Chapter 5 "Those Young Men Who Are Sad" Part 3-2

one In the 13th century, when a group of young monks gathered in a medieval monastery to study "whether seven angels could stand on the tip of a needle", they did not know how their actions would have a profound impact on the entire human civilization.This way of bringing bright young people together to teach and learn theology has created the original form of the university, which is the greatest legacy of the dark and long Middle Ages.The American "Life" magazine regards "university" as one of the greatest events in this millennium, because "it has created a place to continue the civilization of the whole world, and it has also cultivated a large number of wise men who fully understand the world."

In these 9 centuries, although the model of the university has been constantly changing: from the original establishment of the University of Bologna in Italy, the rise of the University of Paris in the 12th century, to the classicism model of Oxford and Cambridge in the 14th century, or Humboldt in the 19th century In the reform of Berlin University, or in the 20th century, the prosperity of Harvard and Yale universities in the United States... But in the aorta that runs through history, universities have always been the main transmission and creator of human spiritual resources.In the 18th century British Cardinal Newman's "The Ideal of the University", the university is a place where we relive the wisdom of Socrates and the style of Dante, and it is a place to cultivate gentlemen with perfect character and knowledge; in the early 19th century, Germans In Humboldt’s practice, the university was a place where modern science was discovered and explored; in Henry John, an Englishman in the late 19th century, a university was a place where passionate young people gathered to discuss the world; in the 20s In the "University" written by American Freisner at the beginning of the century, the university is an organism, a representation of society, and a place where some permanent concepts are critically held. ... In short, a university is a place that provides idealism, which can be manifested in: 1.Inheritance of the traditions of great civilizations; 2.Exploration and research in unknown areas; 3.For the perfection of personal quality.This ideal makes universities exciting places where young souls wander in great realms.As Newman said: "University is not the birthplace of poets, but if a university cannot arouse some poetic reverberations in young people and some thinking about human problems, then there is no doubt that this university lacks appeal." Because of the support of this ideal, since the Middle Ages, universities have had a self-admired independent style, which tried to guide society with spiritual temperament.

two The history under the dust is so radiant, which makes us living today feel an irrepressible sadness.After the university concept has guided the development of the West for hundreds of years, our university still has not taken shape.In addition to lagging behind in research and teaching strength, Chinese universities are more importantly, universities are not an exciting place for us.Because our universities generally lack this idealistic spirit.So, what do we get here? After going through the human-destroying college entrance examination questions, you were lucky enough to get the admission letter that was regarded as the goal of life.A half-price train ticket brought you into the university campus; after four years, you left here. What did you get in this most youthful years? 150 credits, a bench that rubs your buttocks, outdated textbooks, A reasonably pretty girlfriend, endless self-study, GRE scores just enough to go to the US, a computer or bar certificate, and of course a degree certificate proving that you have lived here for four years, which helps you find a job ...

It's all frustrating, but it's a fact.In China in the 1990s, university was a place to spend time foolishly and comfortably, or a place to memorize bad English words or learn other practical skills, and it could not arouse the enthusiasm of young people.You could try to talk to a so-called college student, and after an initial introduction of yourself, you're likely to hit some kind of deadlock.You don't know what to talk about with him, society, thought or culture, these topics seem to be far away from them.Apart from the terminology and practical skills in some professional courses they deal with every day, they know very little.A university is like a huge factory of specialized knowledge. On a huge assembly line, young hearts are neatly built, allowing them to adapt to a certain job in this society.Even when the entire education community is shouting, quality education, or the cultivation of comprehensive talents, universities still have no future.Because all the current forms ignore a basic premise: university education is an education that shapes the soul, and universities must encourage the souls of young people to explore and wander freely.Here they must observe the world unfettered and endowed with an inner nobility that allows them to be completely independent in this world.Therefore, the university itself must have an independent spirit and a special charm.

American psychologist William James has an excellent statement in "Cultivating the Social Value of College Students": "Although college cannot give you this or that practical skill, it will provide your overall intelligence with factors more important than skills. They teach you, make you knowledgeable; they become your spiritual teachers and helpful friends..." This sentence is used to explain the purpose of going to college. "University is a way to make you a more perfect person." This educational view of Western humanism has an extremely interesting interpretation in China: middle school is "Shcool", while university is "you play the world". (University)".This gag may be hinting at the purpose of college: to see the world more broadly, to think like a whole person.This point is just as the British thinker Whitehead wrote excitingly as early as a century ago: "In the middle school, the student sits at his desk to study; in the university, he should stand up and look around."

