Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 400 This is not the future I want

"Damn Zhang Chao!"

After listening to Zhang Chao's opening remarks, the audience in front of the TV couldn't help but curse again - we have been so angry for so many days, and it was all your calculations?

This guy is so sinister!

However, this also made many people feel a little relieved.

For Chinese readers, Zhang Chao can be said to be a young writer who "grew up in front of everyone's eyes." Since the first three articles appeared in early 2004, Zhang Chao's every step in literature has been witnessed by everyone.

"I watched him build a red mansion, I watched him entertain guests..." Most people would not want to "watch his mansion collapse!" - especially when they are so young.

Since he wrote the article "Damn Zhang Chao!" himself, there must be something to it. You might as well listen to it patiently.

However, another group of people had a different reaction:
"Damn it, this time we are lucky that we didn't have enough funds and were late for the typesetting. Withdraw the manuscripts, quickly notify the editor to withdraw the manuscripts, withdraw them all!"

……

After Zhang Chao introduced himself, Dong Qian smiled and said, "I believe many viewers are already familiar with you, but let's first watch a short video to find out why you came to our show to be interviewed today."

Then the introduction video was cut to the screen, and the CCTV commentator's unique magnetic voice sounded: "Zhang Chao, born in 1985, is a famous young writer in my country..."

The short film is quite comprehensive. It not only briefly introduces Zhang Chao's basic information, but also reviews the controversy caused by his two recent novels.

After the video ended, Dong Qian asked: "Let's get straight to the point - why did you choose to publish an anonymous article criticizing yourself?"

Zhang Chao answered without thinking: "The main reason why I wrote this anonymous article... well, the title and content are a bit rude is that I was afraid that others might not criticize me harshly enough or well enough to attract enough attention."

Dong Qian showed a slightly surprised expression - although most of the questions and answers in such interviews have been checked in advance, as a host and interviewer, she needs to use her expression and body language to bring the audience into the situation: "Oh, I'm afraid many people will not be convinced by this.

Zhang Chao may be very good at writing novels, but why does he have to do things like "scold Zhang Chao" himself? "

Zhang Chao laughed and said, "In fact, I am probably better at cursing than writing novels. I won't elaborate on this, for fear of hurting many people's self-esteem. Of course, there is nothing to brag about in being good at cursing. It is at most a means of self-protection.

In fact, what is more important is that I hope to arouse the general public's attention to this matter, so that my goal can be achieved."

Dong Qian asked: "What is the purpose that makes me use such rude words to 'criticize' myself?"

Zhang Chao restrained his smile when he heard this question, and said solemnly: "Because I am sure that what happened to Xiao Yang in "A Letter from a Strange Woman" will definitely happen in the future! It may not be in such an extreme form as "selling a kidney to buy a mobile phone" - but any other form is a social tragedy.

When I first started writing this novel, I wanted to do everything in my power to prevent such a tragedy from happening - of course, this is a bit "utopian" and even a bit arrogant.

But this is my real thought. How can we do it? I think it can only be achieved by attracting enough social attention so that people who are at the edge and in the corners of the city can see it as soon as they turn on the TV or open the website.

I think if they knew how dangerous and sad this was, then perhaps this tragedy wouldn't have happened - even if doing so would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

If someone else scolded me, they might have all sorts of other concerns, or even not dare to scold me because of my past behavior, let alone scold me too harshly. So I thought, why not just do it myself.”

After hearing this answer, Dong Qian leaned forward slightly, picked up the July issue of Contemporary magazine, flipped through it, and asked, "Although you said you wanted to prevent tragedies from happening, you predicted the extreme case of 'selling kidneys to buy mobile phones' in your novel, and in reality you did promote the iPhone craze through games.

How do you understand this contradiction? You prevent tragedy from happening, but you also achieve huge commercial success from it, which does raise questions for people.”

Zhang Chao laughed and said, "Will the iPhone stop developing Kung Fu Fruit just because I didn't develop it? You know, no matter how successful this app is, it relies on the unique mechanism of the iPhone.

It is easily the most important consumer digital product to come out in the new millennium, so even if I hadn't come up with the idea, someone else would have.

