作者：林养正
编辑：周志刚 责任编辑：钟然 校对：林小龙 翻译：刘芳
这是一个割裂的世界。
曾经，地球的一边在登陆月球时，地球的另一边在文化大革命。
而今天，地球的一边，ChatGPT已经帮助我们实现了儿时“万能图书馆”的梦想，可控核聚变、人工智能和脑机接口等科技共同把人类推向一个科幻小说中的时代。
地球的另一边，还处于发声即被判刑的红色恐怖中。独裁者还沉浸在秦始皇时代的长生梦中。普通人身体甚至不属于自己，器官可以被统治阶级随意摘取。
一个世界如同科幻小说般先进，一个世界还在封建时代的落后。
先进和落后体现在生活的方方面面。先进的一方最注重保护的就是代表未来的青少年儿童群体。社会尽最大努力，给孩子们营造一个自由探索、成长的环境。
学校每天下午三点放学，鼓励孩子们大量的运动、玩耍和探索。教育从人性出发，老师能够发现每一个孩子的闪光点。充满鼓励和关爱的环境让孩子自由生长，在环境中自然地学习世界与自我。
而落后的一方，学校沦为红色法西斯的极权洗脑机器。从小学到高中，从佩戴红领巾开始，从每周的升旗仪式、到军训、到思想政治课，无孔不入的洗脑充斥在中国的体制学校。
同时，天天在学校都是写不完的作业、考不完的试。学校强调竞争，强调愚昧努力，“提高一分，干掉千人”“只要学不死，就往死里学”。不考虑孩子基本的需求、不考虑身体、认知、社会情感的发展需要，初高中生时时刻刻机械地坐在椅子上，没有游戏、运动、玩耍，连睡眠的时间都不能保障充足。
而这些的共同目标，是培养孩子的服从意识，剥夺孩子们的思想，把孩子们变成没有思考能力的“举手机器”。因为只听到过一种声音，所以潜意识里把这当成了世界唯一的真理，并且在长大后成为极权的基本盘、“小粉红”。
面对这样的割裂，我们不能再假装无知。
我们生在这个时代，既能看到光，也被迫看清黑暗。
我们知道，真正的文明不靠口号，而靠每一个自由的灵魂。
我们这一代青少年，也许无法立刻改变整个国家，但我们能从拒绝被同化开始，从守护内心的思考开始。
因为，当一个人开始思考、开始质疑、开始追问“为什么”，他就已经不再是奴隶。
那么，作为清醒的青少年，我们可以做什么？
一、从保护自己开始
这里的保护自己，是指保护自己清醒的头脑、完整的身心、独立的判断与自由的意志。这既是为了让自己拥有自由，也是为了保留清醒与思考的火种。
我们必须明确意识到，在中国所谓的“成功路径”——高考、名校、大厂、996——这些，需要你从学生时代开始不断压抑自己，持续一生。把青春、创造力和思想都锁进制度的牢笼。
真正的成功，是做一个拥有自由灵魂的人。
当学校要求你用思想政治课来代替独立思考，当“升旗仪式”被当作忠诚的象征，当军训被用来训练服从——
你要记得：你的心灵不是他们的领地。
你有权不让思想被灌输，不让自由被塑形。
保护自己，也意味着保护身体与精神的完整。
不让无休止的晚自习和作业吞噬青春，不让题海取代创造，不让麻木取代好奇。
保留睡眠、运动、游戏、探索的空间，这些是一个活泼泼的青少年应有的生命节奏。
当然，在那样的环境中，清醒会被视为“叛逆”，拒绝会被当成“错误”。
因为体制学校与整个社会一样僵化，被权力与等级所统治。
他们不允许孩子提问，不允许个体存在不同的节奏。
但请记住——真正的教育是让人更自由，而不是更服从。
如果可能，争取父母的理解。
让他们知道，你不是在逃避学习，而是在守护人格。
有了家人的支持，你就能为自己争取到更多呼吸与探索的空间。
在有条件的地方，自主学习、在家上学、按兴趣探索，都是对抗僵化教育、重新夺回成长主动权的方式。
这样的选择，也许微小，实质却是非暴力不合作的抵抗行为。
它不以愤怒为武器，而以理性和自由为信仰。
当越来越多的人用行动捍卫独立意志，这种抵抗就会在沉默中积蓄力量。
革命不是从空喊口号开始，而是从一个个选择做自己的人开始。
二、点对点传播自由理念思想
点对点传播，即人与人之间在线下、以及安全的线上平台间小范围传播自由思想和反共理念。这个概念出自彭立发《倒习攻略》，也是在《倒习攻略》提到的抗争方式中，个人认为风险相对最低的一种方式。
具体到我们能做的事情，就是：
把中国体制的危害，告诉身边的每一个人。
你可以在老师讲完思想政治课后，在课间跟同学们讲一遍真实的政治事件。
你可以在争取父母支持的过程中，顺便跟父母普及中共的历史暴行。
把真相的声音，传播给你交际范围内可能传递给的每一个人。