three In 1916, when Cai Yuanpei proposed at Peking University that "university is a place to pursue advanced knowledge, not to be an official", and put forward the principle of inclusiveness, Peking University was injected with a new soul.In the next few years, this kind of soul made Peking University the pioneer of the whole new trend, and made Peking University always be new in the midst of turmoil, always fighting against the forces of darkness, and even proudly declared that it was separated from the then Corrupt government...and when Tsinghua President Mei Yiqi took office, Tsinghua was still a second-rate university, exactly the theory put forward by President Mei: 1.Cultivate sound talents, not specialized talents; 2.3. Professors run schools;Academic freedom has quickly made Tsinghua one of the most famous universities in China.Tsinghua became the center of the new style of study for a while.The academic achievements and personnel training of Peking University and Tsinghua University during this period are even more astonishing. The professors and students of the university have become a symbol of the bright society.In the article recalling Peking University and Tsinghua University at that time, students generally regarded the university as the rebirth of their lives, because the ideas here excited them, and it became their eternal spiritual hometown.

Scholar Yang Dongping believes that Peking University in the 1920s and Tsinghua University in the 1930s are closest to the modern university model.Because what they instill are ideals and ethos, a way of understanding the world, not a professional skill.Therefore, universities should be independent of politics, let alone submit to society, because both of them will mercilessly strip away the idealism of colleges and turn universities into places for cultivating tool talents.Sadly, none of our universities were spared.Due to the lack of an independent spirit, the academic achievements and personnel training of Chinese universities in the past few decades have been surprisingly pitiful.The south wall of Peking University was torn down, and Tsinghua University opened a driving school. Under such circumstances, how could the two once most distinctive universities transmit a great tradition or pioneering spirit to their students, because the noisy campus no longer breeds Such an idealistic temperament.

Four On February 20, 1915, Hu Shi, who was studying in the United States, wrote in his diary because he saw the impact of famous American universities on society: "I will see a national university in China comparable to Harvard in this country, Oxford and Cambridge in the UK, The Berlin of virtue, the Paris of law, my eyes are gone..." The next day, he continued to write in his diary: "There is no shame in a country without a navy; there is no shame in a country without an army; there is no shame in a country without a university." Public libraries... are a shame..."

Who can say that Hu Shi's sentiments are outdated, and in this era when the human spirit is becoming more chaotic and confused, universities should become the center of social spiritual resources.However, a university is by no means a factory, and it is impossible to rely on simple plans or indicators to make real progress in Chinese universities.Therefore, we must return to a basic common sense: what is a university? How do we comply with its objective needs? Perhaps first, we must help it regain its independent spirit and make ideals become the core of the university. Only in this way can the university be May once again be an exciting place to inspire the dynamic souls of young people.

Foster our club spirit one Philosopher William James once said in a lecture at Harvard that what Harvard is proud of is that it instills a club spirit in its students... In the real Harvard, clubs are an important part of student life, and students put Divide yourself into different organizations, according to an American writer: "Here is the Harvard of athletes; the Harvard of scholars who have their eyes fixed on graduate school; the Harvard of people who have nothing to do and sell bonds on Wall Street; A Harvard for rich, well-off young men...and a Harvard for rebels." In these various clubs, although there will still be a lot of hooliganism, the mutual promotion of comrades will undoubtedly help these young men. People quickly get rid of childish words and deeds, and more importantly, through this kind of efforts, Harvard has given these passionate young people a certain noble ideal, and let this ideal accompany him throughout his life.

