Silence

Late at night, I suddenly thought back to the bullet train home from the World Expo in 2010. I was still really naive then. It’s been three years, but I vaguely remember getting into an argument on the train with the daughter of one of my dad’s coworkers (the Expo trip was organized by my dad’s workplace). It got pretty heated, but now I can’t even remember what we were arguing about. The topic seems to have been education. I don’t know where I got the energy and nerve to argue back then. (I wonder where that girl got into college. Is Chinese education really as great as she praised it back then?) PS: I can still remember that I was mostly on the opposing side, criticizing and so on. Thinking it over carefully now, sometimes you need to stay silent. Even if you know, even if you understand, even if you’re an expert, the moment you argue with idiots, you only drag your own IQ down to their level. Me now, I’ve lost that impulsiveness and nerve. Sometimes I avoid the subject; in areas where I clearly know my stuff, I play dumb in front of others even though I understand. The more people I deal with, the less I want to make trouble for myself. Maybe that’s just how my mind works. Speak when it’s your turn to speak, and shut up when it isn’t. Talk less and do more. If you don’t understand, ask; don’t try to guess what other people mean. Treat yourself like a fool; after all, you’re not that smart. And remember: don’t try to be clever!