People in this world can be divided into two categories: those always working and those always making comments. The working ones never have time to idle away. Some may run a hotel, or do some business; some may open a factory or set up a school; others may be absorbed in scientific research, or devoted to military affairs or political issues. Right or wrong, successful or failed, they are always fully committed to their careers. Facing all kinds of risks(not because they neglect them, but mainly because they have the courage), and shouldering the responsibilities, they march forward, bravely and cautiously. They are risking their luck and their lives as well. They have neither time nor energy to comment on others. While attentively planning the future, they devote themselves wholly in hard work, leaving the embroidered stories and malicious gossips flying in the air. The commenting ones, however, usually work less, and even if they want to work sometimes, they simply are not capable enough. They are no better than anyone, but show admiration to nobody either. They blame either the heaven, or the earth, but never themselves. They dare not to take any risks, but they are also afraid of any hard work. They are gossip-mongers, making stories and spreading rumors, making you feel annoyed and upset. It's not because that you have hurt them, or disturbed them, or hindered them, but because you are working. If only you are working, he is there commenting. Everything is hard at the beginning. You have just started a new cause, needing encouragement and support, yet he is there pouring a jar of cold water or blowing a gust of chilly wind, making you worried or perplexed. But once you have succeeded, he is there again sharing your success without feeling a little ashamed of the discouragement he had given you.
Many people don't like using their mind but enjoy echoing the views of others. They often take it for granted that the working ones are wrong while the commenting ones are definitely right. However in all fairness, how can it be true? Not working itself is already wrong, and it is a blunder to hurt the hard working people.
From ancient time to the present, many GREat men have been commented on endlessly. Take the cases of Confucius, Emperor Qinshihuang, Empress Wu Zetian, Gengis Khan, Dr. Sun Yet-sun, Chairman Mao, Deng Xiaoping, etc.. Both positive and negative criticism have been made about them. They not only enjoyed compliments but also suffered slanders from all over the world.
When commenting on what's right and what's wrong, the commenting ones themselves don't really know what is wrong and what is right. They are simply demanding perfection. When criticizing the others' inability, they themselves are actually unable to do anything, but simply pretending that they know better. This can well be compared with the actors and spectators. A new program is always followed by large amounts of criticism from the spectators. But if a spectator is given a chance to perform, a disaster will surely happen. Diners are always commenting on the skills of the chefs while readers are always criticizing the writers. Another case in point is the forty-chapter sequel of A Dream of the Red Mansions , which were written by Gao E who did a nearly perfect job. Nevertheless there are always such people who claim to be the experts on the novel, criticizing the latter forty chapters as a wretched sequel to a fine work. What if we ask them to write the sequel? I'm afraid they can only make it worse. It's easier said than done.
Capable and wealthy people are always the focus of the society.
Capable people are usually marching ahead of others and may not be properly understood, hence causing various kinds of comments, more criticism but less support;
Capable people can easily succeed, thus causing both admiration and comments, more jealousy but less appreciation (only their good luck is recognized);
Capable people can be sought for help and attract the attention of the society, thus causing a lot of comments, more complaints but less gratitude (even though they didn't ask anyone for help, if only they were not able to help others in a satisfactory way, it's already their fault);
Capable people can also suffer setbacks (some even experience ups and downs many times), experiencing fully the warmth and coldness of the human world, more hurts but less helps.
Wealthy people are non the easier. No doubt there are cruel-hearted rich men, but it is also wrong to think that no wealthy people are kind-hearted. They are capable of devising and managing and they often need to take risks to get the chance. But who care about these?
Whenever a group are dining or entertaining, everyone will take it for granted that the rich should pay the bill instead of going Dutch. If the rich doesn't pay, then he'll definitely be regarded as a miser;
Among good friends and relatives, the rich should often help the poor, otherwise he will surely be blamed for his cruel-heartedness;
From the ancient times, people have been used to killing the rich to save the poor, without thinking about how the rich became rich and the poor stayed poor. The policy of “allowing some people to get rich” has balanced people's mind to some extent, but there is still a long way to go before we can get rid of “the hatred toward the wealthy”.
Capable people or rich people are just human, neither sages nor perfect men. They have their own faults, and they may also commit mistakes. But objectively speaking, some mistakes are forced on them, which are the expectations of the public. They are expected to do this or that, but when expectations become disappointments, they have to take the blaming. In fact, it's the public's fault to demand for perfection or counting on unrealistic expectations of the rich.
I encourage people to work, even though they may commit mistakes.
I advise those enjoying commenting to make some effort to do something for the others.
