For the Post-1980’s Generation 給八十後

 出生於八十年代的你們：

剛讀過健吾和周志煌合著的社會學論著《八十後的生存與生活》，感慨良多。從置業、就業到戀愛、婚姻，中國八十後的現況就是這樣赤裸而殘酷地呈現眼前。掩卷以後，我不住在想，究竟這一代人的未來還是怎樣？根據主流傳媒的論述，這群所謂的八十後着實不知所謂 — 只知好高騖遠，不知民間疾苦。我不清楚這種說法是否恰當，畢竟我所接觸的人也不過是滄海一栗、冰山一角，不過讀畢此書，我可以肯定的是，我們這些人的問題未必源於我們「不事生產」、「好食懶飛」的性格，而是整個社會的結構性問題。我猜，你們也是如此相信，因為，身為八十後，都有共同的快樂，和哀愁。

八十後一份子上

Dear those born in 1980’s,

I have just completed the reading of “The Survival of Post 1980’s Generation”, a new book written by Kengo and Zhou Zhihuang, which impresses me so much. The book directly describes various social phenomena of the new generation in China, such as their employment and marriage issue, through the method of case study. I can’t stop thinking about the future of this generation. According to the narrative of mainstream media, we are lazy and ridiculous. I can’t tell if it is true, but after reading this book, I do only know that their problems should not only be attributed to their personality, but also to the society.

Yours sincerely,

Someone also born in 1980’s

AN INCOMPLETE ME 我並不完美

It is so common that numerous artists tend to publish their books during the annual book fair. With texts which share some trivial matters in their daily lives and a few photos of their pretty faces, their books easily become bestsellers and win the applause of general public. Rene Liu is exceptional, though. She wrote in her new book “Incomplete Me” that “Obviously I am not a writer… I write only to reflect and confront with my real self.” Dare to admit her personal limitations through writing, Liu sets up a great example for celebrities whose books are simply meaningless.

每年書展，總有好些藝人出版著作，只消隨便寫點跟寵物相處的奇趣軼事，再配幾張有自己肖像的照片，就能輕易贏得銷量和掌聲。劉若英肯定是例外，她在新書《我的不完美》如此寫道：「我顯然不是作家……我會因為想誠實面對自己而寫。」用寫作過程反省自身的她，在字裡行間坦承自己的不完美一面。坐在人來人往的月台長椅上，我緩緩閱讀劉若英的細膩文字，動人真摰的故事害我差點忍不住掉淚。也許，這就是屬於溫婉女生的獨有力量，也是書展那些所謂才女作家永遠無法企及的。

ON PARANORMALITY 大迷信

Superstition stems from fear; and fear stems from uncertainty. That’s why so many people are naturally interested in fortune-telling, out-of-body experiences, talking with the dead, ghost-hunting etc. Do you believe in these? Richard Wiseman, a psychology professor, tries to explain these phenomena with various psychological theories in his new book “Paranormality”. When I studied social psychology in the university, my professor once mentioned a tiny experiment on astrology: participants told the fortune teller their dates of birth, and are then offered personality analyses based on the information provided. In the end, all of them deem the analysis accurate, while actually all of the analyses they have got are the same. Fortune telling is nothing more than a psychological phenomenon.

迷信，源於恐懼；恐懼，源於未知。迷信是人類與生俱來的習性，是以許多人都為占卜、靈魂出竅、通靈、捉鬼等不可思議的謎團感到趣味盎然。你相信這些東西嗎？暢銷書作家兼心理學教授Richard Wiseman可不以為然。在其新書《Paranormality》中，他就嘗試用各種心理學學說，解釋一般人為何相信這些不實質存在的幻象。還記得當年在大學唸社會心理學，教授就跟我們提過一個關於占卜的小實驗：參加者先向占卜師報上自己的生日日期，後就各自接獲一張詳細的性格分析—他們都認為分析十分準確。殊不知，原來所有參加者所收到的分析是，一．模．一．樣．的。

THE ATLAS OF A CITY 城市地圖

As the annual Hong Kong Book Fair is coming soon, loads of new books flood into the local book market. That’s why I am trying to make some recommendations here for you. The first one is “The Atlas: Archeology of an Imaginary City”, written by Hong Kong-based author Dung Kai-cheung. Linking Publishing from Taiwan recently re-publishes this all-time classic of Dung and presents it in his new “V-City series”. In “The Atlas”, a novel that pays tribute to Italio Calvino’s “Invisible Cities”, Dung questioned the spatial history of Hong Kong by rewriting and fictionalizing it. It definitely helps readers to get to know more about Hong Kong.

書展將至，新出版的書籍如河堤氾濫般澎湃湧至。就讓我在這裡推介一些值得閱讀的新書吧。打頭陣的，不作他選，必然是香港作家董啟章的《地圖集》。事實上，《地圖集》並非新書—台灣聯經出版將董氏於九十年代出版、關於城市論述的三部作品《地圖集》、《V城繁勝錄》和《Catalog》重新包裝，聯同新作《博物誌》組成為V城系列，再次展現廣大華文讀者面前。《地圖集》乃1997年寫成的組合式小說作品，董氏嘗試在這歷史性時刻重新繪述香港地圖，並為之添上想像元素，終構成這媲美卡爾維諾名著《看不見的城市》的經典作品。

BACK TO THE ORIGIN 回到簡愛

You know, I feel a bit bored of reading a few weeks before. During that period of ‘book-phobia’, I would rather watch a movie or flip through a magazine than reading. Fortunately, this weird disease fades gradually and my interest in reading has been restored. Thus, I am now thinking about my reading list. Umm. Maybe I should read some all-time classics first, such as “Jane Eyre”, arenowned English novel that should be read on a rainy day like this.

你知道的，早陣子我對閱讀有點厭倦。稍有餘暇，寧願看看電影，翻翻雜誌，也沒提起書本的意欲。就像患上輕感冒有時不需看醫生，這厭書症忽然又不藥而癒了。逛逛書店，想讀的書可多着。可是又似乎無需急於一時，畢竟家裡書架早已超載。那麼，倒不如讀讀那些早些日子被擱在一旁的經典吧。比如是這本《簡愛》。淒美孤清的經典愛情故事，配上窗外的滂沱大雨，剛剛好。對，挑書也得看天氣。

THE BIRTH OF A BOOK 一本書籍的誕生

I love visiting bookstores, not only because I can read there, but also because I can appreciate some superb book designs. As a reader, the book content is significant yet it also plays an important role if not a key role. Andrew Haslam’s “Book Design” serves as a comprehensive and practical guide for designers, with carefully structured text illustrated with photographs and diagrams throughout the book. Featuring examples from various kinds of books, it takes the reader through every aspect of the subject. Next time when you pass through the bookstore, don’t forget to appreciate the efforts book designers paid throughout the production.

