Long, long ago, there were two brothers, the one rich and the other poor. When Christmas Eve came, the poor one had not a bite in the house, either of meat or bread; so he went to his brother, and begged him, in God's name, to give him something for Christmas Day. It was by no means the first time that the brother had been forced to give something to him, and he was not better pleased at being asked now than he generally was.
"If you will do what I ask you, you shall have a whole ham," said he. The poor one immediately thanked him, and promised this.
"Well, here is the ham, and now you must go straight to Dead Man's Hall," said the rich brother, throwing the ham to him.
"Well, I will do what I have promised," said the other, and he took the ham and set off. He went on and on for the livelong day, and at nightfall he came to a place where there was a bright light.
"I have no doubt this is the place," thought the man with the ham.
An old man with a long white beard was standing in the outhouse, chopping Yule logs.
"Good-evening," said the man with the ham.
"Good-evening to you. Where are you going at this late hour?" said the man.
"I am going to Dead Man's Hall, if only I am on the right track," answered the poor man.
"Oh! yes, you are right enough, for it is here," said the old man. "When you get inside they will all want to buy your ham, for they don't get much meat to eat there; but you must not sell it unless you can get the hand-mill which stands behind the door for it. When you come out again I will teach you how to stop the hand-mill, which is useful for almost everything."
So the man with the ham thanked the other for his good advice, and rapped at the door.
这本书内容紧扣题目,似乎为了节省读者从文字中总结的精力,他将作品分为两大部分:
焦虑起因——渴求身份,势力倾向,过度期望,精英崇拜,制约因素;
解决部分——哲学,艺术,政治,基督教,波西米亚。
在第一部分“焦虑起因”中,他提出人类在对于自我价值的判断上存在不确定性,我们对自己的认知在很大程度上取决于别人的看法。从历史与现在的对比中,他提出在过去等级制度森严的社会里,个体无法改变自己的身份,这种制度虽极端不公,但底层却也因此不会将自己与他人的成就进行比较,也不会感到自己缺乏社会身份“也没有如今底层人们那种强烈的一无所有和一无是处的焦虑”。
他引用一个公式:
自尊=实际的成就/对自己的期待
西方社会风气在于鼓励人们追求更多。民主的社会以及大众传媒的发展助长了人们对于自我期望过高的事实。“我们所期待的远超我们祖先的想象,但我们付出的代价则是永远都挥之不去的焦虑——我们永远都不能安于现状,永远都有尚未企及的.梦想。”
古代的故事里,穷人被认为是社会财富的创造者,富人不值得尊敬,世间的地位不代表任何道德意义。但是随着社会物质的发展,富人成为经济学里的英雄,他们的***和贪求恰恰促进了社会的利益。再往后,则人们开始认为社会等级反应了社会成员的自身素质。
“贫穷本身就是一种痛苦,而在精英崇拜的社会里,贫穷更是一种羞辱。”
第二部分“解决部分”中,作者将目光对准了五个方向。
哲学让人观照自我,而非过度关注他人的看法。哲学家们在独立的研究中提出“我们应该遵循自己内心的良知,而不是遵循来自外部的赞扬或谴责。问题的关键不在于我们在一个随机形成的人群中看起来是什么形象,而在于我们自己知道是什么形象。”
艺术则往往对等级制度提出质疑,用道德标准来衡量人物而非地位。悲剧引导人们探索失败的根源,也因此使得人们更容易理解和原谅他人。而漫画等幽默艺术则“努力揭示一些对身份的焦虑,进而对此进行控制”。
对于政治的探究重在明晰对意识形态的理解,“通过对意识形态进行分析,使它丧失理所应当的合理性,进而使它丧失其影响力——从而在面对意识形态时,我们不再迷惑不解和沮丧不堪”。
基督教一方面指引人们重视道德,另一方面也让人认识自身渺小,痛苦往往与抱负宏大密不可分,而一旦认识自身微不足道,那么心情便可获得宁静。
波西米亚则是另外一种以惹恼资产阶级为特点的追求精神第一的生活方式。
作者说:
“生活就是用一种焦虑代替另一种焦虑,用一种***代替另一种***的过程——这样说,并非要我们永远都不要去努力克服焦虑,或不要努力去满足某种***,而是要求我们在努力追求的过程中要明白一个道理:我们的任何一个目标向我们提供的一劳永逸的保证,按照目标本身的意思,是不可能实现的。”
最后,作者非常善良、温和地劝诫大众,即便身份的焦虑确会存在,这一点取决于我们对于身份的固有需求,但与此同时我们也应认识到生活有多种选择,不必认为世界上只有唯一的方式才能证明成功。
当新学期来临时,许多学生对新生活表现得很兴奋。在大学,新生快乐地享受着自由。在接下来的四年里,他们希望过着高中描绘的'美好生活。但事实是,大学生活中有很多东西要学。
First, the major knowledge occupies the most important role. As a student, learning knowledge is their job, while many students focus on playing cellphone in the class, or just sleep. They lose interest in studying when they come to the free environment. Mastering the professional skill helps them to be competitive. The sad thing is that most of them can't realize it.
首先,专业知识占据着最重要的角色。作为一名学生,学习知识是他们的工作,而很多学生在课堂上玩手机,或者睡觉。当他们来到自由的环境后对学习失去了兴趣。掌握专业技能帮助他们提高竞争力,可悲的是,大多数人没有意识到这一点。
Second, as there is much free time, they can make use of it and gain the valuable experience. Students can join some clubs to develop more interest, or find part-time jobs. It is better than to stay in the dorm and play computer games all the time.
第二,由于空闲时间多,他们可以充分利用好这些时间,并从中获得宝贵的经验。学生可以参加一些活动来发展更多的兴趣爱好,或找份兼职工作。比呆在宿舍玩电脑游戏好多了。
A lot of students feel lost in the campus, because they don't plan campus life well. The things you learn will make you different in the future.
很多学生因为没有计划好校园生活在所以迷失了。所学到的东西会让你在未来有所作为。
Why students can't help wearing expensive things which are famous brands?
The reason why they prefer to wear expensive clothes is just for face. Some students thought the more expensive they wear, the more confident they are. Only wearing brand clothes can they become proud. Some students are afraid to looked down if they don't wear brands things. It is easy for students to compare what they wear.
As far as I am concerned, I don't agree that students pursue famous brand. Most students can't earn money by themselves. We can't waste the money to buy expensive things which are not useful. It is hard for parents to make money. Remember, the main task of the students is to study.
Study is our student's personality.But many students will ask, why we must learn knowledge. Is knowledge so important to us?If we don't need to pass the exam, should we still need the knowledge?
As I am concerned, study is not only a personality of students, but also a personality of all people throughout their lives.People need to learn the knowledge whoever they are.If people don't learn knowledge, there will have no way to do things and become ignorant about world.Can you imagine a world that no people have knowledge?Leaving knowledge,the world would no get progress.If people don't learn knowledge, there will be no people to know how to use the computer ,how to write the news, even how to communicate with others.
So learning knowledge is a very important thing, it consists of our world.
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