I hope people can make comments objectively instead of subjectively, without going to extremes, and not out of preference.
I also hope that the hard-working people do not care too much about what the others say, even what the others criticize. You should believe that public opinions will finally decide what's right and what's wrong. What we need is just time.
Translated by Zhang Baodan
June 25, 2004
世界上总有一些人在做事，总有一些人在说事。做事的人不闲着，或者包个饭店，或者搞个买卖，或者办个工厂，或者建个学校，或者专心科研，或者从军从政。也许对，也许错；也许成功，也许失败，但很投入。他们担着天下的风险（并非都是忽略，大多还是敢于面对），扛着双肩的责任，奋然前行，又战战兢兢，常常是在赌运、也赌命。他们没有时间去说别人的事，也没有精力去理会别人的事。他们抬头看路，埋头做事，任由别人的飞短流长。
说事的人，常常是不大做事。或者也曾经想做事，但做不来。他们可能谁都不如，但又谁都不服。怨天怨地，不怨自己。他们不敢担任何的风险，又不肯出少许的力气。一件事，他们能从头说到尾。先是乌鸦叫，后来喜鹊噪，一会一变脸，令你心烦闹。
并不是你伤害了他，并不是你干扰了他，并不是你阻碍了他。但只要你在做事，他就会来说事。万事开头难。当你刚刚起步，正需要鼓励与支持的时候，他会一盆凉水，一股阴风，让你浑身不舒服。而一旦你业有所成，他又会满面春风地来分一瓢羹，好象不曾给过你那片下雨的乌云。
世上有许多人不喜欢动脑，却习惯于人云亦云。他们常以为错在做事的人，理在说事的人。但平心而论，怎么会这样呢？不做事，本身就是错。再打击做事的人，不是错上加错嘛！
从古至今，许多能人，伟人，都被无休无止地评论着。如孔夫子、秦始皇、武则天、成吉思汗、孙中山、毛泽东、邓小平等，说是的有，说非的也有。也堪称誉满天下，谤满天下。
说人是非，并非明白是非，不过是求全责备而已。说人不行，未必自己真行，不过装腔作势而已。就如演员与观众，每个节目出来，都会有一大堆褒贬。但真让观众上台，可能又演不成了。食客总是在评论厨师的手艺，读者总是在评论作者的长短。再如《红楼梦》的后四十回，乃高鄂所续写。公平地说，几近天衣无缝。但就有那么些人，甚至打着红学家的招牌，一定要说后四十回怎么不行，怎么狗尾续貂。真不行吗？就让这几位“红学家”写写看，他们恐怕连鼠尾都拿不出来。侃山容易，搬山难啊。
能人、富人，永远都是社会的焦点。
能人可能超前，为世人所不理解，会引起议论纷纷，支持的少，攻击的多。
能人可能成功，引起世人的羡慕，也会引起众多评论，佩服的少，嫉妒的多。（只承认你的运气和侥幸）
能人可能被求助，受到世人的关注，从而导致事后的品评，感谢的少，抱怨的多。（你没有求人，但别人求你的事没办或没办好，都是你的错。）
能人也会遭遇挫折，（有人甚至三起三落）感受人心的冷暖，洞知世态的炎凉，帮扶的少，推墙的多。
富人也不轻松。固然也有为富不仁者，但也不能说所有的富者都不仁。他们还有经营能力和运作手段，并且常常要充满冒险地去把握先机。但谁管这些？
一群人吃饭或游乐，大家一定会认为要富者买单，而不是 AA 制。如果你不买，那就是吝啬。
在亲朋好友的圈子里如果有富者，那就必须经常周济他人，否则就会被指责无情无义。
自古就有“杀富济贫”，不管富是怎么富，贫是怎么贫。允许一部分人先富起来的政策，让人们的心态好多了。但仇富观念的消除，还要漫长的历程。
能人、富人都是人，既不神圣，也非完人。他们都有自身的毛病，也会犯各种错误。但平心而论，还有一种错误是别人强加的，那就是众人的期望。期望他们这样，期望他们那样，期望变成了失望，就成了他们的错。对他们求全责备也好，对他们非份希求也好，其实都不应算作他们的错。
我主张鼓励做事的人，哪怕他们真的有错。
我奉劝说事的人，自己也努力去做些可做的事。
我希望人们能平心而论天下事，不要偏激，不要掺杂个人的恩怨，不要取舍于个人的得失。我更希望做事的人，不要太在意别人一时怎么说、甚至怎么骂。要相信，是非自有公论，只是个时间问题。
宋远利
2003/5/12
