untitiled

This is really good and cogent

Philip Ursprung：“发生在20世纪的从生产到分配和信息的经济学转换并没有根本地改变奇观产生的动力，改变的不过是它的机制。”

cecil balmond

• At first, I assumed a certain subservience in engineering, as an enabling science to the act of putting up buildings. There was satisfaction in negotiating its precisions, and only I had X-ray eyes to see into the equations and numbers.Then I began to question what these regular framings of closed squares and rectangles were; were they containers of an empty inanimate space?
• I looked again. I did not believe in this restriction.
• There is a lot more to structure than strict post and beam. Slabs may fold and act as lines of vertical strength, beams may bifurcate and change shape, columns can serve as beams, the ingredients are all there to evolve form in fascinating ways. The chanllenge is to make structure the new discipline in a re-examination of space!!!
• Now the computer opens a door and gives unparalleled freedom to explore - the result is a bewildering a mind behind free-for-all where anything goes. But cool shapes and blobs are nothing more than mere facade if they are propped up by standard post and bem constructions. To create an integrity in the establishing of a free shape a new method is needed for configuration with flexible start points. instead of line - surface; instead of equi-support-scatter; instead of fixed centre-a moving locus; and instead of points-zones.
• Because there is no hierachy, only interdependence, I call this template of ideas informal.
• As we are made of patterns, both random and regular, both phyical and emotional, probing the archetypes of pattern is important - in its recognition and resonance we may find an element of beauty.
• In the past beauty was conditioned by aspects of purity, fixed symmetries and pared minimal structure being accepted as norms. As long as  our brain kept to tramlines of reasoning the model persisted. Now that the world  is being accepted as not simple, the comples and oblique and the interwining of logic strangs gain favour. Reason itself is finally being understood as nascent structure, non-linear and dependent on feedback procedures. Beauty may lie in the actual processes of engagement and be more abstract than the aesthetic of objecthood. Ultimately it may really be a constructive preocess.

天涯上一个叫羽兄写的昆德拉的评

吸引我的是第一段，但是后文没有了回应。中间的诗也不错。发现昆德拉对命运有着莫大的敬畏。他对小说的观念有点像我对建筑的观念：以最虔诚的心态对待，抽开自身的好恶。虽然作者并没有什么实质性的观点，但还算是清晰的。引用几天既删。 shi...居然说在说字数过多请开新单元...烂

米兰·昆德拉六题：小说与笑声

作者：羽戈 提交日期：2006-1-15 15:34:00

米兰·昆德拉六题：小说与笑声

我从小受无神论的教育，而且一直津津乐道于此，直到有一天，我目睹基督徒受到侮辱，情况顿时起了变化。一下子，我青少年时代诙谐的无神论如同一切年轻人的幼稚行为一样，飞逝得无处可寻。我理解我信教的朋友们，我的心中充 满激情和团结精神。有时，我还陪他们去教堂望弥撒。尽管如此，我仍然无法相信存在着一个掌握我们所有人命运的活生生的上帝。无论如何，我又能知道什么？而他们，他们又能知道什么？他们确信自己确信吗？我身子坐在教堂里，心中却怀着一种奇怪而幸福的感觉：我的不信神与他们的信神竟是那么令人惊奇地相似。

——米兰·昆德拉

“我是一个停顿”

《米兰·昆德拉传》的作者高兴先生在传记的开头就承认，他揽上了一件艰难而冒险的活儿。不是因为传主昆德拉的一生平淡无奇，不值得大书特书，而是因为这个顽固的家伙一直潜藏在厚重的作品背后，将自己的私生活划为任何人都无法窥视与逾越的禁区——他向来憎恨采访，这样恶毒的诅咒就出自他的嘴巴：“头一个允许记者随意复制他的言论的作家罪该万死。”他在法文版著作上写下的简历仅有两句话：“米兰·昆德拉传生于捷克斯洛伐克。一九九五年移居法国。”比起他的中国同行——尤其是某一类作家，在介绍自己的时候，总喜欢列出长长一串冠冕堂皇而且名目繁多的世俗头衔与获奖历史——昆德拉难免显得不合时宜。

但是这本传记还是拉近了昆德拉距离读者的影象。我们总算知道，在《被背叛的遗嘱》一书里大谈巴赫和斯特拉文斯基的先生原来出身于音乐世家，他在年轻时还写过诗歌，1968年他与前捷克总统哈维尔争执的具体境况，他与作家卡洛斯·富恩特斯、加西亚·马尔克斯，诗人奥克塔维奥·帕斯的友情。在他移居法国之后撰写的一篇个人小词典——解释他作品中的关键、费解、以及他所偏爱的语词——专门为帕斯留出一节：“我正在编篡这本小词典时，墨西哥城发生了可怕的地震。奥克塔维奥·帕斯同他的妻子玛丽-诺居住在那里。整整九天杳无音信。九月二十七日，电话铃响起：来自奥克塔维奥的消息。我开了一瓶酒，为他干杯。我让他那可亲可爱的名字成为这六十三个词中的第四十九个。”

而富恩特斯在《另一个K》中这样介绍他的捷克朋友：“昆德拉在吼叫。一位斯拉夫巨人，长着一张奥得河东边你才能看到的脸，颧骨高高的，很硬，鼻子上翘，短短的头发正在告别青春的金黄，进入四十出头时的灰白领地。大奖争夺者和苦行僧的混合体，马克斯·施梅林和波兰人约翰·保罗二世间的十字架，伐木者和登山者的体格，那双手，既是作家的，一如他本人，也是钢琴家的，就像他父亲。眼睛，同所有斯拉夫眼睛一样：灰色，灵动，见到我们冻成冰棍时微微笑了一下，紧接着又布满了忧郁——那从一种情感到另一种情感叫人吃惊的转变，正是斯拉夫灵魂的标志，情感交叉的标志。”

