When I was young my father said to me:
"Knowledge is Power.Francis Bacon"
I understood it as "Knowledge is power, France is Bacon".
For more than a decade I wondered over the meaning of the second part and what was the surreal linkage between the two? If I said the quote to someone, "Knowledge is power, France is Bacon" they nodded knowingly. Or someone might say, "Knowledge is power" and I'd finish the quote "France is Bacon" and they wouldn't look at me like I'd said something very odd but thoughtfully agree. I did ask a teacher what did "Knowledge is power, France is bacon" meant and got a full 10 minute explanation of the Knowledge is power bit but nothing on "France is bacon". When I prompted further explanation by saying "France is Bacon?" in a questioning tone I just got a "yes". at 12 I didn't have the confidence to press it further. I just accepted it as something I'd never understand.
It wasn't until years later I saw it written down that the penny dropped.
小时候,爸爸对我说：“知识就是力量.——弗朗西斯·培根”
然而,年幼的我对于陌生的人名缺乏认识,便想当然地将这句话听成了："知识就是力量.法国就是培根.”
之后的十多年里,这句名言的后半部分一直在困扰着我：它是什么意思?为什么能和前半句列在一起?知识与力量、法国与培根之间,难道冥冥之中有着什么难以言喻的联系吗?
我无法理解.可是,每当我向大人们提起“知识就是力量,法国就是培根”这句话,他们却只是赞同地点点头.
或者是当有人说了句“知识就是力量”时,我会紧跟着接上一句“法国就是培根”……可从没有人用怪异的眼光看着我、认为我说了奇怪的事,而只是若有所思地表示同意.
我还专门去问过一个老师,“知识就是力量,法国就是培根.”这句话是什么意思,然而得到的答复却是整整10分钟关于“知识就是力量”的解释,压根没有触及一点儿“法国就是培根”的内容.当我怯生生地用疑问的语气提醒老师,“法国就是培根?”他只是说了句“没错.”只有12岁的我没有勇气和自信再追问下去.我绝望了.从那一刻起,我知道自己永远不可能理解这句谜一般的话语背后的奇特意义,我放弃了追寻,仅仅将它当作是可以挂在嘴边、却不去思考其意味的一个谜.
直到多年之后在书籍中偶尔见到这句话,我才意识到发生了什么.那一瞬间,童年崩坏…… When I was young my father said to me:
"Knowledge is Power.Francis Bacon"
I understood it as "Knowledge is power, France is Bacon".
For more than a decade I wondered over the meaning of the second part and what was the surreal linkage between the two? If I said the quote to someone, "Knowledge is power, France is Bacon" they nodded knowingly. Or someone might say, "Knowledge is power" and I'd finish the quote "France is Bacon" and they wouldn't look at me like I'd said something very odd but thoughtfully agree. I did ask a teacher what did "Knowledge is power, France is bacon" meant and got a full 10 minute explanation of the Knowledge is power bit but nothing on "France is bacon". When I prompted further explanation by saying "France is Bacon?" in a questioning tone I just got a "yes". at 12 I didn't have the confidence to press it further. I just accepted it as something I'd never understand.
It wasn't until years later I saw it written down that the penny dropped.
小时候,爸爸对我说：“知识就是力量.——弗朗西斯·培根”
然而,年幼的我对于陌生的人名缺乏认识,便想当然地将这句话听成了："知识就是力量.法国就是培根.”
之后的十多年里,这句名言的后半部分一直在困扰着我：它是什么意思?为什么能和前半句列在一起?知识与力量、法国与培根之间,难道冥冥之中有着什么难以言喻的联系吗?
我无法理解.可是,每当我向大人们提起“知识就是力量,法国就是培根”这句话,他们却只是赞同地点点头.
或者是当有人说了句“知识就是力量”时,我会紧跟着接上一句“法国就是培根”……可从没有人用怪异的眼光看着我、认为我说了奇怪的事,而只是若有所思地表示同意.
我还专门去问过一个老师,“知识就是力量,法国就是培根.”这句话是什么意思,然而得到的答复却是整整10分钟关于“知识就是力量”的解释,压根没有触及一点儿“法国就是培根”的内容.当我怯生生地用疑问的语气提醒老师,“法国就是培根?”他只是说了句“没错.”只有12岁的我没有勇气和自信再追问下去.我绝望了.从那一刻起,我知道自己永远不可能理解这句谜一般的话语背后的奇特意义,我放弃了追寻,仅仅将它当作是可以挂在嘴边、却不去思考其意味的一个谜.
直到多年之后在书籍中偶尔见到这句话,我才意识到发生了什么.那一瞬间,童年崩坏……