CHINA, NATIONAL, SOCIETY, SCIENCE, Commentary: Should Science Reach Beyond National Boundaries?
By Gao Jie
People are divided and separated by national boundaries, but should science be too?
Guo Shenyuan, a young man from Shanghai, was one among the hundreds of thousands of Chinese students who went abroad pursuing further studies. One difference between the many students studying abroad is that some of them are lucky enough to study at public expense, which is definitely very few compared to the total. Most students abroad are taking courses at their own expense, which means they are financially supported by their families or themselves. Guo was among the latter. Actually, we see no problem with these knowledge or career pursuers, because most of them are hard-working and struggling for their dreams. But when things came to Guo, a young man who was just a little bit smarter than his fellows, there was a big difference.
Studying life sciences abroad, Guo earned the name of "a remarkable scientist," "Einstein the second," and so on, from top experts all over the world, in honor of his great contribution to research. They have even named his theory "Guo Theory," or "Guo Guess." The core of his DNA Helix theories is of enormous significance to conquering cancer. But just at the most critical moment, Guo was deprived of his young and promising life by cancer.
Then, in this context, came the embarrassment of "science vs. boundary": Chinese Scholarship Sodality in Boston expressed the idea of presenting a statue of Guo to his alma mater in memory of him, but it was refused by the school leaders; people who wanted to look up to him suggested putting his bone ash in a cemetery close to his hometown Shanghai, but again, it was refused by the authorities.
Why should this be so difficult? Thinking about the "reasons" for refusing to honor him again and again, we can notice an invisible boundary taking shape. The reason provided by the school leader was very simple: "Guo was not the kind of student who studies at public expense. What's more, his study achievement was harvested in American labs rather than Chinese ones."
The implication is obvious too: because it is a foreign fruit, it isn't worth our celebrating. But only five words can easily refute it: "science reaches beyond national boundaries." Achievement is not foreign, but for all human beings; otherwise, why should we commemorate Newton and Einstein?
As for saying that because Guo studied at his own expense in American labs, his research achievement should not be acknowledged by our government, it is a very Chinese characteristic. According to that leader, if a student is sent abroad at public expense, then he or she is entirely supported by the government, no matter how much, or how little he or she achieves or what contribution he or she makes. While for the students who study at their own expense, sorry, everything is on them, even if they turn out to be Einstein or Newton. But, to our confusion, now that sending students at public expense is glorious and privileged as such, and only the top ones can be chosen, then why wasn't Guo, as wise and brilliant as was, sent abroad to study at public expense?
The administrator of that cemetery asked directly: "what cadre was Guo? Was he a head of a bureau or a division or so?" When told, "He was not a cadre, he was a scientist," this administrator did not hesitate to decline the request. "He's not a Nobel prize winner, so he doesn't meet the quality to place his bone ash here."
At public expense or private expense, cadre or common person, prize winner or not, these are only IDs. We are used to identifying people by these so-called standards. But what we seem to have neglected is the real value of people themselves and the real value of their contributions. When did we begin to care more about all those useless things rather than their essences? Any scientist or scientific achievement should not be limited by national boundaries, and neither should they be confined by ideological boundaries. Of course, the social system and institution behind it that brought about all of these ideologies may be more to blame.
The problem is our government is advocating, "the official standard goes first," which misleads the society into a very abnormal concept: a government position is the most important of them all. One direct result is that in China almost all of the academicians or scientists are granted positions in the government, with an official title very much like "Knight," or "Duke," or something similar from the old times.
In fact, an official position is neither necessary nor the only goal for academicians or scientists. Science is worth far more than that. It is a gift from God providing opportunities to discover the secrets of the world. It is there for us all, and all of us share the equal right to enjoy every new finding.
People are divided and separated by national boundaries, but should science be too?
Guo Shenyuan, a young man from Shanghai, was one among the hundreds of thousands of Chinese students who went abroad pursuing further studies. One difference between the many students studying abroad is that some of them are lucky enough to study at public expense, which is definitely very few compared to the total. Most students abroad are taking courses at their own expense, which means they are financially supported by their families or themselves. Guo was among the latter. Actually, we see no problem with these knowledge or career pursuers, because most of them are hard-working and struggling for their dreams. But when things came to Guo, a young man who was just a little bit smarter than his fellows, there was a big difference.
Studying life sciences abroad, Guo earned the name of "a remarkable scientist," "Einstein the second," and so on, from top experts all over the world, in honor of his great contribution to research. They have even named his theory "Guo Theory," or "Guo Guess." The core of his DNA Helix theories is of enormous significance to conquering cancer. But just at the most critical moment, Guo was deprived of his young and promising life by cancer.
Then, in this context, came the embarrassment of "science vs. boundary": Chinese Scholarship Sodality in Boston expressed the idea of presenting a statue of Guo to his alma mater in memory of him, but it was refused by the school leaders; people who wanted to look up to him suggested putting his bone ash in a cemetery close to his hometown Shanghai, but again, it was refused by the authorities.
Why should this be so difficult? Thinking about the "reasons" for refusing to honor him again and again, we can notice an invisible boundary taking shape. The reason provided by the school leader was very simple: "Guo was not the kind of student who studies at public expense. What's more, his study achievement was harvested in American labs rather than Chinese ones."
The implication is obvious too: because it is a foreign fruit, it isn't worth our celebrating. But only five words can easily refute it: "science reaches beyond national boundaries." Achievement is not foreign, but for all human beings; otherwise, why should we commemorate Newton and Einstein?
As for saying that because Guo studied at his own expense in American labs, his research achievement should not be acknowledged by our government, it is a very Chinese characteristic. According to that leader, if a student is sent abroad at public expense, then he or she is entirely supported by the government, no matter how much, or how little he or she achieves or what contribution he or she makes. While for the students who study at their own expense, sorry, everything is on them, even if they turn out to be Einstein or Newton. But, to our confusion, now that sending students at public expense is glorious and privileged as such, and only the top ones can be chosen, then why wasn't Guo, as wise and brilliant as was, sent abroad to study at public expense?
The administrator of that cemetery asked directly: "what cadre was Guo? Was he a head of a bureau or a division or so?" When told, "He was not a cadre, he was a scientist," this administrator did not hesitate to decline the request. "He's not a Nobel prize winner, so he doesn't meet the quality to place his bone ash here."
At public expense or private expense, cadre or common person, prize winner or not, these are only IDs. We are used to identifying people by these so-called standards. But what we seem to have neglected is the real value of people themselves and the real value of their contributions. When did we begin to care more about all those useless things rather than their essences? Any scientist or scientific achievement should not be limited by national boundaries, and neither should they be confined by ideological boundaries. Of course, the social system and institution behind it that brought about all of these ideologies may be more to blame.
The problem is our government is advocating, "the official standard goes first," which misleads the society into a very abnormal concept: a government position is the most important of them all. One direct result is that in China almost all of the academicians or scientists are granted positions in the government, with an official title very much like "Knight," or "Duke," or something similar from the old times.
In fact, an official position is neither necessary nor the only goal for academicians or scientists. Science is worth far more than that. It is a gift from God providing opportunities to discover the secrets of the world. It is there for us all, and all of us share the equal right to enjoy every new finding.
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