James' pride is justified. One of Harvard's spiritual mentors has always expected Harvard students to think maturely like adults and discuss issues enthusiastically.University is a place to cultivate "gentlemen", and the combination of mature mind and passionate thinking is an ideal university.It is also one of the most exciting places in a university, where young people with a spirit of yearning for the world come together to imagine tomorrow's society without preconceptions and to express themselves passionately.Here, they don't have to worry about practical difficulties, and they don't have to be swayed by worldly opinions. The university is a fertile experimental field where students cultivate the hope of tomorrow. The greatest president in Harvard history C. W．Elliott believes that every student entering college should be viewed as a mature human being.Therefore, he highly recommends that students develop freely according to their own wishes, "making everyone think and act according to their own preferences".For this purpose, the principal knew that his students should be given the greatest freedom in time and space.Therefore, he created an epoch-making "course selection system". All courses are equal and open, and the credits are very few, and most of the remaining time is left to the students themselves.At the same time, he allowed students of all ages to live in the campus together so that they can communicate freely.For outstanding Harvard students, this system is undoubtedly "a good air conditioning valve", encouraging wisdom to be released in the best state. For this reason, the university itself must get used to being attacked by those students. John Reed, a student of the 1902 class, once wrote: "People are talking about the world, talking about bold and novel ideas, talking about deviant ideas; heresy has always been a spirit of Harvard." In the eyes of Elliott, who is "a bit like a living God", the purpose of Harvard education is to explore experimentation and free thought.And William James simply said: "These disobedient students are our greatest pride." Therefore, we can see how mature and outstanding student associations exist in a university like Harvard.The Debating Club is one of the most respected clubs at Harvard, because Harvard firmly believes that a person who is suitable for debate shows that he has a quick mind; and Harvard's "Crimson" Daily is almost the most authoritative student publication in the world. If you want to understand the dynamics of higher education, you often like to quote "Crimson".The magazine has been passed on at Harvard year after year. If you want to enter the core editorial level, in addition to talent, you must also have enough patience to beat people to this group.As for newspapers, all the participants were fully committed, because the editors of "The Crimson" often went straight to authoritative news organizations such as the "New York Times" after leaving school.A former editor-in-chief of the "Wall Street Journal" recalled that his experience at Harvard "Crimson" was that the first year was three points and one line, sleeping, taking classes, and "Crimson", and the next two years were sleeping, "Crimson" Crimson. Henry Rosowski, dean of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, once commented on it: ""Crimson" is a daily newspaper published by undergraduates. News source...it attracts a class of brilliant students, the paper becomes their main activity during the school year, and they spend more time in it than in class or other entertainment...in my time During the 11 years of the dean’s tenure, its column rarely said a few good words about me, and they almost opposed all my actions...” In Lippmann's Life, author Ronald Steele describes Lippmann's growth in the school's clubs. In 1906, this unprecedented and outstanding columnist entered Harvard University. He and some friends wrote poems, wrote plays, ran political publications, and often debated late into the night.They sat around the fireplace, recited poems, drank wine, talked about professors, and discussed the meaning of life.Lippmann once wrote to his girlfriend: "This is simply a frenzied moment. Every day we discuss metaphysics, socialism, art theory, Schopenhauer, etc. until the early morning..." Although socialism was regarded as a social heresy at the time, in 1908 Lippmann and his classmates formed the "Socialist Club" and declared that they would "consider all improvement programs aimed at fundamentally rebuilding society".In addition to discussions, they challenged the school to stop exploiting the school staff, and they even went beyond the school to draw up a socialist program for the city government.These young people were obviously excited by their enthusiasm and ambition. Lippman wrote in the school magazine: "If someone