for it, don't say whether you can borrow it or not.If borrowed, when will you pay it back?Is there any interest?This has no human touch at all, and traditional society is extremely particular about human touch, so the result is that outsiders especially hate Shanghainese.In theory, there is nothing wrong with Shanghai people, but emotionally, it is unacceptable.

In fact, the boldness of outsiders, especially those from the north, is not only partly out of nature, but also partly out of consideration of the world.For foreigners, when someone asks you for excuses or asks you, even if you don't want to or you can't do it, you have to act boldly for the sake of face and favor, otherwise you will never want to be a human being in the future.However, because boldness has become the "cultural unconsciousness" of northerners, everyone will not feel that they are "acting".However, even if it is really bold, there are conditions.CCTV's "Tell the Truth" program once discussed this issue.The host Cui Yongyuan asked a Northeast guest: After the show is over, we all go to dinner together, who will pay?The man from the Northeast said, of course I pay.The host asked again, if all the audience present also go to eat together, you still pay the bill and everyone laughed.It can be seen that boldness is not unconditional.Since there are conditions, it is better to clarify the conditions first.Otherwise, although we are bolder than the Shanghainese, although we are cuter, we may not be more real than the "stingy" of the Shanghainese.

It is also necessary to analyze the dullness advocated by traditional society. There are three types of dullness.One is born dull, the other is honest and modest, and the other is pretending to be stupid.It is not advisable to be born dull, and of course there is no cure. What is advisable is to be honest and humble.Traditional Chinese society appreciates honesty and humility.A simple, honest and modest person will be liked and welcomed in any place and any unit, and get praises such as honesty, honesty, and easy to get along with.It is difficult for Shanghainese to give people such an impression.Most of them have shrewd looks on their faces, their brains are spinning quickly, and they have completed several calculation procedures before their eyes have finished rolling, and come to the conclusion of "it is worthwhile or not".They also talked fast, like firing machine guns, and they were shrewd inside and out.What's more, they talk so much, as the saying goes, "Shanghai ducks croak".All these make people who advocate honesty and modesty, talk less and do more, "sensitivity in deeds but slow in words" resent, and feel unhappy.

However, Beijingers also speak a lot!How can Beijingers not be offensive? Indeed, Beijingers talk a lot, and more than Shanghainese.Shanghainese generally only talk a lot when they talk to Shanghainese in Shanghai dialect. If they are asked to talk to foreigners in Mandarin, sometimes they are a bit dull and can't speak much.Beijingers are eloquent and eloquent no matter who they are talking to.Therefore, in this regard, Beijingers also have a bad reputation: they talk too much, they talk too much, and they like to play tricks.But that's all.Because the "poverty" of Beijing people gives people the feeling of "grease"; It is pleasing to the eye. Although the glib tongue is a bit annoying, it is not scary. If it is gossip, it is somewhat comical, just like listening to cross talk. Besides, "Great wisdom is like a fool, a big traitor is like a loyal person. People who play poor tongue are generally not deep in the city. He doesn't have much heart, on the contrary, he is a little heartless and stupid, which makes people feel that he is actually another kind of simple and honest.

However, just as there are conditions for boldness, honesty and modesty must also be conditional.This condition is to stand aloof from the world.If everyone doesn't argue, it's easy to be honest and humble.This is possible under conditions of a self-sufficient small-scale peasant economy.But it must be in the so-called "peace and prosperity", in those places with "pure folk customs".Once this condition is exceeded, the so-called honesty and modesty are often no different from pretending to be stupid.There are also two kinds of pretending to be stupid.One is self-protection, so as not to attract the attention of the famous and taboo trees, and the rafters in the early years will rot first.The other is to retreat to advance, pretending to be stupid on the surface, but in fact the calculation in the heart is better than anyone else.Once everyone's guard is lifted, he will take advantage of others and quietly attack to gain benefits for himself, even at the expense of others.That's why the common people say: "The chicken at the door pecks at the white rice, and every grain it pecks is good rice", or "A dog that bites will not bark, and a dog that can bark will not bite", that is to say, they are well aware that the simple, honest and humble on the surface are often unreliable. .

It can be seen that not all people in traditional society are dull or shrewd.Those people who are dull on the surface and sophisticated in heart are actually more terrifying than the shrewd Shanghainese.However, since honesty is affirmed and lovable, shrewdness will inevitably be criticized and aroused disgust, not to mention that Shanghainese are still "smart in the bright place"?What's wrong with being smart in the clear is tantamount to publicly ignoring traditional moral concepts and aesthetic standards, which will arouse public indignation, and public indignation is "public", regardless of right or wrong, first With three points of truth.If you don't believe me, look at those smart people in history, how many of them ended well?

