diymy Chapter 101 Debate with a Group of Confucian Scholars
Chapter 101 Debate with a Group of Confucian Scholars
Professor Chen's face turned ashen: "That's sophistry! The subjectivity of Western civilization is beyond question!"
"I am not denying the subjectivity of Western civilization," Wang Bo said calmly. "I am just reminding people that civilizations have always influenced each other. And some people today deliberately emphasize the 'purity' and 'superiority' of Western civilization, which is essentially a kind of cultural insecurity—they need to elevate themselves by belittling other civilizations."
"You!" Professor Chen stood up angrily.
The scene erupted in uproar.
Lin Wan quickly tried to smooth things over: "Professor Chen, please calm down. We are having a discussion, please don't get agitated."
Dr. Li picked up the conversation, trying to salvage the situation: "Dr. Wang, you said civilizations influence each other, and I agree. But it's undeniable that in modern times, Western civilization has indeed led the world's development. The Scientific Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the Information Revolution... all occurred in the West. Doesn't this show that Western culture is more adapted to modern society?"
Wang Bo smiled: "Dr. Li, are you familiar with the 'Needham Question'?"
Dr. Li was taken aback: "What?"
"The question posed by British scholar Joseph Needham: Why didn't the modern scientific and industrial revolutions occur in China?" Wang Bo said. "Many people use this question to prove the 'flaws' of Chinese culture. But few people ask another question—why has Chinese civilization continued uninterrupted for five thousand years? Why has Europe experienced empire changes and civilizational breaks throughout history, while China has maintained a largely unified state?"
He looked at the audience: "These two questions are equally important. If we use only one standard to measure civilization—such as 'whether it was the first to have an industrial revolution'—that is itself a Western-centric bias. Different civilizations have different development paths and values, and that is the meaning of cultural diversity."
Editor-in-Chief Zhang couldn't hold back any longer: "Wang Bo, you've said so much, but the reality is that young people today are more drawn to the West. Look at the craze for studying abroad, the immigration wave, the booming English training market... Isn't this just voting with their feet?"
Wang Bo turned to look at her, his eyes sharp: "Editor-in-Chief Zhang, 90% of the content in the Chinese version of your international cultural magazine is about Western culture. I want to ask—have you ever thought about why the English version isn't 90% about Chinese culture? Is it because Chinese culture isn't worth introducing, or because you subconsciously believe that only introducing Western culture is sophisticated?"
These words were so direct that Editor-in-Chief Zhang's face turned pale instantly.
Wang Bo continued: "As for young people aspiring to the West—yes, some of them do. But that's normal. Reform and opening up has only been going on for a few decades, and we're still catching up. But look at the changes in the last ten years: the Chinese language craze is rising worldwide, Confucius Institutes are springing up everywhere, Chinese films are starting to go international, and Chinese technology companies are starting to lead innovation... This is the real trend. And some people are still looking at things with the perspective of twenty years ago; that's what's truly outdated."
The room was silent for a few seconds, then erupted in thunderous applause.
In the audience, a middle-aged man stood up excitedly: "Well said! I've long been fed up with these experts who are constantly badmouthing Chinese culture!"
A young girl also shouted, "Wang Bo is awesome! This is the attitude young people should have!"
Su Xiaoxiao and Su Yiyi exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and pride in each other's eyes.
On stage, Professor Chen and his two companions looked ashen-faced, clearly not expecting to be rendered speechless by a "singer".
Seeing that the situation was about to get out of control, Lin Wan quickly moved on to the next segment: "Alright, all the guests' viewpoints have been excellent. Let's move on to the second question: Is Western individualism superior to Eastern collectivism?"
Professor Chen rallied his troops: "I believe the answer to this question is also yes. Individualism emphasizes individual rights, freedom, and creativity, which are the cornerstone of modern society, while collectivism often leads to blind obedience, suppression of individuality, and a lack of innovation. Wang Bo, as a creative artist, you should know best that artistic creation requires freedom, not collective constraints."
Wang Bo picked up the microphone and suddenly smiled: "Professor Chen, do you know Bach?"
Professor Chen frowned: "Of course, the great composers of the Baroque period."
"So you know that many of Bach's works were composed for the church, completed under strict religious regulations?" Wang Bo asked. "According to your logic, this kind of 'collective constraint' should stifle creativity. But why did Bach create an immortal masterpiece like the St. Matthew Passion?"
Professor Chen was speechless.
Wang Bo continued, "In fact, many great creations in human history were completed within a certain framework. Ancient Chinese poetry had strict rules of prosody, Shakespeare's plays had to follow theater rules, and even modern science is subject to the constraints of the 'scientific paradigm'—completely unrestrained 'personal freedom' often produces chaos rather than masterpieces."
Dr. Li interjected: "But this cannot deny the role of individualism in promoting innovation. The spirit of Silicon Valley is 'changing the world,' which is a typical example of individual heroism."
"Is Silicon Valley's success really just about individual heroism?" Wang Bo countered. "Steve Jobs had Wozniak, Bill Gates had Allen, Mark Zuckerberg had Sandberg—which of these successes wasn't the result of teamwork? More importantly, Silicon Valley's innovative culture has absorbed certain elements from Eastern culture, such as Zen meditation, holistic thinking. Isn't this an example of cultural fusion?"
He looked at the audience: "Actually, the dichotomy between 'individualism' and 'collectivism' is too simplistic. Any healthy society needs to find a balance between individual freedom and collective responsibility. Chinese culture speaks of 'cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world,' which is a complete chain from the individual to the collective. Some people insist on severing this relationship and creating antagonism, and that is the root of the problem."
Applause erupted again.
This time, even some viewers who were originally neutral began to side with Wang Bo.
Editor-in-Chief Zhang attempted a final effort: "Wang Bo, you're right. But you can't deny that there are indeed some problems in society today—such as involution, comparison, and utilitarianism…aren't these caused by collectivist culture?"
Wang Bo laughed: "Editor-in-Chief Zhang, the phenomena you mentioned exist in the United States, Europe, Japan—in any modern society. These are universal problems in the process of modernization, not unique to any particular culture. Moreover, it is precisely in societies where individualism is extremely rampant that problems such as wealth inequality, social division, and spiritual emptiness are more serious."
His tone turned serious: "The worst thing in cultural discussions is labeling and finding scapegoats. Blaming all problems on traditional culture or collectivism is a lazy way of thinking. True cultural confidence means facing problems squarely without being self-deprecating; it means learning from others' strengths without blindly worshipping them."
The scene was quiet.