昆德拉一生都在坚守反政治的姿态，用流亡异乡表示对故国捷克的专制统治的抗议，用作品抒发对极权主义的嘲讽——但他却不愿承认，反政治本身也是一种政治。为了避免与政治挂钩，他把自己的小说家身份提升到一个高远乃至无与伦比的位置。曾经有这么一段对话：“昆德拉先生，您是共产主义者吗？”“不，我是小说家。”“您是持不同政见者吗？”“不，我是小说家。”“您是左派还是右派？”“既不是左派也不是右派，我是小说家。”还有，他的小说《玩笑》——他的所有小说中最像小说的一部——总被西方评论家诠释为意图明确的政治隐喻，并且视昆德拉为“出于义愤或在暴行的刺激下愤而执笔写作的社会反抗作家”。甚至到了八十年代，在一次关于他的作品的电视讨论会上，有人称《玩笑》是对“斯大林主义的有力控诉”。昆德拉愤慨地反驳：“请别用你的斯大林主义来让我难堪了。《玩笑》只是个爱情故事！”——这是他与兼容剧作家和总统之两重身份的哈维尔的歧异，也是与德国作家君特·格拉斯的歧异，后者曾经在一些集会上高声呼喊：“我们不是作家，是公民。”

我乐于相信，昆德拉确实代表着一种独特的生活方式，因为他的高古，以至疏离于我们这个惶惑的时代，正如帕斯献给他的诗歌《在走和留之间》所吟唱的：

在走和留之间，日子摇曳，

沉入透明的爱。

此刻，环形的下午是片海湾

世界在静止中摆动。

一切都清晰可见，一切都难以捕捉，

一切都近在眼前，一切都无法触摸。

纸，书，笔，玻璃杯，

在自己名字的阴影里栖息。

时间在我的庙宇震颤，重复着

永恒不变的血的音节。

光将冷漠的墙

变成幽灵般的反光剧场。

我发觉自己处于眼睛的中央，

用茫然的凝视望着自己。

瞬间在弥漫，一动不动，

我留，我走：我是一个停顿。

怀着爱和焦虑倾听笑声

将政治伦理与性爱叙事并举，使放荡故事与哲学思考为邻，对于用惯了反讽手法的米兰·昆德拉，似乎是最为轻松的写作游戏。这个今年已76岁的捷克老人总是面目冷峻而眼神深邃，从那里找不见半丝嘲弄的味道。可是当我们将目光投注到他的文字，就会很容易地明晓，什么叫做滑稽，而什么又是荒诞。从最初的《玩笑》到最近的《无知》，他一直在竭力消解着被很多人终生信靠的某些崇高的精神事物。
为此他累受指责。可即使是置于与他相反立场的人们，也会在激烈的批判之余，叹服他的智慧与深刻。

他的小说，总是用戏剧化的情节将叙事缓缓铺展。幸运的是，我们也能读到他写就的真正戏剧。《雅克和他的主人》，改编自狄德罗的《宿命论者雅克》，一个两百多年前同样智慧的人的作品。此剧成于1971年的布拉格，昆氏正徘徊在幽暗而漫长的专制之夜，那里异常冰冷。四年后，难以说清是因为失望还是希望，他终于逃离，开始了半生的流亡漂泊。可让我感到惊诧的是，在这个重压下诞生的文本中，竟很难找到昆氏惯常的对某种意识形态的仇恨，甚至连深沉的隐喻也无法寻觅。根据后来的一些散记中的透露，这次“变奏”是他对狄德罗的虔敬致意，而在他的心里，狄氏又是自由、理性、批判等欧洲精神的化身，所以此剧也可以视为是对西方文化的怀恋——因为苏联对捷克的占领象征着一种强行实施的反西方化。不必争论他的价值取向的对错，如此崎岖的用意，倒省却了我们的费心猜疑——至少在文本意义上完全可以视之为一次无色彩的个体性变奏，它仅仅关乎一个时代的生存艰难。

很多个迷惘的人——本质上只有三个；三个平庸的爱情故事——本质上只是一个；一个问题所在——本质上又指向无数。主人重复毕塔尔，毕塔尔又重复被骗的侯爵，抑或是其中的互相重复——这是故事中的重复；而昆德拉重复狄德罗，狄德罗重复斯特恩，尽管有时光的差距，尽管每个人都有自己的看法。剧里剧外的重复制造了无尽的混乱：身份的，语言的，时间的。事实上，各种混乱都对应着相关的荒诞。而这些荒诞汇集一处，便映出了我们时代苍白而虚弱的影子。应该承认，昆德拉的的写作是一次伟大的变奏，他通过对狄德罗小说中的人物的颠覆，同时用极了反讽等各样技巧，才使“主人与雅克忘乎所以地大讲特讲在启蒙时代难以想象的荒唐话”，并让观众如此沉醉。

我不愿用过多的文字去重述这一有些杂乱的剧情，那样就很可能落入昆氏的圈套，况且一部优秀戏剧的高妙所在的确无法用语言表达。1998年，昆氏在回忆中不无得意地夸耀了此剧实际演出的成功。可这一切并不能遮蔽我最原初的追问：昆德拉到底想触痛现代人灵魂的哪块伤口？一个不再乐观的时代，一个相当绝望的老人，在看尽观众们浅薄的欢笑后，又有谁看见那缄默的嘴角弯出的一缕苦涩？至少戏剧开头的那个细节显示，他并非如指责中的冷漠如冰，而依然深爱着这个苦难的世界。

戏剧首先展现给我们的，是一个没有布景的舞台：“他们从哪里来？不知道。他们叫什么？这与我们没关系。他们多大年纪？不……”除去所有无奈的纷扰，这是彻底的纯哲学境域。那个姑且叫做雅克的人，他一上台就问，并“带着一种哲理性的轻蔑”：我们从哪里来，又往何处去？这是困惑千古的难题，昆氏在此重新提出，并非为了以这么一问来增加作品的重量。意味深长的更在于结尾，两个不太幸运的人经过曲折的挣扎后再次相逢，他们又在重复：

