評論
打印
The alienated and profoundly unsatisfactory character of work results in two reactions: one, the ideal of complete laziness; the other a deep-seated, though often unconscious hostility toward work and everything and everybody connected with it.
勞動的這種冷漠無情，絲毫不能令人滿足的性質勢必引起兩種結果：其一，使人們產生十足的懶惰思想;其二，使人們對勞動及與之有關的一切人和事產生一種根深蒂固的(盡管往往是潛意識的)敵對心理。
It is not difficult to recognize the widespread longing for the state of complete laziness and passivity. Our advertising appeals to it even more than to sex, There are, of course, many useful and labor saving gadgets . But this usefulness often serves only as a rationalization for the appeal to complete passivity and receptivity. A package of breakfast cereal is being advertised as "new--easier to eat." An electric toaster is advertised with these words: "... the most distinctly different toaster in the world! Everything is done for you with this new toaster. You need not even bother to lower the bread. Power-action, through a unique electric motor, gently takes the bread right out of your fingers!" How many courses in languages, or other subjects, are announced with the slogan" effortless learn- ins, no more of the old drudgery." Everybody knows the picture of the elderly couple in the advertisement of a life-insurance company, who have retired at the age of sixty, and spend their life in the complete bliss of having nothing to do except just travel.
不難看出，向往極端的懶散和消極怠工是人們的普遍心理狀態。我們的廣告對這一點的渲染甚至比對性的渲染更有過之而無不及。當然，確實有許多實用而省力的小玩意，但這種實用性往往只起著使追求十足的消極懶散和坐享其成成為合理化的作用。一包早餐食品在廣告中被宣傳為"新產品--食用更方便。"一種電烤箱所用的廣告詞竟是這樣的："……最新烤箱，設計獨特，舉世無匹!有了這種烤箱，一切工作都會自動完成，連放面包也無需您親自動手，只要一通電，通過一種功能獨特的電動機的電力作用就能將面包從您手上輕輕取下!"有多少語言或其他科目的教科書用著這樣的宣傳口號："學習起來真輕松，完全不必下苦功。"有一家人壽保險公司還作了這么一個家喻戶曉的廣告畫：畫上是一對六十歲退休的年老夫婦除旅行度假外，長年無所事事，優哉游哉享清福的歡樂景象。