overlooks Cambridge at one o'clock in the morning and finds five or six groups of excited Harvard students shouting in the streets and alleys , then he should be told that there was a meeting of the Socialist Club that night." The Chinese seem to always misunderstand that Harvard is famous for its School of Business Administration, and the spirit of Harvard is reflected in how many rich men and how many American presidents it has produced.In fact, the true spirit of Harvard is embodied in what William James called the club spirit, in the brave attempts of young Lippmanns, students who are rebellious but not naive.It is this spirit that has contributed to Harvard's leading position, and perhaps on the other hand, it has also created these successful people.Berkeley, another prestigious school in the United States, is also famous for encouraging students to think and act.Throughout the tumultuous 1960s, it was a sanctuary for students from all over the world, although the harm caused by the grand student movement is debatable.But there's no doubt that Berkeley's myriad student organizations are motivated by some idealistic motives.Professor Li Yuanzhe talked about Berkeley in an interview with reporters in Taiwan.At a Berkeley commencement ceremony in the mid-1980s, a historian spoke on behalf of the professor.When he talked about the campus spirit of the University of Berkeley, he repeatedly praised the students of the University of Berkeley who dared to put forward different opinions from the contemporary era.Li Yuanzhe expressed emotion for this. A professor praised students for being brave enough to stand at the forefront of society, which is not seen in China. two In the Red Building on the Beach in 1917, several Peking University students were extremely congenial, and often got together to chat and discuss the current situation.Inspired by the "New Youth" magazine sponsored by their professor, these young people decided to use what they had learned to do something and participate in this enlightenment movement.Among them, Fu Sinian mentioned, why not start a magazine? He thinks that "students should have an active life, organize organized events, and then what they have learned and thought will not be wasted; and magazines are interesting, intentional and active life ..." Afterwards, they approached Chen Duxiu, the dean of liberal arts at the time, and finally got affirmation: "As long as you have the determination to do it and the willingness to support it for a long time, the financial aspect can be borne by the school." Then the school allocated 2,000 yuan for "Xin Chao" The establishment of the magazine was a huge sum of money at the time, and Li Dazhao specially vacated a room from the library as the editorial department of "Xin Chao".As expected, Xinchao magazine lived up to expectations. It implemented three principles—innovative spirit, scientific doctrine, and innovative writing. It had a distinct personality.And because the organizers and students are younger and more vigorous than the professors, in the eyes of ordinary people, "New Tide" seems to be more violent than "New Youth", and it arouses more resonance among young people.The first issue of "Xin Chao" was reprinted three times, and the sales volume reached 12,000 copies, and it was often around 15,000 copies after that.Later, Chen Xiaofeng even founded the influential Beixin Bookstore by selling outdated "Xin Chao" magazine.After many years, Hu Shi even believed that the impact of "Xin Chao" on the May Fourth Movement was second to none.And the members of "Xin Chao" magazine have almost all become important figures in modern Chinese history, Fu Sinian, Luo Jialun, Gu Jiegang, Mao Zishui, He Siyuan, Yu Pingbo, Ye Shengtao, Feng Youlan, Zhu Ziqing... In addition to the Xinchao Club, Peking University at this time also had student groups such as the "Speech Club", "Drama Club", and "Journalism Society". During the entire May Fourth Enlightenment process, they brought student-style enthusiasm and academic thinking to the people. .After the May 4th Movement, Hu Shi also hoped that student associations could be more perfect. He proposed "a life of learning, a life of a group, and a life of serving the society." Educate the public where possible.The glory of Peking University in Cai Yuanpei's era, in addition to the moving legends of "inclusiveness", these enthusiastic and rational student associations are also one of the important manifestations.The student body can grow healthily only in a university that really tries to develop students soundly.However, it is a pity that the turbulent current situation in China cannot maintain the continuity of the university, and the student associations, even if they were so brilliant, are short-lived after all.The Harvard club spirit that we envy can only appear