11/11's Summary The 20% Factor by Graham Lancaster!

Book of the Day: The 20% Factor by Graham Lancaster!

This book maintains that it's easy to make improvements in many different areas as long as proper methods are employed. No matter it is your self-understanding, self-image, or management skills that you want to improve, this book can give you very detailed guidelines for an advancement.

In addition, we discussed about whether being outstanding is always desirable. Sometimes, or even most of the time, we are taught and encouraged to be on top of everything. However, there are some situations where we prefer to act ordinarily to avoid prejudice, misunderstanding and so on. Moreover, to make great achievements in one's field, people need to prioritize their goals and allocate attention, because we have limited energy and time.This further prompts us to think about the current education system -- the strengths as well as weaknesses of standardized education and grading system.

To conclude, achievement can be made by taking right actions to improve and having a focus in life.

11/8's Summary In Time

除去帥哥美女, 這部電影最大的亮點就在於直接用時間置換了金錢的概念。一方面，這種置換有一定的依據，畢竟金錢的起源在於用符號代表價值以支援labor hour的交換。

然而，這個概念在電影中並沒有探討到令人滿意的境地。首先是劇中的社會構架也有過分簡化的嫌疑。現實的社會分層並不只有金錢多寡一個標準，比如名望和德行也被作為一種參照。用時間代替金錢也在很大程度上消除了人們的主動權：原先一個人可以通過積極鍛煉，健康飲食這樣方式延長自己的生命，而在影片的社會中即使一個人對自己的健康極端不負責任，只要他有大把的“時間貨幣”，他依然可以長命百歲。這就大大高估了“時間貨幣”或者金錢的能力。

另外，劇中主角希望通過對抗員警系統的方式改變社會制度的想法也過於天真。員警並不是維持整個時間計數制度的重要環節，幾個“富人”也不是。劫富濟貧或許能幫得了一時，但社會在重新洗牌之後依然會漸漸分層，回到原來的樣子。影片有心隱射“資本主義社會”，討論卻止於以夢幻的方式毀滅舊有的制度。沒有新的，更好的制度來代替，只會將一切引入混亂，毀滅就可能失去了最初的意義，這也是這部電影的局限之處。

11/6's Summary: In Time

本週電影：In Time

人們常說，“時間就是金錢”。如果真的是呢？In Time這部科幻電影的設定非常有趣（有不少影評認為這部片子的唯一亮點就是創意），在“時間就是金錢”的世界裡，時間用來清算生命，時間即為暢行無阻的通行證，你的“Time watch”就是用來消費的八達通，不同的Time zone區分開貧民區和富人區；一杯咖啡的售價是4分鐘，而賭場里權貴們的一次籌碼即可以達到200年；貧民區大街上散落著時間為零的屍體，富人區的人們則不緊不慢悠然自得。窮人為了一兩天的壽命而汲汲營營，富人卻靠“剝削”站在金字塔的頂端……與其說它是一部科幻電影，不如說這是一個充滿對現實隱喻和諷刺的寓言。從此設定可以探討的社會命題有很多，包括貧富差距、社會流動性、資本主義與社會主義……Dr. Yan寫下的討論問題如下，不妨思考下：
1. 現實世界與電影中的世界有不同嗎？
2. 具體有什麼不同呢？我們能說富人比窮人享受更多自由嗎？...
3. 人們對於自己的貧富有選擇嗎？
4. 你能想像電影將如何結尾嗎？
由於週五的討論也將觀看這部電影，因此就不做更多劇透了。
下次討論，我們將以馬克思的《The Power of Money》為基礎，深入探討金錢的意義。

11/5's Summary 旅行的意義

古人雲："讀萬卷書，行萬里路。" 旅行，應該不單單是身體的移動。對你來說，旅行意味著什麼？
...
作者把旅行分為三類：大旅行，中旅行和小旅行。1）大旅行指的是在對自己所處環境不滿意的時候，"逃跑"到一個對自己來說非常難理解的異地（至少一個月）。通過文化的比較，反思自己平時習以為常的事物，獲得新的生命態度。2）中旅行指的是在對一成不變的工作生活感到無聊時，"短期逃跑"（大概一個週末）到另外一個地方，恢復活力和彈性。3）小旅行指的是隨時隨地做新的嘗試，把每一天當作一場旅行。

