我並非共產黨員，不過，不需要成為黨員才能欣賞毛澤東的著作。

　　1937年，毛澤東在環境惡劣的延安游擊隊基地著下《實踐論》及《矛盾論》。兩書被視為毛澤東在政治意識形態上最重要的哲學基礎，更是毛主義的雛形。雖然我們不參與任何的政治討論，仍可借用部分毛澤東的哲學觀點。

　　上星期，我問新客人Jenny會否對由我們其中一位顧問負責的「關係培訓」感興趣。她聽後揚起眉頭，不可置信地直盯著我，「我已結過婚，又離了三次婚，這40多年來我擁有過的男人數目是大部分女人一生所得的四倍，你竟然問我是否需要『關係培訓』？」

　　《實踐論》解釋了毛澤東的哲學思想：獲取邏輯性知識為學習過程之始，需經歷知覺、認識及概念三個階段。一旦完成這幾個步驟，人們必須在現實中實踐所學，以證實其真正價值。不過，作為邏輯性知識之源的印象建基於個人身處的情況。當情況改變，邏輯性知識的主體隨之出現誤差。但要是實踐按邏輯出發的判斷，人們便可把誤差辨別出來。只有實踐邏輯性知識及成就所求之結果，人們所學的才能成為「真正的知識」。

　　一個高爾夫球手在天朗氣清時表現出色，但在風吹雨打時表現差勁。簡單而言，他是個掌握高爾夫球技巧，但尚未在不同的天氣狀況下揮灑自如的好天氣球手。要改善球技，他需要熟習不同的地形，學習讀取風向，完善他的定向能力，繼而調整他的揮桿技巧。第二種情況，初學者掌握完全錯誤的揮桿及握桿技巧。最差的是單靠她一人練習，因為練習愈多，她所犯的錯誤愈為根深柢固！她的導師更難以糾正她已熟習的壞習慣，她亦需要花更多的時間來學習。簡而言之，不練習較她重複犯錯更好。

　　根據毛澤東的說法，理性主義者及經驗主義者脫離求知的真道，他質疑這班反對者未能辨識恰當的實踐應用。言之有理。Jenny周旋於不同男人及多段關係中，實踐多次為何均失敗而回？她眼中只有自己的優點及別人的不足。只取不予。簡單來說，她至今仍未學懂關係學的基本步。可是她以為自己是好天氣中的高爾夫球手，以一貫的態度與不同的男士練習，不知不覺間重覆犯錯。她其實是個在練習前，先要學會正確地揮桿及握桿的初學者。這正是「實踐」的智慧。

　　感情事尤其注意，真正的知識引領至成就目標。要好好地實踐，並要正確地實踐。

 　　（按：中文內容乃翻譯及撮寫版本）

“On Practice”

　　I am not a communist. But then one doesn’t have to be a communist to appreciate Mao’s writings.

　　“On Practice” 實踐論and “On Contradiction” 矛盾論were both written in 1937 under dire circumstances at his guerrilla base in Yenan . They are considered his most important philosophical underpinnings of the political ideology that would later become Maoism. Whilst we are not about to engage in any political discussions here, we can certainly borrow some of Mao’s philosophical insights.

　　Last week I asked Jenny, a new client, whether or not she would like some “relationship coaching” from one of our consultants. She raised her eyebrows and looked at me in disbelief, “ I was married and divorced three times, I have had more men  in my forty odd years than most women would have in four life times…and you ask me if I would like some “ relationship coaching ” ??  …”

　　On Practice explains Mao Zedong’s philosophy that the learning process begins with the acquisition of logical knowledge, which happens in three stages, perception, cognition, and conception. Once these steps have been completed, people must apply what they have learned to reality through practice in order to substantiate its truth value . How-ever, impressions, the origin of logical knowledge, are based upon the circumstances one experiences. But circumstances change, therefore logical knowledge is subject to error. However, by putting his logically founded judgments into practice, one can address the errors in his ideas . It is only when logical knowledge is put to practice and successfully brings the desired results, that it becomes “True Knowledge”.

　　A golfer plays well in the sun but plays badly in wind and rain. In brief, he is a fair weather player who has mastered the skills but has not learned how to adjust his game under different weather conditions. To improve, he needs to practice more on different terrains, learn to read wind directions, refine his navigation and adjust his swing accordingly. In  a second scenario, a beginner golfer’s swing and grip are totally wrong. The worst she could do is to practice more by herself because the more she practices, the more ingrained her mistakes will become ! The longer it will take her and the more difficult it will be for her instructor to help her undo all her entrenched bad habits. Said simply, no practice would be a  lot better for her than repetitive wrong  practice.

　　According to Mao, rationalists and empiricists do not follow the real path to knowledge, and he challenges these dissenters inability to recognize the proper use of practice. He has a point. Jenny has had plenty of practice with men and relationships, so why is she failing? She sees only her own merits and the shortcomings of others. She gets and never gives. In brief, she has never learned the fundamentals of maintaining a relationship. Yet she thinks she is a fair weather golfer and just keeps on practicing with different men, same attitude, thereby unwittingly reinforcing her mistakes. She is actually a beginner who should learn a proper swing and grip FIRST before she starts practicing. Therein lies the wisdom of “practice”.

　　Particularly in relationship matters, true knowledge leads to the successful completion of an objective. Practice well and practice right.