喜愛逛書店的原因，有時不僅為閱讀，也為欣賞美輪美奐的書籍設計。作為讀者，書本的文字內容固然重要，但書籍設計以至排版風格，卻影響讀者能否真正消化文字內容。Andrew Haslam的《Book Design》堪稱介紹書籍設計裝幀的聖經。結構嚴謹的文字搭配豐富的照片及圖表，讓讀者從所有與跟書有關的類目，包括字體選擇、排版設計、圖片搭配、紙張材質、印刷方式等，認識一本書籍的誕生。下一次路經書店，可別忘記向設計精美書本的設計師致敬。

JUSTICE HAS BEEN DONE 正義已伸張

“Justice has been done,” the quote from US President Barack Obama, brings a lot of thoughts to me recently. What is justice? Who define it? And more importantly, who has the power to regulate a ‘just’ world? Michael J. Sandel, an American political philosopher and a professor at Harvard University, recently published a book called “Justice: What's the right thing to do?”, which perfectly echoes with my confusion. He points out three keys to achieve a just world: practicing utilitarianism, respecting free market mechanism, and nurturing public virtue. After reading the book, you might be able to recognise whether the world nowadays is just, and my answer is... I will keep it secret.

美國總統奧巴馬就擊斃拉登後發表的言論—「正義已伸張」，最近為我帶來很多反思的空間。究竟甚麼是公義？誰能定義公義？更重要的是，誰掌握維護公義世界的權力？美國政治哲學家兼哈佛大學教授Michael J. Sandel的新書《Justice: What's the right thing to do?》正好理順我的混亂思緒。他在書中提出三大實踐公義的途徑—實行功利主義、尊重自由市場機制、培養美德與共善。閱畢此書，你或許就能夠理解，公義是否真的存在於我們現在身處的世界之中。我的答案是……不便透露。

THANK YOU, MY BOOKS! 書到用時

Sometimes when you read too much, you will feel a bit bored, as no books is still able to spark off inspirations. At a moment like this, I will choose to leave my books away, just doing other stuffs, such as writing. As time passes, you will discover the power of books and the power of reading again. In fact, books can always give power yet sometimes I am bothered by other things else. Thanks again, my books!

有些時候，書讀得太多，反而有種厭膩的感覺—沒甚麼作者的作品還能帶來最初那種突如其來的震撼。這個時候，我會選擇掩卷，甚至把書本統統都擱在一旁，強迫自己去讀點別的，而不再刻意閱讀。過了一段日子，便會發現，書本帶來的感動再次回來了。原來，書本帶來的感動一直都在，只是我的感覺偶爾被瑣事磨蹭，敏銳不再。謝謝你，書本。

ALL ABOUT THE BIKE 關於單車

Cycling has recently become a trend in this city we live. Many of my friends and colleagues purchase their own exquisite bicycles, and enjoy their leisure time by riding on it. Robert Penn’s “It’s All About the Bike” echoes this ‘bike-fever’ as it tells how the bicycle has changed the course of human history. It’s the story of why we ride, and why this simple machine remains central to life today. After reading the book, I was just wondering whether Hong Kong, a tiny city, is really suitable for bikes to survive. My answer is negative and that explains why I fall behind the trend of cycling.

我們居住的這座城市最近似乎掀起了一股踏單車的風潮。身邊不少朋友、同事紛紛選購美侖美奐的單車，在空暇時間踏着單車四出晃蕩，好不寫意。Robert Penn的新書《It's All About the Bike》也正好以此為題，細述單車如何改變人類歷史。這是關於我們為何依然喜愛踏單車的一本書：這是關於單車這簡單代步工具無視社會洪流，仍然屹立於現代城市之中的一本書。關於單車，當然我也有自己的一套想法：香港真箇適合單車生存嗎？馬路旁左穿右插的單車，也着實觸目驚心。這，也就是我沒跟上加入單車潮流的最主要原因。

QUESTIONS IN OUR LIVES 問題天天都多

We keep asking questions since small, both meaningful and meaningless ones. Are human rights political? Does being happy makes us good? And does being good makes us happy? Are human beings especially prone to self-deception? Rather than presenting a set of categorical answers, A. C. Grayling’s book “Thinking of Answers” offers suggestions for how to think from every aspect of a question, and arrive at one's own conclusions. Perhaps sometimes we can reflect on the reason we are asking that particular question, as it may help us to figure out the real answer. For instance, instead of wondering if being happy will make us good, why don’t you make yourself happy first? Got it?

生活裡，我們都愛發問 — 哪怕所問的問題是嚴肅而富真確意義，抑或是無稽而沒甚麼引伸空間：人權是否政治產物？快樂是否能夠讓人生活得更好？美好的生活是否讓人感到快樂？人類是否傾向自欺欺人？這些都有意義，但同時也極難解答。許多作者或許都愛直截了當地記下自己的答案，但A. C. Grayling卻沒這樣做。其著作《Thinking of Answers》嘗試從多角度分析問題答案，再從中歸納出合理的結論。有時候，與其刻板地解決問題，倒不如反問自己為何要問那問題，這樣或許就能推敲出真正答案。快樂是否令人生活得更美好？與其發問，倒不如讓自己更快樂吧！

ON TRAVELLING 我也可暢遊異國

Are you planning a trip for this summer holiday? I am recently reading a book named “Ox Travels”, which is a collection of travel writings acting as a focus for the Oxfam Bookfest in 2011. The book features original stories from prominent travel authors. I desperately long for a fabulous long vacation after reading this book, and you’ll definitely be the same.

這幾天的氣溫，彷彿讓人聽見夏日的呼吸聲。你可曾為這個暑假的旅程作點計劃？最近我讀了一本名為《Ox Travels》的散文集，內容正與旅遊息息相關。將會成為2011年樂施會書節的重點讀物的這本書，收錄了不少旅遊作家的文字作品，讓你從字裡行間一窺異國風土人情。我可以肯定，你讀過這些文字以後，定必跟我一樣，對尚未來臨的逆旅風光感到興奮莫名，躍躍欲試。

CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN 不如不變

US President Barack Hussein Obama is famous for his slogan “Change we can believe in!” during the election campaign. It sounds cool but making changes is never easy. In their bestseller “Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard”, Heath Brothers argue that the reason for our reluctance to change which lies deep within our psychology. The rational part of our brain may know that it makes good sense to change, but the emotional part likes things the way they are, and its short-term desire for an easy life tends to get in the way of our long-term plans. How poor we are.