我們探討了對這三個概念的理解。對於大多數人來說，大旅行需要較多的時間和金錢，比較難實現，而中旅行的可行性更大。然而，小旅行，這種享受生活的態度，看似難以培養，實則觸手可得。尤其是在較大的城市裡，有數不清的陌生人和新鮮事。每天認識些不同的人，嘗試些不同的事，更是一種愉快的人生之旅。

除了改變態度，調節情緒，旅行還擁有其他的價值。比如說，當去到一些很獨一無二的地方時，更能深刻理解當地的歷史政治文化，而這些並不是書籍能充分展現的。

對每一個人來說，旅行有不同的意義。但不管怎樣，在下次旅行時，不要只移動自己的身體，要增強人生的厚度。

推薦小文：《你的旅行是「增強人生厚度」還是「移動身體」》

11/1's Summary

今天延續了週三的關於《伊万·伊里奇之死》討論。

我們從永生的問題出發。不少宗教的生死觀里都涉及了永生的問題。永生，輪回，靈魂不滅等等的說法中，人這輩子做不完的事有機會在下輩子做完，所以今生deadline的壓力減輕了不少。若一個人長生不死，那是不是就沒有動力去完成人生的mission了呢？如果只有面對死亡的期限設定，我們才能奮力生活，那是不是死亡迫使人們為此生尋找意義？

另一個問題是爲什麽我們害怕死亡？到底我們是害怕死亡的那一瞬，還是慢慢等死的過程（dying)？ 有人說是dying的過程以及過程中可能發生的種種痛苦讓人害怕死亡。也有人發現dying令人害怕是因為不知道自己確切的死亡時刻，而這可能造成某件事做到一半完不成的遺憾。即使只是知道自己明確的死期，也能大大增加這個人對生命的控制感，減少不安全感和不確定性，使這個人有機會好好計劃剩餘的時間。...

由此我們談到了當今社會的臨終關懷文化。一個產生很多爭議的案例是這樣的：一個人得了絕癥，他的家人和朋友都知道了，但都瞞住他，說些“你一定會好起來的。”“什麽都不要想，好好休息。”之類的話。其實這個人已經從各種細節中明白自己離死期不遠，但不知道怎麼說出口。有一次朋友來看他時，他突然忍不住嚎啕大哭，說出了自己快要死亡的真相。之後他的朋友就漸漸都不來探望他了。

因為朋友只懂得說一些正面的話，而面對他的哭泣無話可說，所以不如避而不見。而對於這個病人，那些正面的話恰恰成為最痛心之處。死亡將他和其餘所有人徹底隔絕。其他人沒死過，永遠也不能感受將死之人的體會。

10/30's Summary: 托爾斯泰《伊万·伊里奇之死》

本週推薦：托爾斯泰《伊万·伊里奇之死》

假設你知道自己即將不久於人世，你會有什麼反應？

托爾斯泰這部小說的男主人公伊万，素來按照社會規則步步前行，懂得如何維持體面的生活，亦享受尋歡作樂。他和大多數平凡人一樣，有具有人性的弱點，亦有著庸常生活的快樂。然而當他忽然病重、面臨死亡的時候，才突然在病榻上開始反思自己的人生。托翁不是心理學家，可是他對人性的體察令人驚嘆。伊万埋怨上帝的殘酷，對他人不理解而深感孤獨無告，甚至嫉恨年輕人健壯的身體，種種複雜、互相矛盾的情感體驗是如此真實而深刻。而伊万身邊的人，則表現得頗有陶淵明“親戚或餘悲，他人亦已歌”的況味：他的同事關心的是職位由誰取代，妻子則對如何多拿撫卹金更為在意。世間百態，令人唏噓。...

讀完這篇小說，不僅身心受到極大震撼，更被啟發去思考很多問題：我恐懼死亡嗎？為什麼死亡令人恐懼？是死亡令有限的人生更加有意義嗎？我是如何理解海德格爾提出的“向死而生（Being-towards-death）”？

补充资料： 關於面對死亡的態度，Elisabeth Kubler-Ross在《On Death and Dying》一書中指出了臨終五階段：否認（denial）、憤怒（anger）、討價還價（bargaining）、沮喪（depression）、與接受（acceptance）。也就是說，我們最初會否認事實：“一定是弄錯了吧！”，但是當證實之後，我們會感到不平與憤怒：“為什麼是我？”。我們會寄希望於奇蹟和各種靈丹妙藥，嘗試各種方法與生活講和，渴望繼續生存下去。然而當病情惡化，努力無效之時，我們容易陷入抑鬱與沮喪。如果我們能夠接納死亡，則達到了人生髮展過程中最後一次對自我的超越；這種接受並不是無能為力抑或悲苦無告，而是慢慢適應了對死亡的恐懼、相對平靜地走完最後一程。

