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The Duties of Young Intellectuals in Our Time
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11769 |
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CURRENT ISSUES
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4 / 1987 |
2,318 Words |
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Fang Lizhi
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On November 4, 1985, the student organization of the Department of Wireless Electronics at Beijing University invited Fang Lizhi, vice president of the Chinese University of Science and Technology, to deliver an address. Fang's remarkable lecture precipitated nationwide student demands for more intellectual and political freedom. The following is excerpted from his address.
An intellectual should have some impact, some stimulating effect on society. A major part of this impact consists of outstanding achievement in our own chosen field, some sort of new contribution. How can we do that? In our studies and in our work we must break through all barriers. For example, in education we do not put enough emphasis on creativity. This fact has some relation to our entire tradition. It is also related to our educational policy of the last 30 years. To this moment China has not been able to do work of a high enough standard to win a Nobel Prize. This cannot fail to be a cause of regret. Our neighbors on all sides have won Nobel Prizes. Only we have never done it. How did we cultivate this lack of creativity, this inability to win a Nobel Prize? This is a topic we should think about.
Of course, we must bear some responsibility in this matter. For example, many people have commented that Chinese show little solidarity. There is also the problem of environment. Those of us who have worked abroad agree unanimously that the rate of efficiency for individual work is much higher abroad than it is here. I myself would estimate that the ratio is about five to one in favor of work done abroad.
Chinese are not more stupid than other people. Why can't they do good work? Yen Chi-ssu has often remarked to me that since he came back to China he hasn't been able to do anything. I think this must have something to do with our social environment. Something in this social environment prevents us from fully exercising our talents, knowledge, and skills. Therefore, in connection with the duties of an intellectual, I think all of us present here should be struggling to bring about a better intellectual environment - one in which intellectuals can fully exercise their talents, knowledge, and skills and raise the rate of efficiency.
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