奥本海默——财富、环境、自我。

Oppenheimer the Movie could likely be one of the most robust film of 2023. Directed by Christopher Noah and casting Cillian Murphy, one would expect stellar cinematography and authentic character portrayal.

It informed me of how the atomic bomb was invented and also got me to reflect a bit on how he could yield such an achievement.

奥本海默可能是2023年最重磅的电影之一。由克里斯托弗·诺亚导演，基利安·墨菲主演，精彩的影视手法和逼真的角色塑造不在话下。
这部电影讲述核武器的来历，也引发了一些对成就的思考。

3h is reallllly long so my summary got pretty long too, skip if you know his story already:
三小时的电影真的很长！如果你已经看过了，可以跳过以下同样巨长的简介：

In case you haven’t watched :

如果你还没有看过：

J. Robert Oppenheimer, a brilliant physicist, played a pivotal role in the Manhattan Project, leading the development of the atomic bomb. His early fascination with physics was hindered by a lack of skill in hands-on experiments and a distaste for practical work at Cambridge. However, his pursuit of theoretical physics in Gottingen unleashed his potential, particularly in the realm of quantum physics.

J·罗伯特·奥本海默，一位杰出的物理学家，在曼哈顿计划中的重要领导人物，并与团队携手发明了原子弹。他热爱物理学，在理论物理探究出类拔萃，求学欧洲后将量子物理学引进美国。

Returning to the United States, Oppenheimer held significant academic positions, earning renown for his expertise and teaching. His involvement in the Manhattan Project culminated in his appointment as scientific director. Under his guidance, the first successful atomic bomb was created and used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Despite labelling it a “technical success,” Oppenheimer grappled with the profound moral implications of his creation.

回到美国，奥本海默担任重要学术职务，在学术界声誉响亮。他因此被邀参加并领导二战时期的曼哈顿计划。在他的带领下，首颗原子弹成功发明，并使用于在广岛和长崎。尽管他将其称为“技术上的成功”，但奥本海默内心挣扎于核武器带来的人类悲剧。

Recognizing the dangers of a nuclear arms race, he voiced opposition to further advancements, including the hydrogen bomb. Subsequent allegations of communist sympathies led to security clearance hearings, resulting in the revocation of his clearance. Oppenheimer’s life illustrates the intricate interplay between scientific advancement, ethical dilemmas, and personal convictions during a transformative period in history.

意识到核军备竞赛的危险，他表示反对进一步深化武器。因此也导致他的安全许可被撤销。奥本海默的一生展现了科学进步、伦理困境和个人信念的交织。

Despite the macro themes explored by the movie, I was especially curious about the success of Oppenheimer:

What cooked the glam?

我很好奇是什么造就了奥本海默的成果。

Wealth💰财富

Indeed, it might sound disheartening, yet the reality is that being born into wealth can provide a significant head start, provided we harness the advantages we’re granted.

听起来很俗气，但出生富裕却是能提供重要的起跑优势，前提是充分利用物质优势。

Many of us inherently sense our desired path — you know you are good at art, at theories, at things that are deemed impractical and may take time to explore. This vision can be suppressed by financial pressures, diverting us from our true aspirations.

许多人或许很早就意识到自己擅长什么——艺术、理论、人文等那些被认为不切实际、需要时间去深造的领域。然而，经济压力使我们不得不放弃纯粹的追求，去选择更“安全、务实”的道路。

Our access to optimal options for maximizing our potential becomes restricted. Often, we settle for the safest course within our financial boundaries, with limited opportunity to explore alternatives. It demands extra time, effort, and courage to venture beyond our financial constraints.

如果没有丰厚的经济基础，没有社会地位的加持，我们能接触或选择的机会质量也会有所限制。通常，我们会在自己经济能支持的范围内徘徊。除非有超人的觉悟，否则很难有勇气，精力和时间探索有风险性的机会。

Consider Oppenheimer, whose financial concerns are probably out of sight. He effortlessly transitioned between esteemed institutions, concentrating on pursuits aligned with his talents and interests. This privileged journey, paradoxically, leads to the most substantial wealth accumulation over time. Freed from monetary constraints, he had the liberty to pursue what he was best suited for, ultimately reaping the benefits of his passion and dedication.

