这个视频会惹怒你：英语精读讲义

Hello Internet.

互联网上的朋友们，大家好。

Thoughts compete for space in your brain. 短語搭配

各种想法都在竞争你大脑里的空间。

Cat photos, news stories, belief structures,

猫咪照片、新闻故事、信仰体系、

funny GIFs, educational videos,

搞笑GIF、教育视频、

not so educational videos,

以及没那么有教育意义的视频，

and your thinking inventory is limited.

而你思考的库存是有限的。

A thought without a brain, to think it dies.

如果没有大脑去思考，想法就会消亡。

Now, we can treat thoughts as though they're alive, 語法

现在，我们可以把想法当成活的生物，

specifically alive like germs.

确切地说，像细菌一样活着的生物。

That might sound weird, but stick with me. 短語動詞

这听起来可能有点怪，但请接着听我说。

Take jokes.

以笑话为例。

Jokes are thought germs that live in your brain,

笑话是生活在你大脑里的思想细菌，

and when you tell the joke to another brain,

当你把笑话讲给另一个大脑听时，

you help it to reproduce,

你就帮助了它繁殖，

just like when you have the flu and sneeze to help it reproduce.

就像你得流感时打喷嚏帮助病毒繁殖一样。

This germ gets into its host by snot through the mouth,

这种细菌通过嘴巴喷出的鼻涕进入宿主，

and this one by words through the ear,

而这一种则通过耳朵接收的语言进入，

but it's reproduction either way. 短語搭配

但无论哪种方式都是繁殖。

Logging on to your social media then is exposing yourself to everyone's mental sneezes, 短語搭配

登录你的社交媒体就像是把自己暴露在每个人的精神喷嚏中，

each post a glob of snot with a thought germ trying to get into your brain.

每一条帖子都是一团带着试图进入你大脑的思想细菌的鼻涕。

If not for permanent residence, 語法

如果不能永久驻留，

then at least long enough to get you to press the share button and sneeze it with everyone you know. 語法

那么至少能停留足够长的时间，让你按下分享键，把它喷给你认识的每一个人。

In this analogy then,

那么在这个比喻中，

a funny cat photo with a perfect caption is a super flu.

配有完美字幕的搞笑猫咪照片就是一种超级流感。

Now, just as germs exploit weak points in your immune system,

现在，就像细菌会利用你免疫系统的弱点一样，

so do thought germs exploit weak points in your brain,

思想细菌也会利用你大脑的弱点，

aka emotions.

也就是情绪。

Once inside, thought germs that press emotional buttons get their hosts to spread them more, 習語

一旦进入大脑，那些能触动情绪开关的思想细菌就会让宿主更多地传播它们，

measurably more.

传播量显著增加。

Well, except sadness.

呃，悲伤除外。

Sad thoughts don't get very far. 習語

悲伤的想法传不了多远。

Awe is pretty good,

敬畏感的效果相当不错，

which is why websites that construct thought germs like biological weapons

这也是为什么那些把思想细菌像生物武器一样构建的网站，

arm them with titles like seven whatevers that will blow your mind 習語

会给它们起上诸如“震撼你的七个什么什么”

or the shocking secret behind this thing.

或者是“这件事背后令人震惊的秘密”这样的标题。

But anger is the ultimate edge for a thought germ. 用詞

但是，愤怒才是思想细菌的终极武器。

Anger bypasses your mental immune system

愤怒能绕过你的精神免疫系统，

and compels you to share it like nothing else.

并以前所未有的力量迫使你去分享它。

Being aware of your brain's weak spots is necessary for good mental hygiene

了解你大脑的弱点对于保持良好的心理卫生是必要的，

like knowing how to wash your hands.

就像知道怎么洗手一样。

Because even without intentional construction,

因为即使没有刻意构建，

any thought germ on the internet can, on its own, 短語搭配

互联网上的任何思想细菌也可以自行

grow more infectious as it spreads.

随着传播变得更具传染性。

To talk about why,

要讨论为什么会这样，

let's forget anger for a moment and go back to that cat photo.

让我们暂时忘记愤怒，回到那张猫咪照片上。

Every photo ever taken is a thought germ,

拍下的每一张照片都是一个思想细菌，

and most die a quick death

而且大多数很快就会消亡，

like the bazillion cat photos or baby photos posted on the internet that are never shared.

就像互联网上发布的无数从未被分享过的猫咪照片或婴儿照片一样。

But a mildly funny cat photo can grow into so much more

但是一张稍微有点搞笑的猫咪照片可以发展得远不止于此，

because just as transatlantic flights were the best thing to happen to germ germs, 語法

因为就像跨大西洋航班是细菌遇到过的最好的事情一样，

so the internet is the best thing to happen to thought germs.

