2011年2月9日，我“自我感觉良好的”“顺利的”完成了GRE写作考试。

       其实有关GRE写作的感想和心得，网上已经有无数的前辈总结过了，我在入门阶段也是参考着他们的经验来的。但是，很不幸，我是一个懒人，因此通常来讲，传统的模板、背范文、背事例、建立固定提纲等方法对我不太有效。我曾经尝试过这些方法，但最终均以各种“看不懂”和“没坚持下来”而不了了之。可是，GRE写作部分又是一个躲不开的命题，因此我就索性随性的做了起来。当然，最终效果还不得而知，但至少从准备到实际考试的过程都很顺利。

       好了，做完铺垫，我将自己对于GRE作文一些方面的看法大概写一下，供他人及自己日候参考。

1. 作文的字数。

       不知是由于写了多年限定字数的命题作文所形成的惯性，还是各种辅导班所带来的误导，我身边的好多人在备考GRE作文的时候都无一例外的特别关注字数，甚至强迫着自己将Issue写到六、七百字，Argu写到四、五百字。起初我也没有跳出“字数”的思维，也一度认为它起着决定性的作用。但是当身边几个朋友相继考完GRE作文，我发现他们的字数与最终分数并不直接相关的时候，我开始真正的考虑字数在GRE作文中的含义。

       GRE作文中所谓的“字数”的含义是：一篇文章若想保证论证的充分以及措辞的完整和恰当，需要一定的字数做保证。简而言之就是，你想把一件东西、一个观点的来龙去脉说明白说通、让人信服，免不了需要一定数量的单词。

       因此，我们可以发现，它强调的并非如高考作文一般硬性的字数要求，而是在于文章言之有物，以及论证关系的流畅、丰满和通顺。而若是写出了这样的文章，我想字数应该不成问题，即使把打字慢的因素都计算在内，45分钟内也足以写出四、五百字以上的文章了。

       所以，在GRE作文中，完全不必故意的纠结有关字数的问题，否则便是本末倒置，忽略了“言之有物”的重要性。

2.写作的素材和方法

       既然说到了字数，又谈到了“言之有物”，那么我想就不得不提及另一个话题，即：写作的素材和方法。这里我想纠正另外两个很多人在准备GRE作文过程中的误区，就是“模板”和“名人事例”。对于“模板”，我认为可以有两种理解，一种是“写作的格式”，另一种是已经被用烂了的“套话”。第一种模板是可取的、甚至是必须的，因为我们大多数人英文的写作功底并不优秀，想在短短的考试时间里写出行云流水的文章颇有难度，因此，按照一定的格式，顺畅的成文是关键。而第二种模板，我认为则是保证考试者得不了高分的关键，因为通常套话已经被用了无数次，一无新意，二无说服力，所以由这样的“模板”所拼凑的文章注定是要以低分告终的。

       至于名人事例，其效果与“套话”相似，如果你的脑子里没有属于自己的素材，写作时使用的是网上已经传烂了的事例及其描述方法，更有甚者是在考试前个把月才开始背素材，那么我想除非你的语言水平和论述水平很高，能从这些老套的例子中得出不老套的论证来让阅卷者能够耳目一新，否则如此行文我觉得也无法保证高分。

       那么究竟怎样做才比较恰当呢？我认为，事例其实并不在于大小以及是否知名，论据可以选择自己所熟悉的任何事情，甚至是自己身边的小事，只要能够在论证过程中自圆其说即可。比如，身边某一个老师说过的一句很有道理的话，自己或者朋友的某个经历，读过某本书之后的感想，或者干脆就是自己总结的某个结论或道理，等等。因为ETS从未要求过文章的格式与内容，只要你能自圆其说，流畅的论证，那么在它眼里就是好文章。

3.词句的斟酌

       在和身边G友的交谈中，另一个让我倍感纠结的问题是，好多人都提到：新东方的老师要求他们写作文的时候注意用词。的确，不可否认，ETS给出的高分范文中的用词确实既准确又灵活，句式也是掌握的恰如其分。可是，这种情况并不仅仅是措辞的问题，而是基于写作者对英语的熟练掌握、精湛的文笔以及广博 的学识。这就如同写中文文章一样，想写起文章来措辞准确又不失华丽，内容丰富又不冗长，不是仅仅靠一本字典，研究研究“词”和“句”就能够解决的。

       而且，我始终认为，斟酌词句应该是在已经能够流畅成文之后才应该做的事情，我总爱做一个比喻，假使一个歌词作者连《两只老虎》写不出来，他怎么可能写出林夕那些唯美的词藻呢？因此，如果一个人拿到一个Issue或Argue题目的时候尚且感觉无从下笔，我则建议，先无论如何硬着头皮迫使自己能够流畅顺利的成文，即便是满篇简单句也无所谓，等到熟练了，再去斟酌自己的词法和句法。

       另外，个人认为，如果自己的写作功底不够深厚（比如像我），或者自己准备的时间太短，那么“斟酌词句”这一步甚至是可以省略的。因为，并不是将道理讲通一定要用复杂的句型和华丽的词藻，有时简单明了也是一种策略，只要保证自己所用的词和句都准确就可以了，余下的时间不妨在更有说服力的事例、更流畅的论证上多下功夫。

4. 考场上的一些临场策略。

       有很多人的写作水平其实很不错，但是到了考场上由于心态发生了变化，因为紧张、害怕写不完、担心抽到低频等等，而使得自己并不能发挥出应有的水平。

       个人认为，在作文这类能力的重要性更胜于应试技巧的考试中，考场上冷静的心态甚至在一定程度上比平时的细心准备来的更加可贵，因为平时的准备可能会花很长的时间和很多的精力，但是如果在这短短的75分钟内发挥失常，便没有人能看见你之前苦心准备的任何成果。因此，我大概总结了一下在考场上一些应该注意的问题。

       首先，进了考场，只要写作的倒计时一开始，你必须冷静、迅速的思考和打字，尽量做到流畅，不卡壳。如果遇到思维停滞的情况，切不可惊慌，暂且把这一段跳过去，写下一个论点或下一段论述，这段跳过的部分待到写完通篇之后再回来补，若是最后没时间，尽快将这一段草草了结也是一个办法。

       其次，在写作过程中宁可速度放慢，也一定要尽量保证拼写、句式等一次性的准确率，不要寄希望于全都写完之后再来修改，因为在考试末段通常留下的时间并不多，此时进行某些修改，时间可能很紧迫甚至根本来不及。

       最后，如果因为恰好碰上难写的题目或者由于其他原因而导致交卷时没能完成写作，不要惊慌，也不要忙于Cancel掉你的成绩。ETS的作文评测系统以及阅卷人并不仅仅凭借你是否完成文章来给你打分，如果你的作文能够有一部分言之有物并且论证合理、服人，那么即使没写完或者字数少，分数也不会太低，毕竟我们可以从ETS给出的例文里看出来，5分6分的作文也有没写完的，3分以下的作文其实也是很难写出来的。

5.考试流程

       其实对于考试流程，真的没什么可说的，考场内的工作人员的会按部就班的告诉你该怎么做，到时候细心执行每一步的安排就可以了。至于考试的具体流程，我不知道是否每个考点都完全一样（我在大连外国语学院考试），但我想主要步骤应该都类似：

       在等候区候考，填写承诺书和个人信息，检查第一、第二证件==>工作人员介绍考试须知==>发给每个考生储物柜的钥匙==>进入考试区，换鞋，查证件，拍照，填写入考场时间==>工作人员带你去你所在机位，祝你考试顺利==>开始考试==>考试结束，填写离场时间，取自己东西，归还考场物品，取回第二证件==>离开考场

       按理讲，只要运气好没遇上变态的考官，他们应该都是很热情、服务态度很好的，按照他们的指示按部就班的做完整个流程，一切应该就没问题。

结语：

       以上仅是我个人的一些拙见，尽管写了这么多should do和should not do，我也无法保证自己的方法确实有效并考出高分，这只是在准备过程中看了很多资料、和很多人进行了交流之后有感而发罢了。总的来说，我比较不喜欢单纯的应试，而是主张通过阅读、思考和经常的写作练习来对GRE作文做“无形”的训练，因为这样写出来的文章，体现的才真正是写作者的能力和素养。

© Alex.Chen for Alexander Chen's Blog, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Post tags: GRE, language-learning, 写作, 美国, 英语

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       那么，这种看似扯皮的对于某种改革的争论究竟是不是有“阻碍社会发展”，甚至“颠覆”之嫌呢？我来说说我的看法。我记得刘瑜在《民主的细节》中有一篇文章讲到总统选举，说“选谁都一样”，理由是在民主党与共和党为赢竞选而斗志斗勇的过程中，双方为了争取选票，他们彼此的论调、未来的执政理念等等其实也都在不停的妥协，双方在坚持自己的主张的同时都必须将对方的观点纳入考虑范围。尽管很多时候这种妥协是出于为了选票着想的被逼无奈，但是最终得到的结果却是“基本上可以令大家都勉强同意”的，因为到此时为止我们可以这样认为：竞选双方都将自己的主张妥协到了一个“自己的理念没有被抹掉，对方的观点我也尽可能的包容到了一个对方勉强能够认可”的程度。如今的Health Care Reform也是如此。无论在哪个国家，任何一项改革都会在改善一部分人的利益的同时损害到另一部分人的利益，蛋糕就那么大，一个人吃得多点儿另一个人就必须吃得少点儿，但是双方可以就究竟谁该吃多谁该吃少、以及彼此到底该吃多少进行一番激烈的争论，以达到双方都不吃亏的目的：

正方：你不准吃那么多，你把蛋糕都吃了我怎么办？

反方：我也不能让你吃得太少，否则我强行把蛋糕据为己有了，你可以连一口都不让我吃。

       这些看起来是在打架、是在降低政策执行效率的做法，实际上是一个让政策逐步地得到完善的过程，尽管付诸于实施的时间可能会因此而拖延、制定政策的效率可能会略显低下，但是这至少保证了最终一旦这个政策得到了实施，它会是一个基本让大家满意的政策。而如果它始终也不能得到认可，那就说明它存在着一些让人连“勉强接受”都做不到的缺点，那么既然它实施了也不能令人满意，不实施它又有什么关系呢？这里还体现了一个“效率”与“公平（或者说“认可度”“满意度”）”的对决。专制政府的执行效率很高，但是它无论执行“好”的政策还是“坏”的政策的效率都很高，同时又缺乏另一股力量来对它“好”的政策加以监督和规范、“坏”政策加以抵制甚至废除，所以这种“效率”很难谈得上是否真的有效。当然也更谈不上“公平”，因为“反对者”的声音是不起作用的。而民主政府虽然执行“效率”略显低下，因为它几乎每一个环节都要面对反对者的声音，但最终却可以既取悦赞同者，又不完全忽略反对者的意见。同时又因为处处有制衡，所以监管自然会多很多，政策落实的公平性也相对会得到保障。

       那么，为什么这看起来还不是太坏的“美国模式”一直遭到藐视甚至抵制呢？一方面，是因为“我们花费了太多的时间来评判西方制度的好坏，以至于都没有时间去了解它究竟是什么。”（摘自刘瑜《民主的细节》）；另一方面，多年的洗脑使得一大部分人下意识地认为自己被灌输的观念都是正确的，更好的东西在我们这里不适用是因为所谓“国情”的存在，而且，很多人脑袋里只被灌输了一根筋，他们一生致死都未想过一个问题还可以有另一种、甚至另几种答案。当然，要说第三方面，当然还有利益分配的问题，这涉及到老大的根本利益，说多了容易被和谐。

关键字：民主，美国医疗改革

© Alex.Chen for Alexander Chen's Blog, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Post tags: Obama, 社会, 美国

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其实谷歌今天的决定是在意料之中，情理之外的（或许有点儿像病句，但大家应该能读懂我指的什么“情理”），作为一个信条为“不作恶”和“旨在为用户提供最准确最全面的信息”的搜索引擎，从进入中国市场的第一天起，就已经预示了它的“中国之路”不会太平，而这些年来从谷歌的“ICP备案”到“据当地法律法规和政策，部分搜索结果未予显示”，再从“涉黄”到“侵权”，无一不印证了这一点。而至于谷歌是否真的像CCAV们说的那样“不健康”和“不和谐”，说实话我已经不愿意再像以前那样以一种愤青般的口吻来陈述事实了，清者自清，浊者自浊，智者们自会从“黄”中看出某人背后的用意，脑残们也自会继续拍手称快、大喊胜利。

但是作为一个忠实的Google用户，我还是对谷歌的离开抱着很多的不舍之情。首先，在读了开复老师的《世界因你不同》，以及了解了谷歌在中国的一些其它的故事之后，我为开复老师对谷歌中国倾注的心血所感动，也为谷歌中国团队的精英们感到自豪和骄傲。谷歌的优质服务进入中国，给我们带来的是更全面的信息来源，更舒适的在线体验，与更高效的办公方式。可惜的是，这一切都不合官方的心意，他们宁愿在信息时代重演“闭关锁国”的悲剧，也至死不愿融入世界上民主与开放的洪流。而更可悲的还不止于此，因为谷歌对普通人来说到底不是一个政治工具，“在最短时间内向用户提供全面并且准确的信息”才是它的职责所在。可是，我记得以前读过一篇博文（记不得出处，所以无法引用了，作者见谅），文中总结说“谷歌的服务只在高端用户中得到广泛的应用，而很多低端的网民还是更倾向于使用更符合中国人习惯的百度”。其实仔细想来确实如此，我曾经也一直有心致力于向身边的朋友们传授谷歌各项功能的用法，可是无奈那些每天泡在校内上看妞、守着youku看韩国综艺、在百度贴吧里讨论班花系花、嫌打开一个翻墙工具设置代理很麻烦、夜以继日的奋战在魔兽战场上等等的好青年们无暇听我的传授；还有一些人认为我“愤青”、“唯恐天下不乱”、“偏激”等而拒绝接受我的言辞……那么接下来我们可以这样问谷歌——面对一个官方不欢迎、媒体造你谣、全民混日子的“巨大”市场，你期待用什么产品和服务来突破这重重阻力呢？

其次，尽管我通常是一个Google.com的使用者，也是一个熟练的翻墙运动员，但毕竟谷歌的本土化产品有时候更加符合我的习惯，音乐、问答、谷歌输入法等确实给我带来了很大方便，而且就我个人的眼光而言，同是相似的服务，谷歌做得更规范化、更人性化，相比而言百度则显得很山寨很凌乱（没有故意写偏见，只是个人真实感受）。那么，如果谷歌全面退出中国市场，这些服务必定会随之瓦解，或与其他公司联合，或许直接从此不复存在。至于谷歌提到的所谓“寻找一个合法但不进行审查的道路”，我看干脆别抱这方面的希望，在网络审查方面，GFW们是不撞死在南墙上不算完的，还记得某人生日的时候“墙”和“翻墙”的斗争么？还记得奥巴马说了一句against Internet censorship之后墙的升级么？或者，对最近各种网站被关闭、各种扫“黄”、各种“被审查”是否有耳闻呢？所以，现在我的感觉和一位推友一样：终于可以坦然的一直开着VPN了。另外，我也确实承认了两句话：1.学好英语，是为了更好地了解中国。2.鲁迅的“汉字不灭，中国必亡”。

Finally, I want to say Good-bye to Google.cn, thanks for the convenience you provided in the past several years, and I support your decision to fight against China’s Internet Censorship.

© Alex.Chen for Alexander Chen's Blog, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Post tags: twitter, 河蟹, 社会, 美国

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奥巴马2009上海演讲与现场问答英文原文，摘自白宫网站，我在其基础上填加少许标注。

This passage is copied from www.whitehouse.gov, I made some marks and a few additions to it for the convenience of reading, below is the original link of this transcript.

原文地址为：http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-barack-obama-town-hall-meeting-with-future-chinese-leaders

 请同时关注我整理的中文版本(Other Chinese versions of Obama’s remarks I’ve collected)：http://www.p4cpu.net/2009/11/16/obamas-answer-gfw-twitter/

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release        November 16, 2009

Remarks by President Barack Obama at Town Hall Meeting with Future Chinese Leaders

Museum of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China

1:18 P.M. CST

第一部分，演讲原文：(Part 1, the transcript of Obama’s speech at Shanghai Town Hall Meeting)

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Good afternoon.  It is a great honor for me to be here in Shanghai, and to have this opportunity to speak with all of you.  I’d like to thank Fudan University’s President Yang for his hospitality and his gracious welcome.  I’d also like to thank our outstanding Ambassador, Jon Huntsman, who exemplifies the deep ties and respect between our nations.  I don’t know what he said, but I hope it was good.  (Laughter.) 

What I’d like to do is to make some opening comments, and then what I’m really looking forward to doing is taking questions, not only from students who are in the audience, but also we’ve received questions online, which will be asked by some of the students who are here in the audience, as well as by Ambassador Huntsman.  And I am very sorry that my Chinese is not as good as your English, but I am looking forward to this chance to have a dialogue.

This is my first time traveling to China, and I’m excited to see this majestic country.  Here, in Shanghai, we see the growth that has caught the attention of the world — the soaring skyscrapers, the bustling streets and entrepreneurial activity.  And just as I’m impressed by these signs of China’s journey to the 21st century, I’m eager to see those ancient places that speak to us from China’s distant past.  Tomorrow and the next day I hope to have a chance when I’m in Beijing to see the majesty of the Forbidden City and the wonder of the Great Wall.  Truly, this is a nation that encompasses both a rich history and a belief in the promise of the future. 

The same can be said of the relationship between our two countries.  Shanghai, of course, is a city that has great meaning in the history of the relationship between the United States and China.  It was here, 37 years ago, that the Shanghai Communique opened the door to a new chapter of engagement between our governments and among our people.  However, America’s ties to this city — and to this country — stretch back further, to the earliest days of America’s independence.

In 1784, our founding father, George Washington, commissioned the Empress of China, a ship that set sail for these shores so that it could pursue trade with the Qing Dynasty. Washington wanted to see the ship carry the flag around the globe, and to forge new ties with nations like China.  This is a common American impulse — the desire to reach for new horizons, and to forge new partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

Over the two centuries that have followed, the currents of history have steered the relationship between our countries in many directions.  And even in the midst of tumultuous winds, our people had opportunities to forge deep and even dramatic ties. For instance, Americans will never forget the hospitality shown to our pilots who were shot down over your soil during World War II, and cared for by Chinese civilians who risked all that they had by doing so.  And Chinese veterans of that war still warmly greet those American veterans who return to the sites where they fought to help liberate China from occupation.

A different kind of connection was made nearly 40 years ago when the frost between our countries began to thaw through the simple game of table tennis.  The very unlikely nature of this engagement contributed to its success — because for all our differences, both our common humanity and our shared curiosity were revealed.  As one American player described his visit to China — “[The]people are just like us…The country is very similar to America, but still very different.”

Of course this small opening was followed by the achievement of the Shanghai Communique, and the eventual establishment of formal relations between the United States and China in 1979.  And in three decades, just look at how far we have come.

In 1979, trade between the United States and China stood at roughly $5 billion — today it tops over $400 billion each year. The commerce affects our people’s lives in so many ways.  America imports from China many of the computer parts we use, the clothes we wear; and we export to China machinery that helps power your industry.  This trade could create even more jobs on both sides of the Pacific, while allowing our people to enjoy a better quality of life.  And as demand becomes more balanced, it can lead to even broader prosperity. 

