🧠 政治與地緣政治（Politics & Geopolitics）
1. precarious（不穩定的）
- Our situation feels precarious right now — one wrong move could start a real conflict.
2. sanctions（制裁）
- The government is worried about possible economic sanctions if tensions escalate.
3. blockade（封鎖）
- If they try to impose a blockade, it’ll seriously affect our supply chain.
4. escalate（升級、惡化）
- Things could escalate quickly if both sides don’t step back.
5. autocratic（專制的）
- Living under an autocratic regime means you can’t say what you really think.
🕵️♂️ 情報與安全（Security & Intelligence）
6. espionage（間諜行為）
- The news said someone was arrested for espionage last week — scary stuff!
7. manipulate（操控）
- You can’t always trust the numbers — they might have been manipulated.
8. stockpile（囤積、儲備）
- I’ve started to stockpile some essentials, just in case anything happens.
🧠 身份與歷史（Identity & History）
9. identity（身份）
- I used to think identity was simple, but it’s actually super complicated.
10. repression（壓制）
- During that era, people lived in fear of political repression.
11. narrative（敘事、主導說法）
- The media is trying to control the narrative again.
12. taboo（禁忌）
- For a long time, talking about that event was totally taboo.
💣 戰爭與戰略（War & Strategy）
13. conflict（衝突）
- Most people just want to live their lives — no one wants a conflict.
14. resistance（抵抗）
- There’s a strong spirit of resistance here, even without weapons.
15. deterrence（威嚇、阻嚇）
- A strong defense can work as a form of deterrence.
💭 價值與社會批判（Values & Reflection）
16. futile（徒勞的）
- Fighting back might seem brave, but some say it’s futile if we’re not prepared.
17. indoctrinate（灌輸思想）
- Kids were indoctrinated with certain ideas at school without even knowing it.
18. disillusioned（幻滅的）
- Many young people feel disillusioned about politics these days.
💡個人與文化觀察（Cultural & Personal）
19. perception（感知、看法）
- Our perception of safety can change overnight.
20. solidarity（團結）
- Seeing people from different backgrounds show solidarity gives me hope.
Title: Living on the Edge: Taiwan's Quiet Struggle
In recent years, Taiwan has found itself in a precarious position — politically, economically, and emotionally. Surrounded by growing tensions, we wake up every day to headlines about potential war, foreign sanctions, and military blockades. It's no longer just news. It feels personal.
Some say the conflict hasn’t started yet. But ask any Taiwanese, and you’ll hear a mix of quiet worry and mental preparation. China’s military drills, economic pressure, and espionage activities are no longer abstract. They're part of our daily reality.
To outsiders, Taiwan might look calm. But the pressure is real. Some people have started to stockpile food, medicine, and even foreign currency. Others have begun practicing how to respond in a crisis. The government talks about deterrence, but we all know — real safety comes from personal action and awareness.
What worries me more, though, is how narratives are being shaped. Chinese media manipulates the story, painting Taiwan as a rebellious region. That’s not just propaganda; it’s psychological warfare. And it works — some people in Taiwan are getting tired. They feel resistance is futile. That no matter how hard we try, we’re too small to matter.
That kind of thinking is dangerous.
Taiwan's greatest threat isn't just external. It's internal disillusionment — the sense that nothing we do can change our fate. Some young people don’t care about politics anymore. They feel crushed between economic stress and identity confusion. For them, “freedom” feels like a buzzword.
We’ve lived through repression before. The White Terror era taught us what it means to be silenced. Today, we can speak. But are we using our voices? Or are we letting others control the narrative again?
The battle now is about perception. It's about showing solidarity when it's easier to stay silent. It’s about holding onto our identity without needing to shout. It’s about trusting that action, even quiet action, is never wasted.
So no — resistance is not futile. It’s necessary.
🇹🇼 台灣華語版本：
標題：生活在邊緣：台灣人的靜默掙扎
這幾年，台灣的處境變得越來越不穩定——不只是政治或經濟，連心理狀態也受影響。每天醒來看到的新聞，不是制裁、就是封鎖、就是戰爭可能開打的訊號。那不只是新聞，是我們的日常。
有人說，衝突還沒真的開始。但你去問任何一個台灣人，他們心裡其實都有點準備。中國軍演變得頻繁、經濟上打壓，還有各種間諜案，早已不是電影情節，是現實。
台灣表面看起來很平靜，但壓力其實一直都在。有些人開始囤糧、買藥，甚至把錢換成外幣；也有些人開始學習危機時的應變。政府強調「威嚇能力」，但大家都知道，真正的安全，來自自己的覺醒與行動。
不過，我更擔心的是「說故事的權力」正在改變。中國媒體不斷操控敘事，把台灣描寫成「叛逆地區」。這不只是宣傳戰，更是一種心理戰。有些人開始覺得：「抵抗有什麼用？」覺得反正我們太小了，怎麼努力都沒意義。
這種想法，其實才是最大的危機。
台灣最大的風險，未必來自外部，而是來自內心的幻滅——覺得自己做什麼都沒用。有些年輕人已經對政治無感，壓力大到只想苟活。他們覺得「自由」只是一句漂亮的口號。
但我們忘了嗎？白色恐怖時代才是真正不能講話的日子。我們現在能說話，但我們真的在說嗎？還是又默默讓別人替我們下定義？
這是一場關於「看法」的戰爭。我們要學著在沉默中站在一起，展現團結。要在心裡守住自己的身份，不用大喊，也能知道自己是誰。更要相信——行動，哪怕再小，也不會白費。
所以我想說：抵抗，不是徒勞。它是必要的。
