尊敬する人物

　【１】君はいままでに、
「あなたはどんな人物を尊敬していますか」
　などという質問をうけたことはないか。
　私は小学校や中学校のとき、よくそういう質問をだされた。【２】そして、いつもこまったことをおぼえている。尊敬するということが、あまりはっきりしたことばでないからだ。
　ところが、先生のほうは、この生徒はどういう人物になりたがっているかが、それでわかるように思っているらしかった。
　【３】えらいなあと思うことと、そういう人に自分もなりたいと思うこととは別だ。
　野口英世がよく勉強したことは、えらいにはちがいないが、自分も野口英世みたいにがんばって勉強できるかどうかわからない。【４】また、勉強したとしても、おなじように有名になるとは思えない。
　野口英世の伝記を読んで感心したことは、野口英世を尊敬することではない。伝記をかいた人が、読者を感動させるように、うまく書いたこともあるからだ。
　【５】それでも「わが尊敬する人物」を中学生にかかせた統計は、いまでもある。たいてい、きまっている。トップは、男の子は、むかしはリンカーンだったのが、いまはケネディだ。女の子は、ヘレン・ケラーかナイチンゲールだ。
　【６】生徒のほうで先生の読心術をやって、こうかいておけば、先生は安心するだろうと思って、あんなふうに書くのだろう。
　人間は、めいめいが天分をもち、それを生かして生きるしかないのだから、他人の天分にそんなに感心することはない。【７】だから、尊敬する人物はいなくてもいいが、理解する人物はいないといけない。
　まず第一に、自分の両親を理解することだ。
　人間を理解するのは、やさしいようで、むずかしい。【８】有名な哲学者のへーゲル(一七七〇〜一八三一)は「従者にとって英雄はない」といったが、どんなえらい人物もその日常に密着してみていたら、ふつうの人間とかわらないという意味だ。
　【９】あまり近くにいると、その人物のいいところがわからない点で、親子は損だ。
　人間は、欠点をもちながらも、けっこうたのしく、平和に生きていけるものだ。それがわからないと、人間を理解できぬことを忘れてはならぬ。【０】∵

『人生ってなんだろ』（松田道雄）より

There are several places in the world that are famous for people who live a very long time. These places are usually in mountainous areas, far away from modern cities. Doctors, scientists, and public health experts often travel to these regions to solve the mystery; the experts hope to bring to the modern world the secrets of a long, healthy life.
Hunza is high in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia. There, many people over one hundred years of age are still in good physical health. Men of ninety are new fathers, and women of fifty still have babies. What are the reasons for this good health? Scientists believe that the people of Hunza have these three benefits: (1)physical work, usually in the fields or with animals; (2)a healthful environment with clean air and water; and (3)a simple diet high in vitamins but low in fat, sugar, and chemicals.
People in the Caucasus Mountains in Russia are also famous for their long life. In this area, there are surprising examples of very long-lived people. A woman called Tsurba probably lived until 160; a man called Shirali probably lived until 168. When he died, his wife was 120 years old. In general, the people not only live a long time, but they also live well. They are almost never sick, and when they die, they have not only their own teeth but also a full head of hair, and good eyesight.
Vilcabamba, Ecuador, is another area famous for the long life of its people. This region -- like Hunza and the Caucasus -- is also in high mountains, far away from cities. In Vilcabamba, too, there is very little serious sickness. One reason for the good health of the people might be the clean, beautiful environment: The climate is very mild all year long; the wind always comes from the same direction; and the region is rich in flowers, fruits, vegetables, and wildlife.
In some ways, the diets of the people living in the three regions are quite different. The people of Hunza eat mainly raw vegetables, fruit (especially apricots), and chapatis -- a kind of pancake; they eat meat only a few times a year. The Caucasian diet consists mainly of milk, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and meat; most people there drink the local red wine daily. In Vilcabamba, people eat a small amount of meat each week, but the diet consists largely of grain, corn, beans, potatoes, and fruit.
Experts found one surprising fact in the mountains of Ecuador: Most people there, even the very old, have a lot of coffee, drink large amounts of alcohol, and smoke forty to sixty cigarettes daily!
However, the diets are similar in two general ways: (1)the fruits and vegetables that the people living in the three areas eat are all natural; that is, they have no chemicals; and (2)the people get fewer calories than people do in other parts of the world. A typical North American takes in an average of 3,300 calories every day; a typical person living in these mountainous areas, between 1,700 and 2,000 calories.
Those who live in the three areas have more in common than calories, natural food, their mountains, and their distance from modern cities. Because they live in the countryside and are mostly farmers, their lives are physically hard. Thus, they do not need to go to health clubs because they get a lot of exercise in their daily work. In addition, although their lives are hard, the people do not seem to have the worries of city people. Their lives are quiet. Consequently, some experts believe that physical exercise and freedom from worry might be the two most important secrets of a long, healthy life.