为一个人的信仰与作为一个人类学家的信仰区分开来。
我相信，把人类看作整个世界的一部分，对了解人类是十分必要的。除了经历漫长岁月，由最初简单的生命形式发展成为的复杂生物结构，决定人性本质的因素还有人类社会的众多伟大发明。人类创造并一直使用着它们，而反过来它们也将诸如建筑师、思想家、政治家、艺术家、观察家、预言家等身份赋予了人类。我坚信，这样的特性存在于每一项伟大的发明之中，比如语言、家庭、工具的使用、政府、科学、艺术和哲学，将每个人性格中的潜能巧妙地结合起来。无论任何种族、任何文明的后裔，任何一个人类群体都能学习并将它发扬光大。所以，一个新几内亚岛最原始部落的新生婴儿完全有能力从哈佛大学毕业，写出一首十四行诗或发明一种新型的雷达，就像出生在比肯山的孩子那样。但我也相信，在新几内亚岛、波士顿、列宁格勒或是西藏长大的孩子，必定具备不同于他人的、属于自己地区的文化特性。这些文化特性对他们有着深远的影响，因此要想真正了解如何重新把握人类的命运，必须首先理解这些差异。
我相信，人性本无善恶之分，每个人生来都是先天潜能的不同组合，而决定人性善恶的是他们所接受的教育——是教育他们去信任、爱、试验和创造，还是教育他们去恐惧、仇恨和顺从——他们的人格也由此决定。我认为，人类的潜能甚至还不曾开始发挥，我相信只要以谦恭的态度坚持不懈地研究人类行为，让越来越多的人发现自身更多的潜能，我们就能自觉地学会创造文明。
我相信，人的生命之所以有意义，正是由于其个人树立的目标与他所处的文明、时代和国家之间有着密切的联系。也许有时，我们的任务会是为一片荒地修起围墙，为一条河架桥，或养育后代让年轻的群体延续下去。如今，为了安宁而自由的未来生活，这就意味着我们必须承担起责任，去创造一个全新的世界。
■ 心灵小语
我相信，人性本无善恶之分，每个人生来都是先天潜能的不同组合，而决定人性善恶的是他们所接受的教育——是教育他们去信任、爱、试验和创造，还是教育他们去恐惧、仇恨和顺从——他们的人格也由此决定。每一个人生来就注定要承担一些责任，要为了美好的生活努力，这就是人生。
A New Control of Destiny
Margaret Mead
Children used to play a game of pointing at someone suddenly； saying： “What are you？” Some people answered by saying： “I am a human being；” or by nationality； or by religion。 When this question was put to me by a new generation of children； I answered： “An anthropologist1。” Anthropology is the study of whole ways of life； to which one must be pletely mitted； all the time。 So that when I speak of what I believe； as a person； I cannot separate this from what I believe as an anthropologist。
I believe that to understand human beings it is necessary to think of them as part of the whole living world。 Our essential humanity depends not only on the plex biological structure which has been developed through the ages from very simple beginnings； but also upon the great social inventions which have been made by human beings； perpetuated2 by human beings； and in turn give human beings their stature as builders； thinkers； statesmen； artists； seers and prophets。 I believe that each of these great inventions—language； the family； the use of tools； government； science； art and philosophy—has the quality of so bining the potentialities of every human temperament； that each can be learned and perpetuated by any group of human beings； regardless of race； and regardless of the type of civilization within which their progenitors3 lived； so that a newborn infant from the most primitive tribe in New Guinea is as intrinsically capable of graduation from Harvard； writing a sonnet or inventing a new form of radar as an infant born on Beacon Hill。 But I believe also that once a child has been reared in New Guinea or Boston or Leningrad or Tibet； he embodies the culture within which he is reared； and differs from those who are reared elsewhere； so deeply； that only by understanding these differences can we reach an awareness which will give us a new control over our human destiny。
I believe that human nature is neither intrinsically good nor intrinsically evil； but individuals are born with different binations of innate potentialities； and that it will depend upon how they are reared—to trust and love and experiment and create； or to fear and hate and conform—what kind of human beings they can bee。 I believe that we have not even begun to tap human potentialities； and that by a continuing humble but persistent study of human behavior； we can learn consciously to create civilizations within which an increasing proportion of human beings will realize more of what they have it in them to be。
I believe that human life is given meaning through the relationship which the individual’s conscious goals have to the civilization； period and country； within which one lives。 At times the task may be to fence a wilderness； bridge a river； or rear sons to perpetuate a young colony。 Today it means taking upon ourselves the task of creating one world in such a way that we both keep the future； safe and leave the future free。
生命在时间的土壤里成长
托马斯？曼
短暂是我的信仰，也是我认为最重要的东西。
然而短暂，如生命的消逝，不是非常哀伤的事情吗？不！它正是生命存在的精髓。它赋予了生命价值、尊严和情趣。短暂创造了时间——而“时间正是其本质”。至少，时间是至高的，是最有用的礼物。
时间与所有富有创造力和活力的事物，及每一个达到更高目标的进步息息相关——是的，它甚至等同于这一切。
没有短暂，没有开始与结束、生与死，时间也就不复存在。永恒是毫无意义的停滞，它意味着时间永远没有结束，也永远没有开始，绝对令人乏味。
生命顽强无比。即便如此，它的存在也依赖于一定的条件，正如它有始亦有终。也因如此，我坚信，生命的价值与魅力将会不断地增长。
人同自然界其他事物之间最重要的区别之一就是，人懂得短暂、始与终，所以也了解时间是一种恩赐。
可以这么说，在人身上，短暂的生命达到了其活力与精神力量的巅峰。这并不是说只有人拥有灵魂。万物皆有灵性。但是对于“存在”与“短暂”的可互换性，只有人的大脑才能最清楚地意识到。
对于人类来说，时间就如赐予的一片土地，等待他去辛勤耕种；是一个让他不断奋斗进取，实现自我价值，不断前进向上的空间。是的，在时间的帮助下，人可以从有限的生命中获得永恒。
