《外刊精读》英国人的斯多葛主义

一提到英国人，我们会联想到高冷、古板、矜持、克制等一系列关键词，这是我们对英国人的刻板印象，也是他们不管走到哪里都如影随形的枷锁。英国人的矜持，和斯多葛主义一脉相承，可以在危机到来之时，升级为一种坚忍的精神，一种面对苦难不低头的态度。关于英国人的矜持，我们有哪些误解？英国人真的一向如此高冷吗？一起来听今天的讲解。   英文原文  British Stoicism  英国人的斯多葛主义  By Olivier Guiberteau  We all lug stereotypes around, our perennial ball and chain. We British, according to many outsiders, are reserved, repressed, resilient, unemotional and self-controlled. Categorised by our “stiff upper lip” – the famous but now out-of-fashion form of extreme British stoicism – we are often pigeonholed as stunted stoics.  刻板印象总是和我们如影随形，是我们挣脱不掉的枷锁。在许多外人看来，我们英国人保守、克制、坚韧、不苟言笑，且有自制力。“绷紧的上唇”这一标签，是英国人极度矜持的代名词，虽然这种说法现在已经过时，但曾经人尽皆知。因为这个标签，英国人通常被看作是情感发育不良的斯多葛主义者。  Stoicism, which has its roots in Ancient Greece, originated as a philosophy of understanding pain and hardship and being able to deal with them without complaint. And it’s certainly true that there is a charming stoicism about the British, from the well-worn British mantra “keep calm and carry on” to the vehement belief that a cup of tea is the only appropriate response to a crisis.  斯多葛主义缘起于古希腊时期的一个哲学流派，主张去体会痛苦和磨难，并能够做到毫无怨言地应对。可以肯定地说，存在一种关于英国人的迷人的斯多葛主义，从“保持冷静，继续前进”这种老生常谈的口号，到“危机面前，饮饮茶”这种笃定的信念。  Visitors to the UK will notice that our lexicon comes with a wonderfully wide variety of phrases that encourage or urge on in the face of adversity. “Muddle through”, “plug away”, “chin up”, “soldier on”, to name just a few. Facing adversity with one’s head held high is an intoxicating image for British people.  游客们会注意到，英国的语汇里有大量各式各样鼓舞鞭策我们直面困难的短语。比如“扛过去”，“坚持不懈”，“振作起来”，“迎难而上”。面对苦难不低头，是令英国人陶醉的自我形象。  British stoicism reached its zenith during the first half of the 20th Century. The country emerged victorious from both World Wars but was appallingly scarred – both socially and economically.  英国人的斯多葛主义精神在20世纪前半叶达到了顶峰。虽然英国在两次世界大战中都获胜了，但是英国社会和经济都受到了空前的重创。