也许一个人的力量微弱渺小，但不要忘了—每一个清醒的人，都可能向他们的交际圈传播真相。
这是一个指数增长的过程，你每传播的一份真相，都可能在未来影响到成百上千的人。
星星之火可以燎原，过了某一个临界点，社会就可以变天。
这个过程中，重要的，是有理有据，逻辑清晰。
中共的网络防火墙屏蔽了真相，让这个社会只有谎言一种声音。
但谎言的力量压不住真相，真理终究是越辩越明的。
而这个过程本身，也是一个基于真实问题的PBL项目制学习。
比在题海中刷题有意义千万倍。
另外，不要恐惧这么做，是否可能给你带来什么人身危险。
当然，恐惧是正常的，即使是成年人也会对极权产生恐惧。
极权正是靠着传播恐惧来迫使人自我审查，把反抗力量原子化打散为散沙，才能维持他们的统治。
但你们要知道，点对点传播之所以比公开传播安全，就是因为这种方式很难被发现。
他们可以监控公开演讲，监控互联网，却不可能强制在班级、一个人的家里、在窃窃私语间装摄像头。
窃窃私语，正是最安全的抗争方法。
你们还要知道一点，中国的刑法第十七条规定，未满十六周岁的人，除了八种严重暴力犯罪外，对其他类型犯罪以及治安违法不承担责任。
也就是说，他们一切常用的借口，寻衅滋事，煽动颠覆，都不能被使用到你们身上。
他们能做的只有批评教育、至多至多以“影响未来考公”“学校把你开除”威胁你。
对于清醒的我们来说，这样的威胁简直可笑。
考公，成为那个体制的一员，与他们同流合污，本身就是一件耻辱的事情。
退学，正好可以不用接受体制教育，彻底摆脱题海和洗脑，有充分的时间探索自己真正感兴趣的领域。
人是一颗会思考的芦苇。
当你守护住了自由的思想，也就守护住了未来的火种。
三、我们的未来是星辰大海
这句话，既是物理意义上的，也是精神意义上的。
我们的未来，拥有无限的可能。也许是在火星上度过七日假期，也许是在全息世界中自由学习万物的知识。
当下，人工智能早已在围棋和象棋上战胜人类绝顶高手，ChatGPT已经可以帮助我们学习任何知识。
未来，在机械记忆方面，人类可能被人工智能完全碾压。现在的一切重复性工作，可能被人工智能完全代替。
只有思考，想象，探索，创造，才是不可被替代的独属于人类的能力。
千万不要被任何人，任何权利，任何制度，夺走这些属于人类最宝贵的能力。那是人类区别于机器和奴隶的根本。
让我们仰望星空，地球上的极权和暴政，只是宇宙长河中短暂的闪烁。
王朝与时代如焰火般燃起又熄灭，从石器的回声到钢铁的轰鸣，不过是宇宙的一次呼吸。
极权与专制，也在这呼吸间诞生，在下一瞬便归于尘土。
那根被古猿抛向天空的骨头棒，还未落地，就化作了能穿越银河的飞船。
唯有自由与创造，是人类文明中能穿越时间的光。
我们所能做的，就是守护那份光，守护心中对真理与未知的渴望，让自己随时准备迎接那个属于自由人类的新时代。
唯有自由的灵魂，才能真正航向星辰大海。
A Letter to All Young People in China
Author: Lin Yangzheng
Editor: Zhou Zhigang Executive Editor: Zhong Ran Proofreader: Lin Xiaolong Translator: Liu Fang
Abstract: This article reveals what constitutes an advanced world and what constitutes a backward one. It exposes the mechanisms of ideological brainwashing and mind control in China’s totalitarian system, calling on young people to safeguard free thought and resist assimilation, to spread truth through point-to-point communication, to remain clear-minded and independent, and to meet the future—toward the stars and the sea—with freedom and creativity.
