Page 1 of 1

追星记(3)

Posted: 2006-10-24 19:32
by Jun
大概是第三篇了吧?我自己也记不清了。。。

今天晚上,我老人家追的星当然就是Richard Dawkins啦!

六点四十五到Politics and Prose书店门口,心说不好,四处停满了车,店门口黑压压一堆一堆的人头。我老人家因为天冷而且下班晚,便偷懒开车过来,结果找停车的地方花的时间就比走路还长。

书店里那个挤,光有站地儿,盛况仅次于Nora Ephron上次来签名的景象。还好我这人脸皮比较厚,从人缝中钻来钻去,挤到个中间地带,勉强从俩肩膀中间看见Dawkins的尊容。只见他站的讲台边一左一右后面站着俩魁梧的黑人大汉,穿着难看又不合身的西装,明摆着是保镖,想起门口那个横竖一样宽长的平头白人大汉,哇塞,这么多保镖,周围的出口又都挤满了人,不禁有点心里打鼓。

Richard Dawkins 挺帅的(不过我的话信不得,太偏见了),虽然头发都白了,气质倒好,锐利得象把德国刀的刀锋,看上去没有六十五。他的讲话很短,就是念了几段新书"The God Delusion"里面的章节,也没说什么其他的,接着就是问答。书店的人大概看着等签名的人多,只让五六个人问了问题就不顾麦克风后面的长队而掐断了问答部分,开始签名。哈,可是我是个无耻的钻营者,一早就看好地形,还没等问答开始就熟门熟路地溜到前面麦克风附近,一开放问题就蹿到队伍前面,居然给我姿态很难看地混了进去,问上了一个问题。

Me: "Thanks for the talk, Dr. Dawkins. I love all your previous books. I have a question that's unrelated to the book, however. I saw quite a few bodyguards here tonight. Has someone threatened you? And, if so, are you at liberty to say who did?"

He: "No. I'm not threatened. These are hired by the publisher, but I don't know of any threats."

就这么短。我本来想问他是否有网站接收读者意见,可是这个问题已经被解答,他有公开网站,估计每日收到大量的叫骂和废话,我就算给他发什么信件也是九牛一毛,无希望让人家看到。

从近处看他的言行举止,我脑子后面过度发达的gaydar又开始响了几声;可是再多看几眼,又似乎不象。后来回家一查,哇,人家一直都是有老婆的,只不过不是同一个老婆而已。可见时刻要牢记名言:He's not gay. He's just British.

直接念书倒也罢了,问答时候就充分体现出英国名人普遍比美国名人会说话的特色,言辞风趣,咄咄逼人。有一个红脖子的中年人上来问:智慧设计理论说,世界就象本书,虽然每一页里的句子是随机的,但是这本书本身不是随机而是有意写出来的,您对这个比喻怎么看?Dawkins反问:"这算啥意思?我看不出这个比喻跟事实有什么关系?"对方支吾半天:"大概我太笨了。。。"Dawkins答:"1?你这个回答已经比原先的问题清晰百倍,这么有逻辑的回答,何须扯上这么不知所谓的问题?"众笑,带点尴尬,毕竟美国人习惯了对任何胡说八道的虚伪的敷衍和假尊重,对这么一针见血的话消化不了。

签名时店员十分狡猾地给买了书的顾客都发了小纸片,按颜色排队,粉红条子先上,然后是紫色的,然后是黄色的,绿色的,蓝色的。。。象上飞机一样。我是在别处打折买的书带进来的,就没人通知我要拿条子排队,傻乎乎地站了半天,问了一个男店员才知道去要条子。眼看人多队长,手中的绿条子不知等到猴年马月,担心排在后面又被咔嚓了。见俩女生站一边聊天,各人手中两本书,每本一个紫条子,便厚着脸皮凑上去问她们可否转让一个,反正只要每人一张即可,她们有多的。。。一个女生开玩笑道:"好,一张条子五十块。"不过她还是给我,不要钱,我狂谢她。

