Level 5-Day 13.Takako Doi: Politics, Future, and Hope

词汇提示

1.underpinning 基础2.embodied 体现3.atrocity 暴行4.perplexing 令人困惑的5.stagnation 停滞6.beset 困扰7.ethics 道德8.criteria 标准9.enlightened 开明10.forebears 祖先

原文

Takako Doi: 'Politics, Future, and Hope'

The underpinnings of our lives is hope.If we have the smallest margin of hope, we can continue to exist.I believe what is sought from politics is to expand that hope even by thesmallest margin.When we think of it, however, it seems politics has cast a shadow over people's hopes.I cannot ask help but ask myself if there has ever been so much urgency embodied in the words "future of hope."However,even knowing the absolute destructive capacity of nuclear weapons, and having experienced its atrocity, mankind still has not been able to walk the road to the destruction of nuclear arms.To the contrary, some countries see the retention of nuclear arms as the symbol of a national power.In the 21st century, are we going to gain richness with science and technology, or will humanity be subjugated to science and technology.We will be faced with the choice of one or the other.I believe the advances of telecommunication technology will present us with similar choices in the future.Fifty years after the war, the Japanese society is caught in a very perplexing stagnation.When I look back on the last 50 years of Japanese history, I am beset by the deepest soul searching and painful frustration, when I find that we Japanese have not been able to overcome our mistakes on our own volition.We still have not been able to reach a reconciliation with many of our Asian friends.Politicians should speak of the future, of ethics, and life.A discussion of hope should be based on fundamental principles.In particular, politicians must speak with children and young people and women ifwe are to retain hope for the future.Politicians must be accountable for their decisions, and they must also question the criteria in which their responsibility would be assessed.That is why our enlightened forebears and predecessors who have translated ideals into reality continue to be respected and be a source of encouragement.Emmanuel Kant wrote, "Truly lasting peace is not an empty ideal, but a challenge given to us."This challenge will be solved gradually and we will eventually reach our goal.We must all share a firm resolve to realize our goals.The critical stimulus for that will be the recognition of human rights and coexistence.However,there are many problems that face us.But when we think of how we can respond to such difficulties and challenges, I question where we can place our starting point.It is at this fundamental question that the future of hope must be questioned.That is the question I entertain for myself and which I believe has to be resolved.

翻译

土井贵子:政治、未来与希望

我们生活的基础是希望。

只要我们还有一线希望，我们就能继续生存下去。

我认为，从政治中寻求的是扩大这种希望，即使是最小的差距。

然而，当我们想到这一点时，似乎政治给人们的希望蒙上了阴影。

我无法请求帮助，只能问自己，在“希望的未来”这几个字中，是否曾有过如此紧迫的含义。

然而，即使知道核武器的绝对破坏力，并且经历了它的暴行，人类仍然没有能够走上毁灭核武器的道路。

相反，一些国家认为保留核武器是国家实力的象征。

在21世纪，我们将凭借科技致富，还是人类将沦为科技的奴隶?

我们将面临二选一的抉择。

我相信，随着电信技术的发展，未来我们也会面临类似的选择。

战后五十年，日本社会陷入了令人费解的停滞状态。

当我回顾过去50年的日本历史时，我被最深的反省和痛苦的挫折感所困扰，当我发现我们日本人并没有能够凭借自己的意志克服我们的错误。

我们仍未能与许多亚洲朋友达成和解。

政治家应该谈论未来、伦理和生命。

关于希望的讨论应该以基本原则为基础。

特别是，如果我们要保持对未来的希望，政治家必须与儿童、青年和妇女对话。

政治家必须对他们的决定负责，他们也必须质疑评估他们责任的标准。

这就是为什么我们把理想变为现实的开明的祖先和前辈们继续受到尊重和鼓舞的原因。

伊曼纽尔·康德写道:“真正持久的和平不是空洞的理想，而是摆在我们面前的挑战。”

这一挑战将逐步解决，我们最终将达到我们的目标。

我们必须以坚定的决心实现我们的目标。

这方面的关键刺激因素将是承认人权和共存。

然而，我们面临着许多问题。

但是，当我们考虑如何应对这些困难和挑战时，我怀疑我们的起点在哪里。

必须对希望的未来提出质疑的正是这个根本问题。

这是我自己思考的问题，我相信这个问题必须得到解决。