互联网也是思想细菌遇到过的最好的事情。

For once on board,

因为一旦上网，

that cat photo can leap into other brains,

那张猫咪照片就可以跳进其他人的大脑，

and those brains might share it,

而那些大脑可能会分享它，

and here's the key point, 表達脈絡

关键点来了，

occasionally change it.

它们偶尔还会对照片进行修改。

A photoshopped here, a tweaked caption there.

这里P一下，那里改一下字幕。

Most changes are terrible,

大多数修改都很糟糕，

but some make the thought germ even funnier,

但有些会让这个思想细菌变得更搞笑，

getting more brains to share it,

从而让更多的大脑去分享它，

which results in more changes and a shot at superstardom. 短語搭配

这会导致更多的修改，以及成为超级明星的机会。

Thus, a lowly cat photo can achieve global brain domination,

因此，一张卑微的猫咪照片就能实现对全球大脑的统治，

at least for a few hours.

至少可以维持几个小时。

The internet with its unparalleled ability to share

互联网拥有着无与伦比的分享能力，

and randomly change thought germs

并且能随机改变思想细菌，

can't help but make them stronger. 語法

这不禁让它们变得更加强大。

With jokes, that's awesome,

对于笑话来说，这棒极了，

but with angry germs, not always so awesome,

但对于愤怒的细菌来说，这并不总是那么棒，

no.

没错。

Angry germs, the more they're shared,

愤怒的细菌，被分享得越多，

undergo the same process,

经历的过程也是一样的，

changing and distorting to be more aggravating.

它们会改变并扭曲，变得更加惹人恼火。

These have a better chance of spreading than their possibly more accurate, 語法

相比那些可能更准确、

but probably also more boring rivals.

但也可能更无聊的竞争对手，这些细菌传播的机会更大。

But like plagues, thought germs can burn through a population too quickly. 短語動詞

但就像瘟疫一样，思想细菌在人群中燃烧得可能也太快了。

Just watch your favorite meme-generating machine for a week,

只要去观察你最喜欢的迷因生成器一周，

and you'll see the life cycle fly by. 短語動詞

你就会看到这个生命周期转瞬即逝。

However, some thought germs have found a way around burnout. 短語搭配

然而，有些思想细菌找到了一种避免燃烧殆尽的方法。

Now, I must warn you,

现在，我必须警告你，

depending on which thought germs live in your head

取决于你脑海中存在着哪些思想细菌，

and which you fight for,

以及你为哪些细菌而战，

the next section might sound horrifying.

接下来的部分听起来可能有些令人毛骨悚然。

So, please keep in mind we're talking about 短語搭配

所以，请记住，我们正在讨论的是

what makes some thought germs successful,

是什么让一些思想细菌取得成功，

particularly angry ones,

特别是那些愤怒的思想细菌，

and not how good or how bad the thoughts themselves are.

而不是这些思想本身有多好或多坏。

Deep breath, calm.

深呼吸，冷静。

Thought germs can burn out because once everyone agrees, 講解

思想细菌可能会燃烧殆尽，因为一旦每个人都达成共识，

it's hard to keep talking and thus thinking about them.

就很难继续谈论，也就很难继续思考它们。

But if there's an opposing thought germ,

但是如果有一个对立的思想细菌，

an argument,

也就是一场争论，

then the thinking never has to stop.

那么思考就永远不必停止。

The disagreement doesn't have to be angry, 語法

分歧并不一定是愤怒的，

but again, angry helps.

但再说一次，愤怒会有所帮助。

The more visible an argument gets, 語法

争论越明显，

the more bystanders it draws in, 短語動詞

吸引的旁观者就越多，

which makes it more visible,

这会让它变得更加明显，

which is why every group from the most innocuous internet forum 語法

这就是为什么从最无害的互联网论坛

to the national conversation

到全国性的对话，任何群体，

can turn into a double rage storm across the sky in no time. 講解

都可以在瞬间演变成一场席卷天空的双重愤怒风暴。

Wait, these thought germs aren't competing, 表達脈絡

等等，这些思想细菌不是在竞争，

they're cooperating.

它们是在合作。

Working together,

通过合作，

they reach more brains and hold their thoughts longer than they could alone. 語法

它们接触到的大脑比单打独斗时更多，留住想法的时间也更长。

Thought germs on opposite sides of an argument can be symbiotic. 短語搭配

争论双方对立的思想细菌可以是共生的。

One tool symbiotic anger germs in particular can employ is

共生的愤怒细菌特别能使用的一个工具就是

your-with-us-or-against-us. 習語

“非友即敌”。

Whatever thought germ just leaped to the front of your brain, 習語

无论刚才什么思想细菌跳到了你大脑的前排，

push it back.