In 1979, the political cooperation between the United States and China was rooted largely in our shared rivalry with the Soviet Union.  Today, we have a positive, constructive and comprehensive relationship that opens the door to partnership on the key global issues of our time — economic recovery and the development of clean energy; stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and the scourge of climate change; the promotion of peace and security in Asia and around the globe.  All of these issues will be on the agenda tomorrow when I meet with President Hu.

And in 1979, the connections among our people were limited. Today, we see the curiosity of those ping-pong players manifested in the ties that are being forged across many sectors.  The second highest number of foreign students in the United States come from China, and we’ve seen a 50 percent increase in the study of Chinese among our own students.  There are nearly 200 “friendship cities” drawing our communities together.  American and Chinese scientists cooperate on new research and discovery.  And of course, Yao Ming is just one signal of our shared love of basketball — I’m only sorry that I won’t be able to see a Shanghai Sharks game while I’m visiting.

It is no coincidence that the relationship between our countries has accompanied a period of positive change.  China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty — an accomplishment unparalleled in human history — while playing a larger role in global events.  And the United States has seen our economy grow along with the standard of living enjoyed by our people, while bringing the Cold War to a successful conclusion.

There is a Chinese proverb:  “Consider the past, and you shall know the future.”  Surely, we have known setbacks and challenges over the last 30 years.  Our relationship has not been without disagreement and difficulty.  But the notion that we must be adversaries is not predestined — not when we consider the past.  Indeed, because of our cooperation, both the United States and China are more prosperous and more secure.  We have seen what is possible when we build upon our mutual interests, and engage on the basis of mutual respect.

And yet the success of that engagement depends upon understanding — on sustaining an open dialogue, and learning about one another and from one another.  For just as that American table tennis player pointed out — we share much in common as human beings, but our countries are different in certain ways. 

I believe that each country must chart its own course.  China is an ancient nation, with a deeply rooted culture.  The United States, by comparison, is a young nation, whose culture is determined by the many different immigrants who have come to our shores, and by the founding documents that guide our democracy.

Those documents put forward a simple vision of human affairs, and they enshrine several core principles — that all men and women are created equal, and possess certain fundamental rights; that government should reflect the will of the people and respond to their wishes; that commerce should be open, information freely accessible; and that laws, and not simply men, should guarantee the administration of justice.

Of course, the story of our nation is not without its difficult chapters.  In many ways — over many years — we have struggled to advance the promise of these principles to all of our people, and to forge a more perfect union.  We fought a very painful civil war, and freed a portion of our population from slavery.  It took time for women to be extended the right to vote, workers to win the right to organize, and for immigrants from different corners of the globe to be fully embraced.  Even after they were freed, African Americans persevered through conditions that were separate and not equal, before winning full and equal rights.

None of this was easy.  But we made progress because of our belief in those core principles, which have served as our compass through the darkest of storms.  That is why Lincoln could stand up in the midst of civil war and declare it a struggle to see whether any nation, conceived in liberty, and “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” could long endure. That is why Dr. Martin Luther King could stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and ask that our nation live out the true meaning of its creed.  That’s why immigrants from China to Kenya could find a home on our shores; why opportunity is available to all who would work for it; and why someone like me, who less than 50 years ago would have had trouble voting in some parts of America, is now able to serve as its President.

And that is why America will always speak out for these core principles around the world.   We do not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation, but we also don’t believe that the principles that we stand for are unique to our nation.  These freedoms of expression and worship — of access to information and political participation — we believe are universal rights.  They should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities — whether they are in the United States, China, or any nation.  Indeed, it is that respect for universal rights that guides America’s openness to other countries; our respect for different cultures; our commitment to international law; and our faith in the future.

These are all things that you should know about America.  I also know that we have much to learn about China.  Looking around at this magnificent city — and looking around this room — I do believe that our nations hold something important in common, and that is a belief in the future.  Neither the United States nor China is content to rest on our achievements.  For while China is an ancient nation, you are also clearly looking ahead with confidence, ambition, and a commitment to see that tomorrow’s generation can do better than today’s.

In addition to your growing economy, we admire China’s extraordinary commitment to science and research — a commitment borne out in everything from the infrastructure you build to the technology you use.  China is now the world’s largest Internet user — which is why we were so pleased to include the Internet as a part of today’s event.  This country now has the world’s largest mobile phone network, and it is investing in the new forms of energy that can both sustain growth and combat climate change — and I’m looking forward to deepening the partnership between the United States and China in this critical area tomorrow.  But above all, I see China’s future in you — young people whose talent and dedication and dreams will do so much to help shape the 21st century.

I’ve said many times that I believe that our world is now fundamentally interconnected.  The jobs we do, the prosperity we build, the environment we protect, the security that we seek — all of these things are shared.  And given that interconnection, power in the 21st century is no longer a zero-sum game; one country’s success need not come at the expense of another.  And that is why the United States insists we do not seek to contain China’s rise.  On the contrary, we welcome China as a strong and prosperous and successful member of the community of nations — a China that draws on the rights, strengths, and creativity of individual Chinese like you.

To return to the proverb — consider the past.  We know that more is to be gained when great powers cooperate than when they collide.  That is a lesson that human beings have learned time and again, and that is the example of the history between our nations.  And I believe strongly that cooperation must go beyond our government.  It must be rooted in our people — in the studies we share, the business that we do, the knowledge that we gain, and even in the sports that we play.  And these bridges must be built by young men and women just like you and your counterparts in America.

That’s why I’m pleased to announce that the United States will dramatically expand the number of our students who study in China to 100,000.  And these exchanges mark a clear commitment to build ties among our people, as surely as you will help determine the destiny of the 21st century.  And I’m absolutely confident that America has no better ambassadors to offer than our young people.  For they, just like you, are filled with talent and energy and optimism about the history that is yet to be written.

So let this be the next step in the steady pursuit of cooperation that will serve our nations, and the world.  And if there’s one thing that we can take from today’s dialogue, I hope that it is a commitment to continue this dialogue going forward.

So thank you very much.  And I look forward now to taking some questions from all of you.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

第二部分，现场问答：(Part 2, President Obama took questions from the audience, the questions are marked BLUE)

So — I just want to make sure this works.  This is a tradition, by the way, that is very common in the United States at these town hall meetings.  And what we’re going to do is I will just — if you are interested in asking a question, you can raise your hands.  I will call on you.  And then I will alternate between a question from the audience and an Internet question from one of the students who prepared the questions, as well as I think Ambassador Huntsman may have a question that we were able to obtain from the Web site of our embassy.