美國總統奧巴馬的競選口號「我們可以相信的變革」，一直教人津津樂道。然而，要真正改變向來都相當艱鉅。Heath兄弟的暢銷書《Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard》就嘗試用心理學角度，剖析人們為何如斯抗拒改變。理性上我們或許都明瞭，改變會帶來的好處，然而情感上我們傾向以不變應萬變。與此同時，我們都傾向追求短期的慾望，而非長遠的益處。是的，你我都是恁地可憐的人。

2011: A TIME ODYSSEY 2011時空漫遊

I love films with a theme of time travel so I watched “Donnie Darko” recently and am interested in investigating the terms and theories about time travel, such as tangent universe, mentioned in the movie. And that’s why I flipped Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time” for more details. He said, “Time travel is possible if we can construct a spaceship travelling through wormhole – the gap between space and time – at the speed of light”. Sounds easy? But we all know it is still impossible at this technology level. On the other hand, I really wonder, even if human beings were able to invent a time machine, what’s the function of it? Back to the past and change the history? Do you think history can be rewritten? Do you believe that destiny can be changed? I don’t think so.

因為喜歡穿梭時空一類題材的電影，所以欣賞了一齣名為《Donnie Darko》的電影；因為欣賞了這齣電影，所以為電影裡所曾提及的理論、名詞，比如是平行宇宙，感到趣味盎然；因為對時間理論感興趣，所以重新翻開了霍金的《時間簡史》。還記得兩、三年前問過在大學裡唸物理學的友人，究竟有沒可能回到過去，他的答案正是應用霍金的理論：只要能製造出速度接近光速的宇宙飛船，再穿越蟲洞，也就是空間與時間的隙縫，即可穿梭過去未來。乍聽來似乎很簡單，但以人類的科技水平來衡量，製造時光機仍然是遙不可及。我所關心的是，即使我們能發明時光機，又有何作用？回到過去，改變歷史？歷史真箇能夠被改寫麼？命運真箇能夠被扭轉麼？

ART OF IPHONEOGRAPHY 謝謝攝影師

Lomography used to be so popular in the city a few years ago, but now it’s already the age of iPhoneography. By combining cell phone with a high resolution digital camera, iPhone photographers can now freely capture images without the hassle or the worry of carrying additional equipment. I have never engaged in these trends, yet I am really glad when someone requests to take my photos with a Lomo camera or an iPhone. For me, photography is not only a hobby, but also an interaction between photographers and the ‘models’. So, thank you so much, my ‘photographers’!

不久之前，好些人都愛用Lomo相機拍攝，鍾情於其斑斕色彩及品牌所提倡隨意而無束縛的攝影態度。近年人們則興起用iPhone拍攝，並即時以後期方法製成一張張絢麗的相片。這兩種曾經蔚然成風的攝影模式，我都沒曾參與過，但我樂於成為旁觀者。每當友人興高采烈地用Lomo相機或iPhone替我拍照，我都樂意之至，還會擺出好些奇怪姿勢或表情。原因很簡單，對我來說，攝影不僅是行為，背後盛載的，更是攝影者給被攝者的一番心意，又或是兩人之間某難忘片段的憑據。

CITY DWELLERS 城客

The renowned Harvard University economist Edward Glaeser visits us to discuss his eagerly awaited new book, "Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier." It's a book that faces up to the bad rap America's cities get: they're dirty, poor, crime-ridden, expensive, environmentally unfriendly. Glaeser shatters these myths and demonstrates that cities are actually the healthier, greenest and richest -- in cultural and economic terms -- places to live.

談起城市，除了繁華興旺的一面，有時我們還會聯想到髒兮兮的街角、罪行頻生的巷弄和飛漲的物價。於是近年來，好些人都傾向選擇居於近郊，空氣清新一點，環境也比較優美。哈佛大學經濟學家Edward Glaeser則持相反意見，在其新書《Triumph of the City》中，破除這些久遠的迷思，並講解為何城市才是文化或經濟層面上的最佳居所。對我來說，他的論點是否真確倒不重要，畢竟居於香港，我們的選擇根本不多啊。

ON EQUALITY 所謂公平

What is equality? Some takes time as instrument to measure equality (equity, in fact), while some takes quality instead. Some claims that equality can be deprived if the deprived ones don’t voice their objections. Some fights for fair treatments, while some complains about the unfair treatments they received. The truth is that the concept of equality exists only when you fight for it. If you are unfairly treated, and you haven’t voiced out, others may take your compromise for granted. Words always speak louder than actions in today’s world as they possess the power of interpretation, as seen from the cases of government, media and even daily conversations. So what is equality? Does it really exist? I would say, it always exists but it never exists.

甚麼是公平？有人用時間作為衡量公道的量器，有人則用質素；有人認為公平是可以被剝奪的，只要被剝奪者沒有發聲抗議。有人會高聲呼叫爭取公平待遇，有人則埋怨自己遭受不公平對待。這個世界總是這樣的，公平這概念，只要你爭取，就會存在。但若你遭遇不公，而沒發一言，別人便不會再把你看在眼內，並將之視為理所當然。這個世界總是這樣的，說話者，總掌握把事情詮釋的權利，政府、傳媒如是，日常對答亦言。那究竟甚麼是公平？公平是否存在？用作家黃碧雲的口吻來說：公平這回事，一向都是沒所謂有，也沒所謂無的。

A DIFFERENT JOURNEY 原來世界這樣大

I love reading travelogues, as it offers me rooms for imagination in my mundane life. Nonetheless, when I read “Reflection, Reflections”, a new book written by Winifred Lai, my feeling is quite different. The book is about her journey to Peru and Bolivia, a region of Magical Realism. The journey is so unique as she experienced a number of surprising actions and situations beyond her imagination. As a reader, I am greatly inspired by her ideas, and also admire her courage of disclosing her true self to all of us through words.

素來愛讀遊記，因為書本可為平板的生活闢出無限的想像空間。但讀着黎堅惠最新著作《天空之鏡》，我的感覺卻跟以往截然不同。《天空之鏡》講述黎堅惠的南美之旅，但它卻絕非一般的旅程，反之卻牽涉生存意義、人與自然的微妙關係等深奧議題。作者在書中近乎裸裎自身的把自己所思所想，甚至是一路走來的經歷統統化成文字。作為讀者，我受她的文字啟發之餘，也佩服於她的勇氣。

ARE YOU A WRITER? 作家這名銜

Author is always a popular dream occupation of every child. However, I really wonder how many authors are there in this blossoming city. Flipping through “The Making of a Bestseller”, a book written by Brian Hill and Dee Power describing the publishing trend in the United States, I am surprised by the figures it mentioned, “more than 24 million adults in the United States consider themselves creative writers but less than 5% have ever been published anywhere”. Found it strange? In fact, the case in Hong Kong is even worse. It is so weird that Hong Kongers are reluctant to call themselves as authors or writers even when they’ve already published a book.