on the basis of Harvard University's 300-year uninterrupted history and the constant maintenance of university autonomy and academic freedom. These two points maintain the continuity of the university spirit and guarantee Continuation of educational ideals. three China's university education has returned to the focus of the public in this era of focusing on knowledge creation and benefits. The 211 Project is even more ambitious to push Peking University and Tsinghua University into the ranks of world-class universities.Even if we do not compare rigid indicators such as academic papers, scientific research success, infrastructure construction, and Nobel Prize winners, but only focus on student life, we will find how far the gap is. Peking University and Tsinghua University held a rowing race in July of this year, which is a traditional event in Oxford and Cambridge.This competition, full of certain symbolic meanings, hints at the mentality of Chinese universities eager to enter the ranks of the world.Perhaps, in another year, the two schools will hold a football game, so that they can get closer to Harvard and Yale.It would certainly make sense if the game could go ahead, because the sporting life is supposed to be a big part of college.However, we must be aware that the real difference between us and the world's famous universities in terms of campus life is that we lack the time and space for students to think freely, and cannot give them opportunities to explore and practice their ideas.Only thought is the most precious thing in a university society. Although it may not attract many people, it must exist there. The mountaineering level of Peking University’s Mountain Eagle Club is undoubtedly impressive among world universities, and the achievements of Tsinghua’s music troupe are also impressive. The two schools even generously invited national athletes.However, the hustle and bustle of this kind of activity cannot conceal the paleness of the university, and the lack of thoughtful student activities makes the university campus lack of soul. Because there is no guidance from the soul, Chinese university clubs show an extremely childish tendency.Among the various universities in China, the most famous group is the "Love Club". The team of this club is extremely large. Their favorite activity is to sweep snow in winter, and put a poster on the blackboard saying "Please clean the blackboard for the teacher." ", or put a public ink bottle in the corridor... such pediatric behaviors have become the object of the school's recognition.I'm not opposed to their existence, but I just doubt how such behavior can become the mainstream of universities. Universities are not kindergartens.And other student organizations are even less organized. They don't gather comrades and exist for a certain purpose.To a certain extent, the organizers of campus clubs are even for some utilitarian purpose. According to a classmate, "it is to gain a little political capital, to find a job, and to be a good party." On the recommendation form, there are indeed quite a few people who stately state the head of a certain club, even though he may not have done anything. The student union, which is regarded as an official organization, has become the biggest decoration on the campus.According to the history of the evolution of Western universities, the existence of student unions is to fight for the rights and interests of students between teachers and the school, and it has a strong folk color.However, it is clear that the student unions of Chinese universities are generally vassals of the school, and they unconditionally convey the opinions of the school.A student survey conducted in a university showed that more than 80% of the students were unfamiliar with the student union.In a well-known university, although every student union election is held with great fanfare on campus, even though it is said that each candidate spends over ten thousand on canvassing.But the apparent hoopla had nothing to do with the students.No matter which one comes to power, they always use the same method to prevaricate the needs of the students and do everything possible to justify the school.However, in the eyes of some serious students, "meeting a good member of the student union is just a hedonic organization that shows a movie and cultivates everyone to relax."As for student publications, they are generally absent within the University.The publications of the student union are almost impossible to read quickly, most of them are policy explanations, except that they are boring, and they often confuse black and white without shame.As for some students' own publications, they are often limited to romantic situations, and even better, they are at most academic peer exchanges.As for something that can shake the hearts of