主人问雅克：往哪儿走？

雅克回答：往前走。

主人又问：前方是哪儿？

雅克“用手划了一个大圆圈”，只要能伫立其中，无论往哪儿看，全都是前面。

无论昆德拉在这里设下的“圆圈”暗示着什么，我们都应该看到其中隐藏的绝望。这段对话可以说是宿命论哲学最经典的对白。在我看来，宿命论是一种彻底绝望的思想。面对周遭的一切，什么都不能改变，一种由衷的无力感弥散于此。宿命作为一剂绝佳的安慰药，很为脆弱的生命体所狂热欢迎。剧中，昆德拉特意从雅克与主人的言谈中引出一位天上的人儿，他始终没有现身——是他虚构了雅克与主人的生活——又是昆德拉虚构了他。雅克诸人的眼中，他似乎就是命运的掌管者，他决定了地上的一切事情。可世界这个大剧院中，此人又在何处，又会是谁呢？昆氏没有回答，也无法回答。当观众于幕落时为主人那个悲伤的手势而神情黯然，我们的大师正躲在黑暗的角落，悄然无声，只是谁也不能看见他的面容。

“仆人和主人穿越了现代西方的整个历史”，我们都注意到，那是一条荒诞的旅途，然而我们还是会在一片畅快的欢笑声（不知是否有哭泣）里走出繁华的剧院，雅克与我们无关。是的，这不是一个乐观的世纪，但这是一个喜剧的世纪。昆德拉是一个绝望的人，而我们的观众却是愿意看到希望的。这又是一个可以困惑世代的悖论。就像昆氏忧伤的眼神与他笔下的戏谑文字，它们的距离总是如此之大。我想象着逐渐老去的此人，他会如何对待这个世界观赏完他的戏剧后留下的笑声呢？昆氏这样写到：“……我听见了他们远去的笑声。怀着爱和焦虑，我依恋这笑声，正如人们依恋脆弱的，要消失的事物一样，这些事物已被判决”。假如我们愿意相信，这是一位历经风波的老人的最亲切的心声与忠告，我们也可以相信，他留给我们的希望，已超过绝望，并且远远超过。

记忆与遗忘的争斗

“人与权力的斗争，就是记忆与遗忘的斗争。”米兰·昆德拉的小说《玩笑》中的这句话道尽了他的书写生涯的本质。这个面容冷硬的捷克老人，无论自身的处境如何险恶，却从未停息过对人们日渐麻木的心灵进行击打式的劝谕，试图让他们记起对传统智慧的热爱与对自由思想的渴望。埃曼纽·斯维登堡说过，上帝赋予我们大脑就是为了让我们具备遗忘的能力——遗忘是人类的本性。可一旦遗忘的因子遭遇到威权政治的别有用心的引诱，灾难便可能接踵而至。正是这些灾难在二十世纪的蔓延，让昆德拉的一生都摆脱不了专制阴影的笼罩，也顺而导致了他对极权的强烈憎恨。与此相关的情绪，表现在他的小说里，是那种深切的道德反讽；而落实在他的小说理论上，却有了一丝绝望的末世气息。

与早已流行于坊间的《被背叛的遗嘱》相比，他的另一本文论集子《小说的艺术》似乎显得不太重要。的确，当我读完这本著作——确切地说，是那些零乱的访谈，煽情的获奖演说，精短的读书札记，很个性化的小说辞典，以及两篇貌似工整的思想随笔——实在是难以理顺一条清晰的叙事之线。甚至他连“小说究竟是什么”这个自己最想问的问题都没有回答出来，或许，这样的疑问永远没有答案。他的关于小说的诸多判断，都因个人情感的过多充斥与缺乏逻辑化的论证，而让人感觉是很孩子气的——或是另一面，很世故的——偏见。可对于刺激我们的思考，敏锐的偏见远远胜过平庸的公断。《小说的艺术》的价值就在于此。

但我还是想谈谈昆德拉所热衷的话题：小说到底是什么？我并不认为寻找小说的起源是很有意义的事情，这种认祖归宗的行径所隐藏的心态让人生疑。幸好昆德拉最终是想追问小说的遗产何在，这打消了我的小人之心。从塞万提斯与拉伯雷，昆德拉一直列举到卡夫卡与布洛赫，这些散发着眩目光芒的星辰们的写作，都在竭力展示人类存在的各个切面的显现。小说“也受到认知激情的驱使，去探索人的具体生活，保护这一具体生活逃过对存在的遗忘；让小说永恒地照亮生活世界。”从这个意义上讲，小说就是记忆的书写。它所散发的反抗遗忘的力量，构成了留给阅读者的最珍贵的遗产。

力图展现存在的被遮蔽面，对小说家而言，这一任务相当艰巨。除了擅长于那些基本的创作技巧，他还必须具备舍弃与超越的决断。小说家不同于作家，作家“位于他的时代、他的民族以及思想史的精神地图上”，而小说家无须对任何人负责，除了塞万提斯。小说家应该是一个发现者，在困难的摸索中试图揭示存在的不为人知的一面。小说的艺术，更是小说家的艺术。他在思考时听见了上帝的笑声。“人类一思考，上帝就发笑。”这句犹太谚语在昆德拉的解说下深意纷呈，他的结论是，“我喜欢想象小说的艺术是作为上帝笑声的回音而来到这世界上的。”这回声便是小说家的无边浮想。

可到了二十世纪，小说必须承担起它悲惨的命运。技术的肆虐挤压着小说家的想象空间，世界的简单化致使对存在的遗忘，多元的价值徒增人们的迷惘，还有极权统治，它制造了一大批“不会笑的人”，“在小说家与不会笑、没有幽默感的人之间是不可能有和平的”，他们因为拒绝对上帝笑声的倾听而成为了小说的永久天敌。正是这些因素让小说走到了穷途末路。随着广义历史的终结，小说的历史也开始停滞。小说并不消失，只是重复，“在重复着已失去了其精神的形式”，这是一种隐蔽的死亡。尽管在文章的结尾处，昆德拉又试着为未来的小说指明路子，他开出了四种小说的召唤：游戏的、梦的、思想的、时间的——但对这一举动，他自己都丧失了信心。对未来许诺是不需要负责任的，“跟未来调情是最糟糕的保守主义，是向最强权者懦弱地献媚。”小说必须回到过去，回到塞万提斯——昆德拉的忠告更证实了我的看法，小说就是记忆与遗忘争斗的艺术。这场斗争因其自身的暧昧与复杂而注定旷日持久。但可以肯定，谁是那胜利者，谁就能支配着小说家的爱欲与灵魂，从而支配着小说与人类的未来。