在内心深处，我相信宇宙中最为重要的当属我们的地球，并认为这样的信念存在于每一个人的心中。从内心深处，我相信混沌中宇宙的创造，无机中生命的萌芽，最终都是为了创造人类。我相信人类本身便是一项伟大的实验，它可能会因人类自身的罪恶而失败，但这也成为创造本身最主要的失败。
无论这个信仰是否真实，人类如果能依此行事，将会获得更为有益的忠告。
■ 心灵小语
整个世界就是在不断的更迭中发展的，结束和开始，生与死都是并存的，否则，世界就会令人乏味。
Life Grows in the Soil of Time
Thomas Mann
What I believe； what I value most； is transitoriness1。
But is not transitoriness—the perishableness of life—something very sad？ No！ It is the very soul of existence。 It imparts value； dignity； interest to life。 Transitoriness creates time—and “time is the essence。” Potentially at least； time is the supreme； most useful gift。
Time is related to—yes； identical with—everything creative and active； every process toward a higher goal。
Without transitoriness； without beginning or end； birth or death； there is no time； either。 Timelessness—in the sense of time never ending； never beginning—is a stagnant2 nothing。 It is absolutely uninteresting。
Life is possessed by tremendous tenacity。 Even so its presence remains conditional； and as it had a beginning； so it will have an end。 I believe that life； just for this reason； is exceedingly enhanced in value； in charm。
One of the most important characteristics distinguishing man from all other forms of nature is his knowledge of transitoriness； of beginning and end； and therefore of the gift of time。
In man transitory life attains its peak of animation； of soul power； so to speak。 This does not mean man alone would have a soul。 Soul quality pervades all beings。 But man’s soul is most awake in his knowledge of the interchangeability3 of the terms “existence” and “transitoriness”。
To man time is given like a piece of land； as it were； entrusted to him for faithful tilling； a space in which to strive incessantly； achieve self…realization； move onward and upward。 Yes； with the aid of time； man bees capable of wresting the immortal from the mortal。
Deep down； I believe—and deem such belief natural to every human soul—that in the universe prime significance must be attributed to this earth of ours。 Deep down I believe that creation of the universe out of nothingness and of life out of inorganic state ultimately aimed at the creation of man。 I believe that man is meant as a great experiment whose possible failure of man’s own guilt would be paramount4 to the failure of creation itself。
Whether this belief be true or not； man would be well advised if he behaved as though it were。
做好每件小事
佚名
几天来，米开朗基罗一直在钻研一尊雕塑。他用了很长时间去修饰每一个细节，但这些细节对旁观者来说似乎毫无意义。当有人问他为什么要这样做的时候，米开朗基罗说道：“琐事成就完美，追求完美并非琐事。”
大多数人会忘记你的工作速度有多快，但他们会记得你做得有多好。
小马丁？路德？金说：“作为一名清洁工，他就应该像米开朗基罗作画、贝多芬作曲或者莎士比亚写诗那样来清扫街道。他应该做得尽善尽美，以至于所有的人都会停下来赞叹：这里有一位杰出的清洁工，他把工作做得这么完美。”
谁也不会在质量和服务面前妥协。据说麦当劳的创始人雷？科洛克有一次在参观一个法式快餐店时看到一只苍蝇，这家餐厅在两周后就失去了加盟权了。雷说道：“你应当为了荣誉和成就而工作，我从小就明白，回报终究会到来的。”
很好地完成一项工作，其本身就是一种回报。做好每件小事，比把许多事情做糟要好得多。
■ 心灵小语
琐事成就完美，追求完美并非琐事。把每一件小事做好，那么，你离成功还会有多远呢？看看，它就在你前方的不远处。
Do Small Things Well
Anonymous
Michelangelo was working on a statue for several days and he was taking a long time to retouch1 every small detail； which seemed rather insignificant to a bystander2。 When asked why he did it； Michelangelo replied： “Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle。”
Most people forget how fast you did a job； but they remember how well it was done．
Matin Luther King； JR。 said： “If a man is called to be streetsweeper； he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted； or Beethoven posed music； or Shakespeare wrote poetry。 He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say； here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well。”
One can not promise3 on quality and service。 It is said that Ray Kroc； founder of McDonald’s； found a fly during one of his visits at a franchise。 Two weeks later the franchise lost his franchise。 Ray said：“You should work for pride and acplishment。 I was； brought up to understand that reward will e later。”
The feeling of a job well done is a reward in itself。 It is better to do small things well than do many things poorly．
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梦想与理想（1）
詹姆斯？艾伦
这个世界的救星就是那些梦想家，因为这个现实的世界是由梦想支撑的。所以历经了层层考验、痛苦和磨难的人们，是美丽的梦想滋润了他们孤独的灵魂。人类不能忘记自己的梦想，也不允许自己的理想褪色和逝去；梦想存在于人类的内心之中，并且坚信总有一天会实现。
作曲家、雕塑家、画家、诗人、先知和智者，他们全都是未来的缔造者、天堂的建筑师。这个世界之所以这么美好，都是因为他们的存在；没有了他们，人们会因辛劳而逐渐毁灭。
心中有着美好梦想和崇高理想的人，总有一天会实现愿望。哥伦布对另一个世界怀揣着梦想，于是发现了新大陆；哥白尼对世界的多样性和更为宽广的宇宙有着美好的梦想，于是他翻开宇宙的新篇章；释迦牟尼梦想着一个没有