Issue147【超越自我小组】0810作业

graceruruUID: 2103987

147 "Tradition and modernization areincompatible. One must choose between them."
147．传统和现代不相容。人们必须在二者之间做出选择。

Tradition is the thought, action and behaviorthat we inherit from our ancestors. Modernization is the action we do to invokerecent thought, techniques. Both of them are the procedure we mankind to knowand modify the world but just with different timestamps. Sometimes theyconflict. Sometimes they supplement each other. Utterly say they are incompatibleand we can just choose one between them is not reasonable and may causeregretful results.

The realization of the whole world goes onstep by step. It's a regulation, so we can't be optimistically imagine that wecan get to know the elusory universe after a sound sleep. Our ancestors, as pioneersto see into this wonderful earth, may design rules and cognizance according totheir time, their technology. And these things we call tradition, although mayseem to us ridiculous, make they develop fast. Kong Fuji's famous ethic theory,for instance, wife should always obey her husband, son should listen to hisfather, and minister must not collide with the king. Chinese people had livingunder this conduct for thousands of years and only get out of this astrict inthe last century. This traditional rule totally conflict with the liberty andequality we advocate these days. We get to know the preciousness of the freedomafter long terms of struggling under the tradition that ignore human rights. Undersuch circumstances we choose the modern idea of democracy.

Traditions are milestones that record ourpredecessors' effort in the long history. We can't deny all of them even whensometimes they may seem less efficient and well being that the modern ones. Weshould go back to see what did our ancestors' think, what they did, so to makeus not feel lonely as a single time point in the endless time cordinate. Whenchoose modernization instead of tradition, we did make some regretful decision.In 1949, when the new Chinese government chose Beijingas capital and decided to push over most part of the palace of Qingdynasty, a famous architect Liang Sicheng appealed to protect the old walls. Butno one listen to him, they thought everything of the old tradition should beclear away in order to set up a new, modern city. However, after so many years,historians and architects are with bitter hatred that they cannot retrieve the preciouspalace any more. What if we just save the old palace and build the new city in a near place!

And it's too absolute to say that we canonly choose one of tradition or modernization. We can have more eclecticchoices. Calligraphy, a typical traditional product for example, has beeninherit and developed from one generation to another; however, the modern typeinput is much more efficient than a grateful hand writing on paper. Be view asa good method to cultivate one's morality, calligraphy is a tradition that weshould never cast off. To use both computer input and paper writing seems not anincompatible choice.

In conclusion, I don't think tradition andmodernization are opposite. We should slam the door to same traditional ideasthat not suitable for our time, in the meanwhile, we should respect and inheritthe tradition in the process of modernization. Some times we can even chooseboth.

apjackUID: 2381599

Tradition is the thought, action and behaviour that we inherit from our ancestors. Modernization is the action we do to invoke recent thought, techniques. Both of them are the procedure we mankind to know and modify the world but just with different timestamps. Sometimes they conflict, but (I think it is better to link both of them) sometimes they supplement each other. Utterly say they are incompatible and we can just choose one between them is not reasonable and may cause regretful results.
(Good introduction, basically you have done clear definition, comprehensive comprehension and state your view.)


(Apt TS is required.) The realization of the whole world goes on step by step. It's a regulation, so we can't be optimistically imagine that we can get to know the elusory universe after a sound sleep. Our ancestors, as pioneers to see into this wonderful earth, may design rules and cognizance according to their time, their technology. And these things we call tradition, although (they) may seem to us ridiculous(or although they sometimes seem ridiculous), make they develop fast. Kong Fuji's famous ethic theory, for instance, wife should always obey her husband, son should listen to his father, and minister must not collide with the (his/her) king. Chinese people had living under this conduct for thousands of years and only get out of this a strict (this strict principle) in the last century. This traditional rule totally conflict(s) with the liberty and equality we advocate these days. We get to know the preciousness of the freedom after long terms (without “s” ???) of struggling under the tradition that ignore(s) human rights. Under such circumstances we choose the modern idea of democracy.
(In this paragraph, you have made a concession. And I think you need to write more evident TS, the current opening is not apropos. Besides, is your example – China Confucius only related to liberty and equality? Based on my understanding, it relates to social relationship and morality.)

Traditions are milestones that record our predecessors' effort in the long history. (… long history; hence we cannot …) (Is it better to link both sentences and form a TS for this paragraph?) We can't deny all of them even when sometimes they may seem less efficient and well-being that (to / compared to; is it better?) the modern ones. We should go back to see what did our ancestors' think, (and) what they did, so to make us not feel lonely as a single time point in the endless time cordinate (coordinate). When (we) choose modernization instead of tradition, we did make some regretful decision. In 1949, when the new Chinese government chose Beijing as capital and decided to push over most part of the palace of Qing dynasty, a famous architect Liang Sicheng appealed to protect the old walls. But no one listen(ed) to him, they (people/citizens – not clear) thought everything of the old tradition should be clear away in order to set up a new, modern city. However, after so many years, historians and architects are with bitter hatred that they cannot retrieve the precious palace any more. What if we just save the old palace and build the new city in a near place!
(In this paragraph, you want to express that some traditions also have their values (precious) that people should respect in time, otherwise it results in regret. Is it correct?)

And it's too absolute to say that we can only choose one of tradition or modernization (choose one between tradition and modernization – I am quite sure whether it is correct or not?). We can have more eclectic choices. Chinese Calligraphy, a typical traditional product for example, has been inherit(ed) and developed from one generation to another; however, the modern type (typing ???) input is much more efficient than a grateful hand writing on paper. Be view as a good method to cultivate one's morality (+ cultivation, personality …修养, 情操??? I am not sure their English.
),calligraphy is a tradition that we should never cast off. To use both computer input and paper writing seems not an incompatible choice.
(One statement you mentioned in this paragraph is “We can have more eclectic choices”, however I can see this element in your example. Actually calligraphy and computer typing are good for people as they provide different functions/benefits we are in favour of.)

In conclusion, I don't think tradition and modernization are opposite (in most circumstances). We should slam the door to same (some ???) traditional ideas that not suitable for our time, in the meanwhile, we should respect and inherit the tradition in the process of modernization. Some times we can even choose both.

• Your examples have widened my view. Thx.
• Your examples are not bad, but sometimes they are not quite suitable to illustrate your TS in paragraph.
• My English and comprehension are limited. I hope some comments are useful for you.

[ 本帖最后由 apjack 于 2008-8-13 16:00 编辑 ]