不是作家，是小说家

1985年春天，当时正流亡法国的米兰·昆德拉，被以色列授予这个国度最隆重的奖项之一，“耶路撒冷文学奖”。这距离他写出那部带给他无上荣耀的作品——《生命中不能承受之轻》——还不到三年的时间。他的书写终于受到了超越国界的认同，但由此而生的欢欣并没有冲淡他对生命的苦难感觉，也没有阻滞他追寻存在之意义的脚步。在那场颁奖典礼的答谢演讲中，他再次明晰了给自己的定位：“我是作为小说家领取这一奖项的。我强调一下，小说家，我没有说作家。”为什么是小说家，而不是别的？他转引福楼拜的说法，小说家就是希望消失在他的作品的后面的人，这里潜在的意思，即“拒绝公众人物的角色”，“小说家绝非任何人的代言人，而且我要把话说透彻：他甚至不是他自己想法的代言人”。因为代言正意味着无可逃避的桎梏——作品将会成了小说家的行为、宣言、以及他所采取的立场的附庸。而这样就可能剥离小说应有的智慧和光芒，甚至，这种剥离已经化为压制我们的历史，欧洲小说的传统早已出现衰败。

其实在1980年，昆德拉流亡到法国的第五个年头，名气还不是足够盛大的他，在接受《纽约时报》的访谈时，就敏锐地阐明了关于小说的看法：“小说不做任何主张；只寻找并提出问题。我不知道我的祖国是否会灭亡，也不知道我哪一个角色是对的。我编故事，让故事彼此对立，并借此提出问题。人的愚蠢来自对每件事都有答案。小说的智慧在于对每件事提出问题。”“在欧洲第一本小说中，当堂吉诃德开始历险后，世界在他眼前成为一团神秘。后世的所有小说也继承了这个特质。小说家教读者把世界看成一个问题，这种态度包含了智慧与宽容。在一个由神圣不可侵犯的准则所建立的极权世界，是一个只会给答案而不提问题的世界。在这里小说是没有地位的。”而他置身的这个世界的现状，整个思想姿势是“喜欢批判甚于谅解，热衷回答甚于质疑”，四处横行的都是人类愚蠢的准则，小说的声音几乎全然消弭。

可以断言，正是以上那几句对小说和小说家的简洁判词，在此后二十多年里，指明了昆德拉写作与思考的征途。无论是1985年以色列的讲演，还是90年代《被背叛的遗嘱》中关于小说理论的绝妙洞见，都不过是那一根精神之线——“小说就是提出问题”——颤动的余音。向着已知与未知世界的发问决定了小说家的决然姿态，小说就是一种冒犯的力量：对知识的怀疑，对既定规则的否定，对流行于世俗之间的道德伦理的嘲弄，对一切藩篱和秩序的冲破，最终，是对生命存在的追寻——与克里斯蒂安·萨尔蒙的对话中，昆德拉更清楚地表白：“小说家既不是历史学家，也不是预言家，他是存在的勘探者。”

“叩问存在”在中国的迷途

仵从巨先生应该深晓昆德拉的思想，如果不太冒失的话，我似乎可以说，正是“小说家是存在的勘探者”这句名训涌现的灵感，才使得仵从巨将这本由中国人撰写的评论昆德拉的集子，命名为“叩问存在——米兰·昆德拉的世界”。依照他在序言中的回顾，昆德拉的名字最早登陆中国，是在1977年3月，可惜这次仅是浮光掠影的提及。1985年，以狐狸自诩的文化名人李欧梵先生在国内发文，向仍然处于荒芜状态的汉语文学界热情推介了马尔克斯和昆德拉两位世界级小说大师。其后两年，韩少功译出《生命中不能承受之轻》，景凯旋译出《为了告别的聚会》，这两本著作的引进可以视为昆德拉在中国的正式亮相。接下来的十多年，尽管中国知识界一直沉浮不定，但昆德拉的热流，却从未停止对国人贫乏心灵的冲荡与侵袭。直到2002年5月，上海译文出版社终于一举购得昆德拉13部作品在中国大陆的中文版权，又经过两年多的苦心移译，2004年夏天《身份》与《无知》成功出版，13部作品同时列于畅销书架，气势壮观到让昆德拉本人都无比惊谔。如此，昆德拉的中国行旅便可告以中结。

是“中结”而不是“终结”。翻译事业虽然完毕，但思想的接纳传承却刚刚开启。无论在历史的启示，还是我们的想象，后者都远比前者艰难。因为我们无法抹消这样的事实，文学与哲学上的某些地方性知识，恐怕是难以移植过来的，如昆德拉狂热推崇的发端于塞万提斯和拉伯雷的欧洲小说传统。这是我们需要注意的一面。而在另一面，审视昆德拉在中国貌似顺畅的精神旅程，却不得不让我们感到忧心。正如仵从巨先生指出的那样，本来是一个“反政治性”的小说家，但在中国这个“泛政治化”的浩大语境之中，昆德拉已经被涂抹上浓郁的“政治底色”——只是我们无法断定，这到底是值得庆幸的事情，还是相反。

毫不讳言，昆德拉的小说绝对存有一定的政治性，《玩笑》中的路德维克，《生活在别处》的雅罗米尔，还有我们熟悉的托马斯，他们的生存情境注定了他们不可能脱离政治而单独存活。昆德拉在《生命中不能承受之轻》为女主人公营造的“反政治”的田园牧歌，到头来只是一场虚幻的烟火。甚至可以说，昆德拉的显白意图，就是要将小说人物放置于政治的汹涌河流，让他们在其中挣扎着走向成熟，或者毁灭。这确实不是假象。所以余杰们有了理由，上个世纪的黄昏，青年思想家余杰将昆德拉从小资们的拥戴声中拉了出来，与捷克总统哈维尔并排对照，然后给前者扣上了“犬儒主义”与“逃避者”的政治帽子。在“我们选择什么，我们承担什么”的追问声中，昆德拉被彻底地政治化。

