投资 · 西方古典
托斯丹·凡勃伦:有闲阶级论·摘录 42
托斯丹·凡勃伦《有闲阶级论》· The Theory of the Leisure Class · 投资
The vicarious leisure performed by housewives and menials, under the head of household cares, may frequently develop into drudgery, especially where the competition for reputability is close and strenuous. This is frequently the case in modern life. Where this happens, the domestic service which comprises the duties of this servant class might aptly be designated as wasted effort, rather than as vicarious leisure. But the latter term has the advantage of indicating the line of derivation of these domestic offices, as well as of neatly suggesting the substantial economic ground of their utility; for these occupations are chiefly useful as a method of imputing pecuniary reputability to the master or to the household on the ground that a given amount of time and effort is conspicuously wasted in that behalf.
出处:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/833
定位:Excerpt 42 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录
白话
主妇和仆人以“家务”名义进行的代理有闲,在名声竞争激烈时,常常变成苦差事。现代生活里这种情况不少。这时,这些家务服务与其叫“代理有闲”,不如叫“浪费掉的努力”。但凡勃伦仍用“代理有闲”这个词,因为它点明了这些家务的来历,也暗示了它们的经济实质:它们主要用处,是替主人或家庭博得金钱上的体面,靠的是显眼地浪费一定时间和精力。换句话说,很多家务劳动的价值不在结果,而在“我为你浪费了这么多”的展示。今天请客、装修、送礼,是否也有这种“浪费即体面”的逻辑?
上下文
凡勃伦讨论代理有闲在名声竞争下可能沦为苦役,但保留该词以揭示家务劳动背后的炫耀性经济动机。
今日一问
你为家庭或面子付出的劳动,有多少是为了展示“我肯浪费”,而不是真需要?
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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