OBS Chapter 99 I am Wang Bo, and I'm here today to learn from you all.
Chapter 99 I am Wang Bo, and I'm here today to learn from you all.
Outside the studio, many staff members were already busy at work.
As soon as Su Xiaoxiao got out of the car, she went into work mode, coordinating the process with the program director and confirming the details of the script.
Su Yiyi stayed with Wang Bo in the lounge, gently reminding him to relax.
"Wang Bo, don't be too nervous," Su Yiyi said gently. "It's okay if you make a mistake. Xiao Xiao and I are watching you from the audience."
Looking at Su Yiyi's concerned eyes, Wang Bo felt a warmth in his heart: "Teacher Su, don't worry, not only will I not say anything wrong today, but I will also leave them speechless."
As they were talking, the door to the lounge was pushed open.
Three people walked in.
The man at the head was a man in his fifties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, with his hair neatly combed and dressed in an elegant dark gray suit—it was Professor Chen.
Behind him was a man in his early forties, dressed in a suit and tie, with an arrogant expression; this must be Dr. Li.
Finally, there was a middle-aged woman with glasses and a refined demeanor, holding a notebook in her hand; she was Editor-in-Chief Zhang.
The three of them had obviously come together, walking and chatting in a friendly atmosphere.
"So the biggest problem with traditional Chinese culture is the lack of self-criticism," Professor Chen said, shaking his head. "Look at the West, from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, they were always criticizing, reflecting, and progressing. And what about us? We're still talking about 'the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed,' which is ridiculous."
Dr. Li nodded in agreement: "That's right. I did research at Harvard, and individualistic societies are more conducive to innovation. Why can't we produce a Steve Jobs? It's because collectivism suppresses individual creativity."
Editor-in-Chief Zhang adjusted his glasses, his tone gentle but his stance clear: "I've recently been working on a special feature on 'Guochao' (a trend of embracing Chinese culture and trends), and I've discovered an interesting phenomenon—those young people who follow Guochao actually have only a superficial understanding of traditional culture. What they like is just the symbol of 'Chinese style,' not the true cultural core. This is essentially a kind of cultural inferiority complex, a need to prove themselves through external symbols."
The three of them walked into the lounge and were taken aback when they saw Wang Bo and Su Yiyi.
"This must be Wang Bo?" Professor Chen looked Wang Bo up and down, his eyes filled with obvious disdain. "Young and promising. I heard you're a singer? It's commendable that you want to discuss cultural issues with us today."
These words sound like a compliment, but they are actually a veiled criticism of Wang Bo for overestimating his abilities.
Dr. Li laughed as well: "It's novel for musicians to talk about culture. But Wang Bo, I have to remind you that academic discussions are different from songwriting. You need to be logical and provide evidence, not just rely on feelings."
Editor-in-Chief Zhang was quite polite, nodding to Wang Bo: "I've read your 'Blue Lotus,' the lyrics are well-written. However, music is art, and culture is academia; the two fields are very different, so you might have to work hard today."
Wang Bo stood up and shook hands with the three men with neither arrogance nor servility: "Professor Chen, Dr. Li, Editor-in-Chief Zhang, hello. I am Wang Bo, and I am here today to learn from you all."
His tone was calm and his attitude humble, but there was not a trace of fear in his eyes.
Professor Chen raised an eyebrow, seemingly somewhat surprised by Wang Bo's reaction.
At this moment, the program director came in to announce: "Dear teachers, there are fifteen minutes left before recording begins. Please go to the dressing room to touch up your makeup, and then go directly to the studio."
Professor Chen gave Dr. Li and Editor-in-Chief Zhang a wink, and the three of them headed towards the dressing room together.
As Professor Chen passed by Wang Bo, he lowered his voice and said, "Young man, the real test will be on stage later. I suggest you listen more and talk less, so as not to show your weakness."
Wang Bo responded with a smile: "Thank you for the reminder, Professor Chen. I will listen carefully—to everyone's insightful opinions, and also to everyone's prejudices."
Professor Chen's face stiffened, he snorted coldly, and walked away quickly.
Su Yiyi looked at Wang Bo with concern: "They seem...not very friendly."
"As expected," Wang Bo said calmly. "The more they act like this, the more it shows their insecurity. True scholars do not presuppose a position before discussion, nor do they belittle dialogue partners from different fields."
Su Xiaoxiao walked in at this moment, her face not looking too good: "I just confirmed with the production team that today's script... is indeed biased. The questions were designed to guide the guests to deny Chinese culture, and the director hinted that Professor Chen and the other two had already communicated in advance and would cooperate with each other."
"A gang up on me?" Wang Bo laughed. "That's perfect. One against three, it'll be even more satisfying to win."
"You can still laugh?" Su Xiaoxiao glared at him. "Do you know who the audience for these cultural talk shows is? Highly educated people, culture enthusiasts, media professionals—these are the people most easily fooled by experts. If you say something wrong, or get caught up in their trap, it will be hard for you to hold your head high in the industry afterward."
"Don't worry," Wang Bo said, "I brought a secret weapon."
"What secret weapon?" Su Xiaoxiao asked curiously.
Wang Bo smiled mysteriously: "You'll find out soon enough."
Fifteen minutes later, in the studio.
The audience seats were already full, with an estimated two hundred people, mostly intellectuals in their thirties and forties, and a few young people as well.
The stage was decorated in a cozy living room style, with four single sofas arranged in a semi-circle, and the host Lin Wan's seat in the middle.
Lin Wan wore a light blue suit today, exuding a gentle and elegant temperament, and was interacting with the audience with a smile to warm up the atmosphere.
Wang Bo and three other guests sat in the backstage waiting area, where they could see the situation on a monitor screen.
Professor Chen, Dr. Li, and Editor-in-Chief Zhang conversed in hushed tones, occasionally letting out soft laughter, clearly confident about today's discussion.
Wang Bo sat alone to one side, closing his eyes to rest.
Su Xiaoxiao and Su Yiyi sat in the first row of the audience, both of them so nervous that their palms were sweating.
"Sis, do you think Wang Bo can do it?" Su Xiaoxiao asked softly.
Su Yiyi squeezed her sister's hand: "I believe him. When he said those things in the lounge just now, his eyes were very firm."
"But those are three experts," Su Xiaoxiao sighed, "and they're three experts who had already colluded. No matter how capable Wang Bo is, he can't fight six hands with one fist. That 300,000 yuan is really hard to earn..."
At this moment, live music started playing, and the recording officially began.
Lin Wan smiled at the camera and began: "Hello everyone, welcome to the fifth episode of 'The Unspoken Meaning.' Today we'll be discussing the topic of—the clash between Chinese and Western cultures and the cultural identity of modern youth."
applause.
"We have invited four guests," Lin Wan introduced them one by one, "renowned cultural scholar Professor Chen Junxi, Harvard sociology PhD Li Mingzai, Zhang Ai, editor-in-chief of the Chinese edition of an international cultural magazine, and—the recently acclaimed musician Wang Bo!"
The camera focused on Wang Bo, who nodded slightly to the camera with a composed expression.
Professor Chen and the other two also wore smiles, but those smiles carried a condescending tone.