排到桌子附近,那个店员认出了我,说:"怎么?有人转让紫条子给你了?"他知道我不可能这么快就排到,我吐吐舌头,但是他并没有把我踢出去。这人好凶的样子,弄得我也心慌慌的。上去递过两本书说:"一本请抬头写给Jun,另一本。。。"旁边店员喝斥道:"不写抬头,只签名。"Dawkins 只顾埋头狂书,我急忙把想好的话一鼓脑吐出来:"I love all your books, but I strenuously disagree with this book." 他抬头毫不意外地看我一眼,好象在说:又一个信上帝的傻子。我赶紧解释:I'm an atheist。他倒有点意外的样子说:Why? 这时我心情又紧张,又赶到后面无数排队者眼光里的飞镖,赶紧心虚气短地说:I just think people will always do what people do. It has nothing to do with religion。一边急忙躲一边让后面的人上来。Dawkins急着给后面的人签名,再也没理睬我了。我就在旁边咔嚓了两张照片,看看后面的长队,脚底抹油了liao3。

我的确是不同意他的观点,虽然我是他的扇子和进化论的狂热分子。他是生物学家,对sociology, anthropology, psychology, 甚至历史,都不过是个业余的,有些认识和思考还不如我呢(当然这是我自己的主观看法)。不过他这人很可爱,风趣勇敢地诲人不倦,我也没啥意见。总不能人人都象我这样愤世嫉俗。而且,玩世不恭的无神论者如我老人家,也会象小玉米一样脸热心跳地去追星。

Image

Image

Posted: 2006-10-24 20:59
by Knowing
你们这个书店文化气氛真浓郁啊。
一直想看的<selfish gene> ,拖到现在也没看过。网上的中文译本译的太差了,根本不通顺,看不下去,图书馆借英文本排了无穷长时间还没轮到,其实也没多少钱,为什么么不买呢?我自己也不知道。
这本<The God Delusion> 主要是驳斥智能设计的么?我有点懒得看,觉得智能设计论就够无聊的了,不值得浪费自己的时间看驳斥;当然他写出来是给相信智能设计的人看的,相信智能设计的人也不会改变主意,甚至不会看;这是一切辩论的dilemma; 勉强可以说是给半信不信,还没拿定主意的人看。

Posted: 2006-10-24 21:13
by Jun
His books about evolution are very good, very precise, and reflect some of the most authoritative development in modern evolutionary biology. The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, Climbing Mount Improbable are all about how evolution works. The idea of "the selfish gene", which is one of the clearest and unexpected explanation about the "purpose" of evolution, is that humans, like other organisms on earth, are merely a vessel used by bits of genes to perpetuate themselves. Not unlike cells that are invaded and ruthlessly used by virus to replicate their own DNA, we humans are also nothing but tools to replicate what our genes try to do -- survival and self-replication.

A lot of people, including some prominent scientists fwho are often quoted in this and that publications, claim to understand evolution or "believe in" evolution, but they really don't. And they continue to dispense misleading information to the public about what evoluation is about (eg, "Survival of the fittest" is NOT evolution). His books are certainly closer to the truth than anything out there.

Sounds cynical, but he is actually very idealistic and passionate and ... almost naive. He believes in the exhileration of scientific enlightenment and all the crap about doing good and the benevolent nature of science -- I guess to a degree. He believes in reason.

I of course agree with the science and disagree with the attitude.

"The God Delusion" is 1) a rebuke of why religion is illogical and irrational (duh), 2) a discussion about the danger of organized religion which nudges people to commit large-scale atrocities and cruelty 3) an argument for replacing religion with science and reason and enlightenment.

You can see why I disagree with this book's thesis. Nor do I think he has much authority in this largely anthropological debate. Nevertheless he is so smart and witty and, most important, so f*cking rude that it's refreshing and almost entertaining to see him point out all the absurdities and cruelty of the Judeo-Christian doctrine.

Richard Dawkins on Stephen Colbert's program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA9EiSJaXww

Posted: 2006-10-25 0:55
by putaopi
Jun wrote: You can see why I disagree with this book's thesis. Nor do I think he has much authority in this largely anthropological debate. Nevertheless he is so smart and witty and, most important, so f*cking rude that it's refreshing and almost entertaining to see him point out all the absurdities and cruelty of the Judeo-Christian doctrine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA9EiSJaXww
Sounds great, I need to read this one.