余杰所犯下的一个不可饶恕的错误，是将《生命中不能承受之轻》中托马斯的观点，看作昆德拉的观点。他漠视了昆德拉的说法：“小说家绝非任何人的代言人，而且我要把话说透彻：他甚至不是他自己想法的代言人”。这里的错位不是喜剧，而是悲剧。此外，他压缩了政治的内涵，使政治生活又退回了二元论的逼厄空间。而我们完全可以在不否认昆德拉的本真思想的前提下，认可他的政治性。仵从巨先生表达了类似的意思，他认为以“反政治的政治”来评判昆德拉，应当更为切当。昆德拉让小说人物进入极权主义等政治语境，但最终祈求的，却要比政治抉择复杂许多，那是逾越了政治界限的人的可能，世界的可能——这才是小说的最高使命。而惟有如此，小说家才能回到存在的勘探者的角色。“叩问存在”的深意，正是对风行于中国的政治读法的反拨。

在上帝的笑声中勘探存在

2005年1月，译文版的昆德拉作品系列又有一本书悄然上架。我在书店初见时，还以为是昆德拉的新作。但看到署名是语焉不详的“弗朗索瓦·里卡尔”，才从阿涅丝（昆德拉小说《不朽》中的主人公）复活的迷梦中陡然惊觉——原来这本《阿涅丝的最后一个下午》是对昆德拉作品的评论。不过当时又迷惑不解，译文出版社为什么会在昆德拉的中国之行功德圆满之后，特意加了个疑似蛇足的尾巴？而在我将此书一气读完，却宁可给予其以“豹尾”这一不伦不类的赞赏。里卡尔对昆德拉的文本诠释，很容易让我想起本雅明评论波德莱尔，海德格尔评论荷尔德林，布朗肖评论卡夫卡——批评家与小说家（或者诗人）是心魂相通的，如果这个说法不嫌夸张的话。

而在一定意义上，里卡尔的《阿涅丝的最后一个下午》与仵从巨先生主编的《叩问存在——米兰·昆德拉的世界》也是相通的，他们立论的基点都是同一句话：“小说家是存在的勘探者”。里卡尔巧妙抓住了阿涅丝在生命的最后一个下午从惘然到沉静的转向，从这位女主角的情绪的一个轻微波动，从浮现在她脑际的一个细小的问题，甚至从她向着烟雾蔼蔼的群山一个随意的迈步，从这些毫不起眼的细节中，窥见了昆德拉的美学体验的全息景象，窥见了小说的模式和智慧，窥见了生命的几种可能归宿，最后，窥见了通达存在的路径与存在的意义。

如我所言，小说最大的力量，是对诸多人类认定的边界的冒犯。阿涅丝在那个宁静的下午，朝着最不可能的方向，跨出了一步，这是无可挽回的一步。里卡尔认为，这一步是小说最关键的一个动作。那个普遍的人的代表，阿涅丝，背弃了“他们”的世界，不再是“他们中的一员”——这个“他们”，可以理解为人类自我限制的“此在”之线——她已经“站在爱的另一边”。这是对世界、对自我的疏离——“一种与世界、与自我、与世界里的自我脱离的形式；这是一种迁移，一种流亡。”

对边界的跨越，使阿涅丝可能闯入两个陌生的世界，或者说，使她成为两种人：放荡的人与流亡的人。我们不可在世俗的意义上认知这两个词语。放荡者，也可以命名为“喜剧者”，他们察觉到这个世界的荒谬，但他们不愿走出荒谬的气氛，他们——里卡尔解释说——“只是以一种内在移民的方式，对于这个世界的欺骗报之以无宗教信仰者洞察一切、看破红尘的目光，对于这个世界的装腔作势报之以讽刺的态度，对于这个世界难以抑制的追求充盈的需要报之以对笑和游戏的陶醉，也就是说，永远都抓住这个世界不放，避免自己成为：一个巨大的玩笑。”而流亡者，则是真正站在这个世界之外，“是真正的出发，不再返回。是切断一切联系，甚至颠覆或恶心都不复存在，在远处的某个地方，在这个世界不再触及得到的地方，继续存在下去。”流亡的人最终伫立的所在，就是《生命中不能承受之轻》结尾的田园牧歌。只是，非常可能，这牧歌是不存在的，或者，即使存在，也是以死亡的形式显现（一个问题是：昆德拉自身是放荡者，还是流亡者？）。

“当我们跨越边界的时候，笑声就响了起来，不可避免。可是，要是走得更远，越过了笑呢？”昆德拉笔下的一个人物如是质问。这正是昆德拉的存在之问。我们都倾听到了笑声，一个没有笑声的世界是可怕的，小说家为了提醒我们注视这样残酷的事实，甚至将现代小说的起源与笑声牵系起来。在前文我们提到的1985年那场演讲里，昆德拉引述了犹太谚语“人类一思考，上帝就发笑”，然后感慨：“我总爱想象弗朗索瓦·拉伯雷有一天听到上帝的笑声，就这样，孕育出了第一部伟大的欧洲小说的思想。我喜欢想象小说的艺术是作为上帝笑声的回声而来到这世界上的。”我想我应该找到了这三者——笑声、小说、存在——之间的盟约：当人类追问存在而跨越边界（或许是上帝划定的）的时候，笑声哄然而起，小说诞生了。而我们的小说家，正是在上帝的笑声中勘探存在的秘密——还好，当人类思考的时候，上帝是在发笑，而不是哭泣。

