篝火晚会在热烈地进行，多数人已经陶醉在其中，舞姿优美的和笨拙的都在随着乐曲运动。当然，也有少数不明真相者在一旁静观，我就是其中之一。热情的主办人和一些漂亮的MM都来邀请入场，但我实在只有旁观的兴趣。

 

事实上，在我看来，旁观也是种参与方式。即使是奥运会，如果没有众多的观众，也未必有运动员精彩的表演。或许，现代社会种种不和谐，部分原因就是愿意当演员的人太多，而其中多数是更适合做观众的。说得更绝对些，生活的苦闷在于演出的欲望，而人生的解脱在于旁观的觉悟。

 

对以非旁观的方式参与的热情其实是种现代观念，并非古已有之。西贤亚里斯多德就把世界比作奥运会竞技场，其中有观众、竞技者和小商贩；在这位古希腊思想的集大成者看来，观众是最受尊重的，而商贩要受到鄙视。在他看来，旁观比任何实际功业都宝贵，因为旁观带来悠闲，而悠闲是快乐的最本质要素。这是我很早以前，比较悠闲的时候，读《政治学》或《尼各马可伦理学》的一点残存记忆，我不想为核对这些说法重新看一遍。至于中国道家的先贤老子和庄子，自然也都是高明的旁观者而非热衷的行动者。

 

哲人总是陈义过高，真正对我的生活态度起作用的是文学家的话。我很喜欢三百来年前办报纸The Spectator的Joseph Addison的小品文，他把旁观者的乐趣和宗旨说得淋漓尽致。我想自己不能说得更好，把他的两个片段附在后面。

 

当然，作为旁观党中的一员，在“万物静观皆自得”的同时，我由衷地感谢那些更积极、更活跃的参与者。试想，如果人人都不肯围着篝火劲舞，我们还有什么可看。而且，我也只是个凡夫俗子，而非亚里斯多德或老子之类大哲，看得兴起，难免偶尔也要演上一段。更何况，只有身在台上，才能体会得更深刻，观摩得更真切。

 

附： Addison的小品文片段两则

 

The Spectator's Account of Himself

 

Thus I live in the world rather as a Spectator of mankind than as one of the species; by which means I have made myself a speculative statesman, soldier, merchant, and artisan, without ever meddling with any practical part in life. I am very well versed in the theory of a husband or a father, and can discern the errors in the economy, business, and diversion of others, better than those who are engaged in them; as standers-by discover plots, which are apt to escape those who are in the game. I never espoused any part with violence, and am resolved to observe an exact neutrality between the Whigs and Tories, unless I shall be forced to declare myself by the hostilities of either side. In short I have acted in all the parts of my life as a looker-on, which is the character I intend to preserve in this paper.

 

The Aims of the Spectator

 

…I would recommend this paper to the daily perusal of those gentlemen whom I cannot but consider as my good brothers and allies, I mean the fraternity of Spectators, who live in the world without having anything to do in it; and either by the affluence of their fortunes, or laziness of their dispositions, have no other business with the rest of mankind, but to look upon them. Under this class of men are comprehended all contemplative tradesmen, titular physicians, fellows of the Royal Society, that are not given to be contentious, and statesmen that are out of business; in short, every one that considers the world as a theatre, and desires to form a right judgment of those who are the actors on it.

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