The Paradox of Our Time/我们这个时代的
前言 | Anita
人真的很奇怪。
当年脍炙人口的《时间都去哪儿了》,首先让人们感到焦虑的竟然是"时间"。我们宁愿抱着手机、游戏、工作、练习册过日子,也不愿意多陪陪家人和爱人。
事实上,时间一直忠诚地陪伴这个世界,是我们虚度了无数时光。
在下文《The Paradox of Our Time/我们这个时代的悖论》中,所涉及的远不止"时间"这个因素,还有物质与意识、谋生与生活、生命与价值、国家与个人、内在与外在、发展与滞后、精神与文明…
这必定是一篇值得反思与回味的文章。
原文以短句为主,结构清晰,词语简单,易于理解,有一定英语基础的朋友建议细品原文。
文 | How Time Flies
The paradox of our time is that we have taller buildings but shorter visions, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, laugh too little, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, and watch TV too much.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it.
A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
译 | Anita
我们这个时代的悖论莫过于,我们有直冲云霄的钢筋水泥建筑,但有甚于井底之蛙的狭隘短浅视野,我们有宽阔绵延的高速公路,但更为管窥蠡测的片面视角。
我们花费得更多,却不曾真正拥有;我们购买得更多,却不曾用心享受。
我们有更多人拥有学位,但意识的重量不曾增加;我们知识的羽翼日益丰满,对价值的判断却不曾提升;我们有更多的专家,却也伴随着问题的与日俱增,我们有更多的药物,疾病却不曾远离人类。
我们毫无节制地抽烟喝酒,不再时常欢声笑语,我们熬最晚的夜,却在清晨起床时无精打采,我们读的书越来越少,却沉迷于电视媒体。
我们增加了自己的财产,自身价值却不曾见长。
我们喋喋不休,疏于爱,常生恨。
我们学会了谋生,却忘却了如何生活。人类生命的长河不断延伸,岁月中却鲜有风雨后见彩虹的斑斓绚烂。
我们往返于月球,却吝于越过街道结交新邻居。
我们征服了浩瀚无垠的外太空,却溃败于现实社会与人际交往以及内在情感。我们实现了许多宏伟的理想和卓越的项目,却没有做出更多善举。
我们净化了空气,却玷污着自己的灵魂。我们征服了原子,却没有破除偏见。
我们书写更多的文字,却掌握着更少的知识。我们痴于计划,却常常半途而废。我们走得太快太快了,却不曾学会止步等待。
我们制造出更多的电脑来储存更庞大的信息,拷贝比以往更多的备份,但人与人之间也越来越少交流沟通了。
这是一个快餐食品与消化迟缓相伴的时代,一个体格健壮与性格病态共存的时代,一个追名逐利与人情淡漠充盈的时代。
这是一个双收入但离婚率更高的时代,一个房子更豪华但家庭更加支离破碎的时代。
请您记住,多花点时间陪伴你爱的人,因为他们无法永远伴你左右。
请你记住,对你的伴侣和爱人说"我爱你",但最重要的是真心实意。
一个热情的亲吻,一个温暖的拥抱,都将修复你内心深处的伤痕。
生命不在乎长短,其价值的衡量在于那些让我们屏息凝神和叹为观止的时刻。
后记 | Anita
Troye Sivan戳爷的这首歌,个人觉得一开始的音色偏萎靡,节奏恰到好处,后面渐渐变得明快。歌词是大家都知道的道理,正如文章所写。但真正能过好这一生的又有几人。
We are running so fast
And we never look back
You don’t have to say I love you to say I love you
All I need is you
我们固然要跟上时代的步伐,不断提升自我,但也要学会放慢脚步,偶尔停下来思考一下未来的方向,放松自己的同时关爱家人、恋人。
附上高中时特别喜欢的一段话,虽然现在想起来觉得过于扭捏:
无论你是金枝玉叶还是胭脂俗粉,无论你是帝王将相还是贩夫走卒,无论你被世俗的烟火熏染多久,被浑浊的事态浸泡多深,心灵深处始终有一处最纯净的角落,永远如初时美好。