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------题目------
The greatness of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries.
------正文------
Please give me a rule, I want to measure the length and width of this desk; please give a thermometer for that I want to know my body’s temperature; generally, we can immediately give accurate data when we try to measure the usual things with some particular tools. If I want to evaluate one individual’s greatness, what tool can you give me? Perhaps, no tools. If any, the only tool must be the time. Person is so particular that its value is very difficult to be judged without enough time to have passed. The greatness of individuals should be filtered and testified by time. No one can guarantee one's evaluation on contemporary individual is objective and fair enough. Because the process to evaluate person is so complex involving so many subtle factors.
first, when one tries to evaluate person who live in his time, it is easy to be influenced by the main stream in society. In general, famous person has extensive and powerful influence; nobody can give a objective comment on him when he is alive. Just like drawing a portrait for a person, the picture can not embody all features of the object when the painter is under his shadow. There are so many examples in history that someone who was regarded as a great people by the people of that time was evaluated in totally different attitude by successive generations.
Consider, for instance, Guo Moruo, one famous Chinese writer. When he was alive, the majority of Chinese gave him very high praise both political leaders and common persons. Chairman Mao Zedong publicly honored him as "Flag of Chinese Literature" because he was very active in the literature revolution of China and wrote lots of political commentaries which were valued significantly by authority. so he was the popular cultural star of that time and even was viewed as their idol by thousands of young people. Unexpectedly, soon after he died, particularly after the culture revolution ended, the situation changed adversely. The once idol was revalued and was given a bad name. Ironically, it is because the same reason that he was imposed the bad name. most people thought what he said and did in the culture revolution totally served the authority while ignored the interest of most people. as the most famous writer, he lost the principles and failed to implement his responsibilities. Today, after about 30 years of his death, his influence has become little among current young people, and more exactly, few people can recall him. From this story, it's easy for us to understand that how much influenced by the environment people’s evaluation on contemporary individual.
Furthermore, even commenter could escape from the famous person's shadow and be little influenced by social environment, it is also difficult to understand his greatness objectively. This is extrusive in arts and academic realm. limited by the experience or/and knowledge, the majority who seldom really understand the specific and profound theories, may not have the appropriate appetite to digest and enjoy some great artistic works, may not have the quality to assess the value of great scientists and artists. vincent van Gogh, a genius of painting, created many valuable paintings, among which Sunflower is the most famous. But when he lived, he was ignored by people of his time, few respected him and few wanted to buy his paintings. More badly, he couldn't support himself. Finally he died because of poverty and disease. Soon after his death, His value and the unprecedented significance of his works shocked his country , then conquered the rest of world. Gold which covered by soil is glittering finally.
In sum, if one's greatness is accepted by the contemporaries, it is too early to be proud, and if one's greatness is ignored by people at his time, it is too early to be mad. Because the evaluation from the contemporaries is often distorted or decorated deliberately or by accident. The only persons who are qualified to evaluate the value of individuals are those who live after them. |
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