So let me begin, though, by seeing — and then what I’ll do is I’ll call on a boy and then a girl and then — so we’ll go back and forth, so that you know it’s fair.  All right?  So I’ll start with this young lady right in the front.  Why don’t we wait for this microphone so everyone can hear you.  And what’s your name?

QUESTION ONE:

Q    My name is (inaudible) and I am a student from Fudan University.  Shanghai and Chicago have been sister cities since 1985, and these two cities have conduct a wide range of economic, political, and cultural exchanges.  So what measures will you take to deepen this close relationship between cities of the United States and China?  And Shanghai will hold the World Exposition next year.  Will you bring your family to visit the Expo?  Thank you.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, thank you very much for the question.  I was just having lunch before I came here with the Mayor of Shanghai, and he told me that he has had an excellent relationship with the city of Chicago — my home town — that he’s visited there twice.  And I think it’s wonderful to have these exchanges between cities.

One of the things that I discussed with the Mayor is how both cities can learn from each other on strategies around clean energy, because one of the issues that ties China and America together is how, with an expanding population and a concern for climate change, that we’re able to reduce our carbon footprint.  And obviously in the United States and many developed countries, per capita, per individual, they are already using much more energy than each individual here in China.  But as China grows and expands, it’s going to be using more energy as well.  So both countries have a great interest in finding new strategies.

We talked about mass transit and the excellent rail lines that are being developed in Shanghai.  I think we can learn in Chicago and the United States some of the fine work that’s being done on high-speed rail. 

In the United States, I think we are learning how to develop buildings that use much less energy, that are much more energy-efficient.  And I know that with Shanghai, as I traveled and I saw all the cranes and all the new buildings that are going up, it’s very important for us to start incorporating these new technologies so that each building is energy-efficient when it comes to lighting, when it comes to heating.  And so it’s a terrific opportunity I think for us to learn from each other.

I know this is going to be a major focus of the Shanghai  World Expo, is the issue of clean energy, as I learned from the Mayor.  And so I would love to attend.  I’m not sure yet what my schedule is going to be, but I’m very pleased that we’re going to have an excellent U.S. pavilion at the Expo, and I understand that we expect as many as 70 million visitors here.  So it’s going to be very crowded and it’s going to be very exciting.

Chicago has had two world expos in its history, and both of those expos ended up being tremendous boosts for the city.  So I’m sure the same thing will happen here in Shanghai.

Thank you.  (Applause.)

Why don’t we get one of the questions from the Internet?  And introduce yourself, in case –

QUESTION TWO:

Q    First shall I say it in Chinese, and then the English, okay?

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Yes.

Q    I want to pose a question from the Internet.  I want to thank you, Mr. President, for visiting China in your first year in office, and exchange views with us in China.  I want to know what are you bringing to China, your visit to China this time, and what will you bring back to the United States?  (Applause.)

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  The main purpose of my trip is to deepen my understanding of China and its vision for the future.  I have had several meetings now with President Hu.  We participated together in the G20 that was dealing with the economic financial crisis.  We have had consultations about a wide range of issues. But I think it’s very important for the United States to continually deepen its understanding of China, just as it’s important for China to continually deepen its understanding of the United States.

In terms of what I’d like to get out of this meeting, or this visit, in addition to having the wonderful opportunity to see the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, and to meet with all of you — these are all highlights — but in addition to that, the discussions that I intend to have with President Hu speak to the point that Ambassador Huntsman made earlier, which is there are very few global challenges that can be solved unless the United States and China agree. 

So let me give you a specific example, and that is the issue we were just discussing of climate change.  The United States and China are the world’s two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, of carbon that is causing the planet to warm.  Now, the United States, as a highly developed country, as I said before, per capita, consumes much more energy and emits much more greenhouse gases for each individual than does China.  On the other hand, China is growing at a much faster pace and it has a much larger population.  So unless both of our countries are willing to take critical steps in dealing with this issue, we will not be able to resolve it. 

There’s going to be a Copenhagen conference in December in which world leaders are trying to find a recipe so that we can all make commitments that are differentiated so each country would not have the same obligations — obviously China, which has much more poverty, should not have to do exactly the same thing as the United States — but all of us should have these certain obligations in terms of what our plan will be to reduce these greenhouse gases. 

So that’s an example of what I hope to get out of this meeting — a meeting of the minds between myself and President Hu about how together the United States and China can show leadership.  Because I will tell you, other countries around the world will be waiting for us.  They will watch to see what we do. And if they say, ah, you know, the United States and China, they’re not serious about this, then they won’t be serious either.  That is the burden of leadership that both of our countries now carry.  And my hope is, is that the more discussion and dialogue that we have, the more we are able to show this leadership to the world on these many critical issues.  Okay?  (Applause.)

All right, it’s a — I think it must be a boy’s turn now.  Right?  So I’ll call on this young man right here.

QUESTION THREE:

Q    (As translated.)  Mr. President, good afternoon.  I’m from Tongji University.  I want to cite a saying from Confucius: “It is always good to have a friend coming from afar.”  In Confucius books, there is a great saying which says that harmony is good, but also we uphold differences.  China advocates a harmonious world.  We know that the United States develops a culture that features diversity.  I want to know, what will your government do to build a diversified world with different cultures?  What would you do to respect the different cultures and histories of other countries?  And what kinds of cooperation we can conduct in the future?

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  This is an excellent point.  The United States, one of our strengths is that we are a very diverse culture.  We have people coming from all around the world.  And so there’s no one definition of what an American looks like.  In my own family, I have a father who was from Kenya; I have a mother who was from Kansas, in the Midwest of the United States; my sister is half-Indonesian; she’s married to a Chinese person from Canada.  So when you see family gatherings in the Obama household, it looks like the United Nations.  (Laughter.)

And that is a great strength of the United States, because it means that we learn from different cultures and different foods and different ideas, and that has made us a much more dynamic society.

Now, what is also true is that each country in this interconnected world has its own culture and its own history and its own traditions.  And I think it’s very important for the United States not to assume that what is good for us is automatically good for somebody else.  And we have to have some modesty about our attitudes towards other countries.

I have to say, though, as I said in my opening remarks, that we do believe that there are certain fundamental principles that are common to all people, regardless of culture.  So, for example, in the United Nations we are very active in trying to make sure that children all around the world are treated with certain basic rights — that if children are being exploited, if there’s forced labor for children, that despite the fact that that may have taken place in the past in many different countries, including the United States, that all countries of the world now should have developed to the point where we are treating children better than we did in the past.  That’s a universal value.

