The modern industrial economy works like this: Resources are dug from a hole in the ground on one side of the planet, used for a few weeks, then dumped in a hole on the other side of the planet. This is known as the "creation of value." The creation of value improves our quality of life. Improvements in our quality of life make us happier. The more we transfer from hole to hole, the happier we become.
現(xiàn)代工業(yè)經(jīng)濟(jì)是這樣運(yùn)作的：資源被從地球一端的洞里挖出后，用上幾星期后，又被倒入地球另一端的一個(gè)洞里。這就是所謂的“創(chuàng)造價(jià)值”。價(jià)值的創(chuàng)造提高了我們的生活質(zhì)量，從而使我們更加幸福。我們從一個(gè)洞運(yùn)到另一個(gè)洞的東西越多，我們就越幸福。
Unfortunately, we are not yet transferring enough. According to the Worldwatch Institute, we have used more goods and services since l950 than in all the rest of human history. But we still don't seem to be happy. Over the same period, 25-year-olds in Britain have become 10 times more likely to be afflicted by depression. One in four British adu1ts now suffers from a lack of sleep, and one fifth of school children have psychological problems. Over the past l3 years, mental health insurance claims have risen by 36 per cent.
不幸的是，我們運(yùn)送的還遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠。根據(jù)世界觀察所的調(diào)查，自1950年以來(lái)，我們消費(fèi)的商品和接受的服務(wù)比人類有史以來(lái)任何時(shí)間的消費(fèi)總量都要多。但是我們看起來(lái)仍然不那么幸福。在上述同一時(shí)期內(nèi)，英國(guó)25歲的年輕人患憂郁癥的機(jī)率增加了10倍；有四分之一的成年人睡眠不足；還有五分之一的學(xué)齡兒童存在心理障礙。在過(guò)去的13年里，精神保險(xiǎn)的索賠率增加了36%。
American studies suggest that between 40 and 60 per cent of the population suffers from mental illness in any one year.
The World Health Organization predicts that by 2010 depression wi1l become the second most common disease in the developed world. Unless we start consuming in earnest, we'll never experience real joy.
美國(guó)的研究表明，每年有40%到60%的人患有精神疾病。
世界衛(wèi)生組織預(yù)測(cè)，到2010年，憂郁癥在發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家中將成為第二大常見(jiàn)疾病。除非開(kāi)始實(shí)行審慎的消費(fèi)，否則我們永遠(yuǎn)也不可能體會(huì)到真正的快樂(lè)。
At this time of year the rate of consumption rises dramatically. To make ourselves happier, we move resources from one hole to another as quickly as possible.My local authority reports that the amount of rubbish people takes to the dump increases by 12 per cent in December and January. Curiously, however, the incidence of depression also seems to rise. Calls to a telephone help line increase by 8 per cent between Christmas and New Year's Day. But the figures are misleading. The more depressed we are, the more we spend on alcoho1. The more we spend, as any economist will explain to you, the happier we become.
每年這個(gè)時(shí)候人們的消費(fèi)大幅度上升。為了使我們更加幸福，我們盡快的把資源從一個(gè)洞轉(zhuǎn)移到另一個(gè)洞。
據(jù)我所在的當(dāng)?shù)卣畧?bào)道說(shuō)，在12月和1月兩個(gè)月間，人們傾倒垃圾的數(shù)量增加了12%。然而，奇怪的是憂郁癥病例看起來(lái)也在增加。圣誕節(jié)到元旦期間，熱線咨詢?cè)黾恿?%。這些數(shù)字把我們引入歧途。我們?cè)綉n郁，就會(huì)花越多的錢買酒喝；而花得錢越多，正如經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家們所說(shuō)，也就越高興。
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