Theme: Does foreign culture do more good than harm or more harm than good?

The advantages of foreign culture to the development of national culture outweigh the disadvantages (the first Chinese famous university students debate) Positive side: Zhejiang University team The advantages of foreign culture to the development of national culture outweigh the disadvantages Opposite side: Fudan University team The disadvantages of foreign culture to the development of national culture outweigh the advantages Chairman: Jiang Feng Time: December 18th, 1995 afternoon Chairman: Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to watch the "First Chinese Famous Universities Debate Invitational Competition", the grand final, which is initiated and hosted by the Shanghai Educational Television. Welcome to the final round of the "First Invitational Debate Competition for College Students from Famous Universities in China" sponsored and organized by Shanghai Education Television (SETV). In the past six days, eight teams from Lanzhou University, Southeast University, Fudan University, Beijing Normal University, University of Science and Technology of China, Wuhan University, Shandong University, and Zhejiang University had four preliminary rounds and two semi-final rounds. The two teams sitting on the field today are leading the way. However, which team will be the champion will have to go through the last round of arduous and honorable struggle. Of course, the winners and losers of the competition are temporary, but the talent and social responsibility of today's youngest generation of intellectuals will remain in people's hearts for a long time. Now, allow me to introduce the lineup of the two participating teams: sitting on my right is the positive side of the Zhejiang University team. Their position is that "foreign culture does more good than harm to the development of national culture". Their first defense is Yang Minhai, a fourth-year undergraduate of the Department of Chemical Engineering; the second defense is Wang Jian, a fourth-year undergraduate of the Department of Biomedical Sciences; the third defense is Zhao Weimei, a fourth-year undergraduate of the Department of Chemical Engineering; the fourth defense is Yu Sicheng, a second-year master's degree student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Sitting on my left side is the opposing team from Fudan University. Their position is: "Foreign culture does more harm than good to the development of national culture. Their first defense is Mr. Fang Hao, a second-year undergraduate student of the Department of International Politics; their second defense is Mr. Zhu Zhengwei, a third-year undergraduate student of the Department of Sociology; their third defense is Mr. Huang Rongcai, a third-year undergraduate student of the Department of Law; and their fourth defense is Mr. He Ping, a third-year undergraduate student of the Department of Law. The judging panel of our debate today consists of five experts and scholars. They are: Yu Qiuyu, professor of Shanghai Theater Academy and literary scholar; Wu Yigong, art director of Shanghai Radio, Film and Television Bureau and film artist; Zheng Hangsheng, vice president of Renmin University of China and philosopher; Jiang Ping, jurist and former president of China University of Political Science and Law; and Zhang Zhongli, president of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and economist. Thank you for their presence. Ladies and Gentlemen, whether foreign culture does more harm than good or more good than harm to the development of national culture is a question that has perplexed countless philosophers in ancient and modern times and at home and abroad, and today, two excellent debating teams will start a detailed discussion on this. The argument of the positive side Zhejiang University team is: foreign culture does more good than harm to the development of national culture", while the negative side Fudan University team's point of view is "foreign culture does more harm than good to the development of national culture". According to the rules of the International Debate Match, the points of view of both sides will be decided by drawing lots. Now we invite the first defense of the positive side, Yang Minhai, to elaborate the argument first, and the time is 3 minutes, please. Positive side: Thank you, President! Our side believes that foreign culture does more good than harm to the development of national culture. Before we start this debate, let's first clarify a few concepts: what is culture? Culture is all the spiritual and material products created by human beings. What is national culture? A national culture is a culture with its own characteristics that was created and developed in a certain period of history. Then what is a foreign culture? We consider a foreign culture to be one that is entering a nation, interacting with its society, and being gradually accepted by it. Today, we are faced with a debate between pros and cons. Pros and cons are never tangible results, never possibilities based on speculation, and therefore the measurement of pros and cons can only be made by factual judgment. Secondly, the criterion of who has greater or lesser advantages and disadvantages is naturally essential. We believe that with the overall perspective, development and