I believe, for example, the same thing holds true when it comes to the treatment of women.  I had a very interesting discussion with the Mayor of Shanghai during lunch right before I came, and he informed me that in many professions now here in China, there are actually more women enrolled in college than there are men, and that they are doing very well.  I think that is an excellent indicator of progress, because it turns out that if you look at development around the world, one of the best indicators of whether or not a country does well is how well it educates its girls and how it treats its women.  And countries that are tapping into the talents and the energy of women and giving them educations typically do better economically than countries that don’t.

So, now, obviously difficult cultures may have different attitudes about the relationship between men and women, but I think it is the view of the United States that it is important for us to affirm the rights of women all around the world.  And if we see certain societies in which women are oppressed, or they are not getting opportunities, or there is violence towards women, we will speak out.

Now, there may be some people who disagree with us, and we can have a dialogue about that.  But we think it’s important, nevertheless, to be true to our ideals and our values.  And we — and when we do so, though, we will always do so with the humility and understanding that we are not perfect and that we still have much progress to make.  If you talk to women in America, they will tell you that there are still men who have a lot of old-fashioned ideas about the role of women in society.  And so we don’t claim that we have solved all these problems, but we do think that it’s important for us to speak out on behalf of these universal ideals and these universal values.

Okay?  All right.  We’re going to take a question from the Internet.

QUESTION FOUR:

Q    Hello, Mr. President.  It’s a great honor to be here and meet you in person.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you.

Q    I will be reading a question selected on the Internet to you, and this question is from somebody from Taiwan.  In his question, he said:  I come from Taiwan.  Now I am doing business on the mainland.  And due to improved cross-straits relations in recent years, my business in China is doing quite well.  So when I heard the news that some people in America would like to propose — continue selling arms and weapons to Taiwan, I begin to get pretty worried.  I worry that this may make our cross-straits relations suffer.  So I would like to know if, Mr. President, are you supportive of improved cross-straits relations?  And although this question is from a businessman, actually, it’s a question of keen concern to all of us young Chinese students, so we’d really like to know your position on this question.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you.  Well, I have been clear in the past that my administration fully supports a one-China policy, as reflected in the three joint communiqués that date back several decades, in terms of our relations with Taiwan as well as our relations with the People’s Republic of China.  We don’t want to change that policy and that approach. 

I am very pleased with the reduction of tensions and the improvement in cross-straits relations, and it is my deep desire and hope that we will continue to see great improvement between Taiwan and the rest of — and the People’s Republic in resolving many of these issues. 

One of the things that I think that the United States, in terms of its foreign policy and its policy with respect to China, is always seeking is ways that through dialogue and negotiations, problems can be solved.  We always think that’s the better course.  And I think that economic ties and commercial ties that are taking place in this region are helping to lower a lot of the tensions that date back before you were born or even before I was born. 

Now, there are some people who still look towards the past when it comes to these issues, as opposed to looking towards the future.  I prefer to look towards the future.  And as I said, I think the commercial ties that are taking place — there’s something about when people think that they can do business and make money that makes them think very clearly and not worry as much about ideology.  And I think that that’s starting to happen in this region, and we are very supportive of that process.  Okay?

Let’s see, it’s a girl’s turn now, right?  Yes, right there. Yes.  Hold on, let’s get — whoops, I’m sorry, they took the mic back here.  I’ll call on you next. 

Go ahead, and then I’ll go up here later.  Go ahead.

Q    Thank you. 

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  I’ll call on you later.  But I’ll on her first and then I’ll call on you afterwards. 

Go ahead.

QUESTION FIVE:

Q    Okay, thank you.  Mr. President, I’m a student from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.  I have a question concerning the Nobel Prize for Peace.  In your opinion, what’s the main reason that you were honored the Nobel Prize for Peace?  And will it give you more responsibility and pressure to — more pressure and the responsibility to promote world peace?  And will it bring you — will it influence your ideas while dealing with the international affairs?  Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you.  That was an excellent question.  I have to say that nobody was more surprised than me about winning the Nobel Prize for Peace.  Obviously it’s a great honor.  I don’t believe necessarily that it’s an honor I deserve, given the extraordinary history of people who have won the prize. All I can do is to, with great humility, accept the fact that I think the committee was inspired by the American people and the possibilities of changing not only America but also America’s approach to the world.  And so in some ways I think they gave me the prize but I was more just a symbol of the shift in our approach to world affairs that we are trying to promote.

In terms of the burden that I feel, I am extraordinarily honored to be put in the position of President.  And as my wife always reminds me when I complain that I’m working too hard, she says, you volunteered for this job.  (Laughter.)  And so you — there’s a saying — I don’t know if there’s a similar saying in China — we have a saying:  “You made your bed, now you have to sleep in it.”  And it basically means you have to be careful what you ask for because you might get it.

I think that all of us have obligations for trying to promote peace in the world.  It’s not always easy to do.  There are still a lot of conflicts in the world that are — date back for centuries.  If you look at the Middle East, there are wars and conflict that are rooted in arguments going back a thousand years.  In many parts of the world — let’s say, in the continent of Africa — there are ethnic and tribal conflicts that are very hard to resolve. 

And obviously, right now, as President of the United States, part of my job is to serve as Commander-in-Chief, and my first priority is to protect the American people.  And because of the attacks on 9/11 and the terrorism that has been taking place around the world where innocent people are being killed, it is my obligation to make sure that we root out these terrorist organizations, and that we cooperate with other countries in terms of dealing with this kind of violence.

Nevertheless, although I don’t think that we can ever completely eliminate violence between nations or between peoples, I think that we can definitely reduce the violence between peoples — through dialogue, through the exchange of ideas, through greater understanding between peoples and between cultures. 

And particularly now when just one individual can detonate a bomb that causes so much destruction, it is more important than ever that we pursue these strategies for peace.  Technology is a powerful instrument for good, but it has also given the possibility for just a few people to cause enormous damage.  And that’s why I’m hopeful that in my meetings with President Hu and on an ongoing basis, both the United States and China can work together to try to reduce conflicts that are taking place.

We have to do so, though, also keeping in mind that when we use our military, because we’re such big and strong countries, that we have to be self-reflective about what we do; that we have to examine our own motives and our own interests to make sure that we are not simply using our military forces because nobody can stop us.  That’s a burden that great countries, great powers, have, is to act responsibly in the community of nations.  And my hope is, is that the United States and China together can help to create an international norms that reduce conflict around the world.  (Applause.)

Okay.  All right?  Jon — I’m going to call on my Ambassador because I think he has a question that was generated through the Web site of our embassy.  This was selected, though, by I think one of the members of our U.S. press corps so that –

QUESTION SIX:

AMBASSADOR HUNTSMAN:  That’s right.  And not surprisingly, “in a country with 350 million Internet users and 60 million bloggers, do you know of the firewall?”  And second, “should we be able to use Twitter freely” — is the question.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, first of all, let me say that I have never used Twitter.  I noticed that young people — they’re very busy with all these electronics.  My thumbs are too clumsy to type in things on the phone.  But I am a big believer in technology and I’m a big believer in openness when it comes to the flow of information.  I think that the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable.  They can begin to think for themselves. That generates new ideas.  It encourages creativity. 

