with the development of science and technology, change has penetrated into every aspect of our daily life. to illustrate that, i'd like to make a comparison of these two seemingly insignificant things: milkman and mailman, whose differences indicate our changing way of living with the times.
home milk delivery has almost gone extinct in china now, also gone with it are the milkmen, who once delivered bottled fresh milk door-to-door. on the other hand, mailman's business or the courier service has thrived as online shopping gains popularity. however, in retrospect, i find something has been lost in this transition, something shakespeare called as “the milk of human kindness”。
when i was a kid, milk wasn't for sale everywhere. for the families who need it, they depended on the milkmen to take it from the local dairy farms to their houses. in our neighborhood, there was such a milkman, whose arrival was much anticipated by the children and always brought us laughter and joy. he knew the name of every kid and could easily see through our tricks. if we didn't behave, he would side with our parents and threaten to rob us of the nutritious drink. the entire neighborhood was acquainted with him; saw him as a member of the community just like the many residents or street vendors. there was a bond between all of us for it was not only the commodities that been transacted, but also a sense of caring and dependability. and that small box fixed onto our door, other than being a drop-off point for milk; it was a communication junction between the people as we took the initiative to reach out to others.
fast forward to today, milk is ubiquitous with no dedicated delivery system. but the convenience level of our live has gone up a notch. almost everything is for sale online, which spares us all the travelling and talking. with a few ready clicks, shopping is done. the rest is left for those speed delivery companies. usually it's a grumpy mailman, who reaches us through cell phone, urging everyone to pick up their parcels as soon as possible. and the minute the receipt is signed, we rush back to unpack while the courier dashes to the next destination. there is barely a conversation carried out, nor do we feel the need to talk to such a stranger, who changes from time to time frequently. it seems that people are always in a hurry now, though we have more conveniences, still we run short of time to stop and stare, to speak and share.
call me an old-timer, but i think the personal touch represented by the milkman is what has been missing in the modern society. william wordsworth once wrote that “getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.” modern technology may have multiplied our possessions or gave us more conveniences, but we run the risk of reducing our values if we lay waste our power of interpersonal relationships.
隨著科學(xué)技術(shù)的發(fā)展,改變已經(jīng)滲透到我們?nèi)粘Ｉ畹姆椒矫婷?。說(shuō)明,我想做個(gè)比較這兩個(gè)看似無(wú)關(guān)緊要的事情:送奶工和郵差的差異表明我們改變的生活方式。
國(guó)內(nèi)牛奶交付在中國(guó)現(xiàn)在幾乎滅絕,也飄送奶工,曾經(jīng)的瓶裝新鮮牛奶上門交付。另一方面,郵差的業(yè)務(wù)或快遞服務(wù)蓬勃發(fā)展,網(wǎng)上購(gòu)物獲得聲望。然而,現(xiàn)在回想起來(lái),我發(fā)現(xiàn)一些已經(jīng)丟失在這個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)變過(guò)程中,莎士比亞的東西稱為“人情味”。
當(dāng)我還是個(gè)孩子的時(shí)候,牛奶并不出售無(wú)處不在。家庭需要,他們依賴于當(dāng)?shù)啬膛?chǎng)的送奶工把它他們的房子。在我們住的地方,有這樣一個(gè)送奶工,他的到來(lái)備受期待的孩子,總是帶給我們歡笑和快樂。他知道每個(gè)孩子的名字,可以很容易地看到通過(guò)我們的技巧。如果我們不表現(xiàn),他會(huì)站在我們的父母和威脅剝奪我們的營(yíng)養(yǎng)飲料。整個(gè)社區(qū)都熟悉他,看見他作為社區(qū)的一員,就像許多居民或街頭小販。之間有一個(gè)聯(lián)系我們的不僅是商品交易,也是一種關(guān)懷和可靠性。這小盒子固定在我們的門,除了作為一個(gè)下車點(diǎn)牛奶,這是一個(gè)溝通連接之間的人主動(dòng)接觸別人。
快進(jìn)到今天,牛奶是無(wú)處不在的,沒有專門的輸送系統(tǒng)。但是,便利我們的生活水平上升了一個(gè)等級(jí)。幾乎所有的東西都是在網(wǎng)上銷售,這備件我們所有的旅行和說(shuō)話。有一些準(zhǔn)備點(diǎn)擊,購(gòu)物就完成了。其余是留給那些快遞公司速度。通常它是一個(gè)脾氣暴躁的郵差,他通過(guò)手機(jī),我們敦促每個(gè)人都拿起他們的包裹盡快。收到簽署的那一刻,我們趕回解壓而信使破折號(hào)到下一個(gè)目的地。幾乎沒有對(duì)話,我們也不覺得有必要跟這樣一個(gè)陌生人,他不時(shí)變化頻繁?？磥?lái),現(xiàn)在人們總是匆忙,盡管我們有了更多的便利,我們?nèi)匀狈r(shí)間停下來(lái)凝視,說(shuō)話和分享。
叫我一個(gè)老資格的人,但我想送奶工所代表的個(gè)人風(fēng)格是現(xiàn)代社會(huì)所缺失的。威廉·華茲華斯曾經(jīng)寫道:“和支出,我們荒廢的權(quán)力?！艾F(xiàn)代科技可能的財(cái)富倍增或給了我們更多的方便,但是我們減少我們的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)值如果我們荒廢我們的人際關(guān)系的力量。
home milk delivery has almost gone extinct in china now, also gone with it are the milkmen, who once delivered bottled fresh milk door-to-door. on the other hand, mailman's business or the courier service has thrived as online shopping gains popularity. however, in retrospect, i find something has been lost in this transition, something shakespeare called as “the milk of human kindness”。
when i was a kid, milk wasn't for sale everywhere. for the families who need it, they depended on the milkmen to take it from the local dairy farms to their houses. in our neighborhood, there was such a milkman, whose arrival was much anticipated by the children and always brought us laughter and joy. he knew the name of every kid and could easily see through our tricks. if we didn't behave, he would side with our parents and threaten to rob us of the nutritious drink. the entire neighborhood was acquainted with him; saw him as a member of the community just like the many residents or street vendors. there was a bond between all of us for it was not only the commodities that been transacted, but also a sense of caring and dependability. and that small box fixed onto our door, other than being a drop-off point for milk; it was a communication junction between the people as we took the initiative to reach out to others.
