奥里森·马登
OrisonMarden
Rousseausays:
"Accordingtotheorderofnature,menbeingequal,theircommonvocationistherofessionofhumanity;andwhoeveriswelleducatedtodischargethedutyofamancannotbebadlyrearedtofillanyofthoseofficesthathavearelationtohim。Itmatterslittletomewhethermyuilbedesignedforthearmy,theulit,orthebar。ToliveistherofessionIwouldteachhim。WhenIhavedonewithhim,itistruehewillbeneitherasoldier,alawyer,noradivine。Lethimfirstbeaman;Fortunemayremovehimfromoneranktoanother,asheleases,hewillbealwaysfoundinhislace。
"
"Firstofall。
"reliedtheboyJamesA。Garfield,whenaskedwhathemeanttobe,
"Imustmakemyselfaman;ifIdonotsucceedinthat,Icansucceedinnothing。
"
Onegreatneedoftheworldtodayisformenandwomenwhoaregoodanimals。Toendurethestrainofourconcentratedcivilization,thecomingmanandwomanmusthaveanexcessofanimalsirits。Theymusthavearobustnessofhealth。Mereabsenceofdiseaseisnothealth。Itistheoverflowingfountain,nottheonehalffull,thatgiveslifeandbeautytothevalleybelow。Onlyheishealthywhoexultsinmereanimalexistence;whoseverylifeisaluxury;whofeelsaboundingulsethroughouthisbody;whofeelslifeineverylimb,asdogsdowhenscouringoverthefield,orasboysdowhenglidingoverfieldsofice。
Disensewiththedoctorbybeingtemerate;thelawyerbykeeingoutofdebt;thedemagogue,byvotingforhonestmen;andoverty,bybeingindustrious。
Amanisneversohayaswhenhesufficestohimself,andcanwalkwithoutcrutchesoraguide。
"Thebodyofanathleteandthesoulofasage,
"wroteVoltairetoHelvetius,
"thesearewhatwerequiretobehay。
"
Intherofessions,itistrue,wefindgreaterskillandfaithfulness,butusuallytheyhavebeendeveloedattheexenseofmentalandmoralbreadth。
Themerelyrofessionalmanisnarrow;worsethanthat,heisinasenseanartificialman,acreatureoftechnicalitiesandsecialties,removedalikefromthebroadtruthofnatureandfromthehealthyinfluenceofhumanconverse。Insociety,themostaccomlishedmanofmererofessionalskillisoftenanullity;hehassunkhisersonalityinhisdexterity。
AsNaturetrieseverywaytoinduceustoobeyherlawsbyrewardingtheirobservancewithhealth,leasureandhainess,andunishestheirviolationbyainanddisease,sosheresortstoeverymeanstoinduceustoexandanddevelothegreatossibilitiesshehasimlantedwithinus。Shenervesustothestruggle,beneathwhichallgreatblessingsareburied,andbeguilesthetediousmarchesbyholdingubeforeusglitteringrizes,whichwemayalmosttouch,butneverquiteossess。Shecoversuherendsofdiscilinebytrial,ofcharacterbuildingthroughsufferingbythrowingaslendorandglamouroverthefuture;lestthehard,dryfactsoftheresentdisheartenus,andshefailinhergreaturose。Asamotherteachesherbabytowalk,byholdinguatoyatadistance,notthatthechildmayreachthetoy,butthatitmaydeveloitsmusclesandstrength,comaredwithwhichthetoysaremerebaubles;soNaturegoesbeforeusthroughlife,temtinguswithhigherandhighertoys,buteverwithoneobjectinview—thedevelomentoftheman。
卢梭说:“按照自然的法则,每个人都是平等的,很好地表现人性是人类共同的责任。任何一个受过良好教育的人都会很好地完成一切与他相关的工作。不论我的学生将来会成为军人、牧师,还是律师,对我来说都相差无几。我所要教给他们的是要堂堂正正地活着。当一个人完成教育生涯,他不会是一位军人,不会是一名律师,也不会成为一名神职人员,但他首先会是一个堂堂正正的人。不论命运为他作了怎样的安排,他都很乐观,并会很快地找到自己的位置。”
美国第二十任总统詹姆斯·加菲尔德在孩提时期被问及长大后的愿望,当时他这样回答:“首先,我要让自己成为一个堂堂正正的人,假如我做不到这一点,那么任何事情都不会做成功。”
现今世界迫切地需要优秀的人才。未来的人们应具有超强的能力,以承受来自文明高度集中的社会所带来的紧张生活和压力。他们必须精力充沛,身体健康,而仅没有疾病不能说是真正的健康。只有拥有足够的力量源泉,而不是一杯半盏,才能让未来的生活和前途不滑入低谷。一个人只有身体健康,才会因自身的存在而欢欣雀跃;他的生命才会五彩斑斓;他才会感受到跳动的脉搏穿梭全身;才会从各个方面来感受生命的喜悦,像狗在原野上撒欢,或者孩子们在冰原上滑行一样。
作为医生,对待病人应该温和体贴;作为律师,应该身无债务;作为政治家,应该坦诚地进行选举;作为穷人,应该勤勉努力。
只有当一个人能够满足自己,不需要借助拐杖或引导者也能往前走的时候,他才会觉得很快乐。