13 新时代新哲学(doc)
13、A New Age, A New Philosophy If we do not understand the fundamentals1 and underlying2 themes of the age we live in, then we will have great difficulty living and working in a successful and fulfilled3 manner. This is the beginning of the digital age. As we have invented the age itself, by inventing the computer and telecommunications (along with all their by- products), so now we need to invent a way to understand and live in it. We need a philosophy for the digital age. The creation of a digital age philosophy requires us firstly to understand what the underlying fundamentals are that make this age what it is. What makes this age different? Some readers might wince a little at the word philosophy, thinking that it belongs in academia4, not the real world. I make no apologies for using it because I believe that it is exactly what we need. Going forward without a digital age philosophy is going forward blind. Those of us over 30 were born and reared in the industrial age. We ate, slept and drank its philosophical tenets5. They were in front of us every day, in our homes, in our workplaces, in the newspapers, in our conversations, in our classrooms and playgrounds. In our social and economic structures. We understood terms, such as the working class, the five-day week, 9-to-5 and lifetime employment. Our children will imbue6 a digital age philosophy in a natural day to day manner, but we of the older generations must work much harder. We need to shed much of the skin of our industrial age philosophy and thinking, and then learn to wear the philosophy and thinking of the digital age. We need to understand new terms, such as cyberspace7, e-commerce8, globalisation, teleworking9 and virtual organisations. This is not an easy task by any means. It can be both frightening and unnerving10. But whether we like it or not we have no choice. If we do not move forward willingly then we will be moved sideways. If we do not become students again, regaining a child-like curiosity and capacity to learn, then we will increasingly find that we are living in a world that we do not understand. If we cannot embrace the digital age, then the digital age will push us aside and pass us by. As Morris Tabaksblat (Chairman of Unilever) has stated: Change: Regard it as an ally and not as an enemy. Understand the process that drives change and you can use it, instead of being used by it. Change: use it, or be used. Of course, this is not to say that everything changes. The industrial age and all its factories and physical, mechanical things will of course not disappear. People still need cars and televisions and houses to live in. However, the role and importance of such physical products will diminish11 in absolute value terms as the digital age matures. As has happened to agriculture in the industrial age, so too will happen to industry in the digital age. 新哲学新时代 如果我们不理解我们生活的这个时代的基本理念和根本主题，那么，我们就很难成功 地、充实地在这个时代中生活和工作。 　　数字化时代已经开始。我们发明了计算机和电信技术（包括它们的种种副产品）， 开创了这个全新的时代，因此，我们现在需要创造一种理解这个时代并在其中生存的方 式。 　　我们需要数字化时代的哲学。 　　数字化时代哲学的产生，首先要求我们了解它何以成为这样一个时代，它所蕴涵的 根本理念是什么，它与其他时代的区别何在？ 　　有些读者可能对“哲学”这个词有点皱眉蹙额，认为它是个学术用语而非现实生活用 语。我却以为不必因此感到不安，因为我认为这个词正是我们所需要的。前进时缺乏数 字化时代的哲学无异于盲目前行。 　　我们这些三四十岁的人生在工业时代，长在工业时代。我们根据这个时代的种种哲 学信条饮食起居。它们每时每刻都在我们的眼前晃动，在家里，在工作场所，在报纸上 ，在交谈中，在教室里，在操场上，在社会与经济结构中，无处不在。我们熟知这些术 语，如工人阶级、五天工作制、朝九晚五、终身工作制等等。 我们的孩子将会很自然地、日复一日地感受着数字化时代的哲学，而像我们这代年纪大 一点的人就得十分用功了。我们要摆脱工业时代的哲学和思维方式，学习数字化时代的 哲学和思维方式。我们得去理解新术语，如网络空间、电子商务、全球化、远程工作、 虚拟组织等等。 　　不管怎么说，这不是一件轻松的事，它可能会令你惊恐不已，也可能会令你失去自 信。但是，无论我们喜欢与否，我们已别无选择！如果我们不自动积极进取，我们就将 被抛在一边。如果我们不再次甘当学生，恢复那幼时的好奇心和好学精神，我们将越发 地发现自己生活在一个完全陌生的世界里。如果我们不能去拥抱这个数字化时代，它将 会把我们推到一旁，迳直向前。 　　联合利华公司总裁莫里斯·塔巴克斯布拉特说：“变革：把它看作盟友，不是敌人。 了解驱动变革的过程，你就能加以利用，而不是被其利用。变革：利用或被利用。” 当然，这并不是说，所有的一切都会改变。显然，工业时代及其所有的工厂、物质方 面的和机械方面的一切不会消失。人们依然需要汽车、电视和住房。然而，从纯价值的 角度来说，随着数字化时代日趋成熟，这些物质产品的作用和重要性将会缩小。工业时 代的农业是如此，数字化时代的工业也将如此。 1.fundamental[φΘνδΕ5μεντ(Ε)λ]n.基本原理 2.underlying[ΘνδΕ5λαΙΙΝ]adj.根本的 3.fulfill[φθλ5φΙλ]vt.使完整，满足 4.academia[7“κΕ5δι:μφΕ]n.学术界 5.tenet[5τενιτ]n.原则，信条 6.imbue[ιμ5βφυ:]vt.灌输 7.cyberspace[5σαιβΕνειτ]n.网络空间 8.e-commerce[((((((((]n.电子商务 9.teleworking远程工作 10.unnerve[Θν5ν∴:π]vt.使失去自信 11.diminish[δι5μινιΦ]vi.变少
13 新时代新哲学(doc)