students, it is simply impossible for something that has a sense of ideological cleansing.Chinese universities cannot tolerate the existence of "Crimson", and even some things that are short-lived will not be able to continue due to the lack of strict organizational habits.Professor Qian Liqun of Peking University even said in an article commemorating the centennial anniversary that Peking University now regards some students who dare to think independently as factors of instability.Under such circumstances, the survival of journals that seek to express ideas is of course very problematic. Long Yingtai said that college students in Taiwan are at the kindergarten level because they lack the ability to think independently.And why not our university? They have also gone through a middle school age of "keep their ears off the world and only read textbooks", but the university does not encourage them to think freely and act practically.What young Lippmann and others did at Harvard back then was unimaginable for Chinese students.As a result, Chinese college students naturally shrink in spirit.As a result, this generation of Chinese college students presents an extremely terrifying side.On the one hand, due to the lack of thinking ability, there is a childish tendency in thought and action; on the other hand, due to the impact of consumerism, universities cannot give spiritual guidance, and students become extremely secular.What a strange mix, they can't have a healthy future - not only lack the ability to act, but also lack idealism.And what is the purpose of the university? It is to let the educated have a beautiful ideal for the future and have the ability to realize it.Our campus clearly does not give them these opportunities. William James said in "The Real Harvard": "(We came to Harvard) because her courses were rich and varied and eclectic; because she nurtured such a rich variety of ideals of vitality and gave them value. Realization has opened up a vast world..." When will Chinese universities have the Harvard-style club spirit of William James? Postscript: Those sad young people What I seek is not a date but a symbol, a turning point, a hidden moment in the course of our distorted moral history. — Maurice Dickstein (Eden's Gate) It was an age of lightness, haste, and adventure, in which it was pleasant to pass youth; but to come out of it was a relief, like coming out of a room too crowded and too loud. It's like stepping out into the sunshine on a winter street. —Michael Cowley (Return of the Exiles) Four years later, I still clearly remember the shock that Li Wan gave me. "This year, Gao Xiaosong was 27 years old, but he has already begun to remember." In the autumn of 1997, I was reclined in the dormitory 202 on the 28th floor of Peking University. But it accurately and powerfully captured my slack expression. "I recalled it so early," Li Wan began to search for the secret hidden behind the "nostalgic" mask of a generation while expressing emotion. It was a class skipping morning, the room was slightly cold, and the leaves on the campus turned golden and gradually fell.This year, I was 21 years old and a third-year student. My face was full of confusion and occasional anger, showing my dissatisfaction with Peking University at that time.Repression was my favorite word at the time, and it was always used to describe my youth and campus life.Since I entered Peking University in 1995, a fatal mediocrity and sense of the world have surrounded me.The students around are either studying crazily and trying to become graduate students at home and abroad; or they are doing nothing all day long, killing time by playing computer games; there are still a small number of people who are happy to join the social venues with dance halls and video halls (maybe there are also student unions) as the core. ... Also in 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95 and was dragged into a seemingly unresolved antitrust lawsuit; and a company called Netscape created a stock market miracle, and the baby-faced Mark Anderson Young people became billionaires on the same day, and the ".com" hurricane movement began; the seven major industrial countries also passed the agreement on the construction of the "information superhighway" in this year, and decided to jointly promote the early arrival of the "information society"... …By 1997, Dolly the sheep came out, Diana died with the wind, and even a movie like Titanic was a hit… Of course, I didn't realize the social changes that these events heralded, and the myths of Zhang Chaoyang and Ding Lei would not appear until a few years later.In order to avoid dissatisfaction and anger, I let myself immerse myself in fantasy. The most common scene in fantasy is the campus of the 80s that I "remembered so early". What I saw in high school