May 16, the 50 years anniversary of "Cultural Revolution"
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被操纵的，和失控的情绪化，是万恶之源。

作为个体，它会导致人生的悲剧；作为群体，它会导致社会的悲剧。

知识，可能是置理性思维于主导的手段。但即使有识之士，也常常被情绪所驾驭 - 因为，到头来，情绪是人生动机的主要驱动力。

看到文革期间的那些旧照，以及自己心中的难忘的记忆， 那些红卫兵见到毛主席时，疯狂挥舞小红书，热泪盈眶的场景；那些向希特勒行纳粹礼的众人；那些美国民众，在伊拉克战争时，因为法国人反对伊拉克战争，而想把French Fries(法国薯条)改成 Freedom-Fries (自由薯条)，以及我听说的，居然有人向住在美国的法国邻居门前抛垃圾，把法国的红酒在公众面前撒在大街上的人们，他们的情绪，他们的激动， 应该是真实的。

因为无知的，失控的情绪化，我看是一种愚笨吧，虽然有时自己也有时难免陷入。

不想追究究竟的真实，跟着别人起哄的情绪化，大概更为愚蠢。自己很少陷入 - 自豪！

作为领导人，或有能力左右舆论的群体，有意地，为了私利，阻断，误导真相，从而有意地煽动大众的情绪化， 我想是令人不齿的，也会留下千古骂名的。老毛曾是，希特勒，布什，等等都是。

政坛上出现，或原来看似还不差，但后来变成的令人不齿的，自私的恶人，我们大概也无能为力。自己能做的，就是对情绪有理性的认知，用真知去构架理性，用理性去驾驭情绪。

当年那些当了红小兵学生们，当然对老师，权威们的管制心中不满，我相信现在的学生也是。下层对上层的权威们的管制心中不满，是人性。但是这，在大部分情形下，是应该被压制的（当然，这应该是合理的管制）。同样，当年很多欧州人，对犹太人的不满和憎恨，也有人性的一面 -- 我想，犹太人也应该自己有所反省；但不论如何，个人的情绪能被他人过分地煽动，自己都有罪责。群体的“愤青”，实在是可怕的力量。

当然，自己的情绪，是人生之路。无可非议。我在文革时，曾是“毛泽东思想宣传队”/乐队的成员，至今，很多“红歌”仍是“余音绕梁”。但这种情绪，不会是对文革的赞同的情绪。我看那些乐于唱红歌的人们，也有如此（善意的）猜测 - 不想将其妖魔化。对文革的深恶痛绝，应该是大部分人的共识。对那些乐于唱红歌的人们的过分敏感，也不应该。

我想避免的是，不被“事后诸葛亮”所定义的是是非非，去左右我的心绪。
近来看了些网上的历史的“补课”， 袁世凯其实没那末坏，“六君子”变法，也嫌太嫩了些。说不定秦桧也有他的道理。但是，大众对被“事后诸葛亮”们所定义的，好人/坏人，就成了“定论”，甚至成了判断事物的标杆 - 我现在想来，也可以算是“误导"的情绪化吧。

曾经和美国人讨论枪支管理，很多人的观点是，好人有枪，是安全；坏人不该有枪！
但是问题是，好人坏人，实乃一念之差也.

回看我们自己的好坏人的标尺，大概有很多，也是他人的定义。而这些定义，有多少不是由那些“事后诸葛亮”所为？
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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.