fast forward to today, milk is ubiquitous with no dedicated delivery system. but the convenience level of our live has gone up a notch. almost everything is for sale online, which spares us all the travelling and talking. with a few ready clicks, shopping is done. the rest is left for those speed delivery companies. usually it's a grumpy mailman, who reaches us through cell phone, urging everyone to pick up their parcels as soon as possible. and the minute the receipt is signed, we rush back to unpack while the courier dashes to the next destination. there is barely a conversation carried out, nor do we feel the need to talk to such a stranger, who changes from time to time frequently. it seems that people are always in a hurry now, though we have more conveniences, still we run short of time to stop and stare, to speak and share.
call me an old-timer, but i think the personal touch represented by the milkman is what has been missing in the modern society. william wordsworth once wrote that “getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.” modern technology may have multiplied our possessions or gave us more conveniences, but we run the risk of reducing our values if we lay waste our power of interpersonal relationships.
隨著科學(xué)技術(shù)的發(fā)展,改變已經(jīng)滲透到我們?nèi)粘Ｉ畹姆椒矫婷?。說(shuō)明,我想做個(gè)比較這兩個(gè)看似無(wú)關(guān)緊要的事情:送奶工和郵差的差異表明我們改變的生活方式。
國(guó)內(nèi)牛奶交付在中國(guó)現(xiàn)在幾乎滅絕,也飄送奶工,曾經(jīng)的瓶裝新鮮牛奶上門交付。另一方面,郵差的業(yè)務(wù)或快遞服務(wù)蓬勃發(fā)展,網(wǎng)上購(gòu)物獲得聲望。然而,現(xiàn)在回想起來(lái),我發(fā)現(xiàn)一些已經(jīng)丟失在這個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)變過(guò)程中,莎士比亞的東西稱為“人情味”。
當(dāng)我還是個(gè)孩子的時(shí)候,牛奶并不出售無(wú)處不在。家庭需要,他們依賴于當(dāng)?shù)啬膛?chǎng)的送奶工把它他們的房子。在我們住的地方,有這樣一個(gè)送奶工,他的到來(lái)備受期待的孩子,總是帶給我們歡笑和快樂。他知道每個(gè)孩子的名字,可以很容易地看到通過(guò)我們的技巧。如果我們不表現(xiàn),他會(huì)站在我們的父母和威脅剝奪我們的營(yíng)養(yǎng)飲料。整個(gè)社區(qū)都熟悉他,看見他作為社區(qū)的一員,就像許多居民或街頭小販。之間有一個(gè)聯(lián)系我們的不僅是商品交易,也是一種關(guān)懷和可靠性。這小盒子固定在我們的門,除了作為一個(gè)下車點(diǎn)牛奶,這是一個(gè)溝通連接之間的人主動(dòng)接觸別人。
快進(jìn)到今天,牛奶是無(wú)處不在的,沒有專門的輸送系統(tǒng)。但是,便利我們的生活水平上升了一個(gè)等級(jí)。幾乎所有的東西都是在網(wǎng)上銷售,這備件我們所有的旅行和說(shuō)話。有一些準(zhǔn)備點(diǎn)擊,購(gòu)物就完成了。其余是留給那些快遞公司速度。通常它是一個(gè)脾氣暴躁的郵差,他通過(guò)手機(jī),我們敦促每個(gè)人都拿起他們的包裹盡快。收到簽署的那一刻,我們趕回解壓而信使破折號(hào)到下一個(gè)目的地。幾乎沒有對(duì)話,我們也不覺得有必要跟這樣一個(gè)陌生人,他不時(shí)變化頻繁?？磥?lái),現(xiàn)在人們總是匆忙,盡管我們有了更多的便利,我們?nèi)匀狈r(shí)間停下來(lái)凝視,說(shuō)話和分享。
叫我一個(gè)老資格的人,但我想送奶工所代表的個(gè)人風(fēng)格是現(xiàn)代社會(huì)所缺失的。威廉·華茲華斯曾經(jīng)寫道:“和支出,我們荒廢的權(quán)力?！艾F(xiàn)代科技可能的財(cái)富倍增或給了我們更多的方便,但是我們減少我們的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)值如果我們荒廢我們的人際關(guān)系的力量。