阿姆斯特丹之旅

2016 揭穿自由市場假面的一年。

2016是充滿失望以及悲傷的一年。今年我們歷經了不斷的恐攻挑戰歐洲對自由人權的底限，也經歷了英國脫離歐盟，以及美國選出川普這樣歷史性的重大政治環境轉折。這樣的轉折將對歷史的進程產生決定性的影響，許多人將這兩個事件看成西方自由價值的失守，或是恐怖主義以及威權主義對抗民主陣營的勝利。2016 年也可以說是充滿意外以及錯愕的一年。主流媒體對英國脫歐公投以及美國總統大選的篤定預測，襯托出依賴主流媒體形成輿論的我們才是脫離現實的非主流。以往看似穩固一致的核心價值觀在英美的兩個投票中現出原形。原來意識形態的分裂已到達可以撕裂社會認同的程度。一群過去沈默的多數在這次選舉中獲得勝利。或許是該我們閉嘴檢討的時候了。自以爲是多數的我們到底做錯了什麼？

若要我定義2016年，我會說是揭穿自由市場假面的一年，以及揭穿社群網路影響力的一年。其實根究今年所有意外以及錯愕的最大公約數，就是對放任自由市場剝削勞工的建制派的反抗。因為至金融海嘯以來，Ｍ型化更嚴重了。這波浪潮的受壓迫者就是在社會Ｍ型化下消失的中產階級。在Ｍ型化底端的所謂的消失的中產階級應該是景氣復甦的受益者，但是多數人不但沒有受惠，反而受到自由市場資金勞工的自由移動而面對來自全世界的競爭。而身為金融海嘯罪魁禍手的財閥們，則隨著全球景氣復甦迅速累積資產，並且依然佔據著財富金字塔頂端。承諾要改革的自由派並未大刀闊斧解決國家財富分配問題的沉痾，百分之一的富人們還是繼續死性不改，以各種不公平的手段避稅，但是人民束手無策。

以道德掛帥的自由貿易主義在全球呼風喚雨，房地產等生活必需品成為炒作商品。自由主義除了放任意義下的自由，自由伴隨而來的道德義務卻完全不被重視。跨國企業迅速擴大，資產家財富翻倍。但是以勞力賺錢的多數人卻未被企業保護，隨時面臨不適任汰除的財富狀況危機。極化的經濟階級強烈對比出為道德承諾做出犧牲的是脆弱，貧困的多數人，而獲益的卻是逃避道德責任的富人。自詡為自由主義的建制派因而無法在下屆選舉中取得人民的信任，因為人民已經看穿其虛偽的道德大旗，裡子裡與公然擁護富人的保守派並無二致。輪替太久而腐化趨同的兩黨就是所謂的建制。獨立參選人的出線，表示選民已經厭倦建制。

或許西方陣營的意識形態還未極化到無法彌合，但是我們是該檢討自由主義的道德律是否被所有人共同遵守。我們不能一邊高唱自由主義，卻一邊讓守規矩的人受害。要檢討的不是自由主義，而是這面大旗是否淪為富人合理化財富分配不均的工具，而為何受害的多數人必須為虛偽不義的政策付出代價。我們看著大企業們高來高去，大談雲端，人工智能，以及工業4.0，但是我們真正在乎的是我們會不會再下一波的浪潮中失業。年薪百萬以及三十歲退休的夢想離多數人已經十分遙遠，買不起都會區的房子以及無力傳宗接代才是多數人的現實。高唱自由主義的國家若未能提供人民更好的經濟條件，如何期待威權國家效法西方價值？

我對未來一年走向的看法是中立的，自由主義將持續與權威主義以及恐怖主義拉鋸，明年與今年不會有太大的變化。歐盟將弱化。德國在西方的影響力會強化。西方自由主義聯盟的瓦解也給的東方的強權更好的機會去競逐道德話語權。中國以及俄國將在明年有更大的影響力。印度將成為下一個民主制度的希望。若是印度能夠崛起，民主制度可能能與威權制度繼續抗衡，若是印度不能複製東亞民主國家的經濟奇蹟，西方的霸權地位將受到嚴重挑戰。

偈語

偈語

小和尚端湯上了塔，塔上了蠟，蠟滑了襪，湯灑了塔，燙了小和尚，小和尚白跑一趟，還需把地擦。方丈愛吃臘八，吃緊燙了嘴巴，湯裡下了巴豆，疼了八肚，還把肚子拉。 方丈提了袈裟，望了草房，撒腿奔下塔。忘了塔上了蠟很滑。小和尚剛才把地擦，罵湯不該燙他，蠟不該滑襪，方丈不該上塔，廚房不該煮臘八。正端湯上塔，卻撞著方丈忙下塔，老和尚叫不好，塔上了蠟，腳底一滑，湯燙了老和尚一把，老和尚拉了一袈裟，摔了大馬趴。哈哈哈，臘八白搭。

A Life Changing experience

A life changing experience 
  
  Last summer, right after I graduated from high school, I went to Kojen, a well-known English language school, with a view to enhancing my English speaking ability.
  
   At that time, I was totally overwhelmed by my hunger for learning English , not only because I learned the how interesting English could be during my high school years, but also I had dreamed of being a bag packer as soon as possible. These reasons gave me an acute motivation to strengthen my capability in English before I fulfill my dream. 

  Knowing clearly the intensive class they provided was exactly what I needed, I frantically paid more than 10,000 NT dollars which was nearly all I had. After a week’s course, I was not content with the arrangement of the teaching content, so they permitted me to join a higher- leveled class.   

