我最近在YouTube網站上看到賽斯·高汀的影片，他對古希臘神話伊卡洛斯有著不同的解釋。
傳統上大家對這神話的認知，是在警告人不要傲慢。伊卡洛斯的父親代達羅斯用羽毛和蠟製造了一對翅膀，以逃離克里特島。大多數人想到這故事就是伊卡洛斯無視他父親的警告，飛得太高了使蠟融化，結果導致伊卡洛斯墮落而亡。
高汀卻提醒我們，代達羅斯給了另一個警告，那就是不要飛得太低，以免海的霧氣會阻撓飛行。這幾乎被遺忘的另一半神話，提醒了與「別自滿」相同重要的警告。
高汀認為，別飛得太低的警告會從這有名的神話中被刪除，是因為有權力的人希望我們飛低一點，這樣就更容易無視我們的存在，並讓我們保持在既定軌道上。他還指出，許多人在恐懼的驅使下調整了行為，以致於失去了那些能替我們創造新機會及發揮潛能的必要高度。
他簡短的論述以強有力的挑戰做結束。風險、甚至是危險，在我們生活中是不可避免的。我們應接受這個事實並問自己：「這時你會怎麼做呢？自負的人因敢於夢想更偉大的事時，就會改變現狀。」
任何一位熟悉所謂國際社會領導者如何是對待台灣的人，就會在高汀簡短的論中會看到幾個重要的相似之處。特定的專家經常警告台灣領導者不要試圖飛太高；反而，有權力的人喜歡台灣飛低點，停在受控的軌道上，讓台灣更容易被忽視。令人遺憾的是，台灣許多人在恐懼的驅使下也調整了自己的行為，使台灣無法發揮潛力。
長久以來，台灣人民一直擔心飛得太高，卻未曾考慮飛得太低所引起的風險和成本。殘酷的事實是，維持現狀會讓台灣被國際孤立得更具體化。
正如我們個人一樣，人生在世無可避免地都會遇到某些程度的風險及冒險，台灣作為一個國家也是如此。
我希望台灣人民準備好接受高汀的挑戰，面對現實，有更大的夢想，並改變現狀吧！
（葉望輝，前美國副總統錢尼副國安顧問、前愛達荷州共和黨主席）
Don’t fly low, change the status quo
Traditionally, the myth is a cautionary tale against hubris. Icarus’ father Daedalus constructed a pair of wings out of feathers and wax as a means to escape Crete. What most of us instantly recall of this story is Icarus ignoring his father’s warning against flying too high, resulting in the wax melting and Icarus falling to his demise.
Godin reminds us of the other warning given by Daedalus not to fly too low, allowing sea mist to defeat the wings. This nearly forgotten half of the myth is an equally important warning against complacency.
Godin posits, this warning against flying too low was removed from the popular myth because people in power want us to fly lower, making it is easier to ignore us and keep us in line. He also notes that too many of us have adjusted our behavior, driven by fear, to avoid what is necessary to fly high enough to create new opportunities and reach our potential.
His brief lesson ends with a powerful challenge. Risk, even peril, inevitably awaits us in life. Accept that fact and ask yourself, “What will you do in the meantime? People who have the hubris to dream of something bigger change the status quo.”
Anyone familiar with how the leaders of the so-called international community treat Taiwan will see several important similarities in Godin’s brief lesson. Establishment experts frequently warn Taiwan’s leaders not to try to fly too high. Instead, those in power prefer Taiwan to fly low, stay in line, and become easier to ignore. And, sadly, many in Taiwan have adjusted their behavior, driven by fear, keeping Taiwan from reaching its potential.
For far too long, the people of Taiwan have lived with the fear of flying too high, without taking into consideration the risks and costs of flying too low. The harsh truth is the status quo allows Taiwan’s international isolation to harden into concrete.
Just as it is true for us as individuals, that some degree of risk and peril will inevitably come in life, so too it is true for Taiwan as a nation.
I hope the people of Taiwan are prepared to take Godin’s challenge, accept that reality, dream of something bigger, and change the status quo.
(Stephen Yates, Deputy National Security Adviser to the Vice President to Dick Cheney from 2001 to 2005 and a past Idaho Republican Party Chair from 2014 to 2017)