discernment, as long as the foreign culture to the development of national culture to play a positive role in promoting, which is more good than harm. At the same time. We are also awake to see the foreign culture itself has its own advantages and disadvantages, but we are never all take the essence, remove the dross? We never should absorb all the excellent cultural achievements created by mankind? We should never be the newcomers who are good at taking Pi, therefore, we can never judge the advantages and disadvantages of foreign culture for the development of national culture by the disadvantages brought by the wrong introduction of national culture. First, let's show you a magnificent historical picture! In Renaissance Europe, the ancient Chinese civilization represented by the Four Great Inventions made the revival of Europe possible. The excellent Italian classical works fed Shakespeare, who was a highly English nationalist. China, on the other hand, once on a par with the Arabs, who possessed the entire cultural heritage of the ancient West, has since learned the lesson of lagging behind and being beaten up in a closed-door world. When we stand once again on the broad stage at the turn of the century today, reviewing the centuries of extensive dissemination and exchange of world culture, we marvel at how foreign culture has brought about the rise and leap of national culture, and we believe that the development of any national culture can only advance by leaps and bounds when it is in the midst of the intermingling and collision of cultures of other nations, and we will likewise believe that the principle of "embracing the world and accepting all things from all quarters" is the very essence of the strong confidence and history of a national culture. We will also believe that "accepting and embracing all cultures" is the best manifestation of the strong confidence and historical value of a nation's culture. As the saying goes: "Don't fear the floating clouds to cover your eyes, just because you are in the highest source." Thank you all! （PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mr. Yang Minhai. Positive students have been the first to win, then we listen to the opposition of the first defense situation Hao students how to open the argument, time is also three minutes, please. Opposite side: Chairman, everyone, hello! Anthropologist Murphy said: "Culture is the product of human wisdom, the unique living customs and characteristics, behavioral styles and patterns of different societies. From Benedict to Ember, from Liang Shuming to Qian Mu, all of them think that artifacts (systems) are civilization, while culture includes only the spiritual dimension and value system. The other side, however, tells us that culture includes the material dimension, which is obviously stealing the proposition. National culture refers to the national spirit and value system that dominates cultural changes within a sovereign state. Foreign culture refers to values and systems of thinking that come from outside the nation. Today's debate is a holistic one, and the other side should tell us that foreign cultures do more good than harm to the development of national cultures, no matter when, where, or under what circumstances. However, the other side tells us to "take the best of something and discard the dregs", is this not adding a selection mechanism for foreign culture? This is obviously a second substitution of propositions. In Lu Xun's view, there are only two kinds of foreign cultures, those that are brought and those that are sent. Let's look at "brought" first. Foreign culture is a mixed bag of good and bad. The part that can be generalized has no advantages and disadvantages to speak of, and the part that cannot be generalized, even if it is to be brought, must be through the mechanism of the contract, leaving aside the fact that this adds a preamble to the topic of the debate, there are two results that we should see: first, the roots of the culture of the tribe for a complete transformation, the only thing that is expected of foreign cultures, the loss of the national subjective consciousness, the pros and cons of the loss is not self-evident; and secondly, will be a self-contained system of values, broken down into value judgments that are separated from this, and everyone's heart will be broken down into value judgments, and everyone's mind will be broken into value judgments. Secondly, if the self-contained value system is broken down into value judgments that are separated from it, and everyone has different standards of right and wrong in his heart, will it be more beneficial or detrimental to the self-adjustment of the national culture and the stability of the society? Next, let's look at "sending". We can't talk about a problem without the context in which it occurs. Marx believed that when capital connects the world as one, "it will change the whole world in its own face." Does it send nothing but flowers and bread? No. History has shown that it was nothing more than an anesthetic before a surgical operation on the national spirit, designed to force the weaker nations to identify with their new masters. It is true that we have introduced some science and technology, management experience and other civilizations, because we know that the development of Chinese civilization