He had not arrived when I arrived at the long-distance station. Nowadays, long-distance buses are often delayed. It is very common for transportation in our country to be delayed. It is strange that it is not late.
However, long-distance bus delays are not serious under normal circumstances, so I only waited less than twenty minutes to pick him up.
He carried a suitcase with him and nothing else. When we met, there was no surprise or enthusiasm as expected, we just looked at each other and smiled. His appearance has not changed much, except that he is reading more than before.
Much calmer.
When I was a child, he and I often played together, and it is no exaggeration to describe our relationship at that time as being intimate. But now, at this time, I clearly feel the emotional alienation between us.
I took the suitcase from him, and he said a few polite words to me. After putting his suitcase in the car, I asked him to get in the car, and then I drove home.
The first thing he did after getting in the car was to put on his seat belt. Then he looked at me, "Why don't you put on your seat belt?"
I smiled and said, "I'm used to this. I feel uncomfortable wearing that thing."
He smiled and said nothing, and I suddenly realized that he had really changed. In the past, his character was not like this. In my memory, he used to be a very angry young man. When he was in middle school, he couldn't stand everything.
: The shabby nature of the small county town, the conservativeness of my parents, even the strong local accent, etc.
But I found that he has completely changed now. After being away for so many years, when he came back this time, he spoke with his hometown accent when talking to me, and he wore his seat belt as soon as he got in the car, and he seemed to be so abiding by the rules.
So, I couldn't help but ask him: "You have been out for so many years, how come your accent hasn't changed at all?"
He answered me: "The accent in my hometown is very good. When I was studying in Fudan, I wanted to change my accent, but people still said I was from Jiangnan. Later, when I went abroad, I used Mandarin when talking to Chinese people.
, the rest of the time I spoke in English. This time when I returned to Jiangnan, I suddenly realized that the local accent is so friendly."
I completely believe what he said. We are all like this. In fact, our bones have already been infiltrated by traditional things. The idea that when a leaf falls and returns to its roots, it will never be eradicated for Chinese people.
Only then did I ask him: "Xiao Lin, when did your parents pass away? Why have you kept in touch with us after all these years?"
He sighed and said: "The year they first arrived in the United States, they died in a car accident. I have felt guilty about this for many years. I often think in my heart, if they had stayed in the country, what would happen to them like this?
? In the final analysis, it’s still my fault. So, I don’t want to tell you such things to avoid making you sad, and I don’t want to come back and face you.”
I felt very sad and said, "Xiao Lin, my father also passed away."
He was very surprised, "Ah? What's wrong?"
I sighed and said, "Liver cancer."
I didn't tell him my father's subsequent choice. That incident still makes me feel sad and uncomfortable, but sometimes I also think in my heart: If I also suffer from such a disease in the future, maybe I will be like that.
That kind of disease cannot be treated at all with existing medical technology, and the pain is unbearable. Although that way is too cruel to yourself and your family, it is not wrong to end your pain in that way.
the best choice?
I used to be a doctor, and because I have seen too much pain from patients, I agree with euthanasia. However, just because I used to be a doctor, I understand even more that there are too many ethical issues. Because of this
, only a handful of countries around the world have legalized the issue of euthanasia.
In the final analysis, the essence of euthanasia is an issue of the right to "die". Everyone has the right to "life". This is a natural law. The law also stipulates that natural persons enjoy the right to life. However, since people have the right to "life"
, So, do people have the right to "die"? In this regard, people will say that people do not have the right to choose "die". If they say that people have the right to choose "die", it is allowing people to commit suicide;
Furthermore, if a person chooses to commit suicide, he should also provide help when asking others to help him commit suicide. If this is the case, the world will not be peaceful, and there will be situations where murder may be "legal". However,
If the lack of the right to choose death is made absolute, new problems will arise. That is, when a terminally ill person is on the verge of death and "life" is no longer his happiness, but a huge pain, the patient chooses tranquility.
, the wish for a dignified death will never be realized, so one can only endure the severe pain of "life" and wait for the natural death in pain, in order to obtain final relief.
I believe that since the right to life is a "life" right, it should include the right to choose "death" under certain conditions.
This is the limited right to control life. This does not mean that suicide is legal and people do not have the right to choose suicide. However, when one is terminally ill, nearing death, and suffering the extreme and unbearable pain of "life", the medical department will also
When recognized, people who choose a peaceful and dignified "death" should comply with the definition of the right to life.
