2020-01-13

【Aiden in English】

        A person strolls past a plastic bag fluttering down the street. In one scenario he ignores the bag—in another, he recycles the trash. Later that day, the local news shows a report of a car crash apparently caused by a plastic bag.

        In a general scope, the individual’s actions did not affect the flow of events in any meaningful way; however, based on his decision, the person may experience a variety of emotions ranging from a twinge of sadness or great personal anguish.

        This scenario is one of many ideas that I constantly think about. I find great intrigue in the philosophy of human nature. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt is by far my most recent favorite text. I was drawn to its appeal of philosophy, logic, and straight-up humor. More importantly, I fell in love with its pessimistic view of society combined with a factual, dry delivery of the author’s claims. As a scholar who enjoys a good logical argument with my social studies’ teachers, complex topics with various approaches are fuel for my mind. In regard to Freakonomics, the book’s challenging views towards some societal tenets stimulates my creative senses. Humanity is so very complex. We interact with each other in layered ways, intimately and professionally, building connections into a large, intricate web. Philosophy of human nature has never been more important. Billions of humans are now interwoven into a system spanning the globe. Ideas fly about the world at light-speed. In this day and age, a powerful idea has never been more effective.

        As such, humanity is always improving. People develop new technologies, medicines, and ways of thought. Freakonomics and similar works expose flaws in the common consensus. Due to my intrigue of philosophical thinking, I am drawn to these works. Through the identification of incorrect assumptions or false narratives, Freakonomics addresses points in a society where a little bit of deeper thinking highlights the harsh realities in our world and shares potential fixes (the drug dealing business would certainly lose labor supply if people knew most cocaine dealers live in their parents’ basement). Furthermore, Freakonomics delves into the core of human nature in its exposing content, whittling down each complex topic into deconstructed nuggets of logic (everyone needs an incentive, conventional wisdom is often wrong, etc.…). 

        While I do not spend time contemplating the economics of selling local drugs, it is to these types of ideas that I deeply relate with. The biology of any species is focused on survival; however, humanity has succeeded in innovating past primal needs. With each decade and each century, we march forward with new technology and society-changing ideas (women’s suffrage, freedom of slaves, open religion). Perhaps these ideas derive from a young aspiring child with thinking time on a car ride or a rogue economist who challenges convention at every turn.

        Thoughts spark ideas. Ideas power actions. Actions result in change. Freakonomics constantly reminds me of the beginnings of innovation—that every change in humanity derived from a thought. One day, my actions will result in change. With challenging ideas that breach social convention, I hope to mirror Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt’s brilliant view and drive for the truth. Their thoughts are the sparks that light the path for the future. Someday, when my actions can stimulate change, I want my ideas to be impactful on this small blue planet.

【紅霞譯文】

        有人路遇塑料袋在空中飄蕩。一種情況下，他視而不見；另一種情況下，他把它丟進回收垃圾箱。那天晚上，當地新聞報道了一起由塑料袋引起的撞車事故。

        從常規角度來看，個人行為在任何意義上不會對事態發展造成影響；然而基於處事方式，他也許要經歷一系列悲傷乃至痛苦的情感體驗。

        這正是我常常思考的問題之一，我對人性哲學觀很感興趣。迄今為止，我最喜歡由史蒂芬·都伯納和史蒂芬·列維特合著的《魔鬼經濟學·怪誕經濟學家探討萬事萬物的隱秘一面》，被其授人以漁的哲學理論、邏輯思維以及率直幽默所打動。更為重要地，我甚至痴迷它對社會持悲觀看法包括直抒胸臆的筆觸。身為酷愛與社會學老師討論規範邏輯的學生，複雜話題和解答技巧無不成為我思考的動力。談到《魔鬼經濟學》，該書顛覆社會信條的論點激發了我的創造力。人性極其複雜，我們藉助於階層方式進行既密切又專業地互動溝通，由此建立起龐雜的人際網，人性哲學從未如此重要，數十億大軍融入這種全球化關係脈絡當中。思想之光快速引領世界前行之路，在今天這個時代，創新思想從未像現在這樣發揮實效。

        因此，人類不斷進步，新技術、新藥物、新思想層見疊出。固然，《魔鬼經濟學》與同類著作都存有缺陷，但因為對哲學思想饒有興趣，我才被這些作品所吸引。透過現象看本質，《魔鬼經濟學》談論的是一些社會問題，揭示人類世界所面臨的嚴酷現實，並提出可能的解決辦法（如果人們知道多數毒販子住在父母家地下室的話，那麼毒品交易肯定會喪失勞力供給）。此外，《魔鬼經濟學》不乏探究人性核心，將每個複雜的主題分解為非結構性有價值的邏輯版塊（人人都需要動力、傳統智慧常常是錯誤的、等等……）。

        雖未多想由當地販毒所涉及到的經濟學問題，但我密切關注這類思想動態。任何物種的生物學都以生存為本；然而，人類已經成功改良了以往原始需求。每十年每世紀中，技術創新和社會變遷思想（婦女選舉權、奴隸享有自由，宗教開放）無不推動我們向前發展，也許這些思想歸功於一位有抱負的青少年在車上異想天開或怪誕經濟學家隨時隨地挑戰常規。

        觀念激發思想，思想驅使行為，行為導致變化。《魔鬼經濟學》經常讓我想起創新伊始—人類每一個變化都源於觀念，但願有朝一日，我的行為也能帶來變。我要學習兩位作家胸懷大志追求真理的精神，勇於解放禁錮思想，讓他們的觀念成為點燃未來之路的火花。如果將來我的行為真能激發變化時，希望我的思想能對小小的藍色星球產生影響。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2011: 笑話小品(Skit)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

2015: Book Review─Thank You M'am(書評習作─《謝謝您，夫人》)

2015: Book Review─Head above Water(書評《浮出水面》)

2014: Book Review─Urban Outlaws(書評─淺議《城市水滸傳》)

11th Grade(高中三年級)