laid the foundation of fantasy. The movie effectively arouses the passion of "taking social responsibility" in the hearts of young people, and it partially accurately grasps the enthusiasm for knowledge and change that was overflowing in Chinese universities in the early 1980s.Kong Qingdong, a student of the 83rd grade, used his personal experience to push my fantasy to the extreme.Under his description like Jin Yong's style of writing, the campus in the 1980s became a world of strange emotions.All kinds of young people fill it, and the influx of new thoughts stirs together: existentialism in philosophy, modernism in poetry, experimental behavior in art, and youthful pretentiousness stimulated by hormones. Together... This is an age of youth blooming, the ecstasy in life is stimulated from the depths of the heart by the dazzling changes——they quickly declared to defeat Gu Cheng and Bei Dao soon after they loved them; they just read the 20-page "Existence and Nothingness" has to line up to buy Nietzsche again; in order to express their artistic enthusiasm, the children of the Central Academy of Fine Arts drove a big car to the canteen of Peking University and poured buckets of paint on their bodies... Poetry and philosophy It was a passport to that era, as recalled by Li Fang, a student of the 1986 class. He wandered to Inner Mongolia University. Hunger forced him to kick open the door of a dormitory, and then shouted loudly, I am a poet from Beijing, I want to eat meat, Then he was greeted warmly.The triangle area of ​​Peking University often has an advertisement for "making friends with papers". It is said that it is as popular as "martial arts competitions" hundreds of years ago... "Peking University Past" published in 1998 brought this myth to its peak.Years later, those young people at the beginning poured out their youthful spirit and trivialities with joy and sorrow. As a result, after those melancholy fragments made them intoxicated again, they also conquered the latecomers like me. Going back to the "Reading" in the autumn of 1997, Li Wan continued to explore the "human temperament of the 1960s" using Gao Xiaosong as an example on the rough paper.Xu Hui initially put forward this proposition. This melancholy young man stubbornly believes that people born in the 1960s are a transitional generation, and they have caught up with the tail of a turbulent era.The previous generation had heavy historical fragments to chew on, while the latter generation, the people of the 1970s, had no historical burden.Roaming temperament, this is the main common point that Li Wan believes that people in the 60s have in common. Their childhood was wandering in the fields where no one cares about them; and their most important adolescence was spent on the university campus in the middle and late 1980s , At that time, there were so many talented men and women on campus, it was an era when white clothes fluttered; but after graduation, they encountered great social changes, economic and technological changes negated the idle temperament, and made them at a loss... I entered the campus in such an era that was extremely devoid of romantic temperament.When I was enthusiastically guessing about the campus in the 1980s, Li Wan told me why Gao Xiaosong's music made me intoxicated.On the one hand it is bourgeois, on the other hand it is passionate.Ah, I almost exclaimed, this has accurately explained the temperament that runs through the campus in the 1980s and the youth in the 1960s. Undoubtedly, what I describe in the third paragraph is the high-spirited and ambitious side of the campus in the 1980s, which belongs to the first half of the 1980s.For Chinese society, decades of repressed emotions broke out with unstoppable momentum in those few short years, and a kind of pure idealism inspired people to devote themselves to the new era.For young people entering university at this time, they are the most watched group in China, and their childhood spent in collective lyricism makes them endow themselves with an amazing sense of mission.They like to think that they are in the second enlightenment movement in China, and Peking University at this time is the continuation of Cai Yuanpei's spirit. I admit that in my first college days I confused the restlessness of youth with the passion to undertake a historical mission. At the age of 20, he regards rebellion and hustle and bustle as the only bright colors of youth.I often imagine Peking University in the 1920s.I don't understand why Cai Yuanpei and Hu Shi disapprove of the students' strike. I just think it must be right for so many young people to gather in the street and the crowd is excited, and it has a sense of drama.Therefore, I like the noisy campus life in the 1980s.I clearly remember being so fascinated by the boos of Peking University