10/29's Summary: 《怦然心動的人生整理魔法》

今日圖書： 《怦然心動的人生整理魔法》近藤麻理惠著

對自己物件的整理不僅僅關係到整潔，更是精神的整理。

很多時候，人麼不願意捨弃自己擁有的物品，即使自己根本不需要它們。然而，這本書強調，丟棄是一種藝術，有舍才有得。把那些讓自己怦然心動的東西擺在眼前，可以治愈心靈，找回最初的夢想和人生決斷力。近藤麻理惠並非空喊大話，從房間的整理到衣物文件的整理，她都有詳細介紹如何丟棄“壓力”，找回怦然心動的感覺。

大家也分享了那些讓自己怦然心動的物和事，有人熱愛寫科普文，有人偏好讀小說，也有人中意旅行。聆聽他人講述自己的人生經歷，生活感觸，發現來到這裡，讀的不僅僅是紙質的書，還有他人的人生之書。

幾位參加者還提出了“活人圖書”的概念，並且Reading Club 有望在下學期組織“活人圖書”分享活動。與傳統的讀書相比，讀”活人圖書"更具有互動性和真實性。大家敬請期待！

10/25's Summary: Physician-Assisted Suicide (Continued)

The general theme is the same with the Wednesday session. But the mentioned aspects are different. When we talked about physician-assisted suicide, we want to figure out answers to some other questions first:
1. If the physician-assisted suicide is protected as a basic human right, will some one who would not have commited suicide die because of the existence of this kind of seemingly easy and convenient choice?
2. Humanitarianism faces a dilemmma, for both taking one's life away and leaving a person in endless pain are considered to be inhumane.
3. Does life by inherent has its value and meaning simply by its existence? Is the fact that one is alive more meaningful or important than the fact that he is actually suffering and is determinded to end his life?
4. Some laws permit one to sign off some contracts to let physician end his or her life. But it requires that this is done when the person is rational. But what is the definition of being "rational"? Are psychiatrists and physicians really reliable to give verification?

10/23's Summary: Physician-Assisted Suicide

If you are losing your memory day by day, feeling totally confused and hopeless, and fearing that you are becoming another person, will you choose to end your life?

In today’s movie, You Don’t Know Jack (2010), Janet made her decision. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and she was determined to commit suicide with the help of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who advocated the physician-assisted suicide, aiming to help people in unbearable suffering to die quickly and with dignity. 
You can imagine the controversial consequences of doing so. We discussed about it without definite conclusion. In my opinion, having the choice of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (the difference is that you pull the plug on your own for the latter) is a kind of human rights. It is better dying with dignity than living meaninglessly. However, Dr. Chan pointed out we also needed to consider what might be the consequences on societal level if such means get approved as a policy or law. He introduced to us that Washington and Oregon are the only two states in the U.S that allow physician-assisted suicide, and the statistics reveal that the percentage of people who died of assisted suicide climbed up in the recent year. What’s more, we discussed about other alternative means such as hospice service, via which people die naturally but still with care and dignity. It is not surprising that hospice service has difficulty developing in Holland, where euthanasia is legal. People just choose the quicker and easier ways.
Due to limited time, we did not talk it through. But such controversial topic deserves further thinking and discussion. Let’s continue with it on Friday!

Book of the day: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.

Have you ever thought about why things can change, or why Apple and Samsung now become the most popular mobile device brands? Gladwell stated his unique and convincing explanations in this book.

There are three "rules of epidemics" contributing to the formation of most social trends: the law of the few, the stickiness factor and the power of context. Specially, the author came up with the "broken windows theory", which holds that minor, unchecked signs of deterioration in a neighborhood or community can, over time, result in major declines in the quality of living. This is analogous to the fact that if the window of a house is broken and left unfixed, people tend to think no one is in charge of this place, resulting in more broken windows and even crimes.

Lots of Gladwell's ideas can be applied to the real-life situations. In terms of Chinese corruption, focus can be put on the moral values, working behaviors and basic discipline obedience of officials, which might prevent corruption by making them feel watched every day. In addition, we learn how to convince people and form habits by small steps to reach the tipping point.