Doing this is respect for individual rights. He fell silent immediately. At this time, I was driving through the downtown area. The traffic jam on the road was quite serious. Taxis and some private cars squeezed in when they saw the gap, and the horn sounded at any time.
There was a loud sound.
At this time, my cousin suddenly spoke, "After so many years, it's still the same in China. People only think about themselves and don't act according to the rules. This time when I returned to China, I saw the same situation. Over the years, China's economic development has
, but people are becoming more and more unruly and selfish. From the perspective of human civilization, China is at least a hundred years behind Western developed countries. A country, a society, if most people are selfish
, then this country will not have any rules at all, and the law will become a mere formality. As a result, only the majority of people will be harmed, because only a small number of people can enjoy the benefits of privileges.
"
Only then did I realize that he had not actually changed, because he still couldn't understand everything here. However, I had to admit that what he said made sense and touched on the essence of the current problems in the country.
I smiled and said, "Then tell me, how can this situation be changed?"
He said: "There is no way to change it. As long as privilege exists widely and as long as most people have the mentality to pursue privilege, this situation will not change."
I couldn't help but laugh, "Fortunately it's now. If it were in the past, what you said would be very reactionary."
He shook his head and said: "Am I reactionary? Where am I being reactionary? I'm telling the truth. For example, brother, you are the mayor now, and you don't have such a concept in your consciousness. Look at how you drove today, don't you?
Wear your seat belt and drive on the yellow line... Do you know that that's not what you should do? You must know that, right? But you do it anyway.
Why? Because you think this is not a big deal, because everyone is doing it. You know, you are the mayor and an official with a certain level. In your eyes, the so-called traffic rules are just written in the law.
The words in the article don't matter at all whether they are implemented or not. This is terrible.
In the final analysis, this is because the Chinese people are numb to the law in their hearts. Not to mention respecting the law, they cannot even follow it consciously. So, you just asked me how to change all this, and I just told you
You said, this can't be changed at all."
His words made me feel very embarrassed, so I hurriedly pulled the seat belt and fastened it.
He immediately laughed, "But Brother Xiao, I found that you are still very good. At least you know how to correct your mistakes. This is also hope. I hope that your generation can change this situation."
I smiled bitterly, "Come on, stop laughing at me. By the way, what are you doing abroad?"
“Working in a graduate lab doing chemistry,” he said.
I asked him: "How is it? Is the treatment pretty good?"
He burst out laughing and said, "You see, like many people, your first concern is income."
I couldn't laugh or cry immediately, "Am I caring about you? Would I ask other people such questions?"
He shook his head and said: "I know you care about me, but you should be more concerned about whether I like this kind of work and what my work achievements have been over the years. Then there is the issue of remuneration."
I disagreed, "Maybe, this is the difference between Chinese and Western cultures. But Xiaolin, you are Chinese, and you should understand the way we Chinese ask questions. Xiaolin, why do I think you are still the same as before? Is it in your
In your eyes, is our country really useless?"
He immediately said: "That's not true. I think our country has changed a lot in recent years. This is at least moving closer to the direction of human civilization. This is hope. And, no matter what, I still believe that in the future
, maybe fifty years or one hundred years later, the ideology of our country’s citizens, especially officials, will be completely in line with the world. Because I always believe in one thing, that is: we must all move towards the ultimate goal of human civilization.
Get closer. This is a major trend, and no individual or group can stop such a major trend."
I asked him: "Oh? Then tell me, what is the ultimate goal of human civilization?"
He replied: "Freedom. Not so-called communism. The so-called communism is too illusory and unrealistic. But freedom is real and can be realized in a real way. It is
It can be seen and touched. Brother Xiao, I know that officials like you have many opportunities to go abroad, but few of you will truly feel the degree of pursuit of freedom in Western civilization. Only you can truly
Only when you feel it can you truly realize the great significance of freedom to each of us."
I asked him: "Is the freedom you talk about human rights?"
He nodded, "You can put it this way."
I laughed and said: "Then you are wrong. I believe that neither freedom nor human rights should be the ultimate goal of human civilization."
He looked at me, "Oh? Tell me."
What I didn’t expect was that our discussion that day would have a huge impact on my future destiny, although for a long time afterwards I just regarded the discussion between us that day as a discussion. (