参考资料：

《被背叛的遗嘱》 米兰·昆德拉著 牛津大学出版社 上海人民出版社1995年12月第一版

《小说的艺术》 米兰·昆德拉著 上海译文出版社2004年8月第一版

《雅克和他的主人》 米兰·昆德拉著 上海译文出版社2003年 2月第一版

《阿涅丝的最后一个下午》 弗朗索瓦·里卡尔著 上海译文出版社2005年1月第一版

《叩问存在——米兰·昆德拉的世界》 仵从巨主编 华夏出版社2005年2月第一版

2006年1月13日修订于宁波

按：这篇文章的写作跨度估计有两年之长，而且是写于两地，在内陆与沿海的不同心境导致了此文脉络气韵上的混乱不堪，作者于此愿表示诚挚的歉意，但他并不想做过多的修改，不是因为固执己见，而是因为，之于书写，现在往往无法比过去表现得更好。更重要的一点，此文的问题意识是贯通同一的，无谓的修复却可能遮蔽原初的意念，从而造成断裂。

life rates

Life:    
You:     7.4
Average:     6.5
Mind:    
You:     7.9
Average:     6.4
Body:    
You:     8
Average:     6.9
Spirit:    
You:     5.7
Average:     6.5
Friends/Family:    
You:     5.3
Average:     4.6
Love:    
You:     10
Average:     4.4
Finance:    
You:     7.5
Average:     6.4

http://www.monkeyquiz.com/life/rate_my_life.html

136      You scored 136 on Tickle's IQ test. This means that based on your answers, your IQ score is between 126 and 136. Most people's IQs are between 70 and 130.
In fact, 95% of all people have IQs within that range. 68% of people score between 80 and 120. The following chart to your right, shows these percentages and where your IQ score is on that scale.

Print your Certificate of Intellectual Achievement.

There's more to intelligence than a single number, a single score or a single label. Tickle uses four distinguishable Intelligence Scales in the Ultimate IQ Test. By analyzing your individual scores on those four scales, we are able to look beyond the raw IQ score into how you process information and thereby determine your Intellectual Type.         
How do you relate to other IQ test takers?

Your Intellectual Type Is:
          You have a strong ability to process visual-spatial and mathematical information. These skills combined with your strengths in logic are what make you a Visual Mathematician.

You're able to understand patterns visually and in numbers. That means your mind can create a mental picture for any problem. In addition to that skill, you possess an intelligence that allows you to apply math to that picture, too. That helps you manipulate multiple parts of the picture (or problem) to come up with a solution.
You have many skills that are critical to success and problem-solving. Your talents help you understand the "big picture," which is partly why people may turn to you for direction — especially in the workplace. You flourish in environments where tasks are clearly defined, and you are a whiz at improving processes and making things more efficient. Your ability to detect patterns and your skills in math and logic, make it natural for you to come up with ideas and theories that simplify processes for everyone.

Outside of work, Visual Mathematicians tend to do well at strategic activities like chess. It must be that ability to recognize patterns — both as they are and how they develop. Regardless of how you put your mind to use, you've got a great set of talents. You will be able to envision a clear path and calculate the risks, and more importantly, the rewards, of anything you take on.         
Great Jobs For You
Because of the way you process information, these are just some of the many careers in which you could excel:
Physicists
Chess player
City planner
Astronomer
Physicists
Mathematician
Researcher

Some of Your Greatest Talents
You've got tons of strengths. It wouldn't surprise us if you:
Can give practical application to abstract thought
Can predict patterns
Are resourceful & practical
Envision the "big picture"

Your 4 Intelligence Scales

Now let's look at the factors that contribute to you being a Visual Mathematician with a 136 IQ score.

Based on the results of your test, Tickle divided your scores into four distinguishable dimensions — mathematical intelligence, visual-spatial intelligence, linguistic intelligence and logic intelligence.

Here's how each of your intelligence scores break down:

Mathematical Intelligence

Your Mathematical Percentile

You scored in the 100th percentile on the mathematical intelligence scale.This means that you scored higher than 90% - 100% of people who took the test and that 0% - 10% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.

Your mathematical intelligence score represents your combined ability to reason and calculate. You scored relatively high, which means you're probably the one your friends look to when splitting the lunch bill or calculating your waitresses' tip. You may or may not be known as a math whiz, but number crunching might come a little easier to you than it does others.

Flexing Your Math Muscles
Like anything, keeping or improving your math talents requires practice. Here are some everyday mental exercises that could be particularly helpful to you:
Balancing your checkbook
Figuring out your monthly budget
Predicting what the change will be the next time you buy something
Calculating your waitperson's tip in your head

Visual-Spatial Intelligence
Your Visual-Spatial Percentile

You scored in the 100th percentile on the visual-spatial intelligence scale.
This means that you scored higher than 90% - 100% of people who took the test and that 0% - 10% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.

The visual-spatial component of intelligence measures your ability to extract a visual pattern and from that envision what should come next in a sequence. Your score was relatively high, which could mean that you're the one navigating the map when you're on an outing with friends. You have, in some capacity, an ability to think in pictures. Maybe this strength comes out in subtle ways, like how you play chess or form metaphors.

Vision Quest
Like anything, keeping or improving visual-spatial talents requires some practice. Here are some everyday mental exercises that will be particularly helpful to you:
Playing chess, or video games like Tetris
Studying maps and become the navigator on your next trip
Sculpting or photography

Linguistic Intelligence
Your Linguistic Percentile

You scored in the 70th percentile on the linguistic intelligence scale.
This means that you scored higher than 60% - 70% of people who took the test and that 30% - 40% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.

Linguistic abilities include reading, writing and communicating with words. Tickle's test measures knowledge of vocabulary, ease in completing word analogies and the ability to think critically about a statement based on its semantic structure. Your score was relatively high, which could mean you know your way around a bookstore and maybe like to bandy about the occasional 25-cent word to impress friends.

Word Power
Like anything, keeping or improving linguistic talents requires some practice. Here are some everyday mental exercises that will be particularly helpful to you:
Doing crossword puzzles
Start reading just for fun
Befriending your dictionary
The next time something breaks, try reading the instruction book first

Logical Intelligence
Your Logical Percentile

You scored in the 100th percentile on the logical intelligence scale.
This means that you scored higher than 90% - 100% of people who took the test and that 0% - 10% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.

Tickle's logical intelligence questions assess your ability to think things through. The questions determine the extent to which you use reasoning and logic to determine the best solution to a problem. Your logic score was relatively high, which could mean that when the car breaks down, your friends look to you to help figure out not only what's wrong, but how to fix it and how you're going to get to the next gas station.

