Monday, July 20, 2009

雜談兼論 (5) - 雜談如何兼論

題目是在辦公室面壁時想到的,而本篇所謂的「如何」則是星期天跟阿女對弈時沉澱出來的,細心回想起來,一切的觸發點是 Bravo 在年多前那篇 The halo over a single swan 的一個問題。「雜談兼論」四字,於這篇,不知是巧合,還是 self-fulfilling,突然感覺,雜談兼論或許原來只是右腦伺機而動。

我當時告訴 Bravo,小弟的暗黑老師多多多年前曾告訴我:「如果你要在一張很白的紙上尋找一個小黑點,若周圍環境太光或太白,而難以察覺,你便要調暗燈光」,其原意有三個層次:

1. 想找尋一樣事物的時候,要留意自己會否因為“pre-occupation” 而令自己找不到(即一點點黑色,會被白色掩蓋)

2. 要達到目的,太「白」的方法未必可行,有時要「黑白」兩用

3. 逆向思考。以為要找黑色,便要同白色對比,其實,有時反而要用番黑色才可以找到。

溫馨提示,我不是因著某些觀點而去延續我的解釋,我是想告訴 Bravo(和自己),我似乎對於第 3 項有所意會,所以必須要寫下。

儘管不是逆向思考

我這兩天所意會到的,應該跟「逆向」沒有太大關係。我想說的,是 Metaphors。

Metaphors, to me, are experiences and imagination perceived to be highly resembling and implicative to actual ongoings, esp. in terms of principles, values, nature, impact and/or applications. My metaphors are more implicative to the basis and elemental factors, such as psychology of individuals (as rather than of groups or group culture). Relevance decreases from micro- towards macro-observations. (specific choice of words pending for revision)

社會現象和歷史是不能複製的(not replicable),也不能放於實驗系統裏測試,因此便「出現」「社會學理論」幫助解釋和作出「合理」預測。

我,從這次回顧發現,在試圖建立自己的框架去解釋社會現象的方法,大概是大量使用 metaphors。並且已經成為一種習慣,一種不自覺的習慣。(嗯,突然擔心如此詳細寫下來會否反而令自己覺得不習慣?)

Metaphors are not longitudinal studies nor comtemplation based on present grounds. They are parallel de-constructions and re-constructions of the unknown from other angles. The black spot is dark, so dimming the light using similar background of metaphor to find the spot may make some senses according to the third theory by my dark teacher. Contrast or comparison studies, in social contexts, are difficult to become precise and the term "contrast" itself is subject to attritional debate due to variability and volatility of the actual ongoings and social interactions. If assumptions are to be set for analysis, the most unattractive questions may sometimes be the only possible exit.

嘗試中譯:(放棄)

使用 metaphors 並非可以作結論。Metaphors 只能為 hypothesis 去提供一個「本質」上的引導。

從暗黑老師的提示,我認為,讓雜談兼論,要通過帶出不同的 metaphors,意即以「本質」作多角度切入點,而非以不同時空的「事實」或眾多相關的「觀察」作切入點,然後作多角度分析。或許 Metaphors 就如 暗了的燈,而需要了解的對象或現象,就如白紙上的黑點,兩者是相類的。而對比事實與對比觀察,就像一盞亮燈,期望越光亮,越能對比出紙上的黑點。雜談兼論,與分進合擊雷同。

Bravo: 當我發覺我可能是如斯接近暗黑老師說的那種不完全逆向思考的時候,便第一個想起你,第二個便懷念起暗黑老師。坦白說,感覺有點興奮,想告訴 Abigale。

題外話,暗黑老師是我其中一位很重要的啟蒙老師,除了因為我被逼以不明學費支出來 write off 他曾欠我的幾千元之外,更因為他的確把我從老實、守法和好孩子教條中解放出來,試圖安置我在那叫謀人寺的渡假勝地。

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

C.M. hing,
謀人寺的渡假勝地? What is this?
You become a student now (from your profile). [Scratching my head]:)

Anonymous said...

C.M. hing,

I haven't got time to read 練乙錚的論點 yet.

But I think
為改革犧牲的是趙紫陽、胡耀邦..."但另一方面,改革成功的是鄧小平。若以練乙錚的論點,鄧小平的成功豈非因為他把群眾的利益連上,而趙胡則沒有".---> this might be an example of 3. 逆向思考。以為要找黑色,便要同白色對比,其實,有時反而要用番黑色才可以找到.i.e. in order to see(perceive) the black do one's paradigm/inclination/preoccupation and then "tune in the thinking to receive the black wavelength first".

Worked through this will in turn make possible this, because two seemingly contradictory positions can reconcile... 我要強調,leaders 是自行出現的產物,不是普選才誕生的。

Barrack Obama在大學時候已經是 leader,獲選為總統是因為他是一個「足夠」出色的 leader

不一定通過普選才能選出 leader 的話。

普選是一個讓 "PROVEN" leader 能夠充分發揮,並獲得法律任命的一個途徑,而非倒轉:先獲得任命,然後取得認受性嗎?

