評論
打印
NARRATOR: For the first time in the country's short existence,
旁白：在美國短暫的存在歷史中 這是首次
the man most capable of leading America is not a politician.
最有能力引領美國的人不再是政治家
He's a self-made man, who, through sheer force of will,
憑借著純粹的意志力，他白手起家
turned a poor upbringing on the docks of New York Harbor, into an empire.
從紐約港碼頭的一介窮人 變成創(chuàng)造出一個帝國的人
At sixteen, Cornelius Vanderbilt
十六歲時 科尼利厄斯·范德比爾特
buys a small ferry boat with a one hundred dollar loan.
用貸來的一百美元買了一條小渡船
He quickly earns a reputation as a cutthroat businessman,
他很快因為心狠手辣而出名
willing to use any means necessary to get ahead.
他會為了前進不擇手段
MARK CUBAN: Back then, it was just pure competition.
馬克·庫班：那時只有純粹的競爭
My brain against your brain.
我的腦力對抗你的腦力
My effort against your effort.
我的努力對抗你的努力
You just competed.
大家就這樣競爭
That's the way they looked at business. It was the Wild, Wild West,
這就是他們看待商業(yè)的方式 就像是西部荒原那樣
and by hook or crook, it was just win or lose,
所有人不擇手段 爭得你死我活
and the best win.
最優(yōu)秀的人取得勝利
He was a tough guy.
他是一個很頑強的人
Getting into scraps with other men,
同其他人進行激烈的戰(zhàn)斗
beating the hell out of them and knocking them unconscious.
痛打他們 打得他們失去知覺
That competitive streak, and that toughness,
這種競爭傾向 這種頑強品質
very much defined his character.
很大程度上定義了他這個人
NARRATOR: His single ferry soon becomes a fleet of ships,
旁白：他的經(jīng)營規(guī)模很快就從一條渡船變成了一個船隊
transporting goods and passengers to every corner of the growing country.
將貨物和乘客運往這個發(fā)展的國家的每一個角落
Vanderbilt will become so synonymous with shipping
范德比爾特很快就變成了船運的同義詞
that his nickname becomes "the Commodore".
人們稱他 "船長"
I think Vanderbilt recognized
我想 范德比爾特肯定知道
that what was going to be important
重要的是將貨物
is transporting goods from one place to another.
從一個地方運往另一個地方
And he had this idea that required infrastructure,
他顯然知道 這需要基礎設施
and not infrastructure the government was going to provide,
這還不能只是政府提供的基礎設施
but that he was going to provide.
他自己也需要提供
NARRATOR: Over the next forty years,
旁白：在之后的四十年中
Vanderbilt builds the largest shipping empire in the world.
范德比爾特建起了全世界最大的船運帝國
Then, at the peak of his power,
之后 在他權力的頂峰
just before the Civil War, he does the unthinkable.
就在南北戰(zhàn)爭之前 他做了一件不可想象的事情