Logic Lessons
Like anything, keeping or improving logical talents requires some practice. Here are some everyday mental exercises that will be particularly helpful to you:
Trying some brain teasers
Throwing away the instructions and relying on instinct to fix something
Playing chess

http://web.tickle.com/

weiss, you are Balanced-brained
That means you are able to draw on the strengths of both the right and left hemispheres of your brain, depending upon a given situation.

When you need to explain a complicated process to someone, or plan a detailed vacation, the left hemisphere of your brain, which is responsible for your ability to solve problems logically, might kick in. But if you were critiquing an art opening or coming up with an original way to file papers, the right side of your brain, which is responsible for noticing subtle details in things, might take over.

While many people have clearly dominant left- or right-brained tendencies, you are able to draw on skills from both hemispheres of your brain. This rare combination makes you a very creative and flexible thinker.

The down side to being balanced-brained is that you may sometimes feel paralyzed by indecision when the two hemispheres of your brain are competing to solve a problem in their own unique ways.

Weiss, your strongest sense is Style

Weiss, the first color you chose reveals that you're feeling Self-aware today.
For centuries, colors have been known for their energizing, calming and empowering qualities. In schools of psychology, a leading color theory suggests that your color preferences can also indicate what's on your subconscious mind. From your choices, here's what we found out about you. Like other people who choose Green first, you probably have a good understanding of your personal strengths and challenges. The fact that you chose Green first also indicates that others probably see you as self-possessed and insightful about your own motivations and needs.

How rare is this color choice? 9% test takers also chose Green first, but less than 0.10% of test-takers share your exact 8-color sequence.

This insightful color personality test, developed by color psychologist Max Luscher, reveals detailed information about your unconscious mind based on the order of your color selections. Luscher's research revealed that the order in which you selected a series of colors is significant. In fact, not only was he able to determine that the order was relevant, but he revealed that particular aspects of your life could be represented by specific color choices. This goes beyond what colors you like the most. Luscher made a connection between color preferences and how they related to your subconscious mind. There is a meaning behind your single color choices, as well as your color pairs. This report will provide detailed info on both. We'll begin with the first color you chose.

Your Leading Color

The color you choose first symbolizes the methods you use to achieve your hopes, dreams and greatest goals. This is the color you're most drawn to, which indicates that you're turning toward the qualities this color evokes. It may be you want to incorporate more of what the color symbolizes into your life, or that it's a reflection of your current mental state.

Green. This reveals that overall, you're Self-Aware. Like other people who choose Green first, you likely understand your personal strengths and challenges. Others probably see you as self-possessed and insightful about your own motivations and needs.

According to Luscher, Green in the first position also reveals that you have a desire to impress others and be recognized. You're assertive and you are driven by an idealized self-perception. You have a need to get your way when faced with resistance or opposition from others. It's possible that this can mean you're stubborn, although it may only be an indicator that you're assertive.

9% test takers also chose Green first.

This is the color of your personality. Of all test takers, only less than 0.10% have the same exact combination as you. According to Luscher, each of your selections reveals something particular to your personality. The following section will reveal what Luscher believes each color selection reveals about your true self.

Luscher believed that each color has a particular psychological meaning and physiological impact. Unlike words, he believed that colors have universal meaning. This means that no matter your age, race, gender, national identity, educational or socioeconomic level, or personality quirks, colors carry the same natural associations.

Following is some more detailed information about each of the eight colors. Below are Luscher's findings on which positions are most common for that color. You can apply all of this to the information in order to enhance your understanding of your unique color spectrum.

Green

The blue-green color on this test represents perseverance, constancy and firmness. Green symbolizes the most resistant to change, the most self-awareness, the most self-possession. Emotionally, green is a sign of pride. Symbolically, it corresponds with the towering and austere sequoia, deep-rooted, unchanging, and monumental. Green is the color of precise memory, accuracy and logic. Tickle found that it's somewhat uncommon for Green to be chosen first or last, and that Green tends to be chosen toward the middle of the selection process.

Gray

The shade of gray used on this test is neither dark nor light, and thus it is free of any specific psychological tendency. Gray symbolizes neutrality, the halfway point between white and black. This is the color of noninvolvement. It also represents the desire to hide or conceal. Tickle found that Gray is most commonly chosen in positions five through eight, especially in the last two positions.
Yellow

Yellow, the brightest color on the test, represents lightness and good cheer. Yellow is radiance, expansiveness, and a release from burdens. Symbolically, yellow is the warm sunlight. Yellow is more uncertain than red; while it indicates flurried diligence, this focus comes in fits and starts. Yellow is progressive, always going toward the new and the developing. Tickle's findings revealed that it is somewhat uncommon for Yellow to be chosen in the first or second position.
Blue

The dark blue color in this test symbolizes the calm of an untroubled sea. It represents fulfillment, as well as truth, love and devotion. It relates to tender emotions and sensitivity. Studies have found that when people look at this color, their respiration and blood pressure are reduced. Dark blue corresponds with the basic biological need for tranquility and contentment. According to Tickle's research, Blue is most commonly chosen in positions one through four, especially in the first two positions. It is the most popular choice for the first position.
Red

The red on this test, which contains enough yellow to give it an orange hue, is the expression of vital force. Red speeds up one's pulse, respiration, and blood pressure. It represents desire, appetites and cravings. It symbolizes the desire to achieve and a need to "do." Red is the present, and it represents all forms of power, from sexuality to innovative change. It is the blood of conquest and the flame igniting the human spirit. According to Tickle's studies, it is somewhat uncommon for Red to be chosen in the last three positions.
Black

Black is the dark negation of color. It expresses the idea of nothingness, endings and extinction. Black is about surrender and relinquishing. It has great impact on the color with which it's paired, emphasizing the impact of that color. Choosing black in the early positions is an act of extremeness and rebellion, a sign of revolt. When black is chosen last, Luscher believed it is a sign of not wanting to relinquish anything, and instead be in control of your own fate. Tickle found that, more than any other color, Black is chosen equally for each of the eight positions, with a slight tendency to be chosen in the last four positions.
Brown

This brown is a darkened yellow-red. Yellow dampens Red's vitality and thus makes it more peaceful. Brown's vitality is less active, and is instead more receptive than Red's. Brown is sensuous, relating to the physical body. It is also about the importance of roots, home and family. Tickle's research found that Brown is the most common color choice for the last position.
Violet

As a combination of both blue and red, violet manages to be its own distinct color, though it does lose the clarity and purpose that both red and blue have on their own. Violet is the magical union of red's need to conquer and blue's need to surrender. It is intuition and sensitivity. Violet is also about wish fulfillment and fantasy, a state in which the world is a magical place. Violet, due to its fantastical nature, can sometimes lead to irresponsibility. Tickle found that Violet is the second most commonly chosen color for the first position, second only to blue.