cannot be separated from foreign civilizations. However, we must see that in the post-cold war era, when the "hard power" of politics and military has been transferred to the "soft power" of culture as a means of global westernization, do you still insist that the advantages of foreign cultures outweigh the disadvantages to the development of national culture? Do you still insist that the advantages of foreign cultures outweigh the disadvantages for the development of national culture? When we walk down the street, we see Alexander and Washington; when we pick up the phone, our once familiar friends become ALLEN and MEIL-ISA; when our children tell you that the plaza is the building, and Ultraman is the hero, all of these are not fantasies of the future, but realities that are still vivid in our minds. At this moment, the other students can still feel comfortable telling us that foreign cultures do more good than harm to the development of national culture? The foreigners do not mess with China, the former philosophers of the training, survival and continuity, the Saints of the general rules. To summarize, we believe that foreign culture does more harm than good to the development of national culture. Thank you all! （PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Fang Hao. Next, we invite Wang Jian, the second defense, to speak for three minutes, please. Positive side: Thank you, President! The definition of our culture is taken from the Dictionary, while the other side uses a foreigner's definition to attack our very pure national culture. Is it reasonable for you to attack the national culture with a foreign culture when you claim that it does more harm than good? (Applause) We believe that foreign culture does more good than harm to the development of national culture, and I will elaborate from the level of cultural exchange. First, cultural exchange is the companion of human history and the wheel of social development. An American sociologist put it well, "From the space shuttle to the sugar paste on the streets of Beijing, everything is included in the Liuqian / In other words, cultural exchange is the total exchange of all the products of material civilization and spiritual civilization created by human beings. In other words, cultural exchange is the total exchange of all the products of material and spiritual civilization created by human beings. Its historical function is to greatly promote the communication and integration of cultures among various ethnic groups, and thus to promote the development of the cultures of various ethnic groups. Obviously, this foreign culture has done more good than harm to the development of national culture. Secondly, from the history of cultural exchanges, there has always been a distinction between civilization and barbarism, so with regard to cultural aggression and expansion in a barbaric way, our position has always been to firmly resist it on the one hand, and to actively enhance our own immunity on the other. How to strengthen? Should we be closed or open? Of course, we should be open, only openness can promote the advantages and inhibit the disadvantages, only openness can make the national culture develop healthily. Thirdly, from the viewpoint of the regularity of cultural exchange, one of the points is that foreign culture is often a necessary condition for the development of national culture. Without foreign culture, national culture is in the middle of a closed system, just like a lonely boat in the vast ocean, losing a frame of reference, and it is very easy to form a kind of closed cultural and psychological concepts, which is extremely unfavorable to the development of national culture. Fourth, foreign culture is both an opportunity and a challenge to national culture. If it is an opportunity, we should make full use of it; if it is a challenge, we should face the reality. Foreign cultures provide opportunities for national cultures, bring a large amount of external information, and provide an external frame of reference, which is the opportunity, "the opportunity is not to be lost, and the time will not come again". Of course, foreign cultures may stir up shocking waves, and may also bring national pains, which is the challenge. However, what we want to tell you is that the sea oats that have been baptized by storms will be stronger; the pebbles that have experienced the impact of waves will be more beautiful, and the national culture that has experienced the impact of foreign cultures will be more brilliant and glorious. Thank you all! （PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mr. Wang Jian. Next, let's listen to the opposing side of the second defense Zhu Zhengwei students how to rebuttal, time is also three minutes, please. Opposing side: President, everyone, good day! Just now, the first defense of the other side said that foreign culture itself has its own advantages and disadvantages, the question is why the advantages of foreign culture are the right remedy for national culture, while the disadvantages of both Chinese and foreign cultures together will be negative and positive? I would like to remind the other side once again that Mr. Qian Mu also said that artifacts and institutions belong to the category of civilization. Civilization itself has no pros and cons to speak of, and it is only in a