世博演講:Temptation and motivation

Ladies and gentlemen. My topic is Temptation and motivation.

I would like to begin my speech with my story. Before I started off my journey in University in Guangzhou, a modern city far away from hometown, my mother pat me on the shoulder and said to me: there are temptations out there in the city- so keep your eyes open and bring your ambition along whenever you go out.

The first time I’d toured Tianhe District in Guangzhou by myself, typical city images were surging into my eyes: grandly decorated shopping malls, finely-dressed people sitting at Starbucks sipping coffee and teenages so much younger than me with noted-brand shoes on, proudly heading to elementary schools. I was shocked and amazed at what I could only see on television. Although I have always had my mother’s advice in my mind, these images still managed to drown me in deep thoughts and had been haunting illusion in my head for over a week.

In fact, in the era of urbanization, spiritual and material temptations in the cities are so all-over-the-place that humanity find it very hard to resist. Thus they are tempted to buy more and buy better. In Guangzhou, some college students should excessively spend over 2,000 yuan per month. Sarcastically, instead of spending the money in a more productive and effective way, they have some of it update their cellphones; some of it dedicated to singing karaoke and some of it contribute to the Nike, Chanel, Lecoste, Levis or Gucci. Some are going too far. A peer student in Shanghai should purchase a 1800-RMB-worth, the latest Play Station Portable 2000, with educational loans. Therefore, in China, social scientists have expressed their deep concern and worry over the city temptations that breed passive consumers and worsen the entire community custom.

For economic and social moral reasons, people’s living standard has been greatly improved and consuming behavior changed. In the urbanization, lots of citizens are overwhelmed by temptations and not able to turn them into their inner drives. With more money at hand and more goods to choose from, that we compare what we’ve had with what we want is where the lure lies. In fact, if we see it as something we want now, then it is temptation to us; and if we see it as something we will get, then it is an objective to us. People, young or old, rich or poor, had better establish a healthy moral value towards the spiritual and material extravaganza, turn temptations into motivations, set up a goal and go for it. Only in this way can we truly enjoy the benefits urbanization brings and experience wonderful lives in the cities.

My dear friends, cities are seductive and pregnant with potential traps that easily capture the lameness of everyman. So please keep your eyes open, to spot the holes covered by the luxurious and bring your ambition with you, to eliminate the illusive disguise of extravangance, to make yourself an ambition citizen for the future, and the city a better place to live.