Issue170，有好思路的G友进来分享一下，留链必返

shadow1987UID: 2605840

I170. "The surest indicator of a great nation is not the achievement of its rulers, artists, or scientists, but the general welfare of all its people."

思路：

第一段：I agree with the speaker insofar that人民的幸福很重要，但是政府应该同样注重艺术，科学甚至是政治上的成就，所以我认为这两者是不冲突的，是可以同时实现的。

第二段：说人民很重要，人民是一个社会稳定的基础，也是社会发展的基础，缺失了这个基础，上层建筑即便有temporary prosperity，也会很快collapse的。举苏联的例子，拥有原子弹的强国，人民却没有面包吃，最终解体。

第三段：说艺术，科学很重要，发展他们可以是和人民的welfare相结合的，艺术可以丰富人们的生活，科学可以使人们生活便利。举中国的the spreading of the motor cars' utilization, 人们出行越来越方便。

第四段：说政治其实也很重要，great nation应该有自己的international influence，要有达则兼济天下的魄力，当然，在国际政治上的实力也是保护本国人们利益，生活稳定的重要保证。

第五段：说the topic讨论的两个aspects其实并不conflict with each other，是可以integrate的，knowing the equal importance of them， we should attempt to balance them。

I agree with the speaker's claim insofar that the general happiness of people is a significant sign for a great nation. Nevertheless, a nation should also pursue the advancement and the success in its economic field, scientific field and even political field. Consequently, in my view, a true great nation should place equal emphasis on both the achievement of its rulers, artists, or scientists and the general welfare of its entire people.

People are to a country as foundation is to a skyscraper. Hence, we should be aware of that the achievement of a nation base on the support of its people, and being the leader of a country, one should take satisfying the requirement from people in priority. Conversely, if a leader is enthusiastic in developing heavy industry or military and ignores the people's need, his governing might achieve temporary prosperity but will collapse finally. For instance, after the World War Two, Soviet Union has become the biggest military power aside from the United States. However, owing atom bombs, Stalin failed to let the people of Soviet Union have their daily bread. Citizens’ distress and the economic pressure hindered the development of heavy industry and military. As the result of all these problems, we saw the breakdown of Soviet Union. Thereby, the general welfare of one country's people determines the destiny of this country.

On the other hand, to be a great nation, we should also go after advancement and the success in other spheres like economy, arts and science. Fine arts and music could enrich people's everyday lives and scientific inventions could make our lives more convenient. For example, in modern China, the spreading of the motor cars' utilization is gradually replacing the role of trains. By motor cars, we can travel from one place to another more fast and more comfortable. Actually, these creatures shorten 60 percent of our traveling time. Thereupon, as far as I see it, the development of all these areas is relates to people's happiness directly and the achievements of these areas do serve as the indicators of a great nation.

What's more, a nation, being one of greatest and most powerful nations in our world, should take responsibility for the welfare of all human beings and the development of other countries. This kind of international influence will not only help the poor and under-developed countries move on but also bring their own people honor and the sense of security. In this way, the link between political achievement and citizens’ welfare is also tight. Perhaps, being a developing country, one should pay more attention to their economy and people's living situation, oppositely, being a powerful and great country, one should place same value on both sides.

To sum up, knowing the equal importance of them, we should attempt to balance them but not to choose one of them to be the surest indicator of a great nation. The people of a country and the success of the country's artists, scientists and politicians would not conflict with each other, and moreover, the two are complementary to each other. In other words, they can benefit from each other. Therefore, to be a great country, we should integrate them together.

纠结帝UID: 2755596

一开始看这个题目总有不舒服的感觉。
因为我把nation理解成是民族，世界上没有一个民族不自称是伟大的，也没有一个民族敢不说别人是伟大的（除非承认自己种族歧视）
所以，所有的民族之间都应该有共性，也就是民族自豪感……  —_—|||
通常这些自豪感是通过宣扬民族的实力来获得的，包括比较虚的杰出的科学家艺术家，也包括实实在在的general welfare。所以这两方面事实上都是民族实力的indicator，如果把great理解成是民族实力的话，两面都写写就行了。
可是我觉得这些还都只是表面的，真正使民族强大的还是精神…… —_—|||
可是，这个比民族自豪感还虚……足见我是个被中国政治教育玷污的小朋友

可能有点想偏了，个人观点……

jtmachineUID: 2751012

艺术，政治，科技都很重要，但这些东西的重要最终目的还是为了提高人民的生活的welfare。
完了题目说surest，所以我觉得作者的观点应该是可以认同的。
LZ说都重要，然后又在文中指出艺术，科技，政治来说明他们对人民welfare的促进，稍稍有点矛盾的感觉。
我建议LZ可以inversely thinking，没有满足人民welfare的话，会怎样怎样

当然纯属个人意见。仅供参考

shadow1987UID: 2605840

2# 纠结帝

我觉得这个题目还是理解成国家靠谱，个人认为民族不需要rulers吧，也有很多民族是没有rulers的，汉族就没有不是？

还有，认为别的民族没啥了不起的人多了去了，我看不爽的民族就好多，比如我们下面的印度，旁边的高丽，and so on……