投资 · 创业者自述

塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯:节俭·摘录 495

塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯《节俭》· Thrift · 投资

One of the most demoralizing practices of modern refinement is the "large party" system. People cram their houses with respectable mobs; thus conforming to a ridiculous custom. Rousseau, with all his aberrations of mind, said, "I had rather have my house too small for a day, than too large for a twelvemonth." Fashion exactly reverses the maxim; and domestic mischief is often begun with a large dwelling and suitable accommodations. The misfortune consists in this,--that we never look below our level for an example, but always above it.

出处: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14418
定位:Excerpt 495 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录

白话

现代风气里最败坏人的做法之一,就是“大聚会”那一套。人们把家里塞满体面的乌合之众,只为迎合荒唐的习俗。卢梭虽然思想常有偏差,但他说过:宁可房子小得一天都嫌挤,也不要大得一年都空荡。时尚恰恰反着来,家庭麻烦往往就从大房子和配套排场开始。毛病在于:我们从不往下找榜样,总往上看。要避免,就量入为出,别为了面子撑大场面,多看看和自己条件相当的人怎么过日子。

上下文

斯迈尔斯在《节俭》中批评19世纪英国中上层社会讲排场、办大型社交聚会的风气,引用卢梭的话来倡导简朴持家。

今日一问

我有没有为了面子而维持超出自己能力的居住或社交排场?

公版作品;原文逐字取自 Project Gutenberg,仅摘录段落并附全书链接。

本文本为公版;底本与原文链接见上。 版权

← 返回原文库