Posted: 2006-10-25 9:48
by Jun
他骂人(骂宗教)是很痛快的,尤其是知识界和科学界无穷无尽地坚持和平共处多年之后,和平到了话也不敢说,谁也不敢得罪的地步,都变成了拼命照顾别人感情的孬蛋。虽然我也是在"多说无用"的阵营里,听他骂得痛快出气也是好的,不需要彻底同意也可以欣赏。

有个人问:美国的Alcoholic Anonymous团体都是建立在宗教信仰的理论上的,似乎对治愈alcoholics and addicts颇有作用,你怎么看?他答:噢,我对AA不了解,也不知道他们是建立在宗教信仰上的,我还以为他们是建立在逻辑合理的心理治疗方法上的呢,把酒鬼治好了,还可以当上美国总统。众狂笑。

出版商请保镖,我也不清楚是为什么,但是,最近刚有本书出来,记录的是前几年一个荷兰纪录片影人因为拍片得罪了伊斯兰而被一个极端分子砍死了。

Posted: 2006-10-25 23:58
by putaopi
Jun wrote:他骂人(骂宗教)是很痛快的,尤其是知识界和科学界无穷无尽地坚持和平共处多年之后,和平到了话也不敢说,谁也不敢得罪的地步,都变成了拼命照顾别人感情的孬蛋。虽然我也是在"多说无用"的阵营里,听他骂得痛快出气也是好的,不需要彻底同意也可以欣赏。
就是这个理儿啊。我自己的一位多年朋友,越来越religious,最近不断地给我发Book of Heaven and Hell,我怕伤感情,不好说什么。看看书也是间接地发泄一下。

Posted: 2006-10-26 10:53
by lvxiu
照片这场景真象《my best friend wedding》里面大嘴给她的弯男密友打电话告急时,人家正在专心上课的那一幕的那种环境。

Posted: 2006-10-26 16:17
by silkworm
我seriously地考虑去查查Book TV的schedule,那个台经常播Politics and Prose书店的活动。 :whistling:

Posted: 2006-10-27 12:39
by Jun
You will see Dawkins on C-SPAN Book TV but not me asking questions...

THere was no taping at P&P for a long time. But it was announced at the event that Dawkins will be on Book TV when he did the promotion at another spot. These book tours are pretty crazy.

Posted: 2007-03-28 21:55
by Knowing
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=9180871

He is on NPR's FreshAir today, Wha! He is good.

Posted: 2007-03-29 0:12
by CAVA
横看竖看也没看出他有多帅。只能说JUN的追星热情让我有点小吃惊。年轻10年时有没追过歌星? :mrgreen:

Posted: 2007-03-29 7:13
by Jun
I'm tone-deaf. Music does nothing to me. So 歌星 has never been on my list...

追星热情 indeed. Remember I drove for 2 hours from PA to MD to see Henning Mankell? :mrgreen:

Posted: 2007-03-29 8:08
by Jun
:lol:

I can hear exasperation in his voice at the mention of Francis Collins. I'm so tired of good ol' uncle Frank's overexposure in media.

In the same vein I am also sick and tired of the overexposure of the obnoxious Sam Harris. He gives atheism a bad name.

Posted: 2007-03-29 8:22
by Knowing
Yeah, I love the way he explaint why he is not a zealot and why kids need to see bible as a literature work.

Posted: 2007-03-29 8:46
by tiffany
圣经故事挺有意思的,简直就是上古时代的肥皂剧本。

Posted: 2007-03-29 9:31
by CAVA
我们当初有一门圣经故事的选修课。回宿舍后大家不知道为什么,纷纷用方言复述,笑翻。

Posted: 2007-04-05 0:29
by 85192820
这老头谁啊~

Posted: 2007-04-05 7:54
by tiffany
有个网站叫做google

Posted: 2007-04-05 8:02
by silkworm
昨天碰见一师弟,他刚答辩完。
我问他,committee都问你什么刁钻问题了?
他说,没怎么问,就针对我reference里引用Wiki的条目进行了一下批判。
我笑死了,"屁也吃得"论文引wiki,真有你的!