喜歡詢問別人的童年理想。除了老師、醫生、警察等職業外，作家也是常見答案。然而，在我們所身處的這座城市，真正當作家的，又有多少？翻開Brian Hill與Dee Power合著的《The Making of a Bestseller》，裡面談及美國的出版狀況：「全美國有二千四百萬人報稱作家，可是真正出版了書的，不夠百分之五。」看到這裡，我不禁咧嘴而笑，原因很簡單：香港情況可完全相反，出版了書籍的，同時又敢於把自己稱為作家的，恐怕也不夠百分之五。

ALL ABOUT CITIES 我城

Let me share my favourite novel, “Invisible Cities” written by Italo Calvino, a renowned Italian writer. The novel explores imagination and descriptions of cities by an explorer, Marco Polo, through his conversation with aging emperor Kublai Khan. The book offers an alternative approach to thinking about cities, how they are formed and how they function, by depicting the nature of cities, as well as the relationship between memory, desire, symbols, name, sight, sky, death and cities. I am always amazed by the structured and interlocking pattern of the book for its complexity. And that’s why it is my all-time favourite.

就談談我最喜愛的小說吧。意大利大文豪卡爾維諾的作品《看不見的城市》，講述馬可波羅在年老的忽必烈大汗的皇宮中，向大汗抽述他在帝國遊歷的所見所聞。藉着勾勒各個天馬行空城市的形象，卡爾維諾成功將各種城市的概念，並其存在及消亡的原因，比如說城市與記憶、慾望、符號、名字、眼睛、天空和死亡等的關係，展現於讀者眼前。作者最教我瞠目結舌的，也不單是其遼闊無邊的想像力，更在於他對小說結構的執着。最初翻閱的時候，會被其繁複如迷宮的架構所困擾，但堅持讀下去，便開始發現這迷宮的編排原來井然有序，教人驚詫讚嘆。

WHEN I WAS A MEDIA STUDIES STUDENT 當我還唸傳媒研究的時候

The book “Elements of Journalism” was so familiar to me. When I was a Media Studies student in university, my professor introduced us this little book for an in-depth investigation of journalism, though I ignored her advice as usual. Recently when I read this book again, I feel so complicated. When I was a student, some fellow classmates always claimed to change the world, yet the words fade out soon after graduation. I can still remember that my professors often emphasised the significant role of news media as the fourth estate of a society. So as a little gear of the media institution, what can I do? What should I do?

大學唸傳媒研究，第一課傳理系的教授便向我們推介這本名為《Elements of Journalism》的書籍，而作為學生的我當時順理成章地，把她的說話置若罔聞。多年後翻看這本書，感慨良多。紛亂的社會氛圍，有時讓人毛躁不安，然而我們可以做的又是甚麼？學院年代總有些同學信誓旦旦聲言為世界帶來改變，但後來卻是不知所蹤。有說傳媒能影響世界，乃行政、立法、司法機構以外的「第四權」。那麼，作為傳媒一份子的我，又可以作甚麼？

BORN TO RUN 跑吧跑吧

I love running yet I seldom run. I am not a professional runner yet I regard running as a way to express my positive emotion. That’s why I usually run when submitting forms for my dream, or when selecting gifts for my beloved one. It is kind of a reflex action for me. Last Sunday, I watched two of my favourite movies, “Up in the Air” and “Before Sunset” consecutively at home, and was overwhelmed by trivial thoughts since then. So I decided to go out for a run. I’m not trying to get slim, or practising for a specific purpose - I went jogging merely because I desperately want to run at that moment. Watching the nice scenery at the riverside during my jog, I feel so relaxed, and eventually forgot all my troubles. That’s a really fruitful experience.

我喜歡跑步的感覺，但卻不常跑；我不常跑，但卻愛用跑步來表現自己的雀躍興奮。為自己的夢想、目標張羅時，我會不自覺地加快步伐；為心儀女孩搜購禮物時，我的動作特別俐落。跑步於我來說，是表達心情的一種方式。剛過去的周日，在家裡迎着午後和煦的陽光，一連翻看心愛的兩齣電影《寡佬飛行日記》、《日落巴黎》後，思潮騷動，坐在床上久久無法平伏，便執意外出跑步，甚麼也沒帶。好像已經很久沒有如此單純地為跑而跑了，不為強身健體，不為訓練速度，不為顯示自己與眾不同，僅僅因為那一刻很想跑動。沿着河岸慢跑，抵着黃昏柔和的光線，欣賞漸往後退的風光，腦袋終於能夠放空。以後的事就留待以後再想，這一刻我只想享受雙腿擺動的暢快感覺。加快吧！我的秒速只許加。

WAIT FOR A MOMENT, CAN’T YOU? 稍候片刻

I recently read a story about the art of waiting in “A Garden in My Heart”, a picture book by Jimmy Liao. Waiting for the bell to ring; waiting for the car to come; waiting for the dream to come true; waiting to be loved … waiting is no doubt an essence in our lives. Someone might take it for granted while others endeavour to get rid of it. They, therefore, try to do whatever they can do to avoid waiting. This phenomenon can even be found in those who seem to be rational and calm. Discovering a seedling in the garden, would you be able to wait for a moment for it to mature? Or you just wouldn’t endure the boredom of waiting, thus would try to pick the colourful flower before it blossoms to its fullest? You know the model answer to this question.

翻開幾米的《我的心中每天開出一朵花》，讀到一則關於等待的故事。等待鐘響、等待車來、等待夢醒、等待緣份……等待成了我們生命中重要的環節。有人或者對此習以為常，但更多人不甘如此。他們會因此嘗試以各種途徑抒解等待期間的鬱悶，即使自詡冷靜沉穩的，或許也無法輕易避免。面對含苞待放的花苗，你會選擇在旁靜默等待，直至它展開艷麗斑斕的花瓣？抑或是早早揠苗助長，在好奇心的驅使下強行把花拔出呢？一子錯，滿盤可落索。

STOP HESITATING 不再猶豫

Years ago when I was still studying at the university, there was a chance for a half-year exchange programme in Denmark lying ahead of me. To help with my decision in going or not going, I got several travel books about Denmark (including a Lonely Planet), and I asked many of my friends for their opinions. Nonetheless, I eventually gave up this precious opportunity. May be I was just feeling too insecure to break out of my comfort zone. Thanks to this personality, I’ve been missing a lot of opportunities in whatever aspects throughout my life. Now I’ll promise not to hesitate that much. I shall no longer waste others’ efforts, but shall endeavour to follow my mind.

