陶本一校長

世界上有各種各樣的人：國王和皇後，總統和首席執行官，教師，工程師，醫生和護士等，但這些僅僅是頭銜。

我認為，在歸納總結時，有更好的分類方法：中國人使用“好人與壞人”，“大人物和小人物”，“勇士與懦夫”等。但實際上，隻有兩種類型的人- 普通人與貴族 （我不想用“貴人”因為“貴人”這個詞顯得很庸俗）。普通人會考慮自己的日常需要，不會成為貴族，也沒有家教，能力，智力，遠見和財務支撐變成一位貴族。首先，貴族必須是一個出身優良的人，其教養及生活不涉及平民的生存需要的點點滴滴。這樣的特權可能是他祖先傳承賦予的，也可能是通過他的才智，能力及努力獲得的。但是，絕大多數人並沒有成為貴族的條件，因為大多數人缺乏這種特權，他們被詛咒必須每天工作八小時來謀生。

一個真正的貴族是一個高尚有遠見的人，而不是擔心雞毛蒜皮細節的人。他是一個夢想家和思想家。他夢想著一般人尚無法想象的可能性，並且他總是在思考實現這些夢想的方法。

一個真正的貴族是博學的人。他不一定有兩個博士學位，但總體而言，他受生活觀念和整體視野的驅使，並不斷思考事物背後的原因，以及通過他本人或由他本人做出決定及應采取的適當行動來改變世界。

一個真正的貴族即使需要職位來運作，也不必擔心獲得或失去某些職位。命運總是那樣，一個貴族通常會擔任一個職位或有個頭銜，而這種職位和頭銜又經常恰好符合對他的描述。他將以自己的知識，遠見和容忍度以合理的方式行使職能職權，並做出會影響普通人的決策，通常是為了普通人的最大利益。

一個真正的貴族不會陷入泥潭，不停地計算出如何提高自己的投資組合及每項行動的損失和收益。一個真正的貴族不會在乎下層普通人對他的惡意攻擊和汙名。他的視野超出了他們的理解範圍，並且由於這些平民缺乏眼光及合適的詞匯，他的行為經常被誤解和錯判。

世界上沒有太多貴族。所以，如果您能遇到一位，您真的很幸運。如果您曾與這樣的人一起工作過，那您這一生一定做對了什麽事情。如果您因此人受益，您的守護天使肯定一直在您的肩膀上注視著，保護著您呢。

陶先生便是這樣的貴族。

There are all sorts of people in the world: There are the kings and the queens, the presidents and the CEOs and teachers and engineers and doctors and nurses, etc., but these are just titles.

I think there is a better way to classify people when we generalize: The Chinese use “good and bad,” “big man and small man,” “brave and cowardly,” etc. But truly, there are only two types of people - there is the common man and there is the noble man. The common man looks into his daily needs to meet and doesn’t dare to consider becoming a noble man, nor does he have the upbringing, the ability, the learning, the vision, nor the financial support to become one. A noble man, first and foremost, must be a privileged man, whose upbringing does not involve survival needs facing the commons. Such privileges may be endowed by the heritance from his ancestors, or maybe earned through his wits, fortunes, and intelligence. Yet, the vast majority of people are not conditioned to be a noble man because they lack such privileges and are condemned to work eight hours a day to make a living.

A noble man is a man of vision, not meticulousness. He is a dreamer and thinker. He dreams about possibilities that are not yet conceivable, and he thinks about ways to achieve these dreams.

A noble man is a learned man. He is driven by ideas and holistic vision of life in general and is constantly thinking about the reasons behind things and the proper actions to take should he be in such a position where decisions are made through or by him.

A noble man is not concerned about gaining or losing certain positions, even though he needs a position to function.  As fate would always have it, a noble man normally holds a position or a title in society where such a position and title properly fits the description. In his capacity, he will function, reasonably, with knowledge, vision, and forbearance and make decisions that will affect the common man, usually, in the best interest of the common man.

A noble man is not bogged down to earth to calculate the losses and gains of each action to enhance his portfolio. A noble man does not take to heart the ill will and smear of reputation imposed upon him by the lower group of common men. His vision is beyond their comprehension, and his actions are often mistaken and ill defined by the lack of available vocabulary among the commons.

There are not too many noble men in the world. And if you meet one you are truly lucky. If you have worked with such a man, you must have done something right; and if you benefit from such a man, your guarding angels have been watching over your shoulders.

Mr. Tao is such a noble man.