From this example, we know two factors are needed to reverse human nature, i.e. worthless work and the threat of violence, either of which is indispensable. With the reversion of human nature, people become folly. What is the point of taking so much pains in making people folly? I cannot figure it out. But presumably there is a point, otherwise there would not exist such an island. On deep reflection, we know that such a point inhabit the traditional culture of our nation. Taking the court etiquette of past Chinese dynasties as an example, it is required in the court etiquettes to bow and kowtow and kneel down in the presence of the king. The whole set of etiquette is laborious and brings no good, and is worthless as we may say. Yet the king has the bid stick with which he may have those disobedient flogged. With the two factors in place, the game maybe in play and make folly of the feudal officials. The same is true in the 1970s when the learning from Dazhai and class struggles went hand in hand. I myself had been to the countryside and lived with the local folks. I loved them, but I cannot yet I cannot deny the fact that they had been reversed long before. But somehow I went through all this with my mind unconfused—I still knew that “two plus two makes four”, which is an indication that a third factor is out there to reverse human nature, that is human frailty.