故事追溯至年多前的暑假，我正為應否到丹麥交流半年而踟躕。我捎來了好些與丹麥有關的書籍，比如是這本Lonely Planet的旅遊書；我詢問過好些朋友的意見，包括那些曾往北歐留學的學兄、學姊，然而最後，我還是放棄了這個機會。歸根究底，都是因為我猶豫不決的性格：思前想後，左顧右盼，最後踟躕不前。也許你也料到，這件事只是冰山一角，在我的生命裡，還有許多的人事物，都因我尋求安全感的傾向，統統擦身而過。為何忽爾回首前塵呢？我想說的其實是，對於某些事情，我不會再在岔口踟躕，不再辜負別人的心意，盡力去試。我如此承諾。

SUNRISE, SUNSET. 如陽光

I am so surprised when I found the screenplays for two contemporary classics, “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset”, my all-time favourite, in a bookstore. Casually flipping the book, I am again touched by the immediate and life-altering connection between two strangers, Jesse and Celine. I was so depressed to know that nothing really happens between Jesse and Celine in “Before Sunrise”, but was then awakened by “Before Sunset”, its sequel nine years later, which describes the strangers’ reunion in Paris. They spend the afternoon quickly reestablishing the connection they experienced on their first meeting and lamenting the way life has unfolded. Romantic, poignant, understated, and often profound, these two screenplays are always my classics in romance.

情人節將近，正打算翻看平生最愛的經典愛情電影《Before Sunrise》和《Before Sunset》，卻在書店偶爾瞥見電影的劇本，才翻了幾頁，頃刻間便再次被這對陌生人在異地相遇而迸發的愛情觸動。電影裡Jesse和Celine邂逅時的浪漫激情，以至他們九年後重逢的和煦溫馨，都彷彿重現眼前。我曾經為他倆在維也納同遊後沒能走在一起而若有所失，但當我讀到兩人在巴黎重遇時細密而動人的對話，就倏忽驚覺，原來這種細水長流的愛情（甚至不是愛情），也能教人回味萬分。

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH 只要你還未有失去熱情

Failure and despair may block our ways as we chase our dreams. We might begin to doubt whether our dreams may come true despite all the efforts we’ve made. Mitch Albom’s “Have a Little Faith” is perhaps the best companion when you lose your belief. It is a book about life’s purpose; about losing belief and regaining it again; about the divine spark inside us all. Next time during adversity, try not to complain or give up - just have a little faith and hold on to your dream. The best is yet to come.

你和我都嘗過，在追尋夢想的過程中，因著屢試屢敗，而感到氣餒，打算放棄，甚至不肯繼續相信夢想。Mitch Albom的《Have a Little Faith》會是這段昏暗時期的最佳良伴。我們都無比相信自己的能力，認為自己可以戰勝一切，但在好些困難的時候，我們需要作的，也許正是把自我放下，相信希望，如同我最喜愛的日本電視劇《悠長假期》裡那一句經典對白：「遇到失意的時侯，就把它當作是上天賜給你的一個悠長假期。上天會好好的給你安排一切，當悠長的假期過後，就會是機會的來臨，人生的轉變。」我們應當如此相信。

BEAUTIFUL SOUL 又寂寞又美好

Sometimes I love to read the picture books by famous Taiwanese illustrator Jimmy Liao so much, and his “Beautiful Solitude”, written when he was chronically sick, is my all-time favourite. Illustrated in black and white, the book is an opposite of his previous works emphasising the use of colours. With a perfect combination of prose and exquisite illustrations, Jimmy’s work touches my heart deeply. Really thanks for your mental healing, Jimmy.

有些時候，特別愛讀著名台灣插畫家幾米的書，比如是他在生病後、成名前創作的這本《又寂寞又美好》。這本書跟之前色彩繽紛的幾米作品有很大的差別，黑白的色調、無言的吶喊、沒太多修飾的畫面，迸發一種動人而真誠的張力，傳達創作者寂寞蕭瑟的心境。我們都寂寞，但懂得處理這份寥落感，世界仍然美好，謝謝幾米。

MERE EXPOSURE 日久生情

Let’s talk about love, again. We all want to know what causes love. I always longed for the lesson on love when studying social psychology in my undergraduate life. According to Robert Sternberg, a psychologist who wrote the book “Psychology of Love” to present the full range of psychological theories on love, mere exposure effect can lead to interpersonal attraction. That means, if you are frequently ‘exposed’ to someone, you will quite possibly be attracted by him/her. This is a scientific proof on the phenomenon that secret lovers always try to stay close to his/her loved one. But, I doubt if a romantic relationship arisen from mere exposure effect can last long, especially when the lovers stop being ‘exposed’ to each other as time goes by. Isn’t it too cruel?

繼續談情，順道說愛。也許我們都想知道，愛情究竟由甚麼構成？在大學唸社會心理學時，最期待的，莫過於那剖析愛情的課堂。心理學家Robert Sternberg在《Psychology of Love》一書提過許多分析愛情的理論，比如單純曝光效應(mere exposure effect)，簡單來說，就是當只要一個人不斷在自己眼前曝光，自己就愈有機會喜歡上這個人。這不正是我們常說的日久生情嗎？難怪好些人總愛在自己暗戀對象附近團團轉，讓他察覺自己的存在，這原來也有科學根據。嘿，不過我又會懷疑，這種因不停相見而萌芽的愛情，會因為不再頻繁相見而凋零啊。

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOVE… 關於愛情，我所說的其實是…

I don’t know why many of my dearest friends are recently struggling in love troubles. Every time when we talk about the issue of love, I can’t help thinking of the novel “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”, written by renowned American author Raymond Carver. It seems that he is trying to depict the truth behind love by extracting every trivial matter from a mundane life, yet indeed illustrating the alienation and lonesome of modern people through simple narratives. Sometimes I really wanna persuade my friends to decisively escape from this kind of troubles, yet it is destined to fail. The reason may be simple: Loneliness is something we can never withstand.

不知是因為聖誕節剛過去，抑或是情人節即將來臨的緣故，身邊好友的感情煩惱特別多。每次跟他們若有其事地談論愛情時，我都想起著名美國作家卡佛的小說《當我們談論愛情時我們在談論什麼》。故事情節簡單，都擷取自生活的零碎片段，看似是描繪愛情的本相，但實質卻是借愛情敘述來折射出現代人的疏離、寂寞。每當看見友人愁眉不展，便想劈頭跟他們說一句，既然殘酷是愛情的真相，那為何還要一頭栽進去呢。呃，原因也許簡單不過：我們都寂寞。

THE BEST IS YET TO COME 最好的尚未來臨

I seldom read picture books yet artist b.wing’s “There’s a dark dark wood inside my head” does mean a lot to me. "The best thing about dreaming is that you don’t really need to wait for it to come true, just go through life imagining it, hoping it, wanting it. Quite free. Quite happy. Isn’t that good enough?" This quote from the book often inspires me so much and gives me courage to pursue my dream whatever the possible outcomes are. The best is yet to come, I still believe.

