一起翻译一本书,公众号“追随己心”将带领大家一起翻译《Beyond Feelings: A Guide to Critical Thinking》,将学习了多年的英语真正用起来,体会原版书籍和英文的美。
Chapter 1 Who Are You?
第一章你是谁?
Suppose some one asked, “Who are you?” It would be simple enough to respond with your name. But if the person wanted to know the entire story about who you are, the question would be more difficult to answer. You’d obviously have to give the details of your height, age, and weight. You’d also have to include all your sentiments and preferences, even the secret ones you’ve never shared with anyone—your affection for you’re your loved ones; your desire to please the people you associate with; your dislike of your older sister’s husband; yourallegiance to your favorite beverage, brand of clothing, and music.
如果有人问你:“你是谁?”那么你可能会觉得回答姓名就足够了。但是假如他要知道关于你是谁的所有细节,那么这个问题会变得更难回答。显然你得告诉他你的年龄、身高、体重,还有你的情感与喜好,甚至你从未与人分享过的秘密——你对爱人的眷恋,对渴望取悦你所交往的人,对姐夫的讨厌,对所喜欢的饮料、服装品牌、音乐的热衷等等。
allegiance:英[əˈli:dʒəns],美[əˈlidʒəns] n.效忠;忠诚;衷心
Your attitudes couldn’t be overlooked either—your impatience when an issue gets complex, your aversion to certain courses, your fear of high places and dogs and speaking in public. The list would go on. To be complete, it would have to include all your characteristics—not only the physical but also the emotional and intellectual.
当然,也不能忽视你对待事情的态度,比如:当问题变复杂时你的急躁心理,你对一些课程的厌恶,你恐高,你怕狗,你不敢在公众场合说话,等等还有很多。所以,为了完整起见,这些必须包含你所有的特点,不仅仅是身体方面的,还包括情感与智商方面的。
aversion:英[əˈvɜ:ʃn],美[əˈvɜ:rʒn] n.厌恶;讨厌的人或东西;背离;
To provide all that information would be quite a chore. But suppose the questioner was still curious and asked, “How did you get the way you are?” If your patience were not yet exhausted, chances are you’d answer something like this: “I’m this way because I choose to be, because I’ve considered other sentiments and preferences and attitudes and have made my selections. The ones I have chosen fit my style and personality best.” That answer is natural enough, and in part it’s true.But in a larger sense, it’s not true. The impact of the world on all of us is much greater than most of us realize.
显然,要提供所有这些信息,那将是一件非常繁杂的事情。但是假如提问者一直好奇穷追不舍地问你:“你是怎么成为现在这样的?”此时如果你还有耐心的话,你可能会这样回答他:“我这样子是由于我自己选择成为这样的,因为这是我充分考虑过了其他的情绪、喜好、态度之后,所做出的选择。这样子是最适合我的风格与个性的。”这个回答足够自然,某种程度上来说也是对的。但是从更深层次的角度来看,它是错的。因为这个世界对我们的影响远远超出了我们大多数人的认识。
记:你成为什么样子并非只是自我选择而已,而是选择之后自己的所作所为,以及客观世界环境对我们的影响,它是各种因素导致的一个非常复杂的综合体。选择仅仅只是一个开始。你想成为什么样子的人,首先也要非常全面了解、认识自己,关于自己的知识、体系、思维、习惯、喜好、情绪、智商等,而非停留在自我的外观满足感上。所谓知己知彼,百战不殆。首先认清自己是谁,深层次的自己到底是怎样的,才好去扬长避短、韬光养晦,对自己做一次深刻的、全方位的解剖,远胜于绞尽脑汁去思考分析整个世界。