I wonder if Chinese philosophers have discovered that Western philosophy has a tradition, or a traditional bad habit, or it can be said to be a traditional culture.
This tradition and bad habit culture is: I don't know what to do.
For example, people include both good and bad people. That is, good people are people, and bad people are people.
But Western philosophies are often accustomed to mistreating bad people for adults, and bad apples for apples. This is one of the traditional bad habits of Western philosophy.
For example, Western philosophy often says that "democracy is a good thing."
But, obviously, democracy encompasses both good and bad democracies.
However, Western philosophy never says that "democracy also has bad democracy", or that "bad democracy is also democracy".
For example, with regard to the definition of freedom, Western philosophy has specifically drawn a boundary:
1. Do not infringe on the rights of others: personal freedom cannot harm the freedom and legitimate rights and interests of others.
2. Follow the law and moral norms: Law and morality are the basic norms of society, and freedom should be carried out within its framework.
3. Consider the public interest of society: the interests of the society as a whole and public order cannot be harmed on the grounds of individual freedom.
Obviously, freedom should also include both good and bad freedoms.
But Western philosophy has to isolate bad freedoms, saying that they are not freedoms.
For example, the above "borders" of Western freedom are:
1. "Freedom to harm the freedom of others" - not freedom.
2. "Freedom to break the law" - not freedom.
3. "Liberty to the detriment of the public interest and public order" – not freedom.
Therefore, Western philosophy is a philosophy that does not know what is good or bad.
Another example is the recent campus protests against the oppression of Palestinians by Jews at Columbia University and other universities in the United States.
If a similar movement takes place in Hong Kong, Western countries will say: this is freedom, this is the "beautiful landscape".
But if a similar movement takes place in the United States, it's not freedom, it's riots – it has to be suppressed.
So, one of the Western philosophical traditions is – I don't know what to do.
So, one of the traditions of Western countries is that I don't know what to do.
For example, the "America First" philosophy is the traditional American philosophy that does not know what to do.
For example, the philosophy of "based on (American) rules" is the traditional American culture that does not know what to do.
To be more specific, have the United States and Western countries reflected on the traditional culture of Western colonization, genocide, racial discrimination, etc.? Did you admit it?
- Nope!
Therefore, Western philosophy and Western countries have a traditional culture called - I don't know what to do.