and the crowding and chaos at the entrance of the lecture hall.I see both as continuations of the school spirit of the 80s, and regret their eventual disappearance. The 90's campus was a disappointment.The increasingly powerful and standardized exam-oriented education has made the young people who enter school more and more homogeneous and boring. We were born in the 1970s.We no longer have those collective mourning and singing interests, and at the same time, our poor individualism has never had a chance to really grow, and it has even slipped into the extremely selfish side.Petit bourgeois sentiment became the last straw for young people like me.although.Deep down in my heart, I may be more eager for magnificent scenes, but the reality is that I choose strings and girls as the symbols that distinguish me from the common people.Gao Xiaosong's nostalgia represented the romance of the university campus in the late 1980s, which subtly cut into my heart, and made me avoid the materialism that filled the 1990s. For quite a long time, I let myself fall into the melancholy atmosphere created by Xu Hui, Li Wan, Gao Xiaosong and other students in the 1980s.Like them, I like to look back on my incomplete life, and I am proud of it.But in the end, I found that I had no recollection, and this kind of reminiscence could easily devolve into self-pity.Before I left school, I started reading The Gates of Eden and The Return of the Exile. The former is the "Bible" of college students in the 1980s represented by Li Wan.莫非他们在乱轰轰的60年代美国的记述中，看到了自己青春的时光?鲍勃·迪论是他们的崔健；艾伦·金斯堡是他们的北岛；美国青年热爱嬉皮士打扮，他们则穿起了牛仔裤、留起了披肩发；美国青年们在旧金山、在伍德斯托克上为生命自由与音乐而狂喜，他们则沉醉于罗大佑与齐秦，在大街上、在琴弦上寂寞成长；美国姑娘们习惯于用避孕药，而他们则开始翻阅琼瑶与《曼娜回忆录》；美国青年们人手一册马尔库塞与麦克卢汉，他们则言必称萨特与弗洛伊德；圆明园的画家村就是他们的格林威治村……这两个时代都蕴涵了青春的喧闹，但是60年代的美国更意味着“青年文化”的成熟，年轻人不再仅仅是成熟道路上的一个过程、一个亚文化群体，他们是独立社会组成。但是，80年代的中国青年却没有传达出这种声音，他们要么让自己依附于历史理想，要么陷入自我的狭隘情感。更重要的是，他们尚未有时间与条件构造出自己的知识结构，让激情变为思想，让情感富有韧性。 喧闹的60年代美国，实际上也在宣称自己文化的真正成熟。那个年代，欧洲国家已经不能再宣称美国毫无文化与艺术了。 J． D．塞林格、凯鲁亚克、卡波特这样的小说家已经成为欧美批评界共同关注的对象，特里林、苏珊·桑塔格这样的批评家已成为公认的学术明星，而即使像安迪·沃霍那样的波普艺术家显然也已是新的时尚，更不用提好莱坞电影这样的大众文化了……当然，你可以说这种强势文化背后是美国强大的经济能力。但我们同样无法忽略美国的文学艺术人士在其中的不懈努力。 我更觉得中国的80年代青年相似于1890年的美国。这是美国文化开始崛起的过程。在此之前，爱默森早在1850年起就不断呼吁“美国精神的觉醒”，美国人不能总是依靠阅读英国小说、在欧洲文化的压抑下成长。尽管有沃尔特·惠特曼、爱伦·坡、麦尔维尔的努力，但是美国文化依旧在沉睡着。19世纪90年代，是美国第一次试图大规模引进欧洲文化标准的时期，比如亨利·詹姆斯，一代美国青年如德莱塞等也在不懈努力。此时的美国正在面临城市化的过程，“生活的全面商品化”是当时的趋势。当时的美国公众更喜欢赫斯特的煽情新闻而非文学艺术……我认为80年代的中国与之相似并非因为这些细节，而是80年代所蕴涵的强烈“过渡”色彩。生于60年代、成熟于80年代的那一代，他们的青年时期处在一个引入外来文化的最初阶段，他们惊喜于那些思想；却没有时间吸收。但正是这大量有待清理的思想，为后来发展提供了奠基，他们才是真正的“迷惘的一代”。 终于，我们来到了迈克尔·考利所描绘的20世纪20年代美国。在我有限的阅读历史中，还有什么比《流放者的归来——20年代的文学流浪生涯》更能表现一个年轻人的忧伤与快乐呢?在我寻找青春力量的过程中，这本书比起《北大往事》、《伊甸园之门》、还有那本最新出版的《“六十年代”气质》更为公正与积极地描述了青春的气质。 这群被格鲁特·斯泰因称作“迷惘的一代”的年轻人出生于上个世纪初，在田野与大地成长，上大学时他们幼时的乡村童年开始消失；他们中有的热爱文学，于是住进了廉价的格林威治村，在那里编辑《扫帚》、《转盘》这样的小杂志；然后一次世界大战来了，他们被扔到了欧洲，在那里花着别的国家的钱，学会调情、酗酒与不负责任，看到了死亡随时与自己擦身而过……在去欧洲之前，他们看到30个美国知识分子写的《美国文明》，不断有人告诉他们，美国一无是处，是缺乏"50个最有才智的人”的英国。《美国文明》的主编哈罗德·斯特恩自问自答道，美国年轻人该怎么办?到欧洲去，到欧洲去。 战后，他们开始流放自己，巴黎，那里是文学与艺术的中心。他们拼命地学习福楼拜、学习普鲁斯特。他们有年轻的记者海明威、有忧伤的菲茨杰拉德、有激进的帕索斯、有喜欢热闹的迈克尔·考利，还有一大批有二三流才智但无比热情的美国青年，他们喝苦艾酒、在咖啡馆里争论，他们都努力地写作，努力地学习欧洲蕴涵的意境。 他们当然是一小部分，国内的青年们正在爵士乐中快乐无比，汽车是新的追逐对象，通讯领域正在发生由一家叫AT&T公司领导的革命，广播、电影开始普及，那些不怎么样的文学青年变成了广告撰稿人，无意中推动着新商业革命。然后，这些巴黎浪子们回国了。他们发现自己、自己的小说一下子变成了时代的代言人。《伟大的盖茨比》——那些受过良好教育的工商青年精英们的最爱，爵士时代的伟大小说；谁不在学习《太阳照样升起》中男主人公坚硬、干脆的讲话方式；帕索斯更加雄心勃勃，他干脆开始记录起一个时代——《美国》三部曲；即使那个被海明威不屑的迈克尔·考利不也成为了《新共和》杂志的书评编辑了吗?他后来写作的《流放者的归来》，鼓舞了几代文学青年的成长。 “迷惘的一代”的作家们在30岁左右就成了国际知名人士。1930年，美国人甚至第一次得到了诺贝尔文学奖。尽管辛克莱·刘易斯在《大街》里的表现不尽人意，他的年纪也大了一些，也尽管他的获奖更多是由于美国经济、政治地位的崛起。但是，谁又能否认，此时由“迷惘的一代”们创造的美国文化已经开始摆脱幼稚了呢?一方面，他们要感谢“到欧洲去，到欧洲去”的伟大号召，另一方面他们也应该感谢19世纪90年代那批人为他们做出的牺牲。文学批评家拉泽尔·奇夫认为，20年代“迷惘的一代”作家之所以被人发现与接受，是因为他们引起的巨大社会震动的后果在很大程度上已经由19世纪90年代那些作家代为受过了。那些今天已经被人遗忘的名字与青年，成为了海明威的垫脚石，前者比后者更加迷惘。 许晖讲的没有错，他们的确是过渡的一代，新出的那本《“六十年代”气质》中无处不在的忧伤与被牺牲感不断地强调着这一点。但谁又不身处过渡之中呢?而对于中国来讲，海明威那一代何时才会出现呢?从1890年到1920年，整整30年间，那一代青年同样是过渡，在等待辉煌。 距离1997年的秋天已将近4年了。我对于80年代大学校园的憧憬情感在1998年的《j匕大往事》后开始褪色。所以，《“六十年代”气质》这样书令我感慨，却不再感动。我渴望这些已过而立之年的青年们，除了回忆与欷嘘之外，能让人看到一些更富建设性的作品。他们像考利一样编辑过、《今天》等形形色色的杂志，他们也在贫穷与喧嚣还有醉酒中庆祝自己的青春与写作，而现在我渴望看到他们的《太阳照样升起》与《流放者归来》。 这样的渴望显得残忍与粗暴。毕竟，他们缺乏时间与机遇。他们也没能“到欧洲去”、“到美国去”，去那些国家的中国青年更多学习的是技术而非写作。 对于沉浸于20年代美国情绪中的我来说，我很愿意把自己想像成迈克尔·考利。生于60年代的青年不喜欢技术与商业，认为它们毁灭了我们的心灵。但我更愿意将20年代美国作家的成功分给当时美国的技术与商业革命。正是福特的努力、正是留声机与广播这样的发明让美国人生活得更富裕，资讯更发达，他们开始有时间与精力阅读了。像菲茨杰拉德、海明威的作品都是先成为时尚，然后才成为经典的。 那么今天的我呢?一个生于1976年的青年，就像我最初写到的，在我进人大学这一年，以互联网为主的新技术革命正在席卷全球，从1995年到今天，技术革命对普通中国人的影响比起从前的政治更为巨大。当我在鄙薄了90年代中期平庸的校园之后，我必须承认，那些在新技术影响下、于1998年后入学的青年的确有了更多的选择机会。他们也并非像我过去认为的那样没有头脑、没有感情，新资讯革命让他们的知识层次更丰富，也更加独立、强调个人主义。而新技术革命所带来的全球化现象，则让他们真的与巴黎、纽约生活在一起。他们或许快乐多于忧伤，但到目前为止我还不能说不忧伤就是缺乏人文关怀。 好了，我已经在青春的时空中穿梭了一个世纪了，并且不无自恋地让自己回到了1997年时，那个脸上长满粉刺的青年时代。我不断地提及历史，又不断地否认过去。我知道我无法看清楚未来，但是我越来越清晰地听到召唤的声音。这声音令我的情绪再次激昂，它提醒我不管是否身在何处，我都必须不懈地学习。尽管，我不知道自己是否会像1890年代那批美国青年那样最终被淹没，还是像菲茨杰拉德一样留下痕迹。但有一点很清楚，我必须不断地吸收世界上最杰出的思想文化，它比自我回忆更有建设性，即使是过渡的一代，我也希望这种过渡更加坚实。