Knowledge of the law is not intended to be a “barrel” or “legal expert”, but rather to be a qualified modern citizen. In a society governed by the rule of law, citizens are not passive “law observances”, but active “law actors”. When law becomes part of life, you are not only better able to protect yourself, but also contribute to the advancement of the rule of law in society。
Day-to-day legal awareness: starting with small things
Many people feel that learning the law is a “temporal act” — searching and asking questions when things happen. But true legal literacy is accumulated in daily life. It is reflected in a number of minor habits: keeping small tickets and payment records while shopping; carefully reading the terms of the contract and taking photographs to keep the house in condition when renting a house; reading the full text not only on the title but on the important notice; and asking “unlawfulness” when it comes to the good thing that “the sky falls out of the pie”。
These practices appear to be frivolous, but they constitute the cornerstone of legal consciousness. When these habits become instinctive, you create a line of defense for yourself without realizing it。
Participation in public life: from “standers” to “participants”
A society based on the rule of law requires not only compliance but also citizen participation. There are a number of ways to participate: participating in community owners ' conferences to advise on the management of sub-districts; looking at legislation and submitting comments on draft legislation relevant to their interests; serving as a people's assessor and participating in judicial proceedings; participating in consumer advocacy organizations to defend the interests of the community。
These engagements may not immediately change anything, but they are the “breath vessels” of the rule of law. When more and more citizens are willing to contribute to the conduct of public affairs, the rule of law is no longer a high-profile slogan, but rather a local way of life。
Dissemination of the rule of law: “screwers” of law
Progress in the rule of law requires generations to come. Everyone can be a communicator of the rule of law: tell old parents how to recognize telecommunications fraud, how to protect pensions; educate children to follow the rules, respect others, communicate problems and resolve problems non-violently; share knowledge of the law when a friend encounters legal confusion, or advises him to consult a professional lawyer。
To spread the rule of law is not to make you a “law preacher”, but to influence those around you in their daily lives by their words and deeds. You spread the rule of law when you defend your rights under the law rather than when you “disorder”; when you observe the rules rather than when you “seek a relationship”; when you find injustice in choosing the path of law rather than silence or violence。
Be rational: the law is not everything
There are many advantages to understanding the law, but also to maintaining reason: the law is not everything. Some disputes are not suitable for litigation — small subject matter, insufficient evidence, higher costs of litigation than gains; some issues that cannot be resolved by law — emotional disputes, moral issues, interpersonal relations; and sometimes the implementation of the law is biased — judicial corruption, local protection, weak enforcement。
Those who know the law do not have unrealistic illusions about it. They are aware of the limitations of the law and therefore use a combination of legal, consultative and conciliation techniques to solve problems. They are also aware of the inadequacy of the law and therefore contribute constructively to the advancement of the rule of law rather than simply complaining or abandoning it。
Lifelong learning: the law is changing, so are you
The law is not static. New laws are being introduced and old laws are being revised. The codification of the civil code, the implementation of the personal information protection act, and the enactment of the anti-telecommunication network fraud act - every legislative change is relevant to your life。
Those who know the law do not regard legal knowledge as a “one-off investment” but rather as a lifelong learning attitude. Every year, attention is paid to the content of new laws and regulations that are relevant to them. Such learning is not a burden, but a responsibility to itself。
The law is the bottom of life, not the inaccessible temple. When the law becomes part of your life, you move from being a “lawless man” to a “citizen of the rule of law”. This shift not only makes you more able to protect yourself, avoid risks and maintain equity, but also makes society as a whole better by having more citizens who understand, abide by and use the law. Progress in the rule of law was not driven by a few elites, but by the daily choices of millions of ordinary citizens. You, that's one of millions。
