评论
打印
In adult life, as we have often observed, a bitter quarrel may change a man's opinion entirely. Antagonism to a man usually produces some antagonism to his opinions; and the bitterness felt against the man usually spreads to the idea for which he stands. What keen satisfaction we find in belittling the opinions, or attacking the opinions, of somebody of whom we are jealous, or of somebody against whom we bear a grudge! But, on the other hand, it is equally true that friendly feelings to a man have an effect in disposing us to feel friendly to his views.
正如我们经常看到的一样，在成人生活里，一场激烈的争吵会完全改变一个人的观点。对某人的敌对往往会导致对他的观点的敌对；对某人的怨恨也常常会殃及他的观点。我们在贬低或攻击那些我们妒忌或怀恨的人的观点时会获得多么强烈的满足感呀!但是，从另一方面来说，对某个人的友好情感无疑会使我们对他的看法也感到友好。
Other opinions again are determined by what we may best call Fashion. To take one example: how largely our opinions on the merits of certain authors, or poets, or composers, are dictated merely by fashion! But the effect of fashion is very much wider than that: we trace it almost everywhere, in every field of thought. We tend very strongly to feel and to believe as others are feeling and believing. Not all others, perhaps; but others of our own set.
还有，其他一些观点是由我们可以称之为“潮流”的东西来决定的。举例来说，我们对某些作家、诗人或作曲家的评价在很大程度上只是受时尚潮流左右！但是，时尚的影响力远比这更广泛：我们几乎在每个地方、每个思想领域都能发现它的踪迹。我们非常强烈地倾向于像其他人那样去感受或相信同样的事物。或许不是所有其他人，而是和我们同一类的人。
But we do not, as a rule, continue all our lives changing our sentiments and opinions with every change of fashion. Sooner or later our minds become fixed. Many a man holds his opinions today—because they happened to be in fashion ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years ago.
但是一般说来，我们不会在自己的一生当中不断地随时尚潮流的每次变化而改变自己的情感和观点。迟早有一天我们的思想会固定下来。许多人之所以持有他今天的观点--是因为那些观点碰巧在10年、20年、30年、40年或50年前曾经流行过。