我是那種獨愛咀嚼文字的怪人，故此很少讀繪本。即使讀繪本，受感動的，也通常出於內裡細膩而動人的文字，比如是藝術家b.wing在其英文繪本《There's a dark dark wood inside my head》就說過，「最美好的事情就是你真不需等待夢想成真，而是在生命中幻想、希望、期待它出現的過程中，已感到自由、快樂」。這句常在我心裡打轉徘徊的說話是真是假，都不相干，最重要的是，無論如何我依然會堅持追尋我的夢想，並為它付出我的一切氣力。無論最終成功抑或失敗，我仍舊偏執地相信，最好的尚未來臨。

THE ARCADES PROJECT 商場研究企劃

Strolling in shopping malls is undoubtedly one of the best holiday activities. You might enjoy the decorative installations in the malls, or get a holiday gift for your beloved ones. How enjoyable this experience is! Nonetheless, consumption might not be the only purpose of strolling in the malls. Walter Benjamin, a German philosopher, has an Arcades Project, which was an unfinished lifelong project, an enormous collection of writings on the city life of Paris in the 19th century, especially concerned with the iron-and-glass covered arcades. The shopping malls in Hong Kong nowadays are just like the arcades in Paris at that time. So, try to observe what is happening around when you are shopping in the malls next time, you might get new inspirations from that.

你或許會同意，逛商場是長假期的最佳消閒活動。的而且確，一邊欣賞商場的大型節日裝飾佈置，一邊為摯愛挑選心儀禮物，滿載而歸，許是消磨假日時光的好去處。不過，逛商場的目的未必僅限於消費，德國哲學家本雅明就曾在巴黎開展拱廊研究計劃，以旁觀者身份觀察拱廊裡出現發生的事物。當年巴黎的拱廊，地位、功能就如今天香港的商場，故此下次當你逛商場時，不妨也多留心商場這場所的種種，比如是，各大商場結構的共通之處。這麼，也許你能發現更多。

A CHRISTMAS CAROL 快樂頌

The long-awaited Christmas finally comes! I am ready to be flooded by tons of books this weekend, such as the classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, who transformed the humiliating experiences of his childhood and his sympathy for the poor into a tale which successfully rejuvenated the old Christmas traditions of England. It not only brings to the reader images of light, joy and warmth but also strong and unforgettable images of darkness, despair, coldness, sadness and death. So, I really hope that you won ’ t forget to care about the poor and needy in this festive moment!

聖誕節終於來臨。這個假期，我已作好被書海淹沒的準備了！而最應節的讀物莫過於大文豪狄更斯的《聖誕頌歌》。作者將童年回憶並對弱勢社群的關懷全然傾注於文字之中，讓讀者不單感受聖誕節歡愉而暖煦的氛圍，亦能從書中所描繪，暗啞灰敗的情節中，反思聖誕的意義。聖誕節的確不僅是個購物和狂歡的節日，但願你在佳節也沒遺忘身邊有需要的人吧！

EIFFEL TOWER AS MYTHOLOGY 鐵塔穹蒼下

I really don't know why I suddenly think of Paris, the city of romance. As the symbolic and iconic representation of Paris, the well-known Eiffel Tower inevitably appears in my mind. "Like man himself, who is the only one not to know his own glance, the [Eiffel] Tower is the only blind point of the total optical system of which it is the center and Paris the circumference." Roland Barthes wrote in his book “ The Eiffel Tower and Other Mythologies ” . It ’ s so true! To grasp the perfect scenery, you should avoid getting too close to the Tower; you should view from a distance. This philosophy in appreciation of matters can also be applied to various aspects in daily life. Got it?

別問我忽爾想起巴黎啊，我可沒法一一言詮。談到浪漫的巴黎就必然想起艾菲爾鐵塔，而提到鐵塔便不自覺憶起羅蘭巴特在《The Eiffel Tower and Other Mythologies》 一書中關於它的論述：「置身鐵塔就如落在視網膜中的盲點，是在巴黎市中唯一無法看見艾菲爾鐵塔的地方。」說得真妙。要留存最明媚絢麗的圖景，只需遠眺欣賞，一旦步到太近，甚至置身其中，原來的美景便會自然陷落崩坍。情況有若置身巴黎鐵塔中，極目遠望，只會瞥見老舊的建築和傲慢的人潮啊。

PROUD OF YOUR CREATIVITY? 大創意？小聰明！

We all know creativity is fundamental to human experience. In the book On Creativity, David Bohm, the world-renowned scientist, points out creative impulse is instinctive to everyone, but its revolutionary potential is rarely realised. For, he argues, its success depends upon the individual's ability to jolt the workaday mind into a dynamic state that enables true creativity and originality to become possible. To conclude, creativity can be said to be a metaphor of lifestyle instead of that of ability or talent. So never dream of being creative simply by some new tiny ideas popped up, without a revolutionary change in your lifestyle and values!

如果你以為上圖那種賣弄小聰明的技倆是創意，便大錯特錯。著名科學家David Bohm在其著作《On Creativity》中指出，創意其實與生俱來，但將之實現的潛能卻因人而異。他又認為發揮創意的成功基本，在於將心裡衝擊延伸至實踐創意思維的個人能力，而不在於腦海裡的點子是多麼天馬行空、光怪陸離。那就是說，創意並非一種特殊能力或才華，而是一種生活態度的彰顯。故此，請別為自己的一道有趣點子而自豪並以自己的所謂澎湃創意而自詡，真正的創意應該體現於更偌大寬闊的層面，顯露於更具代表性的轉變之上。

BE GRATEFUL, BE HAPPY! 原來你非不快樂

Want to increase your happiness? Richard Wiseman’s latest book “59 Seconds” gives us some clues with scientific proof: Psychologists asked people to spend a few moments each week carrying out a writing task. One group had to list five things for which they were grateful, while the other had to note down five things that annoyed them. Those expressing gratitude ended up significantly happier, much more optimistic about the future, and even physically healthier. Boost your health and happiness by spending a few moments on recalling things that you are grateful for in your life.

