Summary of the Key Points
The author conducted an experiment by modifying the emblem of Northeastern University and launching a poll on WeChat (mainly among older alumni) and REDnote (mainly among younger students). The results revealed a significant difference in attitudes towards the emblem between the two generations: the older alumni preferred the version that resembled the emblem of Northeastern Institute of Technology and could even point out issues with the image editing, while the younger students instinctively defended the current emblem and even attacked those who made the changes. They also showed a lack of understanding of the university's history, only recognizing "National Northeastern University" and not "Northeastern Institute of Technology." The author uses this as an example to discuss the prevalence of conservatism among younger people and outlines the actual evolution of the emblem from its origins at Northeastern Institute of Technology. They conclude that the current emblem is a product of inadequate redesign.
Detailed Analysis
1. The Poll Results: A Clear Divide Between Generations
- Older Alumni on WeChat (graduated many years ago): The majority approved of the modified version that resembled the emblem of Northeastern Institute of Technology and could identify problems with the image editing, although a small number insisted that traditional elements should not be changed.
- Younger Students on REDnote (current students or recent graduates): Even though the author pointed out the issues with the image editing, they overwhelmingly chose the current emblem, arguing that outsiders had no right to make changes. They rejected the author's modified version as being "personal creativity" rather than an "official one," and were even aggressive towards it.
- Reasons Behind This: The older alumni are more familiar with the university's history and have a emotional connection to Northeastern Institute of Technology, whereas the younger students rely more on official authority and resist unofficial modifications.
2. The Younger Students' Conservatism: Bold but Ill-informed
The author noticed that this generation of young people exhibits conservatism in various aspects (such as resisting changes to the emblem, refusing to open the university gate, and insisting on using curtains on train berths). They are also stubborn, unable to articulate the merits of the current emblem while attacking those who propose changes.
- An Interesting Response: When the author used an even more conservative version of the Northeastern Institute of Technology emblem (from an earlier period), the younger students either responded with confusion or dismissed it as a "plagiarism," showing their ignorance of the university's history.
- The Core Issue: Their conservatism is not about truly upholding traditions but rather about blindly defending authority and lacking knowledge.
3. The True Origin of the Emblem
Many young people mistakenly believe that the current emblem is a direct continuation of Lin Huiyin's design, but this is not the case:
- Lin Huiyin designed the emblem for National Northeastern University before its establishment (which featured symbols like the "Gen" trigram and images of white mountains and black waters).
- After the fall of Northeast China, the university underwent mergers and reorganizations. The later-established Northeastern Institute of Technology used a simplified version of the emblem in the 1950s, which included three mountain peaks and waves, along with the text "Northeastern Institute of Technology" to fill the blank space.
- In 1993, Northeastern Institute of Technology was renamed Northeastern University, and the emblem evolved further until it took its current form in 2002. The current emblem is a derivative of the version from Northeastern Institute of Technology, with no direct connection to Lin Huiyin's original design.
4. The Disconnection in Historical Understanding
Youngers have a disconnection in their understanding of the university's history: they only recognize "National Northeastern University" and not its predecessor, Northeastern Institute of Technology. This is because the history of Northeastern Institute of Technology is often omitted in university introductions, leading to misunderstandings:
- They mistakenly think that the current emblem originated from Lin Huiyin.
- They consider the author's modified version of the emblem as a "plagiarism."
- Their attacks on the author are based on a misunderstanding of the relationship between the current emblem and Lin Huiyin's design.
5. The Flaws in the Emblem Design
The reason the current emblem is unsatisfactory is that the redesign was poorly executed:
- The original emblem from Northeastern Institute of Technology included the text "Northeastern Institute of Technology," which perfectly filled the blank space in the design.
- The current emblem removes this text, leaving only three bare mountain peaks, making it look monotonous.
- The author suggests either retaining the text or simplifying the design by removing the outer circle and keeping only the mountains and waves.
Final Thoughts
The author urges younger people not to be blindly conservative but to learn more about the university's history. The university should also address this historical gap by including information about Northeastern Institute of Technology in its narratives. The emblem design could be improved to avoid the regret of inadequate redesign. After all, the future of the university lies with these younger students, and blind conservatism is not conducive to progress.