This is a fractured world. Once, when one side of the Earth was landing on the moon, the other side was engulfed in the Cultural Revolution. And today, on one side of the planet, ChatGPT has helped us fulfill the childhood dream of a “universal library,” while controllable nuclear fusion, artificial intelligence, and brain-computer interfaces are propelling humanity into an era that looks like science fiction. On the other side of the Earth, people still live under a red terror where speaking out leads to imprisonment. Dictators still indulge in the ancient fantasy of immortality. Ordinary people do not even own their bodies—organs can be harvested at will by the ruling class. One world is as advanced as a sci-fi future; the other is as backward as a feudal past.
Advancement and backwardness show themselves in every aspect of life. The advanced world treats its children and teenagers—the carriers of the future—as its most precious treasure. Society does everything possible to create an environment where children can explore freely and grow naturally. Schools end at three o’clock in the afternoon, encouraging students to engage abundantly in sports, play, and exploration. Education begins with human nature; teachers identify each student’s strengths. A supportive, loving environment allows children to flourish and naturally learn about the world and themselves. In the backward world, schools are reduced to totalitarian indoctrination machines of red fascism. From elementary school to high school, from wearing the red scarf to weekly flag-raising ceremonies, to military training, to ideological and political classes—brainwashing permeates every corner of China’s state-run education system. Meanwhile, days are filled with endless homework and continuous exams. Schools glorify competition and mindless exertion: “Increase your score by one point, defeat a thousand others,” “If studying doesn’t kill you, study harder until it does.” They ignore children’s basic needs, their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Middle and high school students sit mechanically in chairs for hours on end—no play, no sports, no rest, not even sufficient sleep. The shared goal behind it all is to cultivate obedience, strip young people of independent thought, and turn them into mindless “hand-raising machines.” Having heard only one voice their entire lives, they subconsciously mistake propaganda for universal truth—and eventually grow into the regime’s loyal base, the so-called “little pinks.”
Faced with such a divided world, we can no longer pretend to be ignorant. We were born in an era where we can see both the light and the darkness. We know that true civilization is not built on slogans—it is built on every free soul. Our generation of young people may not be able to change the entire nation right away. But we can begin by refusing to be assimilated—by guarding the space for independent thought in our hearts. Because when a person begins to think, to question, to ask “why,” he is no longer a slave.
So what can we do as young people who choose to stay awake?
First, start by protecting yourself. Here, protecting yourself means protecting your clear mind, your intact body and soul, your independent judgment, and your free will. This is not only for the sake of your own freedom, but also to preserve the spark of clarity and thought. We must clearly recognize that the so-called “path to success” in China—college entrance exams, elite universities, big tech companies, 996 work culture—requires decades of self-suppression beginning in childhood. Youth, creativity, and thought are all locked inside the iron cage of the system. True success is to become a person with a free soul.
When schools demand that ideological classes replace independent thinking, when flag-raising ceremonies become symbols of loyalty, when military training is used to instill obedience— remember: your mind is not their territory. You have the right to resist indoctrination and defend your inner freedom.
Protecting yourself also means protecting the integrity of your body and spirit. Do not let endless night classes and homework consume your youth. Do not let test drills replace creativity. Do not let numbness replace curiosity. Preserve time for sleep, movement, play, and exploration—this is the living rhythm every young person deserves.
