The arrogant San Diego spirit is a different interpretation of Hemingway's tenacious spirit, and I think it is also the second window for us to observe The Old Man and the Sea. This is actually a window that is not difficult to find, but why has no one found it for a long time or said that no one is willing to find it?
I think this is related to the spirit of the times that the whole human society-not only Americans, but also San Diego-advocates individual will and pursues people's own strength.
Once upon a time, we really succumbed to the huge hands of nature. It was the period when our personal will and our own strength were the least and we were the least confident. Therefore, it was an era of making gods, so it was an era that fearless heroes must yearn for, and the limit would return. The psychological history of human beings will certainly develop from feeling small and insecure to arrogance after the expansion of self-will. As an inspiring slogan, "Man can conquer nature", which once resounded in China, is also popular in the United States, which respects reality relatively. Especially when science develops to a certain stage of progress, human beings will definitely want to be the master of nature because they have been the servants of nature for a long time. According to the survey, almost all outstanding American scientists don't believe in God. James H. Leuba, a famous American psychologist, made a landmark survey in 19 14. He found that among the randomly selected 1000 American scientists, 58% said they did not believe or doubt the existence of God, denied the existence of transcendental things, did not believe in God, and did not believe in eternal life. They don't believe in "a God who can communicate with human beings intelligently and emotionally" and "the immortality of individuals". Balu attributed a high proportion of "big" scientists to their "super knowledge, understanding and experience".
However, if people once lived in superstition of God, then people will also live in fantasy of science. Man can conquer nature, that is impossible. Didn't the old man in San Diego once want to overcome the natural forces with manpower? What remains of Hemingway's realistic spirit is that he did not describe Santiago as a victorious hero after all. He finally failed, because nature finally won.
It reminds me of ourselves. China people are the most modest people in the world, and the idea of harmonious coexistence between man and nature should be said to be the most universal and profound truth in the world. I don't care about things, man and nature are one, I am a thing, and things are me. Under this understanding, China people have always been the nation that loves nature the most. They love vegetation as their hair, love their blood, love the sky as their breath. We understand that nature is ourselves, and robbing nature is robbing ourselves. Facing our living environment with an open mind is actually our smartest choice. This is a valuable self-knowledge.
The poet Cang Di said: "Confucius is a great observer of life: humorous, cheerful, profound, compassionate, fond of analogy, with amazing understanding of fate and extremely valuable self-knowledge." ..... Confucius' attitude can also be said to be a quite typical oriental attitude towards life. "However, what San Diego lacks is this conscious attitude towards life.
Not only San Diego, but also the United States, I think all mankind should have a sense of self-knowledge. This kind of self-knowledge means that when we face nature, we should have a deep awe of it, not a contempt for it.
"Humble interests are full of losses" is a famous saying and a truth.
One should not only treat others with an open mind, but also the universe with an open mind. Facing the heaven, the earth and the magical things between heaven and earth, we have to admit that our knowledge is actually too little, too small and too limited. When we read the fairy tale "The Blind Touch the Elephant", we think the blind are very interesting. In fact, in the eyes of nature, we are blind. We hold the elephant's legs and think that the elephant is a pillar. We think what we have is the truth of the universe. In fact, how can our little palms touch the whole world? My life is limited, but so is my knowledge. With limited knowledge, this is almost impossible. So, with our limited knowledge, can we judge the infinity of heaven and earth arbitrarily? Knowing heaven and earth is still so impossible that it is difficult to overcome.
Therefore, the embodiment of our humility in front of heaven and earth is to always maintain a reverence for nature. We have to face nature like our majestic father, and we have to admit our ignorance and smallness. Be careful in every move, every word and deed. "You are walking on thin ice with fear." In other words, whoever doesn't respect nature, who is arrogant in front of the world, will eventually suffer the consequences.