High Life

28 品 事。我不喜欢那样。我认为美国正变 得更加军国主义，我希望看到这种倾 向的减弱。同时我认为中国并不军国 主义，我没有遇到过想让孩子加入军 队的中国人。 “受过教育的中国人并不认为这 是通往权力或成功的道路。我认为这 一点很好，因为军事并不主导政策。 如果军队变得更有影响力，那就很危 险了。” 何伟认为，上世纪九十年代是美 国的开放时代。美国人在冷战结束 后及911尚未发生前，并不热衷于战 争。从心理上看，美国人更加理想主 义，有出国和学习的动机。 他回忆道：“我们这些加入和平 队的人并非出于爱国之心或者我们想 要保护美国人的价值观。我们是在试 图学习。对于个人来说，最好的事情 是保持动力。当前，美国希望人们学 习阿拉伯语，目的是不会被阿拉伯人 袭击，但这不是一个好动机。这是恐 惧。 “中国人想要学英语，是因为他 们想改善自己的生活。这显然更有成 效，是一种乐观开放的态度。” “Chinese are flexible. They are very aggressive and fearless. They are open to changes and challenges. When Americans look at the outside world, they see places that want to attack them. When Chinese look at the outside world, they see opportunities. This is one of the differences between Americans and Chinese in this generation.” Although no longer teaching English in rural China, Hessler still keeps in touch with his former students, most ofwhomnowown a car and apartment and live in the cities. He describes themas middle class, but his students still consider themselves to be lower class due to the fact that they came from the villages. After leaving China and going to Egypt, Hessler also met Chinese who were traveling and living overseas. His unique cultural perspective stays with him and offers him exceptional insights in connecting with people from around the globe. “In Egypt I saw tons of Chinese peopletravelingthereandsomeofthem are basically lao bai xing (commoners). They have enough money to travel but they are not rich,” he says. “They are choosing to spend their money this way because they are interested in learning about the outside world. Education and contact with the outside world is important. Americans should encourage any kind of exchange program or study of a foreign language, but under Trump, they see no point to that.