Issue41 Nonmainstream inquiries 互改

daidai_4UID: 2194147

TOPIC: ISSUE 41 - "Such nonmainstream areas of inquiry as astrology, fortune-telling, and psychic and paranormal pursuits play a vital role in society by satisfying human needs that are not addressed by mainstream science."
WORDS: 585          TIME: 上午 12:45:00          DATE: 2006-3-24

提纲: 1.存在的必然性  2, 好处 3, 坏处

In the old days when science had not developed so sufficiently as to explain the physical world around us, some nonmainstream areas based on supernatural imagination and predetermined theory did play a major role in their life. Nowadays, however, the nonmainstream inquiries seem to have been superseded to a large extent. Yet, we must admit that some of the nonmainstream areas are still playing a part, though much smaller, in understanding and appreciating this world-- to the extent that sometimes even science can not achieve it.

To begin with, the nonmainstream areas have played and will still play a certain part in our life, since there are always regions that mainstream science can not address no matter how advanced it is. This notion will be well illustrated by the example of the pyramids in Egypt.  It has been wide known that many archeologists who explored into the pyramids of Egypt died in an unexplainable way--from a strange disease or even a sudden death. Any examination or detection can make no good explanation. Thus those scientists predict that it was the curse of the pharaoh that worked and lead to our tragedy. Ridiculous as it seems, however, it has been accepted to the populace, for we really can not find a better answer.  Cases such like this are numerous.

Actually speaking, experiences inform us that those nonmainstream areas indeed lend much help to our life--in many a aspect.  I remember when I was 13, my brother died in an accident. I was always crying in a large misery. Then someone told me that it was not that bad of the leaving of my brother, for he might enjoy a pretty wonderful life in heaven and he would bless me somehow.  It really worked when I believed that. In fact, people who are frustrated largely or left into a desperate quandary are more inclined to seek for such comfort from nonmainstream areas. There are many forms of fortune-telling--like palmistry, augury, astronomy--and each has its own position among the populace. When we encounter difficulties and hardships, we may be more courageous to carry on if we are informed to have a bright and promising future. Such force can not be paralleled and substituted by any mainstream science. Moreover,  some activities based on those nonmainstream are part of our life.  Almost every nation or community has its own form to sacrifice to the God or other immortals in special days. No government has the right to prevent them, for it is commonly believed that people should have their own spiritual beliefs to carry on and strive forward, while it has no harm in this way.

On the other hand, overconcentration on nonmainstream inquiries would inevitably do harm to us. Several years ago, Falun Gong Cult prevailed in China. It inspired the general population by misleadingly advocating that we would have a catastrophe immediately on this planet, and If we committed suicide, we would get relieved at all to step into a heaven full of joys without any sorrow. Many people, especially those faced with disease or great misery, followed him, which caused a large number of suicide cases until the government adopted certain steps to discontinue it. In fact, as to our common life, we should also take proper and limited use of those nonmainstream inquiries. Otherwise, we may be lead to either extreme optimism or extreme pessimism.

To summarize, although mainstream science have been playing an ever-increasing role in our lives, those nonmainstream areas still have impact on our life in a way that science can not substitute. We should well weigh the positive and negative aspects to determine a most sound use of them.