And so I’ve always been a strong supporter of open Internet use.  I’m a big supporter of non-censorship.  This is part of the tradition of the United States that I discussed before, and I recognize that different countries have different traditions.  I can tell you that in the United States, the fact that we have free Internet — or unrestricted Internet access is a source of strength, and I think should be encouraged.

Now, I should tell you, I should be honest, as President of the United States, there are times where I wish information didn’t flow so freely because then I wouldn’t have to listen to people criticizing me all the time.  I think people naturally are — when they’re in positions of power sometimes thinks, oh, how could that person say that about me, or that’s irresponsible, or — but the truth is that because in the United States information is free, and I have a lot of critics in the United States who can say all kinds of things about me, I actually think that that makes our democracy stronger and it makes me a better leader because it forces me to hear opinions that I don’t want to hear. It forces me to examine what I’m doing on a day-to-day basis to see, am I really doing the very best that I could be doing for the people of the United States. 

And I think the Internet has become an even more powerful tool for that kind of citizen participation.  In fact, one of the reasons that I won the presidency was because we were able to mobilize young people like yourself to get involved through the Internet.  Initially, nobody thought we could win because we didn’t have necessarily the most wealthy supporters; we didn’t have the most powerful political brokers.  But through the Internet, people became excited about our campaign and they started to organize and meet and set up campaign activities and events and rallies.  And it really ended up creating the kind of bottom-up movement that allowed us to do very well.

Now, that’s not just true in — for government and politics. It’s also true for business.  You think about a company like Google that only 20 years ago was — less than 20 years ago was the idea of a couple of people not much older than you.  It was a science project.  And suddenly because of the Internet, they were able to create an industry that has revolutionized commerce all around the world.  So if it had not been for the freedom and the openness that the Internet allows, Google wouldn’t exist. 

So I’m a big supporter of not restricting Internet use, Internet access, other information technologies like Twitter.  The more open we are, the more we can communicate.  And it also helps to draw the world together. 

Think about — when I think about my daughters, Malia and Sasha — one is 11, one is 8 — from their room, they can get on the Internet and they can travel to Shanghai.  They can go anyplace in the world and they can learn about anything they want to learn about.  And that’s just an enormous power that they have.  And that helps, I think, promote the kind of understanding that we talked about.

Now, as I said before, there’s always a downside to technology.  It also means that terrorists are able to organize on the Internet in ways that they might not have been able to do before.  Extremists can mobilize.  And so there’s some price that you pay for openness, there’s no denying that.  But I think that the good outweighs the bad so much that it’s better to maintain that openness.  And that’s part of why I’m so glad that the Internet was part of this forum.  Okay?

I’m going to take two more questions.  And the next one is from a gentleman, I think.  Right here, yes.  Here’s the microphone.

QUESTION SEVEN:

Q    First, I would like to say that it is a great honor for me to stand here to ask you the questions.  I think I am so lucky and just appreciate that your speech is so clear that I really do not need such kind of headset.  (Laughter.) 

And here comes my question.  My name is (inaudible) from Fudan University School of Management.  And I would like to ask you the question — is that now that someone has asked you something about the Nobel Peace Prize, but I will not ask you in the same aspect.  I want to ask you in the other aspect that since it is very hard for you to get such kind of an honorable prize, and I wonder and we all wonder that — how you struggled to get it.  And what’s your university/college education that brings you to get such kind of prizes?  We are very curious about it and we would like to invite you to share with us your campus education experiences so as to go on the road of success. 

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, first of all, let me tell you that I don’t know if there’s a curriculum or course of study that leads you to win the Nobel Peace Prize.  (Laughter.)  So I can’t guarantee that.  But I think the recipe for success is the one that you are already following.  Obviously all of you are working very hard, you’re studying very hard.  You’re curious.  You’re willing to think about new ideas and think for yourself.  You know, the people who I meet now that I find most inspiring who are successful I think are people who are not only willing to work very hard but are constantly trying to improve themselves and to think in new ways, and not just accept the conventional wisdom.

Obviously there are many different paths to success, and some of you are going to be going into government service; some of you might want to be teachers or professors; some of you might want to be businesspeople.  But I think that whatever field you go into, if you’re constantly trying to improve and never satisfied with not having done your best, and constantly asking new questions — “Are there things that I could be doing differently?  Are there new approaches to problems that nobody has thought of before, whether it’s in science or technology or in the arts? — those are usually the people who I think are able to rise about the rest.

The one last piece of advice, though, that I would have that has been useful for me is the people who I admire the most and are most successful, they’re not just thinking only about themselves but they’re also thinking about something larger than themselves.  So they want to make a contribution to society.  They want to make a contribution to their country, their nation, their city.  They are interested in having an impact beyond their own immediate lives.

I think so many of us, we get caught up with wanting to make money for ourselves and have a nice car and have a nice house and — all those things are important, but the people who really make their mark on the world is because they have a bigger ambition.  They say, how can I help feed hungry people?  Or, how can I help to teach children who don’t have an education?  Or, how can I bring about peaceful resolution of conflicts?  Those are the people I think who end up making such a big difference in the world.  And I’m sure that young people like you are going to be able to make that kind of difference as long as you keep working the way you’ve been working.

All right?  All right, this is going to be the last question, unfortunately.  We’ve run out of time so quickly.  Our last Internet question, because I want to make sure that we got all three of our fine students here.

QUESTION EIGHT:

Q    Mr. President, it’s a great honor for the last question.  And I’m a college student from Fudan University, and today I’m also the representative of China’s Youth (inaudible.)  And this question I think is from Beijing:  Paid great attention to your Afghanistan policies, and he would like to know whether terrorism is still the greatest security concern for the United States?  And how do you assess the military actions in Afghanistan, or whether it will turn into another Iraqi war?  Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  I think that’s an excellent question.  Well, first of all, I do continue to believe that the greatest threat to United States’ security are the terrorist networks like al Qaeda.  And the reason is, is because even though they are small in number, what they have shown is, is that they have no conscience when it comes to the destruction of innocent civilians.  And because of technology today, if an organization like that got a weapon of mass destruction on its hands — a nuclear or a chemical or a biological weapon — and they used it in a city, whether it’s in Shanghai or New York, just a few individuals could potentially kill tens of thousands of people, maybe hundreds of thousands.  So it really does pose an extraordinary threat.