我肯定,我們是需要認受性在先,然後通過普選給他權力和責任。

Leader永遠在先,因為他比任何人一馬當先,比任何人更有魄力,比任何人更承擔,比任何人更能察覺世間變化,比任何人更光亮... 也因此我們才給他權力和責任出來當我們的領袖。

在下相信leader,但我亦相信制度,leader是會有所更替,制度則具備了自我完善及發展的可能性...通過制度完善化,從而制約leader的行為,使無論任何人立身於一個leader的位置,權力都受到一定的制約,避免犯下嚴重的錯誤...

一個倚靠leader的社會,如中國大陸,領導能力高,則社會太平,領導能力低,則社會出亂子...相對來說,一個倚靠制度的社會,如美國,無論是民主黨或共和黨上台,也不會出現大型的社會動盪...

Anonymous said...

in order to see(perceive) the black dots (or swan), you have to soften your paradigm / inclination / preoccupation and then "tune in the thinking to receive the black wavelength first".

C.M. said...

Nic Hing,

謀人寺嘛,穿過木人巷咪搵到囉。

C.M. said...

Nic Hing,

Sorry for the pause.

I had switched my "occupation" from "Accountancy" (by faulty google default) to "Student" (can't find better one to name myself) for a couple of years.

**********

>>this might be an example of 3. 逆向思考。

Not really, I think. I would say it might just be part of the "picking" process of developing a critique.

**********

>>... soften...

Vow, I like "soften". Yes, we may not need to change entirely.

**********

>>一個倚靠leader的社會... 社會動盪...

剛才我在面壁的時候(洗澡),我突然想起另一位啟蒙老師所講的一個故事:

++++++++++

一匹馬走失了。

沒有人知道這匹馬是誰的。有位馬夫看見了,便走過去。

馬走到田,他讓它逛了一會,就拉它回到路上。馬又往前走。

馬走到農舍,他讓它逛了一會,就拉它回到路上。馬又往前走。

馬走到市集,他讓它逛了一會,就拉它回到路上。馬又往前走。

馬走到山谷,他讓它逛了一會,就拉它回到路上。馬又往前走。

馬走到那裏,他讓它逛那裏,總之最後就拉它回到路上。馬又往前走。

馬終於走回主人的馬棚,主人看見,很驚奇,問為何知道這匹馬是他的。

馬夫說,我只是把它拉回路上。

++++++++++

啟蒙老師當時是在說明 leadership。

套用在現在的 example,我突然覺得以「一個(高度)倚靠leader的社會」相對「(高度)倚靠制度的社會」而發生社會動蕩的幾率,我都認為比較高。

但原因,我覺得,不是出在「倚靠」什麼本身,而是倚靠的目的:

倚靠 leader即等於change,change即預示改變status quo,自然就出現 uncertainty與不穩、動蕩。

倚靠制度,因為制度之彈性低,能改變的可能性亦低。

倚靠的目的,是在於「需要」(例如不滿現狀,兩者皆可),還是「習慣使然」(或許前者會比後者相對欠缺法治文化),仍需確定。

++++++++++

回到該老師的比喻與此話的關連:

若「馬」本身連自己的馬棚(家/目標)在那裏也不知,就算馬夫如何領它回到路上,它都不會回到主人身邊。

馬,是需要 educated 的。

再有兩個層次:

1. The more educated the horse is, the quicker the easier it gets back home.

2. The more educated the horse is, the less the 馬夫's effort to lead it back home.

C.M. said...

>>because two seemingly contradictory positions can reconcile...

Oops, just missed to say.

Yeah, I have a strong belief in this. :)

xiao zhu said...

change =/= change entirely

soften, kind of change

see, i'd like to be blunt, esp...

C.M. said...

Blunt ZYou,

especially ... for you?

C.M. said...

wavelength ....

Anonymous said...

"我似乎對於第 3 項逆向思考有所意會"---> then what is your 意會? This time I become confused...

My metaphors are more implicative to the basis and elemental factors, such as psychology of individuals (as rather than of groups or group culture)---> you mean some metaphors are more implicative to macro phenomena?

Relevance decreases from micro- towards macro-observations ---> why ?

C.M. said...

>>意會

嗯,我嘗試再具體d講:就係metaphors可以幫助tune in the thinking to receive the black wavelength.

>>some metaphors are more implicative to macro phenomena?

Right, you may say so. These metaphors may be a collection of metaphors or even more, stories.

>>why ?

To me, metaphors and stories are not conclusive. They bring together two ideas through reconciliation of the (coinciding) natures of the ideas.

The bigger the picture, the more the "interfering" waves.

*********

>>in order to see(perceive) the black dots (or swan)...

In spite of what said, I am inclined to the ideae that culture do exert a minor external influence on people's ability to perceive and react to the black dots.

Anonymous said...

C.M.兄,
時光飛逝…零七年至零九年了,真係唔多覺。有幸C.M.兄可以重新整理兩年前的討論,真開心,謝謝!

C.M. said...

抱歉抱歉。

實情思想不斷有添加減少,還在不斷整理中。