certain culture that value judgments can be made about it. And culture, as a spiritual value system, is not advanced or backward. The foreign culture we are discussing today mainly refers to that part of the culture which is incommensurable with the national culture. Because cultures that can be generalized, such as industriousness and bravery, are the characteristics of human beings, and there is no distinction between Chinese and foreign cultures. (Applause.) After clarifying the basic concept, we say that the first thing to do in judging whether a foreign culture is conducive to the development of the national culture is to see whether it is conducive to the maintenance of the main consciousness of the national culture, and that foreign cultures come to us uninvited, either by long-distance driving, or by submerging, and that their ultimate aim is to replace the value system of the national culture by their value system. May I ask whether the advantages of clamoring for the master outweigh the disadvantages? Secondly, we have to see whether the foreign culture is conducive to the maintenance of the law of development of the national culture itself. Since it is incommensurable with the national culture, the foreign culture is incompatible with the natural and social environment in which it inevitably emerges. If it is copied and forced, it will destroy the law of development of the national culture itself. At the same time, the foreign culture itself will be negatively affected by the incompatibility of the soil and water. May I ask, are the advantages of both losses outweighed by the disadvantages? Thirdly, it is to see whether the foreign culture is conducive to maintaining the social stability of our own nation. If we must transform our own environment to adapt to foreign cultures, then "if the skin does not survive, the hair will not be attached to it", if even the foundation of the national culture is gone with the wind, then how can we talk about development and prosperity? May I ask whether the advantages of removing the salary from the bottom of the kettle outweigh the disadvantages? Finally, I would like to ask you to think about why we are discussing this debate today. In today's post-Cold War period, what kind of foreign culture is our Chinese national culture facing. If anything. If we talk about the pros and cons of foreign cultures in isolation from their specific contexts, then we are not talking about them at all.' The original purpose of the theme of "Thinking Across the Century"? Max Weber tells us that the Western world today has come to dominate capitalist life, and that the strong national cultures of the West have themselves become imbued with the commercial spirit of capitalism. Supported by transnational capital, they have taken to forcefully marketing themselves through commercial immersion and supra-cultural coercion, so that the cultures of other peoples have become path-dependent on it, and ultimately totally dependent on it. Once again, I ask, does cultural colonization do more good than harm? To sum up, whether there are more advantages or disadvantages, and where to go from here, please think twice before you speak! Thank you (Applause) Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Zhu Zhengwei. Next, let's listen to the high opinion of Zhao Weizhi, the third defense of the positive side, and the time is also three minutes, please. Positive side: Although we and the other side of the defense of the views of the tit-for-tat, but we are with a **** the same goal: for the Chinese national culture to explore a real development of the road, so I would like to point out that the other side of the defense of a few points of bias in the speech. First, today's topic is a matter of factual judgment. That is to say, when we stand at the turn of the century in China and look forward to the next century, we are looking back on the thousands of years of cultural development of mankind. However, the opposing debaters seem to be uninterested in the historical facts of the spread and exchange of cultures among the races of the world, and are caught up in an environment of historical speculation. They seem to have this point of view: If history had not developed in this way, then how would it be now. I would like to ask: Is history something that can be assumed so casually? Secondly, in order to measure the pros and cons, there must be a criterion, but the other side has not told us up to now where your criterion for measuring the pros and cons is? But the other side hasn't told us what criteria you use to measure the pros and cons, nor how you arrive at the conclusion that the cons outweigh the pros. Thirdly, the other side does not talk about the role of "foreign culture" to "national culture", but makes a great deal of criticism of the foreign culture itself. We never deny that the foreign culture itself is not perfect, but the integration of culture is not a sausage, and the national culture is not a weak and fragile Lin Daiyu. We do not want to turn today's debate into a "theory of the merits of foreign cultures", and we do not want to be the historical culprits of "total westernization". In fact, the debate on the pros and cons of foreign culture, as early as in China's modern history, there have been three rounds of exchanges, whether it is from the first