While the first color you select reveals your unique approach to life, your second color indicates what you're actually trying to achieve with that approach. In the next section Your First Pairing, you'll learn how your first and second colors combine to reveal information about your current life direction. In following sections in this report, you'll learn about the significance of Your Second, Third and Fourth Pairings as well. Your First Pairing: What You Want and How You Get It

The first two colors you selected make up your first pairing. According to Luscher, these are the colors that you're most drawn to. The order of your selections here are particularly significant. The first color you choose represents the method you rely on to achieve your goals. The second color represents what your actual goal is. As a pair, these first two colors signify your dreams and the methods you employ to make them a reality.

You chose Green first and Gray second. This means that you long to establish yourself and make an impact, despite the fact that circumstances aren't in favor of you doing so. You feel a general lack of appreciation from others. Out of all test-takers, 0.50% select these two colors in the first and second positions.

Your Second Pairing: How You're Coping Now

The third and forth color you chose comprise your second pairing. Luscher believed that your second pairing represents your present set of circumstances and how you are responding to them.

Yellow/Blue is your second pairing. In relation to what's going on in your life, you're willing to adapt to whatever comes your way. A relationship with a person or group of people who are reliable would be beneficial. Among others who take this test, 3.25% chose this color combination in the third and forth positions.

Your Third Pairing: What You Have in Reserve

Your third pairing is based on the fifth and sixth colors you picked. Luscher believed these are the colors you're indifferent to; you neither prefer them nor reject them. The colors in this pairing represent the behaviors that you're repressing. It's also possible you may not be choosing them because you feel they'd be inappropriate. Once your situation changes, you could draw on these behaviors as you see fit.

Your third pairing is Red/Black. According to Luscher's theories, this indicates that you're holding back because you feel like your current situation is very restrictive. You feel momentarily forced to give up all of the things that bring you happiness and pleasure. 2.08% of test takers share this combination for the fifth and sixth positions.

Your Fourth Pairing: What You're Rejecting

The final two colors you selected make up your highly significant fourth pairing. According to Luscher's theories, these are the colors you are rejecting, which means you're turning away from the qualities they represent. These colors represent a need that you're repressing due to your life situation. Luscher believed that the colors you like the least reveal the most about you.

Brown/Violet is your fourth and final pairing. This means you're suppressing your instincts because you think that demonstrates your superiority over others. You want your relationships to be perfectly serene, but you can be critical and demanding in the attempt to assert your individuality. This causes conflict that prevents ideal interactions with others. Among other test-takers, 0.69% share this color combination in the seventh and eighth positions.

German psychologist Max Luscher first presented his color test at an international conference in 1947, and he continued to study and perfect it for decades. This test was used in Europe by psychologists and physicians. Dr. Luscher personally used his methods to help companies, including the pharmaceutical company Parke-Davis and the car manufacturer Volkswagen, make decisions about product packaging and advertising.

According to Luscher, when colors are chosen for a specific purpose, such as an item of clothing or wall color, the colors are selected for several different reasons, psychological preference, physiological need, and esthetic considerations. In this test, where colors are presented without association to each other or specific objects, he believes that esthetic considerations are subverted, leaving you with a more accurate gauge of the psychological and physiological preferences.

Luscher developed two versions of his test. The "full" test is comprised of several different color panels and requires forty-three selections by the test taker. Because the interpretation of this test is incredibly intricate and requires intensive professional training, Luscher also developed the Eight-Color Panel Test, also known as the Short Luscher Test. While obviously not as extensive, Luscher found that the Eight-Color Panel Test provided a good deal of psychological and physiological information about the test taker. More accessible, this shorter test was used widely in Europe by employers, psychologists, physicians, and schools.

Tickle researched many of Luscher's claims in a survey of over 4,000 participants. In several cases, Tickle found that Luscher's theories had statistical validity. Following are a few of the correlations that Tickle was able to validate though research:

Pair 1: People who chose green first and red second tend to get a rush from overcoming obstacles.
Pair 2: People who chose green third and red fourth tend to be in positions of authority.
Pair 3: People who chose red fifth and gray sixth hold back in life to avoid conflict.
Pair 4: People who chose blue seventh and black last tend to suppress their feelings of vulnerability

Luscher, Max. The Luscher Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality through Color. (Random House), 1969.

the only and inferno answer?

跟基督徒的较量让我逐渐怀疑这个世界是有唯一、永恒的meaning或者说answer的。这世界本就是不可获解的。看到这样一段话，看来有同道中人：

福柯认为，他自己的任务不是启蒙，而是运用自身的影响力去影响他在其中运作的特殊的真理规范；他的使命不是揭示真理，追求真理权力的意志属于无情的暴君，而只有暴君才需要专一而彻底的虔诚。

所谓揭示真理是一种诱惑了柏拉图以来的欧洲人思想的仪式。尼采发出了它摇摇欲坠的第一个信号，并且提供了一条他称之为谱系学的出路。

谱系学是“灰色的”行动，但它也是快乐的科学、假说的科学。对这种快乐、这种假说的热爱充满了福柯的全部著作。对他来说，不确定性不是什么令人苦恼的东西。他怀着其他人在揭示了真理后油然而生的喜悦之情提出假说。而对假说、创新的爱当之无愧地是对美的爱。

(李银河的读后感)