Shanghainese also come from a traditional society, and they will not understand this truth.But Shanghainese have to be shrewd.Because Shanghai is not a "Xanadu" that "does not compete with the world", but a modern society full of competition.In such a society, life without calculation is of no value, and those who cannot calculate cannot survive.Therefore, for Shanghainese, shrewdness is not only a kind of value, a kind of quality, but also a kind of survival ability.Survival ability cannot be criticized, so we cannot criticize the shrewdness of Shanghainese.What's more, Shanghai people are still smart in the light, which is better than smart in the dark.First, he did not cheat, he is Gongqi's opponent.Even if he will hurt you, it is an open war, not a sneak attack.Second, you and him are completely equal.He has the right to be smart, and you have the right to be smart.If you are as shrewd as he is, he can do you no harm.If you are smarter than him, he will be willing to bow down.In other words, everyone is equal before being smart.This is actually a game and competition with rules, which is much easier to deal with than the traditional society's "lawless law" or "great wisdom and stupidity". In fact, in a sense, Shanghainese are actually very simple and lovely.They worship shrewdness, and only shrewdness, because shrewdness is the totem of their "tribe", so they look down on foreigners who are "slow to respond" and "unclear".But if your reaction is faster than theirs, and your calculations are better than theirs, they will look at you with wide eyes and appreciation, and will no longer regard you as an "outsider".On this point, Shanghainese are actually more open-minded than foreigners.They value cultural identity more than geographical identity.This is also the characteristic of a modern community person.

So, is the "selfishness" of Shanghai people also a characteristic of modern community people?Yes. Chinese people in traditional society are indeed not too "selfish".Because the traditional Chinese society originally "distinguishes between public and private" (please refer to my book, there is no "private" to "self". Traditional China is "rural China", which is based on the small peasant economy and family organization as the standard. Society. A family is a "family", but a country is also a "family". A family, what is public and what is private, what you and I are divided into. However, the market economy requires clear property rights, otherwise commodity exchanges cannot be carried out. Therefore, a family that operates according to market rules, A society governed by the law that everyone is equal before it must attach great importance to individual rights. This individual right must be protected not only by the law, but also by itself. The "flying smuggling" of Shanghainese is largely the result of Out of self-protection of personal rights, including the catchphrase of "Knowing about things", as well as penny-pinching and pick-and-choose when shopping. It should be said that on these occasions, outsiders are regarded as stingy, shrewd, and selfish. The behavior actually shows a kind of legal awareness to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. Although Shanghai people do something "ridiculous" (for example, if you buy a needle for 1 cent, you need to find two pieces of toilet paper), however, no matter how small the right is, it is still a right. You can give up this right (because this right is your own), but you have no right to laugh at other people's insistence and protection. Is it because the right is too small that you should not protect it, and giving up your own rights is generous, bold and selfless?