Posted: 2007-04-05 8:08
by Jun
If you have to use wiki, at least pretend you're referencing the source (primary) references not the secondary source (wiki). There is a list of reference on wiki entries, you know.

By "you," I meant Dr. Silk's shi-di... :oops:

Posted: 2007-04-05 8:30
by tiffany
我对wiki表示一下儿崇拜,还真是什么都有啊!
我再对蚕博师弟表示一下儿敬仰,还真敢干啊!

Posted: 2007-04-05 12:46
by 森林的火焰
我学的关于p53的知识,从wiki上学来的都记住了,从paper上看来的都没记住。 :oops:

Posted: 2007-04-05 15:34
by dropby
God Delusion有一个声音书的版本, 是他自己和一个女的念的. 不爱看书如我, 听听就可以了. 我对这本书的意见和JUN同, 很弱啊, 根本不能说服人. 基本上, 他解释宗教为什么不是很多人生根本问题的答案还是说得很不错的. 后面讲为什么科学可以代替宗教简直就是放P. 他其实根本不具备写这种书的知识基础.

但是我觉得有这本书还是挺好. 一般人的观念, 即使自己不信, 也都是觉得宗教至少是无害的. 我觉得看什么教了. 我认为佛教比较无害. 但是信唯一真神的这几个教, 都觉得自己掌握了真理, 而真理的排它性使这些宗教都变得非常危险. 以为自己真理在手的人很容易惘顾最一般和本能的道德判断, 明明干的是坏事但是自以为捍卫的是真理. 所以我很高兴看到这本书比较尖锐地指出宗教所可能产生的坏影响.

他关于进化论的几本书, 写得真的是特棒, 强烈推荐.

Posted: 2007-04-06 0:06
by IF NOT
最近被基督徒考验了一下容忍力。公司的team building activity,在美丽的海边喝着鸡尾酒,一位基督徒女同事以坚强的毅力向我这个异教徒传教。说到女人by nature need a leader/a master,又用中文强调了一下:女人在寻找一位主人。
:shock: 我在此瞬间失去自制力,说:人和人是有区别的,也许你需要一个leader,我可不需要。
我实在不能不感慨,女人要愚蠢到什么程度才会信仰对自己这样的歧视。

Posted: 2007-04-06 10:22
by Knowing
Holy Cow, she actually said that? :shock: If I were you, I would tell her I have devoted yourself to Satan the Master already. It would be so fun to see her reaction! :BloodyK: :BloodyK:

Posted: 2007-04-06 10:43
by 洛洛
wiki不错啊,语法正确,图片清晰,cross-reference容易,广大人民群众喜闻乐见。

Posted: 2007-04-06 11:07
by silkworm

Posted: 2007-04-06 11:20
by 森林的火焰
Knowing wrote:Holy Cow, she actually said that? :shock: If I were you, I would tell her I have devoted yourself to Satan the Master already. It would be so fun to see her reaction! :BloodyK: :BloodyK:
Or you can say, Mmm I'm very interested in this idea ..... actually I'm very interested in you also...would u like to be my leader in spirit? Biyoyoyoyoyotch?" :twisted:

This is waht Xiao Ai taught me to say when I met people trying to talk God with me on the road.

Posted: 2007-04-06 14:43
by Jun
后面讲为什么科学可以代替宗教简直就是放P. 他其实根本不具备写这种书的知识基础.
Nod. Nod. The lesson is: Write what you know (and shut up when you don't know what you're talking about).

The woman on the book recording could be his current (3rd) wife who is an actress and, to all you Gui4Zu2-philes, some sort of English aristocrat.

Posted: 2007-04-11 23:09
by IF NOT
咦,我发的帖子怎么没有了?

最近老被基督徒们包围着,很想和他们说要尊重我的信仰自由。但是想想“信仰”这个词不适合无神论,应该说是理性的选择。我选择对自己的行为负责,而不是推给上帝。