James Poy Wong 黃培正

"The determination to be number one and the effort to fight for number one is an uplifting spirit that benefits individuals as well as society. The progress of civilization is hinged on this."

"To Be Number One"¹ - 1945

争第一

闻说由此举行戏剧比赛，有些社团因为恐怕争不到第一，就懒得去参加。 这种第一的精神确是值得钦佩的，只可惜这种思想还有不足之处。

存心欲第一，努力去争第一是一种向上的精神，对个人，对社会都有益处， 人类文明的进步就系在这一点上。 不过因为恐怕争不到第一，而放弃竞争的权利， 是万不应该有的态度。 第一是绝对的只有一个，努力的总是应该努力，没有尝试，又安知自己的能力不及别人呢？ 所以这 “恐怕” 是有害的，是弱者堕落的护身符。 就是明知自己的力量不及人时，更应该努力参加，从而学习，从而训练。 这是青年人应有的态度。

竞赛中当然少有 ”并驾齐驱“ 的 结局，有胜当有负，这是必然的。 人没有一个是绝对愚蠢的，所以当然也没有一无所长的一羣。 负者应该力求改进，不可自满或自卑，更应该有始有终。 为了争不到第一而中途退落是极坏的现象。 或因为第一而打起架来更是不应该。 这两点都是深植在我们中国人的血脉中的祸根。 老年人有不能改的就让他死去，青年人就非绝对改过不可，做旁观的更不应对那些在后的完成者加以冷笑。

这些较迟的成功者不是傻瓜。 讥笑别人失败的倒要验验自己，有没有神经病。

To Be Number One

I heard of a time in a drama contest some clubs didn’t care to participate because they were afraid they would not get the number one winning title. Such a spirit of wanting to be number one certainly deserves our admiration. Unfortunately, this kind of thinking has its deficiency.

The determination to be number one and the effort to fight for number one is an uplifting spirit that benefits individuals as well as society. The progress of civilization is hinged on this. But to forsake the right to compete due to the fear of not getting number one is not an attitude one should have. There is absolutely only one number one, and those who try ought to put in the effort. How would we know our ability is not as good as the others if we don’t try? Therefore, such “fear” is harmful and it is an amulet for the degenerate weakling. Even if you know your ability is weaker than others’, the more reason you should strive to participate and learn from it with further practice. This is the attitude the young adolescents should have.

In a contest, there is seldom a run neck and neck result and naturally there are winners and losers. No one is absolutely foolish, and therefore, there is no one group that has no skills. The loser should try harder to improve and should not fall into a sense of complacence or inferiority. More importantly, one should finish what one starts. Dropping out in the middle of a contest because of not winning the number one title is a very poor showing, nor should one start a fight over being number one. These two points are the roots of trouble deeply ingrained in the Chinese bloodline. For the elderly who cannot change people would just let them die out, but young people must absolutely change and improve. Moreso, those on the sideline should not sneer at the ones falling behind but finish the contest.

These relatively slow winners are not fools. On the contrary, those who ridicule others’ failures should examine themselves for mental illness.