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Koroshi--Do we work to live, or live to work?

Our economy is booming, yet our traditional social structures are disintegrating.

Attached to our technology 24/7 with laptops, blackberries and mobile phones, we've become a stressed out and anxious society. Families, friends and our health are all suffering. Many are changing their priorities for a more balanced life. The decision by a lot of CEOs to give up their posts for a simpler existence are recent high-profile example. They've bought some plot of land and become farmers.

No longer are we working to live, but living to work, and the adjunct effect for many is an increasing bout of affluenza, which is described as "a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more". "More" seems to be a synonym of "better," but is it? We've become seduced by the dollar and materialism and chasing an elusive dream. Don't we see the lottery craze booming? "We need more money" soars in the air. We breathe in and inhale it when we walk on the street.


Why are we falling prey to this work-addicted society, and why are so many of us opting to bail out of high stress and demanding work environments? We work long hours, more than the Germans, more than the Americans — who generally only have one or two weeks annual leave — more even than the Japanese who are famous for this phenomenon called Koroshi, or death by overwork. But is our economy better? Are we increasing our Per Capita GDP (gross domestic product)? And you have to ask yourself 'Why?' 'Why are you overworking?" And there is only one really persuasive answer and that is we want more money. We need money to pay our credit debt, house mortgage payment, children's schooling tuition, among others.


But now when we are aware of the situation we are in, more and more people also explore how the workplace needs to change to retain a healthy and productive workforce, as more and more of us are changing our priorities for a more balanced life. Don't you think so?

Vincent (Starry Starry Night)

Vincent (Starry Starry Night)
--Lyric by Don McLean
一首多麼好聽的歌! 梵谷一位悲劇性的畫家，他的畫作是在死後才被世人所重視。 很難想像在1903年時，梵谷的作品在布雷達市場(Breda Market)一幅只能賣到5分到10分錢。但是現在這些畫卻是數以百萬元計的。

梵谷生於1853年於布拉邦省(Brabant)的小鎮赫崙桑得(Groot -Zundert)，從小深受法國藝術氣息薰陶。自從西元1888年，搬到普羅旺斯省的亞耳城(Arles)以後，梵谷藉由作畫來紓解他內心裡的矛盾，以平衡他在真實生活中所遭受到的挫折，此時的畫作產量也漸漸增多。梵谷最被人為稱道的就是對於光與顏色的處理。由於他的筆觸相當的重，所以常常在畫布上留下一層厚厚的顏料。但是他一生從未因他的作品而致富。梵谷死於1890年，享年只有37歲。
URL: http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi_P8XwrSCU



Starry, starry night 繁星點點的夜裡
Paint your palette blue and gray 調色盤上只有藍與灰
Look out on a summer's day 在夏日裡出外探訪
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul 用你那洞悉我靈魂幽暗處的雙眼
　
Shadows on the hills 山丘上的陰影
Sketch the trees and daffodils 描繪出樹與水仙花
Catch the breeze and the winter chills 捕捉微風與冬天的冷冽
In colors on the snowy linen land 用那如雪地裡亞麻般的色彩
　
Now I understand what you tried to say to me 如今我才明白，你想說的是什麼
How you suffered for your sanity 當你清醒時你有多麼痛苦
How you tried to set them free 你努力的想讓它們得到解脫
　
They would not listen, they did not know how 但他們卻不理會，也不知該如何做
Perhaps, they'll listen now 也許，今後他們將會明瞭
　
Starry, starry night 繁星點點的夜裡
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze 火紅的花朵燦爛的燃燒著
Swirling clouds in violet haze 漩渦似的雲飄在紫羅蘭色的霧裡
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue 映照在文生湛藍的眼瞳裡
　
Colors changing hue 色彩變化萬千
Morning fields of amber grain 清晨的田園裡琥珀色的農作物
Weathered faces lined in pain 佈滿風霜的臉羅列著痛苦
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand 在藝術家憐愛的手下得到撫慰
　
Now I understand what you tried to say to me 如今我才明白，你想說的是什麼
How you suffered for your sanity 當你清醒時你有多麼痛苦
And how you tried to set them free 你努力的想讓它們得到解脫
　
They would not listen, they did not know how 但他們卻不理會，也不知該怎麼做
Perhaps, they'll listen now 也許，現在他們知道了
　
For they could not love you 因為當初他們無法愛你
And still your love was true 但你的愛依然真實
　
And when no hope was left inside on that starry, starry night
當燦爛的星空裡，不存一絲希望
You took your life as lovers often do 你像許多戀人一樣，結束了自己的生命
But I could have told you, Vincent 但願我能告訴你，文生
This world was never meantfor one as beautiful as you
這個世界根本配不上一個美好如你的人
　
Starry, starry night 繁星點點的夜裡
Portraits hung in empty hall 一幅幅的肖像懸掛在空盪盪的大廳裡
Frameless heads on nameless walls 無鑲框的臉倚靠在寂然的牆上
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget 配上一雙看遍世事且永不遺忘的雙眼
　
Like the strangers that you've met 就像你曾遇見的陌生人
The ragged man in ragged clothes 那些衣衫襤褸的人們
The silver thorn of bloody rose 也像血紅的玫瑰上銀色的刺
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow 斷裂並靜臥在初下的雪上
　
Now I think I know what you tried to say to me 我想我已明白，你想說的是什麼
How you suffered for your sanity 當你清醒時你有多麼痛苦
Then how you tried to set them free 你努力的想讓它們得到解脫
　
They would not listen, they're not listening still 但他們卻不理會，現在依然如此
Perhaps, they never will 也許，他們永遠不會


Maybe you'd like to hear Chiyu's song: