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Moderate happiness

 　　IBM's semiconductor manufacturing plant in the United States has been processing a type of pure water at a rate of 80,000 gallons per hour, 2 million gallons per day, without stopping. This is because without this pure water, they cannot manufacture microchips. They call this water "ultrapure water" because it is so pure that it contains virtually no impurities.


　　The production of "ultrapure water" involves 18 processes. The most crucial of these is the sixth process: reverse osmosis, a high-density, high-energy process for removing impurities. Then, it passes through large, specialized filter beds to remove various ions, and then through ultraviolet light tubes to separate all organic matter… The final step, the 18th process, involves passing the water through a filter with numerous micropores, each 20 nanometers in diameter—pores smaller than a molecule and some cells.

　　So, what does "ultrapure water" actually taste like? Eric Berlina, the environmental manager at the Burlington Water Plant in the United States, couldn't resist trying a small sip. He frowned and said, "I tasted it, and it's absolutely awful. It's very strong, very bitter, and terribly unpleasant." Plant manager Janet Bombardier warned, "I haven't tasted a drop, and I don't know what it tastes like. I've never even considered drinking it. Because ultrapure water plants not only consider it an industrial solvent, but also a poison. This ultrapure water has extremely high solubility; it can potentially deplete minerals from human tissues."

　　It turns out that ultrapure water is also a kind of poison. As the saying goes, extremes meet. Anything that goes to extremes is likely to perish. Therefore, we must adhere to the principle of moderation, keeping changes within an appropriate range, preventing both "excess" and "deficiency," and adopting correct and reasonable methods to utilize changes for our benefit.

　　This applies to water, and isn't it also true for life? In life, many people are led by the nose by their desires: cars, houses, money. Faced with these desires, many forget their initial dreams. Although they may amass great wealth, their lives are far from happy. It seems that everything has its limits; the analogy of "ultra-pure water" teaches us that moderation is key. Moderate desires are the true essence of happiness.

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