2 014.05.16

從孩子身上看到希望

Hope comes from kid

我們常說小孩幼稚，現實生活中，只要有不合理的要求，做事沒有盡到責任，或是做一些全世界的人都會做的事，就會被別人說是幼稚。所謂的幼稚太常在大人身上看到，所以我們不該再用這個歧視年齡的字眼，不該用它來批評不負責任和非理性的行為。

還有誰說非理性思考一定不會為世界所需要呢？人們也許也曾有過遠大的夢想，卻裹足不前，心想不可能啦，或是要花許多錢，或許要花許多時間，或是這對我沒有好處。

無論如何，小孩比較不會被束縛，比較不會找藉口逃避，小孩有各式各樣的志向和樂觀的想法，比方說，我希望世界上沒有人挨餓，所有東西都免費，像烏托邦一樣，大人誰仍然還抱這樣的夢想？有誰認為這可能成真？有時對歷史太了解，加上美好理想落空經驗反而會被束縛住，因為我們知道如果一切都免費，那食物存量將會短缺、耗竭，造成社會失序。

但另一方面，小孩認為世界是美好的，這樣很好，因為想要讓一件事成真，得先要有夢想的藍圖。從許多方面來說，小孩因為敢大膽想像，許多事可以從不可能變為可能。

For kids being called childish can be a frequent occurrence, every time we make irrational demands, exhibit irresponsible behavior, or display any other signs of being normal global citizens, we are called childish. The traits the word childish addresses are seen so often in adults that we should abolish this age-discriminatory word whom it comes to criticizing behavior associated with irresponsibility and irrational think.

Then again, who’s to say that certain types of irrational thinking aren’t exactly what the world need? Maybe people have grand plans before, but stopped yourself thinking :That’s impossible or that costs too much or that waste time or that won’t benefit me.

For better or worse, kids aren’t hampered as much when it comes to thinking about reasons why not to do things. Kid can be full of inspiring aspirations and hopeful thinking, like my wish that no one went hungry or that everything were free kind of utopia. How many of people still dream like that and believe in the possibilities? Sometimes a knowledge of history and the past failures of utopian ideals can be a burden, because you know that if everything were free, that the food stock would become depleted and scarce and lead to chaos.

On the other hand, kids still dream about perfection. And that’s a good thing because in order to make anything a reality, you have to dream about it first. In many ways, our audacity to imagine helps push the boundaries of possibility.