那些被归类为班级差生的小家伙们，有的可能就此便沉沦下去，或者也有可能远离被认为是反社会的那些行为：犯罪或沉溺，成为那些所谓先进的、狭窄的价值观体系的受害者。在这一价值观体系下，社会只承认和鼓励少数几个“优秀”的品质。
但是，我们中的每一个人，都能够开发出某种潜质，也都能贡献自己的某些价值。每个人生来总是有与他人平等的、属于自己的位置和作用。
我们都有让自己人生丰盈的能力，也有权利去超越自己，做一个更好的自己。
一个真正公平的社会，不是建立在平等的机会上，而是建立在平等的价值观体系上。
Global warming, as the term suggests, encompasses the whole world. Environmentally unfriendly practices in the northern hemisphere accelerate the rapid melting of the ice cap in South Antarctica, which in turn has a bearing on weather patterns world-wide.
From recent research it appears that the earth’s eco-systems are so closely related that reactions by Antarctic coral and phytoplankton to adapt to changing climatic conditions are echoed by similar species in northern seas, although these are not subject to the same environmental changes.
If the use of an aerosol can in some remote spot can have an osmotic impact on living organisms at opposite ends of the world, does it not follow that all things on earth are somehow intrinsically connected
Great thinkers have long maintained that nothing exists in isolation, human beings least of all.
We are part of the same system, no less connected, no less interdependent, than the coral and plankton. Different, though, in that we retain a measure of control. We are able to decide for ourselves what we do with ourselves and our heritage.
As long as we remember just how powerful we are. Each move we make, each word spoken, each thought passing through our brain is enough to affect the world for better or, indeed, for worse.
Today’s Western world sets great store by intelligence. Of all human characteristics, it seems to be the one most coveted. Everyone wants to be clever ? only fools like to think themselves stupid.
The official IQ tests that have been devised to measure mental ability in figures, focus on linguistic and mathematical skills. They are supposed to be independent of culture and background, but they reflect the skills and talentsencouraged and developed in our schools.
It makes you wonder if perhaps our modern syllabus isn’t far too limited. It would be nice to see things like good sense and ethical awareness promoted to serve the common good.
Not to mention emotional intelligence: the ability to handle carefully, constructively, your own emotions as well as those of others.
Imagine if everyone was taught to understand and master person-al motivations and instinctive urges; trained to build harmonious relations based on insight and consideration of others… So many conflicts would be avoided, teamwork and co-operation improved, better results achieved all round.
But modern educators shy away from that which cannot be quantified. It’s doubtful whether we shall ever see the study of human nature on a school syllabus.
I read in the paper about a mother, whose son had been stabbed to death for the sake of his mobile phone. She was setting up a found-ation in the victim’s name to help rehabilitate delinquent youths of the kind who had killed her son.
Blaming his death, not so much on the perpetrators as on the social system that had produced them: a system failing badly in its obligation towards young people in desperate need of discipline, care and control, she hoped the work of the foundation would benefit not only the individuals targeted but anyone ever to come in their way.
