「週日名采」: 【戰略計算家】 / 「Weekend Brunch」【Calculating Strategists】

攝影图片: 世事如棋局局新

今天是週末,我在網上左逛右逛,無意在Alex处看到這個有關【計算】的題目,所以也來湊湊熱鬧。

雖然我是化工畢業,也在科技一門混了一段時日,但提起「數學計算」,浮現在我腦海中的並不是「水蛇春」般長的代數方程式,而是一群工於心計的策官口臉。如果政客是加拿大首都的米飯班主,那么策官就是他∕她們的頭廚。無論是有關本國或跨國的政策分析和戰略,各黨各派的首魁都会和心腹策官「計算」這政策对加拿大國家和選民的影響,然後才作一决定。

楓葉國是西敏政制式的社会Westminster System,國家公民当然希望政客做事是会有層有次,是会先分析而後跟進,在上議会和下議会作一個有建設性的辯論和决定。但問題是在黨派政客的「計算」過程之中,他∕她們用來衡量利與弊的天秤又是以什么為準則呢?是國家和老百性的利益?還是以選票和权力作為平衡籌碼?

在正面來看,善於計算的人可以說是精明能幹丶工於心計丶長袖善舞、三思而後行。但在負面來看,善於玩弄政治手腕的策官謀士,我卻只能以calculating wheelers-dealer 狡猾自私的「計算家」來形容他們了。

Related Links:
* 「週日名采」本週主持人 Wordy："數學"
- Wordy: "成也數學,敗也數學"
- Alex: "計算"

References:
* Wikipedia: "加拿大政治"

Photo Credit 攝影图片:
* I took the top photo on September 16, 2010 while attending the Lewis Chessmen exhibition at the Royal Museum in Edinburg, Scotland.
* Bottom photo: Wikipedia "The Lewis Chessmen".

" ... The Lewis Chessmen (or Uig Chessmen, named after the bay
where they were found) are a group of 78 chess pieces from the 12th century
most of which are carved in walrus ivory, discovered in 1831 on the Isle of
Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. They may constitute some of the few
complete medieval chess sets that have survived until today, although it is
not clear if any full set as originally made can be made up from the varied
pieces. They are currently owned and exhibited by the British Museum in
London, which has 67 of them and the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, which has
the rest... "