那些被歸類為班級(jí)差生的小家伙們，有的可能就此便沉淪下去，或者也有可能遠(yuǎn)離被認(rèn)為是反社會(huì)的那些行為：犯罪或沉溺，成為那些所謂先進(jìn)的、狹窄的價(jià)值觀體系的受害者。在這一價(jià)值觀體系下，社會(huì)只承認(rèn)和鼓勵(lì)少數(shù)幾個(gè)“優(yōu)秀”的品質(zhì)。

但是，我們中的每一個(gè)人，都能夠開(kāi)發(fā)出某種潛質(zhì)，也都能貢獻(xiàn)自己的某些價(jià)值。每個(gè)人生來(lái)總是有與他人平等的、屬于自己的位置和作用。

我們都有讓自己人生豐盈的能力，也有權(quán)利去超越自己，做一個(gè)更好的自己。

一個(gè)真正公平的社會(huì)，不是建立在平等的機(jī)會(huì)上，而是建立在平等的價(jià)值觀體系上。

Global warming, as the term suggests, encompasses the whole world. Environmentally unfriendly practices in the northern hemisphere accelerate the rapid melting of the ice cap in South Antarctica, which in turn has a bearing on weather patterns world-wide.

From recent research it appears that the earth’s eco-systems are so closely related that reactions by Antarctic coral and phytoplankton to adapt to changing climatic conditions are echoed by similar species in northern seas, although these are not subject to the same environmental changes.

If the use of an aerosol can in some remote spot can have an osmotic impact on living organisms at opposite ends of the world, does it not follow that all things on earth are somehow intrinsically connected 

Great thinkers have long maintained that nothing exists in isolation, human beings least of all.

We are part of the same system, no less connected, no less interdependent, than the coral and plankton. Different, though, in that we retain a measure of control. We are able to decide for ourselves what we do with ourselves and our heritage.

As long as we remember just how powerful we are. Each move we make, each word spoken, each thought passing through our brain is enough to affect the world for better or, indeed, for worse.

Today’s Western world sets great store by intelligence. Of all human characteristics, it seems to be the one most coveted. Everyone wants to be clever ? only fools like to think themselves stupid.

The official IQ tests that have been devised to measure mental ability in figures, focus on linguistic and mathematical skills. They are supposed to be independent of culture and background, but they reflect the skills and talentsencouraged and developed in our schools.

It makes you wonder if perhaps our modern syllabus isn’t far too limited. It would be nice to see things like good sense and ethical awareness promoted to serve the common good.

Not to mention emotional intelligence: the ability to handle carefully, constructively, your own emotions as well as those of others.

Imagine if everyone was taught to understand and master person-al motivations and instinctive urges; trained to build harmonious relations based on insight and consideration of others… So many conflicts would be avoided, teamwork and co-operation improved, better results achieved all round.

But modern educators shy away from that which cannot be quantified. It’s doubtful whether we shall ever see the study of human nature on a school syllabus.

I read in the paper about a mother, whose son had been stabbed to death for the sake of his mobile phone. She was setting up a found-ation in the victim’s name to help rehabilitate delinquent youths of the kind who had killed her son.

Blaming his death, not so much on the perpetrators as on the social system that had produced them: a system failing badly in its obligation towards young people in desperate need of discipline, care and control, she hoped the work of the foundation would benefit not only the individuals targeted but anyone ever to come in their way.