Of course, in such an environment, staying awake will be labeled “rebellion,” and refusal will be treated as “wrong.” Because the entire school system, like society at large, is rigid and governed by power and hierarchy. They do not allow children to ask questions, nor do they allow individuals to live at their own pace. But remember—true education makes people free, not obedient.
If possible, seek your parents’ understanding. Let them know that you are not avoiding learning—you are protecting your personhood. With their support, you can reclaim more room to breathe and explore.
Where conditions permit, self-directed learning, homeschooling, and interest-based exploration are all ways to resist rigid schooling and reclaim agency over your own growth. Such choices may seem small, but they are acts of non-violent, non-cooperative resistance. They take reason and freedom—not anger—as their weapons. When more and more people defend their independent will through action, resistance will quietly accumulate power. Revolutions do not begin with shouting slogans—they begin when individuals insist on being themselves.
Second, spread ideas of freedom through point-to-point communication. Point-to-point communication means sharing ideas about freedom and anti-authoritarianism in small, private circles—offline or through safe online channels. This concept comes from Peng Lifa’s “Guide to Bringing Down Xi,” and among the methods it proposes, this is arguably the least risky.
In practice, this means: Tell everyone around you about the harms of China’s system. When your teacher finishes an ideological class, talk to your classmates during break about real political events. When you seek your parents’ understanding, explain to them the CCP’s historical atrocities. Spread the truth to everyone within your social circle who might pass it on. One person’s power may seem small, but remember—every awakened individual may pass on truth to their entire network. This is an exponential process. Each truth you spread may influence hundreds or thousands in the future. A single spark can start a prairie fire; once a critical mass is reached, society can change overnight.
In this process, what matters is being factual and logical. The CCP’s firewall blocks truth, leaving only lies in the public sphere. But lies cannot suppress truth; truth becomes clearer through debate. This process itself is a real PBL (project-based learning) rooted in real-world issues—far more meaningful than drowning in exam drills.
Do not fear that doing this might endanger you. Fear is normal—even adults feel fear before a dictatorship. Dictatorships rely on spreading fear to force self-censorship, fragmenting resistance into grains of sand. But remember, point-to-point communication is safer precisely because it is hard to detect. They can monitor public speeches and the internet, but they cannot plant cameras in your classroom conversations, in your living room, or in whispered exchanges. Whispers are the safest form of resistance.
And remember this: Article 17 of China’s Criminal Law states that except for eight serious violent crimes, minors under sixteen bear no criminal responsibility. Which means their usual charges—“picking quarrels,” “inciting subversion,” and so on—cannot be used against you. All they can do is “criticize and educate” you or threaten you with “affecting future government recruitment” or “school expulsion.”
To those of us who are awake, such threats are laughable. Joining the government and becoming part of that system—becoming complicit with it—is a disgrace in itself. Being expelled from school may even liberate you from indoctrination, freeing you from endless exams and allowing you to explore what truly interests you. A human being is a thinking reed. By safeguarding free thought, you safeguard the fire that lights the future.
Third, our future is the sea of stars. This is true both physically and spiritually. Our future holds infinite possibilities. Perhaps one day we will spend a week-long vacation on Mars, or freely learn everything about the universe in a holographic world. Today, AI has already defeated human champions in Go and chess. ChatGPT can help us learn nearly anything. In the future, artificial intelligence may surpass humans entirely in mechanical memory. All repetitive work may be replaced completely by AI. Only thinking, imagining, exploring, and creating will remain uniquely human. Do not let anyone—any power, any system—take away these most precious human abilities. They are what distinguish human beings from machines and slaves.
Let us look up at the stars. The tyranny and oppression on Earth are but brief flickers in the river of the universe. Dynasties and eras rise and fall like fireworks; from the echoes of stone tools to the roar of steel, it is all but a single breath in cosmic time. Totalitarianism and despotism are born in this breath—and in the next, they return to dust. The bone-club thrown by ancient apes had not yet fallen to Earth when it transformed into a starship capable of crossing the galaxy. Only freedom and creativity are lights of human civilization capable of crossing time.
What we must do is guard that light—guard our hunger for truth and the unknown—so that we are always ready to welcome the new era that belongs to a free humanity. Only a free soul can truly sail toward the sea of stars.