奥本海默是个幸运儿，出生富裕的他不用考虑现实问题，可以轻松地在哈佛、剑桥等高校中穿梭，专注于与培养自己他才华和兴趣。这种特权在未来又往往能带来更大的财富。

Environment 🏞️环境

With the above point being said, having wealth was not the only ingredient.

财富并不是唯一关键。

Oppenheimer’s brilliance was stifled during his time at Cambridge, an unexpected misfit in an elite institution. It’s perplexing that a prestigious institution could constrain someone’s potential, but that was his reality. This underscores how having access to top resources is insufficient if they don’t align with one’s innate abilities.

奥本海默是理论天才，但手脚笨拙，在重视实践的剑桥物理课上表现一塌糊涂，他的才华在最高学府中却无处释放。如果没有转学去哥特根研究理论，这位核弹之父的才华可能就此埋没。就算拥有顶级资源，如果环境不对，也很难造就成功。

I deeply resonate with this perspective. Despite attending some of the finest educational institutions in Singapore and China, I’ve felt creatively stifled. The pressure to conform to programs and tasks I’m neither passionate about nor skilled in has hindered my ability to create value. This experience has dampened my spirit, making me question the feasibility of my aspirations, which seem distant in my current situation.

同样的，我在新加坡和中国的优质学府接受教育，但难免感觉创造力受限。在内心不够强大的我有一段时间极其不自信，对未来非常迷茫。

While some argue that seemingly unrelated experiences contribute to holistic character growth and narrow down our future paths, I can’t help but wonder if a more nurturing environment would be a simpler, more effective solution. Imagine facing the same challenges and cultivating the same virtues, but in an environment that embraces our true selves, fostering confidence and authenticity. Such an approach might pave the way for a more genuine and efficient personal development journey.

我们都是听着“吃得苦中苦，方为人上人”长大的。但现在我不禁怀疑有些“逆境”的必要性。如果在更开放，自由和重视发挥个人才华的环境中去面对生活的一系列的问题，是不是能够更容易找到属于每个人的最优解？

Being 👤自我

The power of knowledge is extraordinary; its impact hinges on how it’s wielded. When applied for the greater good, knowledge becomes a tool of immense value. Yet, even the most brilliant minds are not immune to mistakes and moral dilemmas. J. Robert Oppenheimer’s story is a testament to this complexity, as he confronted the profound ethical consequences of his scientific achievements.

Despite his intellectual prowess, Oppenheimer found himself grappling with the moral implications of the atomic bomb’s creation. This introspective struggle underscores a universal truth:

No matter one’s status, ability, or intellect, the fundamental question of purpose as a sentient being remains.

The pursuit of knowledge, in his case, brought him “technical success” but also, to the forefront of an ethical dilemma. All of us, ultimately would confront the universal question — what is the purpose of a living being?

知识的力量是无穷的；其影响取决于如何应用。当应用于更大的利益时，知识是无价的工具。然而，致伤过人也会面临伦理困境。奥本海默就得面对他的科学成就所带来的伦理后果。

对于奥本海默而言，追求知识带来了“技术上的成功”，但却让他迷失于这种价值的意义。

无论地位、能力和智商，每个人的核心问题仍然是： 要创造什么样的价值？

So — Wealth, Environment and Being.

所以——财富、环境和自我。

The few ingredients which I found in Oppenheimer’s achievement. Realistically speaking, wealth can give you a head start. However, there are factors we can control — strategically landing yourself in a fitting environment and always taking care of the moral value of your pursuit.

In other words:

We cannot control the wealth granted since born.

We can choose our environment.

We have full autonomy over our sense of being.

以上因素造就了奥本海默的传奇成功，但当然不是全部。财富却是可以提供一个高起点，也是我们生来不可选择的。然而，还有一些关键是可把控的——有策略地让自己处于适当的环境中，并始终保持所想实现的价值意义。

我们无法控制我们出生时的财富。

我们可以选择我们的环境。

我们可以决定我们的价值体现。