把它推回去。

This video isn't about that.

这段视频不是讲那个的。

We're just talking about this tool,

我们只是在讨论这个工具，

which makes it very hard for neutral brains to resist,

这个工具让中立的大脑很难抗拒，

and its divisiveness also grows its symbiotic partner.

而且它的分裂性也让它的共生伙伴得以成长。

This explains why in some arguments

这解释了为什么在某些争论中

gaining more allies also gains more enemies,

获得更多盟友的同时也会树立更多敌人，

because though the participants think they're involved in a fiery battle to the death 習語

因为尽管参与者认为他们卷入了一场激烈的殊死搏斗，

from the anger germ's 短語搭配

但从愤怒细菌的

perspective,

角度来看，

one side is a field of flowers 語法

一方是花海，

and the other a flock of butterflies.

另一方则是蝶群。

Of course, planting more flowers will get you more butterflies,

当然，种更多的花会招来更多的蝴蝶，

and getting more butterflies will pollinate more flowers.

而招来更多的蝴蝶就能为更多的花授粉。

If there is some argument that splits the population

如果有一场争论让人们产生分歧，

and lasts forever

且永远持续下去，

and that even the most neutral people find difficult to avoid,

甚至连最中立的人都难以回避，

you just might be looking at a super successful pair of symbiotic anger germs 語法

那么你看到的可能就是一对超级成功的、

that have reached ecological stability. 用詞

已经达到生态稳定的共生愤怒细菌。

Now, one final depressing thought,

那么，最后一个令人沮丧的想法，

uh, I mean one more awe-inspiring point 語氣意圖

呃，我是说又一个令人敬畏的观点，

that will reveal the secrets of a,

它将揭开……的秘密，

actually no, it's just depressing.

其实不是，这就是令人沮丧。

When opposing groups get big,

当对立的群体变得庞大时，

they don't really argue with each other, 語法

他们并不真的在互相争论，

they mostly argue with themselves

他们主要是在内部争论

about how angry the other group makes them.

另一群体让他们有多么生气。

We can actually graph fights on the internet to see this in action. 短語搭配

我们实际上可以用图表把互联网上的争吵画出来以展示其实际运作。

Each becomes its own quasi-isolated

每个群体都成了自己半孤立的

internet sharing thoughts about the other.

共享关于对方想法的互联网。

You see where this is going, right? 語氣意圖

你明白这会导致什么结果了吧？

Each group breeds thought germs about the other,

每个群体都滋生着关于对方的思想细菌，

and as before,

和之前一样，

the most enraging,

最令人愤怒的，

but not necessarily the most accurate, 短語搭配

但不一定是最准确的，

spread the fastest.

传播得最快。

The group almost can't help but construct a totem

这个群体几乎情不自禁地构建了一个关于对方的图腾，

of the other so

这个图腾如此

enraging they'll talk about it all the time,

令人愤怒，以至于他们会一直谈论它，

which now that you know how thought germs grow, 語法

而既然你已经知道了思想细菌是如何成长的，

is exactly what makes the totem always perfectly maddening.

也就知道了正是这个过程让这个图腾永远完美地让人抓狂。

Now, all this isn't to say there's no point in arguing. 講解

当然，这一切并不是说争论毫无意义。

That's a different video.

那是另一个视频的话题。

Or that the internet isn't amazing,

也不是说互联网不神奇，

or that there aren't things worth trying 語法

或者说不值得去尝试

to change people's minds about. 習語

改变人们的看法。

Thought germs of all kinds come and go, 短語動詞

各种各样的思想细菌来了又去，

but it's useful to be aware of how thought 短語搭配

但了解思想是如何

can use our emotions to spread,

利用我们的情绪来传播是有用的，

and how the more rapidly a thought is able to spread,

以及了解思想传播得越快，

the more chances it has to become even better at spreading

它就越有机会通过人们对其进行的随机修改

through random changes that are made to it.

而变得更加善于传播。

Sometimes that's great,

有时候这很棒，

sometimes it's terrible.

有时候这很糟糕。

But if you want to maintain a healthy brain,

但是如果你想保持大脑健康，

it pays to be cautious of thoughts that have passed through a lot of other brains 語法

对那些经过许多其他大脑

and that poke you where you're weakest. 習語

并且直戳你弱点的想法保持谨慎是值得的。

It's your brain.

这是你的大脑。

Be hygienic with it. 習語

请保持卫生。