  Because I made all the decisions myself, which seriously displeased my mom, I had a fight with her. She thought it’s wasteful and immature that I spent such a large amount of money without discussing with her. However, I didn’t feel any uncomfortable spending my own money. In short, I was a rebel against ‘the big government.’ 

  Honestly speaking, I was a little worried that if my choices ended up proved to be irrational, this story might be repeated with comtempt whenever she and I met a division. To my relief, things went quite well. As I expected, teachers were nice, classmates were brilliant, and the content was wonderful. Everything went right. What amazed me more was that the language school was about to launch a brand-new course, which seeked volunteers. Thus, I took extra free courses and practiced English more than 6 hours a day, so did some of the other classmates. 

  Immersing in English environment definitely changed my life. They let me know the view points and tastes of westerners in addition to language. When talking with them, I felt as though my dream had come true. At the thought of my correct decision, I couldn’t help but smile. 
  
   This was the first time I study with alacrity, and the first time I insisted on my opinion. Unbelievably, it turned out to be a great success! I felt fortunate that I stay ture to myself, or I wouldn't have such a great summer vacation.

面對台灣庸俗媒體應對之道

 對於現下台灣主流媒體的集體沉淪，我們不應當只是默默忍受。每天

用餐時間總是要被這些垃圾訊息轟炸，其內容之無聊是對有智慧的生

物的一種酷刑，而其腥羶則是另有道德之人的一種凌辱。

  這數十家大型媒體報導內容會如此不堪入目、入耳，箇中原因記者

及編輯們必然知道。然而無論是何種原因，身為一個掌握大眾視聽權

以及影響關注方向的關鍵角色扮演者，媒體的基本道德怎麼想都是不

該被犧牲的-即便者只是出自於輿論的道德壓力。

  然而，媒體大大們在今天可以肆無忌憚的報導一些連鬼都不會相信的

鬼話，這代表民眾的監督力量不見了。林火旺稱之為「消音的人民」


。further reading: http://ssla.geo.ntnu.edu.tw/990619/8.pdf
  然而，網路2.0的時代早就來臨，我們早就不是單向的訊息接收者，

我們藉由各式的網路平台（blog、plurk、facebook）而成為訊息的提

供者。在今天，我們不需要經由主流媒體也可以獲得各式各樣的即時

報導。

 
  我們不再批評主流媒體的劣質，因為我們相信它會遭到忽視、然後被

網路爆炸的浪潮掩蓋。至少在我看來沒有有力的批評。
  
   然而，主流媒體似乎還是有其存在的必要性以至於今天我們依然忍

受著它們的荼毒。分散的鄉民們雖然可以提供訊息，但是缺乏報導的

專業。而一篇篇的獨立報導缺乏系統性的整理，閱讀起來十分的不方

便。另外，報導的素質參差不齊也比不上大型專業媒體的管理經營。

總言之，我們還是需要倚賴他們的專業素質。

主流媒體的本質並不是惡的，只是被不道德的人錯誤使用，我們其實

擁有很多選擇，例如國外的媒體：

1.http://english.aljazeera.net/半島電台，中東觀點
2.http://www.economist.com/經濟學人，美國觀點
3.http://hk.news.yahoo.com/world/香港雅虎比台灣的功能好，可以發表評論。
4.http://www.ejc.net/media_landscape/歐洲各國各式媒體一覽
5.http://www.neurope.eu/歐盟新聞
6.http://www.temasekreview.com  temasek review -sigapore noises.


國內媒體：

http://www.newtalk.tw/news_read.php?oid=14934

國內部落格：

http://sophist4ever.pixnet.net/blog 假圖天國

http://lingfengcomment.pixnet.net/blog 林保華

http://milk100sina.pixnet.net/blog/category/1421498 新加坡

http://blog.kaishao.idv.tw/?p=942




  

Ocean pollution

Ocean pollution

   Speaking of pollutions, most people may think of air pollution and water pollution, which are highly relevant to our everyday lives. However, to the surprises of most of us, ocean pollution may be the most difficult one to solve of all.

  Unlike other pollutions, ocean pollution stems from numerous sources. Industrial and domestic sewage which flows into oceans, oil leaked from ships and oil drillers, and acid rain fall into the seas are just a few of the causes. Because of the diversity of the pollutants, including heavy metal, acid, base, organic substance and waste heat, the plight is more complicated and grave than other types of pollutions.

  Besides, the toxic chemicals in oceans will accumulate in bodies of marine life, which turns out to damage our own health when we eat those polluted fish. What is worse, once the pollutants are mixed into the oceans, it takes centuries to curb the toxicity to a safe standard. Thus, once we found factories that produce toxic sewage, we’d better realize that one day we will burden enormous costs.

  In addition, the pollution is without borders. When pollutions occur, there is little can we do to stop it from spreading. Therefore, ocean pollutions usually results to unpredictable harms to the planet. For example, a single leaked oil ship or off-shore driller may suffocate thousands of sea birds and several schools of marine habitats. In some devastating cases, the leaked oil easily spoiled hundreds of square kilometers of coral reefs. Moreover, if we go on ignoring the seriousness of ocean pollution, several vulnerable species will undoubtedly go extinction.

  Ocean pollution is destructive in biodiversity, environmental sustainability, and our way of lives. It is the business of everyone, and we are the solution.

How can we defend our oceans? We can reject the development of the industries which have the potentials to aggravate the catastrophe. We should insist the sustainable green energy be pursued instead of fossil fuel, and support adequate protective criteria be made. Besides, we should urge the official to supervise the waste and rubbish disposal. Meanwhile, we should try our best to solve other pollutions simultaneously, for they are closely co-related. Also, we should advocate the urgency of ocean protection.