——Or we can say that it was because I thought of this idea first that I wrote the novel "A Letter from an Unknown Woman". Rather than saying that I am confident in my own idea, I am more confident in the future of this phone.

The first generation of iPhone sold 130 million units in one year, exceeding the sales of all other brands of high-end phones. But the second generation, which was launched today, sold 100 million units in less than two weeks. This level of popularity, coupled with its price and design, will sooner or later become a status symbol. "

Dong Qian thought for a while after listening, and then said: "According to my understanding, the current domestic parallel imports of Apple mobile phones will sell for 5,000 to 6,000 or 7,000 to 8,000 yuan. Even if it can be introduced into the country through formal channels in the future, the selling price will probably not be lower than 4,000 to 5,000 yuan.

With such a high price tag, it should be a ‘toy for the rich’, so why is it that those marginalized people with low incomes are harmed instead? ”

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "This is a misunderstanding. It's not because it's expensive that it hurts those people. It's because it's too cheap that it hurts those people."

This answer was obviously beyond everyone's expectations, and the audience in front of the TV thought they had heard it wrong.

You have to know that in 2008, even in a first-tier city like Yanjing, the average wage was less than 4000 yuan. Spending to yuan, or to yuan to buy a mobile phone is completely a luxury consumption behavior.

Zhang Chao actually said that the iPhone is too cheap? Has this guy been out of touch with the people for too long after he got rich?
Dong Qian also asked the question for everyone: "Apple phones are too cheap? This view is really novel. Can you explain your reasons in more detail?"

Zhang Chao nodded and replied in a relaxed tone: "People say that the iPhone is expensive because everyone has forgotten the launch prices of other big-name mobile phones. Take the flagship mobile phone N96 released by Nokia this year as an example. Its launch price in China is 6900 yuan, but in the early days, it actually cost about 7500 yuan to get it in stock..."

When talking about his favorite digital products, Zhang Chao knows them all by heart. After all, he used to drool over those flagship phones while licking their screens.

Dong Qian asked in surprise: "Is it so expensive?"

Zhang Chao laughed and said, "Didn't expect it? In fact, whether it is Nokia, Samsung, or Motorola, their high-end mobile phones are more expensive than the two generations of Apple iPhones when they are launched every year. However, these mobile phones have a 'rapid price drop', and their prices will drop month by month after they are launched, so we don't think they are that expensive; secondly, these manufacturers all use the 'sea of ​​​​machines strategy', and there are a large number of mid-end versions with almost the same functions and slightly reduced configurations, which can be bought at a relatively low price.

The official price of these two generations of iPhones has not been reduced. When the previous generation is replaced, the previous generation is directly discontinued. Moreover, there is only one model, and no replacement. The user experience provided by iPhone 3G far exceeds any so-called "flagship phone" on the market.

So in that sense, it’s really cheap.”

Dong Qian listened for a long time and finally understood a little. She quickly changed the topic from digital products back to the main topic and asked: "Why do you think this will become an identity symbol?

There are many luxury goods that can be bought for 5,000 to 6,000 yuan, 7,000 to 8,000 yuan. As far as I know, some entry-level high-end watches do not even cost that much. Why is a mobile phone so attractive?

I believe many of your readers, as well as our TV viewers, are also curious about this.”

Zhang Chao did not answer directly, but said: "Xiao Yang's tragedy in the novel is not an isolated case - in Shenzhen's talent market and urban villages, every day there are people holding up signs saying 'ID cards for high prices', and from time to time a young person will come over to ask for the price;

In the back alley of the electronics factory, you can see young people with childish faces squatting next to the sewage ditch, smoking loose cigarettes, showing the needle holes on their arms to their companions, and gesturing the price of selling blood.

They are constantly in a state of intense anxiety over material and identity, but few people pay attention to them—except for poets like Xu Lizhi who are among them.”

Hearing this, Dong Qian said, "Aren't you here? You've also paid attention to them. I noticed that the first issue of the magazine Youth Non-Fiction described this group of people. The title seemed to be "Peacocks on the Assembly Line."

