May 16, the 50 years anniversary of "Cultural Revolution"
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被操縱的，和失控的情緒化，是萬惡之源。

作為個體，它會導致人生的悲劇；作為群體，它會導致社會的悲劇。

知識，可能是置理性思維於主導的手段。但即使有識之士，也常常被情緒所駕馭 - 因為，到頭來，情緒是人生動機的主要驅動力。

看到文革期間的那些舊照，以及自己心中的難忘的記憶， 那些紅衛兵見到毛主席時，瘋狂揮舞小紅書，熱淚盈眶的場景；那些向希特勒行納粹禮的眾人；那些美國民眾，在伊拉克戰爭時，因為法國人反對伊拉克戰爭，而想把French Fries(法國薯條)改成 Freedom-Fries (自由薯條)，以及我聽說的，居然有人向住在美國的法國鄰居門前拋垃圾，把法國的紅酒在公眾面前撒在大街上的人們，他們的情緒，他們的激動， 應該是真實的。

因為無知的，失控的情緒化，我看是一種愚笨吧，雖然有時自己也有時難免陷入。

不想追究究竟的真實，跟着別人起鬨的情緒化，大概更為愚蠢。自己很少陷入 - 自豪！

作為領導人，或有能力左右輿論的群體，有意地，為了私利，阻斷，誤導真相，從而有意地煽動大眾的情緒化， 我想是令人不齒的，也會留下千古罵名的。老毛曾是，希特勒，布什，等等都是。

政壇上出現，或原來看似還不差，但後來變成的令人不齒的，自私的惡人，我們大概也無能為力。自己能做的，就是對情緒有理性的認知，用真知去構架理性，用理性去駕馭情緒。

當年那些當了紅小兵學生們，當然對老師，權威們的管制心中不滿，我相信現在的學生也是。下層對上層的權威們的管制心中不滿，是人性。但是這，在大部分情形下，是應該被壓制的（當然，這應該是合理的管制）。同樣，當年很多歐州人，對猶太人的不滿和憎恨，也有人性的一面 -- 我想，猶太人也應該自己有所反省；但不論如何，個人的情緒能被他人過分地煽動，自己都有罪責。群體的“憤青”，實在是可怕的力量。

當然，自己的情緒，是人生之路。無可非議。我在文革時，曾是“毛澤東思想宣傳隊”/樂隊的成員，至今，很多“紅歌”仍是“餘音繞梁”。但這種情緒，不會是對文革的贊同的情緒。我看那些樂於唱紅歌的人們，也有如此（善意的）猜測 - 不想將其妖魔化。對文革的深惡痛絕，應該是大部分人的共識。對那些樂於唱紅歌的人們的過分敏感，也不應該。

我想避免的是，不被“事後諸葛亮”所定義的是是非非，去左右我的心緒。
近來看了些網上的歷史的“補課”， 袁世凱其實沒那末壞，“六君子”變法，也嫌太嫩了些。說不定秦檜也有他的道理。但是，大眾對被“事後諸葛亮”們所定義的，好人/壞人，就成了“定論”，甚至成了判斷事物的標杆 - 我現在想來，也可以算是“誤導"的情緒化吧。

曾經和美國人討論槍支管理，很多人的觀點是，好人有槍，是安全；壞人不該有槍！
但是問題是，好人壞人，實乃一念之差也.

回看我們自己的好壞人的標尺，大概有很多，也是他人的定義。而這些定義，有多少不是由那些“事後諸葛亮”所為？
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Manipulated, and exaggerated emotions are really the source of all evils.

For an individual, they constitute personal tragedies; for a group, they make social tragedies.

Remedies? Knowledge, information based minds capable of critical thinking may be the only force for putting reasoning in control over the emotions. 
But even people with knowledge have been, far too often, trapped in the emotional pitfalls - myself included.

On the other hand, emotion is the true drive along the path of one's life. Feeling IS life, it is the only thing that is real for an individual.

Looking at the old pictures from "The cultural Revolution" in China,
and from my unforgettable memories, the scenes when the "Red Guards", full of tears in their eyes, frantically waving the Red-Mao-Bible when seeing the great leader Chairman Mao; the folks doing Nazi-salute to Hitler with great excites; the people in America, during the Iraq War, wishing to rename "French Fries" to "Freedom Fries", and, as I have heart, people who dumped garbage in the front yards of their French neighbors living in the US , and spilling French red wine in the street - their emotions, 
their agitation, were all real.

It is stupid, to behave emotionally, in stead of reasonably - I myself am trapped in it too often; The even-bigger stupidity is, when one's own emotion getting aroused just because others do, just "have to support them!" 
- so far I have never done that, I am proud.

As a political leader, or as a governing group, manipulating the source of information, for his/her/their own purpose, is truly evil, and they will be marred with dirt all long the human history. Mao in China was so, Hitler was so, and so was Mr. Bush and his cronies.

That there exist evil figures at the powerful positions, or that the figures turn out to be bad/evil, for that, we cannot do much about it - history has gone through that often.

But what we, as individuals, can do, is to know about manipulated emotions and its destructive power; to try to use knowledge and critical thinking to have the overhand over one's own emotions.

The Red-Guards, the young students, the emotions of feeling suppressed by their teachers and authorities, was real, and is still human reality today, among the lower layers of people and students. But often times, the suppression is necessary - of course it should be reasonable. And also, the dislike of the 
Jews among the people in Europe that time, was also real and human - I even think the Jewish should also reflect on that. 
But, nonetheless, to let one's own emotions being so massively manipulated by the authorities to become a big fire, every individual should strongly reflect/regret.

The mass with manipulated mad emotions is most destructive. That was the lessons of religions, and history altogether.

During the "Cultural Revolution" I, a teenager, was in the "Revolutionary Band", doing propagating musical performances. Still now, the songs and melodies still resounding in my mind often. That was just personal piece of memory - I am by no means a supporter of that disaster, that human tragedy. The realization, 
is shared even by people who are fond of singing the "Red songs" in China today - it is just some personal piece of memories. And that should not be seen as something political, and by no means be exaggerated.

The definitions of The Good and The Evil from the past, are most probably manipulated by people who want to use it for their own purpose. And if it was good or evil, is mostly not 
clear as the events occurred. It is defined afterwards, by some 
bias-minded, manipulating power. The heroes/evils were dead, they can't care if they are wrongly/rightly cursed/praised. It is the cursing/praising voice, that lives and casting the shadows in our way ahead. Shouldn't we be careful what color we see? Because with our subjective perceptions, we are creating our own reality.

I remember discussing about gun control with people,
the common statements were: Good people with guns are a good thing. But do remember, the good or bad, is, most, defined by the emotional moments of the person, who is easily the bad guy afterwards.

That so many grown-ups are still believing that good and bad are pre-defined for a specific person, is the true human tragedy.