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Non-confrontational Attitude
By Citizen ( bbs.chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2005-09-20 09:01

As a Chinese citizen of 72 years, I advocate a non-confrontational
attitude toward all nations (including Japan).

Patience is a really wise virtue that only comes with age. The young and
hawkish in every generation always bring about ruin to their respective
countries. Just as we criticise those in Japan, US, and other countries
that have the attitude of "standing up" to perceived threats, or even
evidential past injustices (like in the case of Japanese brutality in the
WW2 infamy), we should not forget that being bullied is never a simple
case of external evil or unfair behaviours by others. Its root cause is
always internal weakness, corruption, and even power struggle and pride.

Like the human body, a nation is never ruined by external forces, just as
there will always be bacteria in the outside, but it is the body's
well-functioning immune system that keep the naturally occuring bacteria
at bay. In this world, past, present or future, it will always be the
same, there will be threat when the internal system in the country is
weak. That is as true as is the case of the human body defence system.

If China continues to ignore the true problem of cultural weakness and
society's inclination to divert attention to external forces as the cause
of its own problems, it reminds me of some of my unergraduate students
just before I retire six years ago. There are those who simply work hard
and blame their lack of discipline and passion to succeed, and there are
those that always complain about lack of support from friends, relatives,
or even the weather condition, or that of the classmates, teachers, or
just about anybody else, that could possibly stand in their way to
succeed.

My observation is that the hardy hearted, with strength of character
coming even from the poorest of families suceeed, whilst the spoilt brat
drift to failures after failures. Perhaps, there is a lesson and cosmic
justice to learn from all of these lessons? It is not where you begin
from but what you make of what adversity that faces you that builds
character, attitude, and invariably, through the long-term, sweet success.

China's most important mission for the next generation is to develop
maturity and steadfastness of character through honestly using history as
a mirror to see what was the weak in our national and cultural values,
and system, and not delude oursleves with too many excuses. We can never
change history, but we can change ourselves by learning from the past
with a courage of honesty with excuses or blames.

Lastly, look at the bigger picture, where the danger lies and not pick a
fight with our Asian brothers and neighbours, even if at present some of
them have short-sighted hawkish leaders, because it will damage our
long-term future for the sake of a temporary good feeling of vindication
through forcing them to recognise their mistakes and apologise. This is
because, confucius once said, we can change oursleves, but we can never
change someone, if they refuse to be changed. The western version of the
statement is " the only person you have control of is only yourself" any
other subjugation or coercion on someone else is only an outward change,
it has no real impact on the inside.

Only the wise can be truly be strong, and China with a long history
should be the first to know that, which we cant expect from all other
younger nations; they have to learn the lesson that we had paid for with
our past national sufferings.

The above content represents the view of the author only.

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