Ambition
?約瑟夫·愛潑斯坦/JosephEpstein
Itisnotdifficulttoimagineaworldshortofambition.Itwouldprobablybeakinderworld:withoutdemands,withoutabrasions,withoutdisappointments.Peoplewouldhavetimeforreflection.Suchworkastheydidwouldnotbeforthemselvesbutforthecollective.Competitionwouldneverenterin.Conflictwouldbeeliminated,tensionwouldbecomeathingofthepast.Thestressofcreationwouldbeatanend.Artwouldnolongerbetroubling,butpurelycelebratoryinitsfunctions.Thefamilywouldbecomesuperfluousasasocialunit,withallitsformerpowerforbringingaboutneurosisdrainedaway.Longevitywouldbeincreased,forfewerpeoplewoulddieofheartattackorstrokecausedbytumultuousendeavor.Anxietywouldbeextinct.Timewouldstretchonandon,withambitionlongdepartedfromthehumanheart.
Ah,howunrelievedlyboringlifewouldbe!
Thereisastrongviewthatholdsthatsuccessisamyth,andambitionthereforeasham.Doesthismeanthatsuccessdoesnotreallyexist?Thatachievementisatbottomempty?Thattheeffortsofmenandwomenareofnosignificancealongsidetheforceofmovementsandevents?Nownotallsuccess,obviously,isworthesteeming,norallambitionworthcultivating.Whichareandwhicharenotissomethingonesoonenoughlearnsonone』sown.Buteventhemostcynicalsecretlyadmitthatsuccessexists;thatachievementcountsforagreatdeal;andthatthetruemythisthattheactionsofmenandwomenareuseless.Tobelieveotherwiseistotakeonapointofviewthatislikelytobederanging.Itis,initsimplications,toremoveallmotivesforcompetence,interestinattainment,andregardforposterity.
Wedonotchoosetobeborn.Wedonotchooseourparents.Wedonotchooseourhistoricalepoch,thecountryofourbirthortheimmediatecircumstancesofourupbringing.Wedonot,mostofus,choosetodie;nordowechoosethetimeorconditionsofourdeath.Butwithinallthisrealmofchoicelessness,wedochoosehowweshalllive:courageouslyorincowardice,honorablyordishonorably,withpurposeorindrift.Wedecidewhatisimportantandwhatistrivialinlife.Wedecidethatwhatmakesussignificantiseitherwhatwedoorwhatwerefusetodo.Butnomatterhowindifferenttheuniversemaybetoourchoicesanddecisions,thesechoicesanddecisionsareourstomake.Wedecide.Wechoose.Andaswedecideandchoose,soareourlivesformed.Intheend,formingourowndestinyiswhatambitionisabout.
假如世界上的每個人都沒有抱負，會怎麼樣呢？不難想像，或許這個世界會更加和善，無慾無求，沒有紛爭摩擦，人們有充裕的時間反思；工作不是為了個人私慾，而是為了集體的利益；世間再無競爭，衝突也會消除，緊張的生活將成為歷史，壓力將不復存在；藝術不再讓人厭煩，其功能將純粹是為了舉辦慶典；作為社會單位的家庭及其所帶來的精神傷痛也將蕩然無存；人們也會愈加長壽，很少人會死於因過度勞累而引發的心臟病或中風；焦慮將遠離人們的生活；時間將無止境地延長，因為人們不再胸懷抱負。
啊，那樣的人生該多麼的乏味空虛啊！
如今，人們都說，成功是一個神話，所以抱負更是虛幻無形。這難道是說成功非真實存在？而成就也只是一場空？與星體運轉和宇宙事件相比，全人類的種種努力都是微不足道的嗎？顯然，不是所有的成功都值得稱道，不是所有的雄心壯志都應得到滋養。一個人很快就能自然學會選擇，哪些值得，哪些不值得。然而，就連最憤世嫉俗的人也承認成功的確存在；成就的意義舉足輕重；真正的神話存在於那些碌碌無為者的無用之舉。否認成功的存在，就等於接受了一種容易讓人混淆的觀點。這種觀點實際上暗含著，要根除所有提高能力的動機，泯滅追求成功的興趣，並消除對子孫的關注。
我們無法選擇出身和父母，也無法選擇出生的歷史時期、國家或成長環境。我們中的大部分人都不能選擇死亡，更不能選擇死亡的時間或者條件。但是，在這些無法選擇的領域，我們可以選擇怎樣活著：是勇敢無畏地活著，還是戰戰兢兢地生存；是活得光明磊落，還是卑鄙無恥；是目標堅定，還是得過且過。我們要權衡生活中的輕重緩急，選擇讓生命更具意義的事，決定要做或拒絕做的事。但是，不論世界如何漠視我們所作出的選擇，那些的確都是我們自己作出的決定。總之，我們的抉擇，構成了我們的生活，我們命運的構築正取決於抱負的全部內容。
1.Peoplewouldhave_______forreflection.Suchworkastheydidwouldnotbe_____themselvesbutforthecollective.Competitionwould_______enterin.Conflictwouldbeeliminated,tensionbecomea_______ofthepast.
2.Thereisastrong_______thatholdsthatsuccessisamyth,andambitionthereforeasham.Doesthis_______thatsuccessdoesnotreallyexist?Thatachievementisatbottomempty?
3.Butno_______howindifferenttheuniverse_______betoourchoicesanddecisions,thesechoicesanddecisionsareoursto_______.Wedecide.Wechoose.Andaswedecideand_______,soareourlivesformed.Inthe_______,formingourowndestinyiswhatambitionis_______.
1.焦慮將遠離人們的生活；時間將無止境地延長，因為人們不再胸懷抱負。
2.那樣的人生該多麼的乏味空虛啊！
3.總之，我們的抉擇，構成了我們的生活，我們命運的構築正取決於抱負的全部內容。
1.Itisnotdifficulttoimagineaworldshortofambition.
shortof：缺乏
2.Tobelieveotherwiseistotakeonapointofviewthatislikelytobederanging.
onapointof：關於……的問題