一天，一位40多岁的中年女人领着一个小男孩走进美国著名企业“巨象集团”总部大厦楼下的花园，在一张长椅上坐下来。她不停地在跟男孩说着什么，似乎很生气的样子。不远处有一位头发花白的老人正在修剪灌木。
忽然，中年女人从随身提包里拉出一团白花花的卫生纸，一甩手将它抛到老人刚修剪过的灌木上面。老人诧异地转过头朝中年女人看了一眼，中年女人满不在乎地看着他。老人什么话也没有说，走过去拿起那团卫生纸，把它扔进了一旁装垃圾的筐子里。
过了一会儿，中年女人又拉出一团卫生纸扔了过来。老人再次走过去把那团卫生纸拾起来扔到筐子里，然后回到原处继续工作。可是，老人刚拿起剪刀，第三团卫生纸又落在了他眼前的灌木上……就这样，老人一连捡了那中年女人扔过来的六七团纸，但他始终没有因此露出不满和厌烦的神色。
“你看见了吧!”中年女人指了指修剪灌木的老人对男孩大声说道：“我希望你明白，你如果现在不好好上学，将来就跟他一样没出息，只能做这些卑微低贱的工作!”
老人听见后放下剪刀走过来，和颜悦色地对中年女人说：“夫人，这里是集团的私家花园，按规定只有集团员工才能进来。”
“那当然，我是‘巨象集团’所属的一家公司的部门经理，就在这座大厦里工作!”中年女人高傲地说道，同时掏出一张证件朝老人晃了晃。
“我能借你的手机用一下吗?”老人沉默了一会儿说。
中年女人极不情愿地把手机递给老人，同时又不失时机地开导儿子：“你看这些穷人，这么大年纪了连手机也买不起。你今后一定要努力啊!”
老人打完电话后把手机还给了妇人。很快一名男子匆匆走过来，恭恭敬敬地站在老人面前。老人对来人说：“我现在提议免去这位女士在‘巨象集团’的职务!”“是，我立刻按您的指示去办!”那人连声应道。
老人吩咐完后径直朝小男孩走去，他伸手抚摸了一下男孩的头，意味深长地说：“我希望你明白，在这世界上最重要的是要学会尊重每一个人……”说完，老人撇下三人缓缓而去。中年女人被眼前骤然发生的事情惊呆了。她认识那个男子，他是“巨象集团”主管任免各级员工的一个高级职员。“你……你怎么会对这个老园工那么尊敬呢?”她大惑不解地问。
“你说什么?老园工?他是集团总裁詹姆斯先生!”中年女人一下子瘫坐在长椅上。 她如果知道是总裁先生就一定不会做这无理的事，可她做了:只不过在园丁身份的总裁面前做的!为什么?是因为身份高低?! 尊重每个人，不以身份而区分:这是你的风度。
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谢谢LZ分享，要把这个翻译成英文给给儿子听。
这个世界上趋炎附势的人太多了，趋炎附势的心态太容易传染给孩子呢。好东西学起来难，坏东西坏习惯孩子们不用教都会学的快得很，如果再由做妈妈的亲自教授，那就是十足的看不见的好诅咒了。
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太同意啦。 有些父母经常这样教育孩子： 如果现在不好好上学，将来就跟他一样没出息，只能做这些卑微低贱的工作! 殊不知这世界上最重要的是要学会尊重每一个人， 学会了做人， 将来一定会有出息的。
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谢谢，好文
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我也同意，故事一听就是编出来的故事，不真实。
问题是，给孩子讲道理，有时夸张的故事才能讲清一个小小的道理。否则孩子们就是孩子，有时满够dumb的。
有时真实的东西也蛮虚假呢---逻辑上说，Factual的东西不一定是truthful 的东西，人为的做出来的虚假的虚伪的事情全世界到处都是。
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One day, a 40 odd years old woman took a little boy to the garden of the famous JUMBO corporation. They sat at a bench. She kept talking to the boy, looking rather upset. An old man was trimming some shrubs close by.
Suddenly, the woman took some tissues from her bag, and threw them at the shrubs where the old man had just trimmed. The old man was surprised, took a glance at the woman, but woman didn't seem bothered. The old man then picked up the tissues, and threw them into the rubbish bin.
After a while, the middle aged woman threw some more tissues. Again, the old man walked to the shrub, picked the tissues up, put them in the bin before returning to his work. However, as soon as he picked up the trimmer, more tissues were thrown into the shrub... So, the old man disposed these tissues a few more time, yet, he never shown any sign of displeasure.
"Look," the woman pointed at the old man while talking loudly to the boy,"I hope you understand: if you don't do well in school now, you will be like him, having to do these kind of humbling work when you grow up."
The old man heard what she said, dropped the trimmer, walked up to the woman calmly and said,"madam, this is a private garden, and the access is restricted only to the company employees."
"Of course I know this: I am the manager of a subsidiary of JUMBO corporation, and I work in this building." The woman said proudly, while flashing her company identity card to the old man.
"Can I borrow your handphone for a while?" The old man said, after some thought.
Unwillingly, the woman passed her handphone to the old man, but she couldn't resist using this opportunity to teach her son,"You see how poor these people are: at such elderly age, he can't even afford a handphone. You must study hard!"
The old man passed the phone back to the woman when he finished the call.
A man appeared quickly in front of the old man.
The old man told the man, "I would like to release this woman from all her duties at the JUMBO corporation."
"Certainly, I will carry out your instruction immediately." The man replied promptly.
After talking to the man, the old man walked towards the little boy. Patting him on his head, the old man said thoughtfully, "I hope you understand, the most important thing you need to learn is to respect everyone." Then, he walked off slowly, leaving the three people behind.
The woman was stunned by what happened. She knew the man, as a senior staff in the HR department. "Why...why are you so respectful to the old gardener?"puzzling, she asked.
"Pardon me? Old gardener? He is Mr. James, the CEO!"
The woman collapsed on the bench. If she knew this is the CEO, she won't have done such ridiculous thing. However, she did, in front of the CEO, thinking that he was a gardener. Why? Just because of the difference in their status?!
Respect everyone, regardless of their status: this is your manner.
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感谢分享。学会尊重人才是成功的第一步
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respect is 1st
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很好的文章
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如果把“白花花的卫生纸”换成“白花花的面巾纸”，就感觉好点了。
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不错的文章
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很好
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....
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