Response to a New Thing 回应新事

There are new things emerging in the world daily. And there are good and bad things which require a discerning eye for an appropriate response. If an emerging thing is good for humanity, the bystanders should be prepared and the inventors be encouraged.

Social media through the internet are now widely used for communication and exchanging of information. And they have changed the way and speed of communication. However, it has been a transition for many who were used to the older mode of communication. The first bystanders could choose to resist the new way of communication, and if they persisted, they became obsolete. By such reaction, they are not helpful to the innovators and inventors.

Taking the Locomotive Acts or Red Flag Acts of the nineteenth century in the United Kingdom as an example, one of the acts required all automobiles to travel at the speed limit of 4 mph in the country and 2 mph in the city. And further more, a man carrying a red flag was to walk in front of the automobile, and somewhat to play the role of a traffic controller. Nevertheless, such impractical act was removed later.

Therefore, whenever there is a new thing which is good though in its infancy stage, relevant response is vital. The inventors should be encouraged to be innovative and improve the emerging thing. The bystanders should be prepared to be objective rather than resistant because they do not want to adapt to something new. They should be alerted that they would miss the good thing should they be slow in embracing it.

May we have the discernment to be aware of what is the good thing emerging. May we also be at the right time to embrace what would be a blessing for us and our future generations.

每天都会有新的事物出现在世界；我们需要有敏锐的眼光以分辨好和坏的东西並做出适当的囘应。如果新兴事物对人类有益，那么旁观者应该做好准备并鼓励发明者。

通过互联网的社交媒体现在已被广泛用于彼此联系和信息交换，它们的确改变了人们沟通的方式和速度。然而，对于许多习惯于旧方式沟通的人来说，他们不愿意经历过渡期以应用新的方式。有一些首批的旁观者会选择抵制新的沟通方式，如果他们坚持如此，他们的这种反应对创新者和发明者没有帮助，而且他们遅早会变成落伍的一羣。

根据英国十九世纪的机车法案或红旗法案作为例子，其中一项是要所有汽车在城外最高时速为四英里，在市内则是以不超过两英里一小时的速度行驶。而且，一名手拿着红旗的男子必须走在汽车前面，他是在如同扮演交通管制员的角色。还好，後来这种不切实际的條例被删除了。

所以，只要有一个新的好东西即使是处于起步阶段，有关的囘应便具有关键性的作用。我们应该鼓励发明者进行创新，并帮助旁观者以客观而不是抗拒的态度看待新事物，雖然适应新事物是具有挑战的过程。他们应该被提醒，如果他们以缓慢的速度面对新事，他们很可能会错过新的好事。

我们必须要有洞察力才能意识到出现的是好事亦或是坏事。我们如果能适当的回应，这会对我们和未来的一代带来祝福。