左思右想談醜聞

左思右想談醜聞

Lately, it has been hard to shield oneself from celebrity gossip. It’s inevitable as the ongoing scandal offers us an escape from our problems, be they personal insecurities or global health crises. We see how even the high and mighty fall to life’s struggles, and somehow that comforts us and allows us to rationalize our own faults. The scandal is also an assault on our senses—money, sex, fame, betrayal, the rise and fall of a star—all the key ingredients we need for a primetime soap opera. We are unchallenged spectators, free to serve as jury, judge, and executioner in the comfort of our home.

近日，人們似乎難以回避充滿爭議的名人八卦 (celebrity gossip)。這是無可避免的，因為持續轟炸的醜聞 (scandal)，讓人們得以逃避自身需要面對的問題 (an escape from our own problems)，無論是個人的不安全感還是全球性的公衛危機。看到高高在上的人也因生活中的掙扎摔落神壇 (seeing the high and mighty fall)，除了幸災樂禍看八卦，有的人或許對此感到安心並將自身面臨問題合理化。醜聞還提供了所有能刺激我們感官與想像力的事物—金錢、性、名聲、背叛、明星的崛起與墜落—就如肥皂劇或電影那般。我們是無可指摘的觀眾，可以自由地充當法官、陪審團、與劊子手 (judge, jury, and executioner)，無需擔責地在醜聞中遊走。

Like so many have mentioned, the scandal is entertainment galore (with popcorn). But, what is there to be learned? The go-to adage is that everyone takes away a different lesson. Most would agree that lies, unfaithfulness, and manipulative behaviors destroy lives. Some would even say to exercise more caution when falling in or out of love.

醜聞還提供了所有能刺激我們感官與想像力的事物—金錢、性、名聲、背叛、明星的崛起與墜落—就如肥皂劇或電影那般。我們是無可指摘的觀眾，可以自由地充當法官、陪審團、與劊子手 (judge, jury, and executioner)，無需擔責的在醜聞中遊走。 如同許多人說的，醜聞是一種娛樂（帶爆米花），但我們能重從中學習到什麼嗎？我假設每個人或多或少都學到一課。大多數人會同意，謊言、不忠與操縱都會破壞關係與生活；有的人會領悟，進入一段關係與離開，都需要更加謹慎。

There is another lesson here: the harm that nonaction—apathy and neglect—can do. In our constant pursuit to maximize and satisfy every whim, we forget about those around us: our spouses, children, parents, friends, and those in our community. Their voices are drowned out by our insatiable need for wealth, fame, and power, so much so that the only voice we hear becomes our own.

然而，我認為近日的醜聞也為我們展示，不採取行動、以冷漠及忽視應對 (apathy and neglect)，將造成傷害。換句話說，在不斷追求利益最大化以及取悅自己的過程中，我們忘記了周圍的人，例如配偶、孩子與父母。他們的聲音被對財富、名望和權力永無止盡的需求所淹沒，以至於我們唯一能聽見的只有自己的聲音。

At times, we hurt those around us not only through harmful actions. We hurt them when we don’t do what we should: listen, care, spend time with our loved ones. Apathy and neglect, in many instances, do the greatest harm.

不是只有做了「壞事 」才會傷害他人，有時沒有做到該做的事也會造成傷害，沒有傾聽、關心、花時間陪伴也是種傷害。

★★★★★★★★★★★★

圖片出處:
“Family” by Leon Zernitsky via Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.cl/leonzernitsky/_created/