拿来主义

[zhwj]

Is there a handy English translation for Lu Xun's concept of 拿来主义?

'Borrowing' seems a bit too simplistic, but writing it out as 'using the fruits of others' experiences' is unwieldy.

Nalai-ism hasn't really caught on, I don't think - am I missing something obvious here?

[Xiao Kui]

I don't know the context for the Chinese, but some other ways of expressing your explanation "using the fruit of others' experiences" might be:

1.standing on the shoulders of giants

2.____________ scavenging

"intellectual" scavenging

"philosophical" scavenging

A professor once accused me of being an "intellectual scavenger" in college when I referenced "the Faerie Queen" even tho' I'd never read it. Could I qualify as a 拿来主义者， or am I using it completely out of context? If you tell me though it would just perpetuate my intellectual scavenging because I'll have added to my Lu Xun lit theory without having to read his essays for myself (i've read a few of his stories though, at least.)

[zhwj]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'd go with your #2, probably, since it captures more of the willfulness than #1, which seems more humble and respectful than Lu Xun intends.

I fine-tuned my Google search and found that some academics use the word 'grabbism', which I guess I'll use with the Chinese characters in parentheses.

Here's the context:

I don't want to say any more here about "sending over", otherwise I won't be "modern" enough. I just want to urge us to be a bit stingier; apart from "sending over", we must also "take in" - this is "grabbism" (拿来主义).

But we've been frightened by what has been "sent over". First there was England's opium, German cast-off weapons, and then it was France's perfume, America's movies, and all sorts of small stuff from Japan stamped "100% Domestic Product." So even those youth who have awakened are terrified of foreign goods. Actually, this is because they were "sent over" rather than being "taken in".

So we should use our brains, open our eyes outward, and take things ourselves!

I like the term "intellectual scavanging", but I'm not sure what Lu Xun was talking about (or the present-day use of the term) sinks to that level.

[studentyoung]

I like the term "intellectual scavanging", but I'm not sure what Lu Xun was talking about (or the present-day use of the term) sinks to that level.

Hmm… I think “intellectual scavanging” is just part of what Lu Xun was talking about.

　　譬如罢，我们之中的一个穷青年，因为祖上的阴功（姑且让我这么说说罢），得了一所大宅子，且不问他是骗来的，抢来的，或合法继承的，或是做了女婿换来的。那么，怎么办呢？我想，首先是不管三七二十一，“拿来”！但是，如果反对这宅子的旧主人，怕给他的东西染污了，徘徊不敢走进门，是孱头；勃然大怒，放一把火烧光，算是保存自己的清白，则是昏蛋。不过因为原是羡慕这宅子的旧主人的，而这回接受一切，欣欣然的蹩进卧室，大吸剩下的鸦片，那当然更是废物。“拿来主义”者是全不这样的。

　　他占有，挑选。看见鱼翅，并不就抛在路上以显其“平民化”，只要有养料，也和朋友们像萝卜白菜一样的吃掉，只不用它来宴大宾；看见鸦片，也不当众摔在毛厕里，以见其彻底革命，只送到药房里去，以供治病之用，却不弄“出售存膏，售完即止”的玄虚。只有烟枪和烟灯，虽然形式和印度，波斯，阿剌伯的烟具都不同，确可以算是一种国粹，倘使背着周游世界，一定会有人看，但我想，除了送一点进博物馆之外，其余的是大可以毁掉的了。还有一群姨太太，也大以请她们各自走散为是，要不然，“拿来主义”怕未免有些危机。

http://www.my285.com/xdwx/luxun/qjtzw/009.htm

From Lu Xun’s original words, it seems that he wanted people to own as much knowledge as possible (no matter the knowledge is from east or west) and then to judge how to use them properly. Or maybe we can try “Spongeism”, i.e. taking in the essence from every direction and leaving the remains out.

Thanks!