剛剛在讀先前貼文下的上百則留言(https://bit.ly/32Iy5yX)，沒想到竟然有這麼多不同的看法！這些回覆反映了輿論的光譜是如此地寬闊。那麼，人們對同一篇文章的反應為何會如此地不同呢？
簡短的回答是——當然，我們都不一樣。不過，我想分享一些我方才讀到的相關段落：
Like all we do, reading requires a balance of fairness and critical evaluation, of tact and self-protection; and like all we do, reading reveals the self, its preoccupations, and obsessions. Self-protection and critical evaluation: reading is a serious and potentially dangerous activity. Whether we realize it or not, what we read affects what we become. We do well to be on guard, actively challenging the author.
就像我們做的每件事，解讀（reading）需要在公平（fairness）與批判評估（critical evaluation）之間、體恤（consideration）與自我保護之間取得平衡。就像我們所做的那樣，解讀揭示了自我、關注的事物以及著迷的對象。自我保護與批判評估：解讀是一項嚴肅且具有潛在危險的行為。無論我們是否意識到，我們所理解的內容會影響我們成為怎樣的人。我們最好保持警惕，主動地質疑（actively challenging）作者。
Tact (consideration) and fairness: because in reading, we enter another person’s domain. As there are rituals when we enter someone’s home, so too there are ritual observances in reading.
體恤與公平：因為在閱讀時，我們進入了他人的領域（domain）。就像我們到了別人家時會注意某些禮節，閱讀時也須遵循這些禮儀。
Self-revelation: because the reader brings herself -her habits, attitudes, and mentality – to everything she does, centrally to her manner of reading, her interpretive frame. As we read, we too are read: and sometimes we discover ourselves by reflecting on the patterns of our interpretations and misinterpretations.
自我揭示（Self-revelation）：因為讀者把自我——他的習慣、態度與思考方式（mentality）——帶入他所做的每件事，並以他的閱讀方式與詮釋架構（interpretive frame）為中心。當我們閱讀，我們也被閱讀著：有時我們能夠藉由反思自身詮釋與誤讀（misinterpretations）的模式（patterns）來發現自我。
We are changed by what we read, changed step by step as the work unfolds before us. Some authors are sensitive to the initial and initiating attitudes of their readers; others are unaware of such subtleties; yet others deliberately ignore them because they want to transcend particularity or because they don’t give a damn. (Rorty, 1997, p. 85)
我們閱讀的東西改變了我們——閱讀此一行為在我們眼前展開，漸次改變了我們。有些作者對讀者的起始態度非常敏感；有些作者則對如此細微之處毫無察覺；也有一些作者刻意忽略它們，因為他們想超越特殊性（transcend particularity），或者他們一點都不在乎。（Rorty, 1997, p. 85）
From that short passage, we know that a writer can write for many purposes: out of boredom, to gain clicks, to spread ideas or he just writes whatever comes to his mind. Through his choice of words, context, and writing style, one can interpret what his attentions are without much difficulty.
從上述段落可知，寫作的原因百百種：出於無聊、為了獲得點擊率、傳播個人理想，或者只是毫無來由地想到什麼就寫什麼。透過作者對用字遣詞、文章脈絡與寫作風格的選擇，不難得知他的意圖。
However, as readers, while decoding and interpreting, you are bringing in all your worldview, complex social identities and behaviors to interpret this new piece of information.
然而，身為一名讀者，在解碼（decoding）與詮釋（interpreting）的同時，你將引入自身的世界觀、複雜的社會認同（social identities）與行為（behaviors），以詮釋這則新的資訊。接著，藉由你對閱讀的反應與回饋，你也與世界有了更多的交流：你如何看待這個世界？你如何回應不同類型的資訊？
Reading is far more than just understanding words. It allows you to explore the writer’s mind and reflect on your own. For example, what do the words “power, knowledge, and education” mean to the author? What do these words mean to you? Why do you feel or think this way? These are some questions to reflect on when reading.
閱讀並非只是理解文字。閱讀使你有了探索作者心靈與自我求索的機會。例如，對作者而言，「權力（power）、知識（knowledge）與教育（education）」意味著什麼？這些字詞對你來說又有怎樣的意涵？你為什麼會這麼認為？當你在閱讀時，腦海應該浮現出這些問題。
Your feedback on an article is invaluable to those who pay attention. Writers can use it to understand your worldviews, how you respond to different types of information, and your reading behaviors. Such information enables the writer to find more effective ways to communicate and trigger a response.
對那些在意的人來說，你對一篇文章的回應是無價的。對作者而言，他們得以藉此了解你的世界觀、你對不同類型的資訊會作何反應，以及你的閱讀行為（reading behaviors）。此類資訊得以讓作者找到更有效的交流方式，進而有所反響。
Through your response and short comments to my posts, I get a peek of who you are as well, or at least, how you wish others to perceive you on social media. You are, in fact, engaged in deep communication with me by reading and leaving a comment, which I then interpret.
透過你的回應與簡短的留言，我也得以窺見你是誰；或者，至少在社群網站上，你希望他人如何看待自己。事實上，在閱讀與留言的過程中，你已跟我進行了深度的交流。
Thank you for reading and commenting. I learn a great deal from each one and am thankful for the opportunity to get to know you and your world just a little better.
感謝你們的閱讀與回覆。我從每個人身上都學到了很多，也謝謝你們讓我有機會能更加了解你們，以及你們的世界。
參考資料：Rorty, A. O. (1997). The ethics of reading: A traveler’s guide. Educational Theory, 47(1), 85.
圖片出處: “Glasses'” by Hermes Rivera via Unsplash
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英文閱讀方式: https://bit.ly/3r6qDr3