你共我活着那樣忙，也無非想快樂。要快樂原來很簡單。Richard Wiseman的新書《59 Seconds》提及心理學家一個有關快樂的實驗：分別安排兩組參加者每天記錄五件感恩或厭惡的事情，隔一段時間便為他們的心理而至生理狀況作出分析。實驗結果發現，書寫感恩事情的參加者感覺較為快樂，對將來更樂觀之餘，連生理上也較健康。只要珍惜感恩，便能快樂，只你一人未察覺吧。

WHAT THE DOG SAW 狗眼看世界

Macolm Gladwell mentioned the story of Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer, in his new book “What the Dog Saw”. By cautiously reading dogs’ mind and seeing what they saw, Milan is able to handle all kinds of dogs, no matter how aggressive they are. What does this mean to me? The concept is simple: a single position, and angle, can never offer us the whole picture of an issue; if you can’t see what the dog saw, you never understand why it bites you. So stay away from your usual position, leave your comfort zone, and grasp your opportunities to jump into a better future. Got it?

美國作家Macolm Gladwell在其新書《What the Dog Saw》提及美國第一馴狗師凱撒‧米蘭的事跡。他可以讀懂狗的心理，窺見小狗眼中的世界，故此任何刁鑽古怪的小狗在他手上無一乖乖就範。這與我何干？倘若我們只呆站於現有角度審視事情，就永遠看不到事情全貌，情況有若無法看見小狗眼中的世界，就永遠無法了解牠爲甚麼咬你一口。摒棄固有視線，離開自己畫下的粉筆圈，如此你方有出頭天。

THE FACEBOOK EFFECT 你無法忽略的FACEBOOK效應

Are you addicted to Facebook, as every city dwellers does? You may regard it as your best companion and entertainment on bus, MTR, or even at home. Yet for Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s youthful CEO, it is far more than an entertainment, or, a social network. In the book “The Facebook Effect”, he views his creation as a social movement, which makes significant changes to the society. Disagree? You can just ignore him, and keep playing Happy Farm, or tagging friends in this greatest virtual world. Have fun!

一如其餘城市人，或許你也沉迷那虛幻的Facebook世界。於你來說，Facebook是最佳夥伴－不管在巴士、地鐵車廂，抑或在家中房間。但Facebook的年輕創辦人Mark Zuckerberg可不認為Facebook僅流於娛樂或社交網絡的層面。他在《The Facebook Effect》一書中形容，Facebook其實是一種社會運動，為社會帶來結構性的轉變。呃，沒有感覺？那你還是捂着耳朵，繼續在Facebook蹓躂，沉迷你的Happy Farm遊戲吧！

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? 你想怎樣？

“Is this what you want to be? So what do you want to be?” This is the pair of questions I always ask when meeting with my university friends, who have their career just started. For me, the element named ‘Passion’ is the key to success. Passion can be seen as a desire to achieve your goals. "Without having a goal, it's difficult to score." This quote from Paul Arden’s book ‘It's Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be’ perfectly illustrates this point: No goal, no passion, no success. So here’s the fundamental question: What are you looking for?

「這是你所期望的工作嗎？那其實你想做甚麼？」每次當我跟剛投身社會工作的大學同學交換近況時，都會提出這個疑問。對我來說，激情是成功的關鍵。為甚麼這樣說？因為激情代表的，是對實現目標的追求，甚至慾望。Paul Arden的《 It's Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be 》有段相關的金句：「沒有球門，怎能得分呢？」沒有目標就失去激情，甚至失去對成功的追求，這又怎可能成功呢。故此，不妨仔細思考這道最簡單的問題：「你究竟想怎樣？」

CITY FLÂNEUR 城市漫遊

Have you ever strolled along our cityscape? I love to walk freely in the city in my leisure time without any companion, purpose, or even, without destination. Walter Benjamin, a German philosopher, called travellers like me as ‘flâneur’, a French word with basic meanings of a stroller. Charles Baudelaire, a French poet in 19th century, is undoubtedly a major representative of flâneur. He transformed his steps and sights into prose in his book “Le Spleen de Paris” to record the process of urbanisation in Paris at that time. Always bored by routine life? Why not stroll along and observe the city as a flâneur? Eventually, you will be able to discover the beauty of the city.

有多久沒放慢腳步在城市恣意漫遊？我可是這方面的專家，每逢假日總愛在城市蹓躂散步。這旅程沒有旅伴，沒有目的，更沒有目的地，想到某個有趣的地名，憶起某個久違的社區，便把地圖和紙筆塞進背包，起行出發。德國哲學家班雅明把這種旅者稱為城市漫遊者，而十九世紀的法國詩人波特萊爾更是當中佼佼者，他在《巴黎的憂鬱》把腳步和觀察化成詩句，紀錄城市人流如鰂的繁鬧百態，以至當年巴黎城市化過程的點點滴滴。總為枯燥的生活而納悶？平日不妨放輕腳步，甚至放下手中的屏幕，從城市漫遊者的角度留意四周光影，也許你就能發現城市的美好。

THE BEAUTY OF ROTTEN REJECTIONS 退稿之美

Writers always feel underappreciated in some ways. I always wonder, “what will be its destination?” after sending my article to the publishers, yet I could never know. This is why the book “Rotten Rejections”, with an extraordinary collection of rejection letters sent by publishers to renowned writers, touched me so much. Harsh comments like “It is impossible to sell animal stories in the USA” and “it would be extremely rotten taste if we publish it” are respectively included in the letter to George Orwell and Ernest Hemingway. Sounds miserable? Compared with writers in Hong Kong, they aren’t. They were at least enabled to know the final destination of their works.

寫作投稿的人，大多常有懷才不遇之感。把稿件寄出以後，總不斷忖度它的去向。究竟是石沉大海，還是被丟到垃圾桶呢？可惜我總無法得悉，《退稿信》一書因而成為我的最大安慰，裡面蒐羅著名作家所曾收過的退稿信。例如喬治．奧威爾的《動物農莊》就曾因「關於動物的故事在美國根本賣不出去」而被棄掉；大文豪海明威更曾被侮辱：「若出版這本書，我們會被形容為『品味差勁無比』」。呃，其實相比起香港的寫作人，他們還算幸運，起碼能知道作品的去向啊。

A LOVE LETTER YOU NEVER UNDERSTAND 你永看不懂的情書

When was the last time you wrote a love letter for your beloved? I am still doing that yet the recipient isn’t confined to a single person. I enjoy uploading my letters to others onto my blog, without disclosing the names of the recipients. Sounds weird? Semiotician Roland Barthes doesn’t think so. He proposes a dialectic nature of love letters, both blank and expressive, in his book “A Lover's Discourse: Fragments”. Blankness refers to the encoding-decoding relationship between recipient and writer: those blank words can be decoded into love poems your special someone’s eyes.