Of course, Shanghainese also compete for fame and fortune.But, may I ask where all the people are indifferent to fame and wealth?What's more, except for those with great ambitions (there are such people all over the world), Shanghainese generally only fight for their own share, or the share they think they deserve.Such as squeezing a bus, or rushing in to grab a seat on the subway as soon as it opens.At this time, they really don't care about others.Because in their view, everyone should fight for the share that everyone deserves, rather than being humbled by others.If you can't win, you can only blame you for being "dumb".You can't take the share you deserve, so what can others say? You didn't deserve that share in the first place, otherwise, how could you not take it away? Therefore, between Shanghainese and Shanghainese, the general accounts are very clear.I don't take advantage of you, and you don't even try to take advantage of me.Then, there will be such a "ridiculous" thing: several families share a corridor, and each house installs a street lamp, and each person controls the switch.In the eyes of outsiders, this is "selfishness" or "stinginess", but in the eyes of Shanghainese, it is "everyone is refreshing", which can avoid many unnecessary disputes. Life is already difficult, and disputes over these small things are just not enough. It is uneconomical to hurt your peace and waste your energy. Of course, among Shanghainese, there are also people who like to take advantage of others. But because each has clear boundaries and everyone is very sophisticated, it is not easy to take advantage of. More people still take advantage of the public It is cheap. Taking advantage of the public is also our "national condition". It is the same in all parts of the country, and it is not the case of Shanghainese. However, even if the Shanghainese takes advantage of the public, they still have a sense of proportion. Extravagance and waste of face. Because although the money belongs to the public, the person who reimburses it is myself. It is not worthwhile to reimburse too much public funds without getting actual benefits. In fact, although Shanghainese are shrewd, they do not advocate taking advantage of others.Although Shanghainese look down on people who are too stupid and call them stupid, Yangpan, Amulin, thirteen o'clock, pig head three, and taking advantage of others, they also despise those who are too shrewd to harm others and benefit themselves. Disapproval of waves, driving big, making paste, old threshold, not going on the road, etc.The positive value of Shanghai society is "smartness is in the clear", it is self-interest without harming others, and "selfishness is reasonable".This "reason" is: your rights are yours, and my rights are mine.You don't want to damage your rights, and I don't want to damage mine, so don't damage others' rights.If you can gain your own interests without harming the rights of others, then you have the ability, and I can't interfere.But if you damage the rights of others, others will not agree, and in the end you will be unlucky yourself.Those who understand this truth are called "clear".Otherwise, it is called "unclear". Whether you can carry it clearly is one of the criteria to test whether a Shanghainese is "qualified".This standard is sometimes more important than being smart or not.If a person is "unclear", then, even if he speaks standard Shanghai dialect, or appears very smart, Shanghainese people will look down on him from the bottom of his heart.Because "carrying clearly" is really shrewd, and "not carrying clearly" is false shrewdness.For example, "crane".The so-called "crane" is when the passengers on the bus are full and there are no more passengers to squeeze onto it, so that the doors cannot be closed and the bus cannot drive away.At this time, Shanghainese who are usually "selfish" and don't like to meddle in other people's business will join the conductor to advise or denounce the person who went to the crane.The reason is simple: this person has already damaged everyone's rights, but he himself cannot get any real benefits, which is a typical "unclear".There is nothing polite to say to such "unclear" people. Apparently, the Shanghainese's "doesn't know what to do" is based on the understanding of individual rights and interests.People in Shanghai realize more clearly than people from other places that individual rights and interests are not isolated things, they can only exist in various relationships with others and groups.To safeguard individual rights and fight for one's own interests, it is necessary to sort out these relationships and then make corresponding judgments and decisions.For example, whether this matter should be taken care of, whether this immediate benefit should be given up first, and so on.Those who can sort out these relationships are called "clear".Otherwise, it is called "unclear". Still take the "crane" as an example. The mentality of the "crane" person in Shanghai is: "If you want to go, I want to go too. If you want to go, you have to let me go up." In Beijing, it is: "I will go up, how can you make me go?" Everyone go, if you don't go, don't go!" Of course, the result is that no one can go. The mentality of Beijing's drivers and conductors is: "If you don't go, I still don't want to go! Wait for the police! The police are here, and you are here!" The psychology of the passengers is: "I can't leave, and you don't even want to leave! Anyway, everyone wants to let me give you a place to come up? No way!" It is not difficult to see that when Beijingers think about problems, they use Group-oriented, and prepare for the worst: "It's great, everyone won't leave!" When Shanghai people consider problems, they are individual-oriented, and strive for the best future: "I don't care about this 'nosy', I won't be able to leave. Everyone is in charge, and everyone can leave, including me.” As a result, the “unselfish” Beijingers gave up their personal interests while giving up group interests, while the “selfish” Shanghainese also gave up their personal interests on the premise of safeguarding their personal interests. safeguard the common interests of the group. It seems that the "selfishness" of the Shanghainese may also lead to two different results: when the interests of the group and the interests of individuals are not directly related, they may be truly selfish.For example, don't care about other things, walk around when things happen, so as not to get burned, etc.But when the loss of the group directly leads to the loss of personal interests, they will also stand up.For example, when it takes a long time to queue and the order may be disordered, some Shanghainese will take the initiative to maintain order.Because I came early, as long as everyone lined up well, they could always get what they deserved; Similarly, Shanghainese are willing to help others as long as they do not harm themselves.For example, passing money tickets to other passengers and conductors on the bus is called "ferrying" in Shanghainese.Before the formation of the automatic coin system, "ferry" was an important way of selling tickets on crowded buses.In this case, refusing to "ferry" also falls into the category of "unclear".Because "ferrying" is not harmful to you, but it's a little effort, if you refuse, it's too shameful.Besides, when everyone needs someone to "ferry", everyone refuses to "ferry", and no one has a car, including you. This kind of "reasonableness" of the Shanghainese can sometimes turn into "false reasoning".Yang Dongping talked about a story told by Cheng Naishan: Everyone queued up to buy French bread, and one person did not queue up to buy inside.A line of people refused to accept it, and asked the manager to report the problem of "going through the back door".The manager patted him on the shoulder and said, "I know him, so he doesn't have to wait in line; if I know you, you don't need to wait in line, but unfortunately I don't know you." This is obviously "false reasoning", but everyone can accept it. Because this "unfairness" also has "fairness" behind it: as long as you know the manager, everyone can stop queuing. In this case, instead of condemning "walking behind, it is better to know more about Several managers. In this way, certain elements of traditional society survived in Shanghai.But it must be pointed out that they have been "packaged" and "baptized" by Shanghai civilization.The success of the baptism may be wonderful, but the failure of the packaging may be embarrassing.If you have a traditional side and a modern side, and it's the bad or not-so-good side, it's going to suck.Most of the problems of Shanghai's petty citizens are like this.For example, traditional society pays attention to group life, people care about each other, and they are very humane, but they don’t know how to respect the privacy of others; modern society respects individual rights and opposes interference in other people’s private lives, but it is also easy to cause interpersonal conflicts. indifferent.Small citizens in Shanghai just happen to have two flaws in one: they are selfish, stingy and stingy, they don’t do anything to benefit the world, and they can hide and rely on the public affairs they should manage; Gossiping, wagging your lips, gossip, gossiping, whether you hate this kind of "small bourgeois spirit" that everyone hates, I'm afraid even Shanghainese themselves feel contemptible! In short, Shanghainese are a group of "urban tribal people" who oscillate between tradition and modernity.Their roots are in traditional Chinese culture, but their branches and leaves are bathed in European style and rain.This makes them not only have the essence of complementary advantages, but also inevitably embarrassing nondescript.Therefore, when others talk about them, once sensitive matters are involved, dramatic conflicts will be staged.