Now, the reason we originally went into Afghanistan was because al Qaeda was in Afghanistan, being hosted by the Taliban. They have now moved over the border of Afghanistan and they are in Pakistan now, but they continue to have networks with other extremist organizations in that region.  And I do believe that it is important for us to stabilize Afghanistan so that the people of Afghanistan can protect themselves, but they can also be a partner in reducing the power of these extremist networks.

Now, obviously it is a very difficult thing — one of the hardest things about my job is ordering young men and women into the battlefield.  I often have to meet with the mothers and fathers of the fallen, those who do not come home.  And it is a great weight on me.  It gives me a heavy heart. 

Fortunately, our Armed Services is — the young men and women who participate, they believe so strongly in their service to their country that they are willing to go.  And I think that it is possible — working in a broader coalition with our allies in NATO and others that are contributing like Australia — to help train the Afghans so that they have a functioning government, that they have their own security forces, and then slowly we can begin to pull our troops out because there’s no longer that vacuum that existed after the Taliban left.

But it’s a difficult task.  It’s not easy.  And ultimately I think in trying to defeat these terrorist extremists, it’s important to understand it’s not just a military exercise.  We also have to think about what motivates young people to become terrorists, why would they become suicide bombers.  And although there are obviously a lot of different reasons, including I think the perversion of religion, in thinking that somehow these kinds of violent acts are appropriate, part of what’s happened in places like Pakistan and Afghanistan is these young people have no education, they have no opportunities, and so they see no way for them to move forward in life, and that leads them into thinking that this is their only option.

And so part of what we want to do in Afghanistan is to find ways that we can train teachers and create schools and improve agriculture so that people have a greater sense of hope.  That won’t change the ideas of a Osama bin Laden who are very ideologically fixed on trying to strike at the West, but it will change the pool of young people who they can recruit from.  And that is at least as important, if not more important over time, as whatever military actions that we can take.  Okay?

All right, I have had a wonderful time.  I am so grateful to all of you.  First of all, let me say I’m very impressed with all of your English.  Clearly you’ve been studying very hard.  And having a chance to meet with all of you I think has given me great hope for the future of U.S.-China relations. 

I hope that many of you have the opportunity to come and travel and visit the United States.  You will be welcome.  I think you will find that the American people feel very warmly towards the people of China.  And I am very confident that, with young people like yourselves and the young people that I know in the United States, that our two great countries will continue to prosper and help to bring about a more peaceful and secure world.

So thank you very much everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END

2:08 P.M. CST

关键字：奥巴马上海演讲英文全文，奥巴马上海演讲问答英文版原文

© Alex.Chen for Alexander Chen's Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Post tags: Obama, twitter, 演说, 美国

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奥巴马上海演说及现场问答完整英文原文：http://www.p4cpu.net/2009/11/16/obama-shanghai-remarks/

全文地址：http://news.163.com/09/1116/14/5O8E5DN90001124J.html

PDF版本全文：obama-china-shanghai

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网易被删文章：news163-deleted-version-obama-answer

搜狐版本：obamas-answer-about-twitter-by-sohu

腾讯版本：obamas-answer-about-twitter-by-qq

[洪博培]

第一，有这么多互联网使用者的国家，有6000万写博客的人，你知道防火墙的事情吗?第二，我们是不是应该自由的使用TWITTER?

奥巴马:

首先让我说，我从来没有使用过TWITTER。我注意到一些年轻人，他们一直很忙，有各种各样的电子器材，很笨重。但是我还是非常相信技术的作用，非常重视开放性。在信息流动方面，我认为越是能够自由的信息流通，社会就变得越强，因为这样子，世界各地的公民能让自己的政府负责，有一个问责制度，他们自己会思考，这样会有新的想法，鼓励创造性。所以我一直是坚定的支持互联网开放的使用，我是非常支持不审查内容，在美国我过去谈过，这是我们的一个传统，我也认识到不同的国家有不同的传统，但是我可以告诉各位，在美国，我们有没有受限制的使用互联网的机会，这是我们力量的来源，也应该受到鼓励的。

但是我也应该很诚实的告诉各位，作为美国总统，有的时候我还是希望信息不是那么自由的流通，因为这样我就不需要听到人们在批评我，我认为很自然的。

在人处于一个实力地位的时候就会想到，你为什么这样说我，你这样说是很不负责的。可是真实的情况是这样，因为在美国信息是自由的，因为在美国有很多人批评我说各种各样的事情，但我还是认为，这样才会使得我们的民族制度变得更强，使我变成一个更好的领导人，因为它迫使我听到一些我不愿意听到的意见，也迫使我审查我正在做的事情，每天都要审查，要看我是不是真的为美国人民做我能做的最好的事情。所以我认为互联网现在已经变成一个更强的工具，可以让公民来参与。

实际上，我这次胜选，当了总统的一个原因之一我们能够动员很多年轻人，通过互联网来动员。刚开始的时候，没有人会想到我会赢，因为我们不是得到最富裕的支持者、政治上最有权利的人支持我们，可是人们通过互联网看到我们竞选，他们开始感到很兴奋，他们就组织起来成立一些竞选的活动、事件和集会，结果就产生了这些从下往上的一种行动，使我们很成功。

这不仅在政府和政治，在企业界一样。像Google这种公司，不到20年前，它只是两个年龄跟你们差不多一样的人创业，本来是科学的实验，后来因为互联网，他们能够创造一个产业，这个产业使得全世界各地的商业发生一场革命。

所以要不是有很自由的开放性，就像互联网所提供的开放性，那Google不会存在，所以我很支持一个做法，就是不要限制互联网的使用、接触或者像 TWITTER这种信息技术，越开放越能够沟通，使全世界联系在一起。像我的两个女儿玛丽亚和娜塔莎，一个是11岁，一个是8岁，在她们的房间可以上网，通过互联网可以达到世界任何地方，可以学到她们想学的内容，这是她们巨大的力量，她们拥有这种力量，也有利于促进相互理解。

就像我刚才所说的，技术也有负面，恐怖分子也可以通过互联网做一些以前他们做不到的事情，有一些极端分子也可以动员。当然开放性肯定要付出某种代价，这是不能否认的。可是我想好的远远多于坏的，所以还是要保持开放是好的，这是我很高兴互联网也作为这个论坛的一部分。最后两个问题。

关键字：奥巴马访华/奥巴马谈twitter/网络封锁/GFW/信息过滤/网络审查/防火墙，网易新闻被删

© Alex.Chen for Alexander Chen's Blog, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Post tags: twitter, 博客, 河蟹, 社会, 美国

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