多久沒有為愛人好好寫封情書了？我仍然會這樣做，不過收信對象並不限於某人，而是，任何人。我愛把想跟某君所說的話，或語重心長，或呢喃囈語，寫在自己的網誌上面－當然我會把上款移除。這是古怪的行為嗎？符號學大師羅蘭巴特可不認同。他在《戀人絮語》一書中提及，情書由兩個元素構成：空白和外顯情感。所謂空白，指的就是寫信人與收信者之間的編碼、解碼關係。那些別人不為人知的空白內容，經過唯一的收信者的解碼後，也許會變成讓人心甜的綿綿情話。

THE ART OF LOVING 戀愛藝術

Autumn is the season of love. With gentle breeze and grey sky, you can’t help to indulge in melancholy sentiments and memories – memories of ex-lovers, or the demise of love. Maybe it’s the time for learning from those experiences. “The Art of Loving”, written by Erich Fromm, a renowned psychologist, claims true love involves four basic elements: care, responsibility, respect and knowledge. Sounds old-fashioned? Fromm explains the idea by introducing an interesting concept: self-love. Different from narcissism and arrogance, self-love means caring about, taking responsibility for, respecting, and knowing yourself. This is perhaps more important than loving others as it is your self, but not others, to company you in your rest life.

古人有云：「何處合成愁？離人心上秋。」初秋的微風總泛着一絲戀愛氣息，讓人不禁憶起往事：擦身而過的戀人、逝去無聲的愛情。與其感傷地回想前塵，倒不如學習如何去愛。心理學大師佛洛姆的名著《愛的藝術》正是最適合這季節的讀物。書中提及，真正的愛由四個基本元素構成：關心、責任、尊重和瞭解。聽起來陳套不堪？佛洛姆提出例子作解釋：愛自己。愛自己就是緊張、尊重、瞭解自己的心扉，並對自己負責，這跟自戀、自大是兩碼子的事。也許懂得愛自己比起愛別人更重要，畢竟肯定跟隨你整輩子的，不是別人，而是你自己啊。

THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING 思考不如直覺

Perhaps you are that sort of person who always struggle in making decision, just like me. You keep imagine the possible outcomes of each decision yet this ironically becomes an obstacle of making decision. The power of “thinking without thinking” from the book ‘Blink’ written by Malcolm Gladwell is probably something you and me long for. The principle is simple but hard to follow: be true to your intuition. Sounds non-scientific? This reminds me of a psychological research I have studied before: ever struggled over whether or not to change your first answer in exams? Answer from psychologists is positive: students who change dubious answers usually improve their test scores, thanks to the mysterious power of intuition.

也許你跟我一樣，時常有這樣的時候：站在決定岔口之前，踟躕不前。你在腦海不斷構思推想每一個決定的後果，但不住的思索沒能協助你下決定，反之成為了絆腳石。Malcolm Gladwell的暢銷作品《Blink》所提及的思考力量，一種毋需思考的思考力量，也許就是你我最需要的東西。秘訣知易行難：依照直覺所指示，就成。聽來沒科學根據？我忽然憶起大學唸心理學時曾經讀過的一個研究實驗。考試覆卷時，你有否曾陷入應否改變題目答案的兩難局面？心理學家的答案很淺易：即管依從直覺塗改吧，大部分答案更改後都會變為正確。這直覺的力量確實神秘而無從稽考。

BLINDNESS AS METAPHOR 盲目作為比喻

Can you imagine if physical blindness can be spreaded to every corner of the city, just like a disease? José Saramago, a Nobel-laureate Portuguese novelist, is famous for his novel entitled “Blindness”. “Blindness” features an unexplained mass epidemic of blindness afflicting nearly everyone in an unnamed city, and the social breakdown that swiftly follows. It seems that Saramago is talking about the physical blindness in the novel, yet in fact the physical blindness acts only as a metaphor of the moral blindness. How did those “normal” people treat the blind? How can the blind survive in the social disorder and widespread panic? In contrast with the physical blindness, moral blindness, or numbness is indeed much more chilling.

有沒想過失明會仿如瘟疫般往城市每一個角落蔓延擴散？月前逝世的葡萄牙大文豪薩拉馬戈曾獲諾貝爾文學獎，以《盲目》一書最為全球讀者所熟知。這曾被改編成電影的小說所敘述的，正正是這樣的狀況。這群失去視覺的人因而被隔離圍困。他們在集中營內惶惶不可終日-不單要提防外面的「正常人」怎樣對待自己，同時要面對營內的失序。乍看來，薩拉馬戈在小說探討的是生理上的盲目病症，但蘊含用意實是指向道德上的盲目：健全的人如何對待這些忽爾失明的人？失明的人又會如何互相踐踏求存？相對視覺上的漆黑一片，我猜，道德上的麻木以及盲目更讓人心寒齒冷。

BE YOUR OWN CRITIC 自我批判

 We all know sort of “transfiguration” in some senses – nothing about multitasking skills – but a transformation of facial expression or even personality when facing different people, such as your boss, partner or friends. Fernando Pessoa, a famed Portuguese poet, may be the most skilful person in “transfiguration”. He divided himself into 72 heteronyms, a term invented by him, referring to imaginary characters created by a writer, which includes poets, essayists and critics. They all possess separate writing styles and personalities, and even criticise others’ works. We “transfigure” for others’ needs while Pessoa split himself into heteronyms for personal improvement. So, a reminder for you: To proceed, be your own critic first.

現代人都懂分身。這不是指同時處理不同事情的能力，而是一種自我的割裂與變形，因應面前的人而變成對應人物。面對上司，面對伴侶，面對朋友，你都能適時分身，變成他們眼中的理想典型。葡萄牙文豪佩索阿可能是最懂得分身的人。他一生共用過七十二個筆名寫作，當中全是不同的人物，有詩人、散文家、評論家，生平及文學見解各異，甚至彼此批評。我們分身為應付別人；佩索阿分身為改進自己。當中存在無法踰越的縫隙。故此，要進步，你得先成為自己的批評者。

RIGHT TO BE WRONG 對不如錯

Everyone working in media industry might wonder, ‘how to be creative?’ Paul Arden gives his opinion regarding this in his book Whatever you think, think the opposite, by claiming that “It’s wrong to be right.” Too philosophical? To make it simple, being right is based upon knowledge and experience, which are built from solutions to old situation and problem, and opposite to creativity. So, to be creative, just be wrong.

每個從事傳媒的人都想知道怎樣獲得創意？作家Paul Arden在其暢銷著作《 Whatever you think, think the opposite 》 提出「正確永遠是錯的」。聽起來很玄？其實意思顯淺。我們自以為正確的決定通常源自個人經驗與知識，而經驗往往建基於舊有思想及判斷，跟創意徹底背道而馳。故此，要創新其實很簡單，放膽下些錯誤的決定吧！