Zhang Chao said: "That was written by my classmate and colleague Lan Ting. She very subtly depicted their psychological characteristics of longing for attention, but in the past she usually used exaggerated shapes.

If you read that article, you will understand why I assert that the iPhone will become a kind of identity symbol. After being ignored by everyone, they especially need a symbol that can show their identity.

It cannot be too expensive, otherwise people will not be able to afford it; it cannot be too useless, otherwise it will become a burden; and it cannot be too easy to counterfeit, like high-end watches. The watch city west of Guangzhou Railway Station has already counterfeited them so easily that the real ones are difficult to distinguish from the fakes.

It also needs to be visible enough, like an outrageous hairstyle or tattoo, to be visible at all times.”

Dong Qian interrupted at the right time and said, "So the Apple phone perfectly meets these requirements, right?"

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "Yes. It is definitely an epoch-making and excellent product. It would be so successful with or without my "Kung Fu Fruit" or "WeChat."

It will become an electronic product that is popular among people of all ages and all classes, just like Sony's Walkman and Apple's own iPod."

Dong Qian was surprised and asked, "It sounds like you are advertising it? Will the iPhone really be so successful?"

Zhang Chao shrugged and said, "Let's wait and see. I think this is the easiest one to verify among all my 'prophecies'."

Dong Qian said thoughtfully: "So when the price of such popular technology products is just stuck in the range of 'you can reach it by standing on tiptoe', it will become a sickle to harvest youth -

Xiao Yang and his ilk won’t sell their kidneys for a Rolex watch, because that is a distant and unattainable star; but when the price of an iPhone is equal to their three-month daily salary, it becomes a Pandora’s box that is within reach.

Is this what you mean? "

Zhang Chaoxian smiled and said: "The biggest problem they face is that they can't save up three months of daily wages, or even three days. This is also the main reason why I think they sell their organs."

Then Zhang Chao thought for a while, put away his smile, and said seriously: "Your summary is equivalent to adding an "original sin" to the iPhone - how can it be so terrible?
If this judgment is established, who will dare to create great products for the public in the future?"

Dong Qian then asked a breathtaking question: "If the Apple phone is not wrong, your "Kung Fu Fruit" and "WeChat" are not wrong, and even those young people are not wrong - then is it our society that is wrong?

Do you think that the excessive pursuit of material things and the impetuous human mind in today's society may have led to this tragedy? "

The audience in front of the TV were immediately perked up, feeling that this question touched everyone's heart.

In 2008, China was on the eve of an economic boom and a transformation of people’s hearts. On the one hand, people enjoyed far more abundant material supplies than in the past, but on the other hand, they felt confused and uneasy about various phenomena in society.

Reflecting on national character and criticizing society can be said to be one of the mainstream voices in the cultural community - and everyone feels accustomed to it, and even thinks that this is a manifestation of the independent consciousness and critical spirit of cultural people.

Zhang Chao is not without precedent in this regard. Starting from "Young Babylon" and "Young Like You", except for a few works, he has exposed and criticized the various ills of today's society.

In "The Last Lesson" and "Letter from an Unknown Woman", he went a step further and conducted "pre-criticism" of possible problems that might arise in the future of society.

But all of this was expressed in the form of a novel, in a roundabout and implicit way, and was never spoken out loud.

Therefore, many viewers expect Zhang Chao to transform into a "reflection pioneer" at this moment and speak out some profound truths criticizing Chinese society and the bad qualities of the Chinese people.

In the eyes of many people, this is a key step for Zhang Chao to "become an immortal" - after taking this step, Zhang Chao's ideological realm suddenly became higher, and he was no longer the petty and mean writing craftsman.

Zhang Chao seemed not to understand the meaning behind the question, but calmly drank a sip of water, and then said something that shocked everyone: "On the contrary, I think the cause of the tragedy is that this society is not materialistic enough and impetuous enough.

If it were really as materialistic and impetuous as everyone imagines, people like Xu Lizhi wouldn't be so miserable, and people like Xiao Yang wouldn't be trapped in a downward spiral.

This is not the future I want!"

This answer made all the viewers in front of the TV open their mouths slightly, and they were visibly stunned.

(End of this chapter)