相互作用的技术与文化(The Interaction of Technology and Culture)

thespeakercontendsthatwiththedevelopmentoftechnology,ourtraditionalcultureswillevaporate.iconcedethattherapiddevelopmentoftechnologyhasalreadygivenourlifestylearadicalchangeandhasmadetheabyssbetweenourracialstripeandtheassimilatedworldsmallerandsmaller.beyondthisconcession,however,ifindthespeakerscontentionindefensible.

oppositetothespeakersideathattechnologyandtraditionareeverythingbutcompatible,icontendthattraditionalcultureislikeanimpetustoscienceandtechnology.thestoryofqianxuesen"fatherofourrockethistory,"isapersuasiveexample.qianxuesenswifeisamusicianwhomajorsintraditionalgermanmusic.however,theseeminglyimmensedifferencebetweenscienceandartmakesthemmuchcloserratherthanalienated."!getamuchbroadervisionfromthetraditionalgermanmusic,"qianxuesentoldus,"andthehelp!getfromittomyscientificresearchissignificant."

howdoweexplaintheaidoftraditiontoscienceandtechnology?ithinkthatthereasonliesintraditionitself.itissaturatedwithnotonlyakindoflifestyleorsomedialects,butalsoapofoundandinfiniteideologyandausefulandspecialmethodologywhichissubstantialtobothscienceandtechnology.

idisagreewiththespeakerforanotherreasonaswell,traditionalcultureisalsoaninfluentialfactoroftheworldsdevelopment.thespeakerarguesthatthedevelopmentoftechnologywillinevitablymakethetraditiondisappear,whichimpliesthattraditionalculturecandonothingtothedevelopment.thisideaistotallywrongheaded.theexistenceoftraditionalculture,inotherwords,thevarietyofracesisanessentialagentofthedevelopmentoftheworld.

weallknowthatthevarietyofspeciesisvaluabletothethrivingofushumanbeings,thenwhynotthevarietyofraces?

imagineaworldwithallthesameculture,allthesametradition,andallthesameetiquette.canyoutellmewhetherwehavemadeprogressorhavebeenlaggingbehindwithnocomparison?

expertswillsaythatthevarietyofspeciesgivesusahugedepositoryofgenesandiwillsaythatthevarietyofracesalsobestowsonusapreciouslargewarehouseofdifferentideologies,methodologies,colorfullegends,variouslivingandeatingstylesfromwhichwecanlearnalot,gainmoreinsightand,mostofall,seeourselvesmoreclearlyandcorrectly.withthehelpofallthesethings,theworldwillbepushedforwardandthecivilizationofeachethnicgroupwillprosper.

fromthestandpointofdialectics,istillcantagreewiththespeaker.icontendthatwhenthetechnology,inotherwords,theglobalcivilization,istryingtoassimilateatraditionalculture,theglobalcivilizationitselfisinevitablytheonebeingassimilatedatthesametime.theinteractionofthingsneverendsandthesubjectandtheobjectcontinuouslyexchangetheirpositions.theubiquitouskfcsnackbarisanexampleoftheglobalcivilizationsassaultintothetraditionalcivilization.however,itisnotdifficulttofindthatmeanwhilekfcinchinahasalsogotachineselabel.peopleneedntemptytheirservingtraybeforetheyleavewhileinmostwesterncountriespeopledoitasahabit.inordertosurvive,kfcnowoffersnotonlywesternflavorbutalsochineseflavor,suchasoldbeijingchickenrollasyoucansee,thetraditionalcultureisstillenergeticandfullofvitalitysothatitwillneverbedefeated.

insum,thespeakersassertionthattechnologyandtraditionareincompatiblebegsquestion.traditionalcultureisnotonlyanimpetustotheworldoftechnology,butalsotothewholehumanrace.iconcedethattheadvancementoftechnologyhaschangedourculturealot,butmeanwhiletheglobalcivilization,whichincludesmoderntechnology,isalsobeingchallengedbyourtraditionalculture.hegelsaid,"thosethatexistarereasonable."thetraditionalcultureisstillvitalandwillneverbeeliminatedfromthesplendidhistoricalstage.