投资 · 西方古典

托斯丹·凡勃伦:有闲阶级论·摘录 105

托斯丹·凡勃伦《有闲阶级论》· The Theory of the Leisure Class · 投资

As seen from the point of view of life under modern civilized conditions in an enlightened community of the Western culture, the primitive, ante-predatory savage, whose character it has been attempted to trace in outline above, was not a great success. Even for the purposes of that hypothetical culture to which his type of human nature owes what stability it has--even for the ends of the peaceable savage group--this primitive man has quite as many and as conspicuous economic failings as he has economic virtues--as should be plain to any one whose sense of the case is not biased by leniency born of a fellow-feeling. At his best he is "a clever, good-for-nothing fellow." The shortcomings of this presumptively primitive type of character are weakness, inefficiency, lack of initiative and ingenuity, and a yielding and indolent amiability, together with a lively but inconsequential animistic sense. Along with these traits go certain others which have some value for the collective life process, in the sense that they further the facility of life in the group. These traits are truthfulness, peaceableness, good-will, and a non-emulative, non-invidious interest in men and things.

出处: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/833
定位:Excerpt 105 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录

白话

凡勃伦从现代西方文明的角度回看原始和平野蛮人,认为他们并不算成功。即使对他们自己那种假想文化来说,这个原始人也有许多明显的经济缺点,和优点一样多。他最理想的状态也不过是“聪明但没用的人”。他的缺点包括软弱、低效、缺乏主动性和创造力,还有一味顺从、懒散的亲和力,以及活跃却无关紧要的万物有灵观念。他也有对集体生活有用的品质:诚实、和平、善意,以及对人和事物不带攀比、不带嫉妒的兴趣。

上下文

凡勃伦《有闲阶级论》追溯原始和平野蛮人的性格特征,并做经济评价。

今日一问

你评价一个人“有用”时,是否只用了经济效率这一把尺子?

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

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