英文欣赏：我的价值观(约翰.G.李夫人)
编者按：
我相信所有时代最伟大的观念之一，即最令人信服的道德力量就是个人的尊严和价值。为了共同利益而奉献的精神就来自于这种观念。
我相信如果我们把这些看似简单但却十分重要的观念集中起来，用诚实和真理把它们连在一起，人类将会登上一个又一个高峰。
Inspiration from a Drainpipe
By Mrs. John G. Lee
I think the most profound influence in my life was my father. He was an inventor and a scientist with a most inquisitive mind. He loved and was greatly stimulated by the beauty and the design he found in nature. He believed in people and was himself a completely honest person. His sense of humor was keen though kindly and his energy was inexhaustible.
Once he was asked how he got the idea for the Maxim Silencer. He answered, "By watching the way water behaved when it went down a drain." This simple statement opened up for me a whole realm of ideas which led to a firm belief that human intelligence need recognize no bounds; that through the use of our intelligence we will move progressively closer to an understanding of man and of the universe around us; that this knowledge will bring a closer harmony between man and his surroundings; and that this way lies the chance to make the world a better place to live in.
Then I remember sitting with him on the deck of his boat one night in early September. We were anchored in a secluded cove. The breeze was light and very salty. We could hear across a little strip of land the pounding of the surf. The stars were brilliant and every now and then a shooting star would streak across the sky. He was deeply interested in astronomy and he led my mind into unforgettable population as we explored the grandeur of that night. I think from this I came to understand that there must be law and order in our universe. There is design. Man can observe, he can learn to understand, he can apply. The secret is to apply in the interests of the common good; not for one or for a few; not to destroy but to build for all peoples.
My mother and father each had an acute social conscience. They believed that because good fortune had endowed them with better than average opportunity, they had a duty to perform in their communities. From this no doubt came my own conviction that I must give more than I receive and that a satisfactory life must be measured by its usefulness to others.
I remember the excitement engendered by the conversation in our home. All kinds of ideas were explored; all sorts of prejudices were challenged; penetrating minds were brought to bear on every problem of the day. I learned that each one of us has a right to his own beliefs, that prejudice perverts truth and that violence in the long run gains us nothing. From this understanding I moved into the belief that people everywhere must learn how to work together for the common purpose of the betterment of mankind.
I believe one of the greatest ideas of all times, one that is a compelling moral force, is the concept of the dignity and worth of the human individual. From this idea there develops a sense of devotion to the common good.
I believe that if we pull these rather simple but fundamental things together and tie them up with honesty and truth, there are no visible limits to the heights to which mankind can rise .
我的价值观
约翰.G.李夫人
我想在我一生中，父亲对我的影响最大。他是一位发明家和科学家，对任何事物都充满好奇。他热爱他在自然中发现的美和图案，并从中获得极大的启示。他相信人，自己也是个十分诚实的人。他的幽默尽管有时让人感到尖刻，但却是善意的；他的精力十分旺盛。一次，有人问他怎么想到马克西姆消音器这个点子。他回答说，“是观察水在排水管中流动的方式得到的启发。”这句简单的话开启了我的心智，使我坚信人类的智慧无穷无尽；运用我们的智慧，我们将逐步深入了解人类和我们周围的宇宙；这种知识将使人类和他们生活的环境更加和谐地相处；只有这样，我们才有机会使人类生活的世界更美好。
我还记得九月初的一天晚上，我和父亲坐在他的小船甲板上。船停靠在一个幽僻的小湾里。阵阵微风吹过，带着咸味。一小条狭长陆地那边传来浪花拍岸的声音。星星明亮，不时会有一颗流星划过夜空。父亲对天文学深感兴趣，当我们探讨那天晚上壮丽的夜色时，他引导着我思索，那种思索令我永远不能忘怀。我想正是从那时起我开始懂得在我们的宇宙里必须有法律和秩序。一切都安排好了。人类能够观察，能够学会理解事物并运用所学的知识，奥秘就在于运用知识是为了所有的人的利益，而不是为了某一个人或几个人，不是为了毁灭而是为了所有人而建设。
我的父母都有强烈的社会责任感。他们认为他们有责任在自己的群体中履行自己的职责，因为好运给了他们比一般人更多的机会。我自己的信仰也正是来自于此，我应该更多地给予而不是领受，令人满意的人生必须通过你是否对他人有用来衡量。
我还记得在我家里的谈话所带来的兴奋和激动。各种观点都得到探讨；各种偏见都受到质疑；深邃的思想几乎触及当代所有的问题。我明白我们都一个人都有权利拥有自己的信仰，偏见会歪曲真理，从长远的观点看来，暴力会使我们一无所获。正是基于这样的认识，我开始相信世界各地的人们必须学会如何团结起来，为了人类更美好的明天这一共同目标而奋斗。
我相信所有时代最伟大的观念之一，即最令人信服的道德力量就是个人的尊严和价值。为了共同利益而奉献的精神就来自于这种观念。
我相信如果我们把这些看似简单但却十分重要的观念集中起来，用诚实和真理把它们连在一起，人类将会登上一个又一个高峰。
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