The United States "rich the second generation" values
I know a Chinese to come to
the United States
from the summer exchange students, she told me she felt a strange thing. She
boarding in an American home. The couple is a lawyer, has four from high school
to elementary school boy. The somebody else a big house, have a boat and
private plane, very rich, the way life is very simple. One time, both parents
out on vacation, face before walk in the home of big in the refrigerator for at
home four children put a is exactly the same as the size of the four a food,
regardless of size, each a copy. And, back to each of them distribution a job,
trim the grass, wash swimming pool, clean the kitchen, toilet, and so on. The 4
children, big food is not enough to eat, small can't eat. Big to small, small in
doing their own generation that a family as the condition, with some points to
the big. This really is a typical American family, said it typical, not to say
that it has property (the family must be bigger than many other American
families rich), but said its values. The first is equal, parents food
distribution, four children regardless of size, everyone is a type a, almost
unreasonable, no wonder my friend feel strange. The second is property view,
every child a share, and that is to belong to him. How to control this property
is his business. The third is rational negotiation, the older kids not enough
to eat, can't hold strong bullying the weak, to small there to rob. He will get
the extra food, you will have to one another they recognized by the fair trade
to small to exchange. This exchange is rational, and kids know reasonable, can
use this kind of reason. The reasonable children have no one is not selfish,
they are not willing to put the food without costs to give to others, or no
cost for others work. The children although is selfish, but will be Locke said
the "honor shame heart" (Esteemand Disgrace) constraint, know what
can be done (trade), what is can't do (hard rob). Locke said, "honor shame
heart" can be good people to rational, it seems that is applicable to the U.S.
the somebody else's children. Children's moral education goals Locke is
enlightenment, let them know their own self interests, and in the rational
self-control of self interest to understand. To the enlightenment for, of the
dignity of people consciousness is the key, a person's self-control for his
dignity and solid (my own free, rational choice, not by others of forced), and
self interests then for dignity and expand to the interests of the relevant
with others (equal dignity of other individuals).