海盜的福利待遇比你的工作還要好：英語精讀講義

So, how does this work exactly?

那麼，這到底是怎麼運作的呢？

If you'd like to be a pirate,

如果你想當海盜，

you need understand it is a business.

你需要明白這是一門生意。

You can't have a crew or a ship

你不可能擁有一群船員或一艘船，

or a brand without a business model to support them. 用詞

或者一個沒有商業模式支持的品牌。

But pirate business is like any other.

但海盜這門生意和其他生意一樣。

Make a product or provide a service to your customers in exchange for money, 片語搭配

為你的客戶製造產品或提供服務以換取金錢，

then spend that money on equipment and personnel

然後把這些錢花在設備和人員上，

to make more product for more customers for more money.

為更多的客戶製造更多的產品，賺取更多的金錢。

The difference with piracy incorporated is our customers don't wish to be serviced.

「海盜股份有限公司」的差異在於，我們的客戶並不希望被「服務」。

No matter,

沒關係，

with the correct spending on equipment and personnel,

只要在設備和人員上投入得當，

the business will service them regardless.

不管怎樣，這門生意都會為他們提供「服務」。

Do you have to?

非得這樣嗎？

My boy,

孩子，

if we don't service our customers,

如果我們不為我們的客戶「服務」，

someone else will.

別人也會這麼做。

And the reward for our abstemiousness will be poverty.

而我們清心寡慾的下場，只會是貧窮。

In our societal and technological environment

在我們所處的社會和技術環境中，

an economic niche exists, 用詞

存在著一個經濟生態位，

and this incorporation of pirates fills its shape

而這種海盜的組織形式正好填補了這個空缺，

as whiskey fills a barrel. 慣用語

就像威士忌裝滿酒桶一樣。

Such is life,

生活就是這樣，

the motions we choose but the sum of forces upon us.

我們所選擇的行動，不過是作用於我們身上的各種力量的總和。

I became a pirate as the gold in this grail chose its form.

我成為海盜，就像這個聖杯中的金子選擇了它的形狀一樣。

The both of us now cogs of this machine that profits on the high seas or perishes. 慣用語

現在的我們倆，都是這台機器上在公海上面臨要麼獲利要麼毀滅的齒輪。

Okay,

好吧，

profit is income minus expenses, 用詞

利潤就是收入減去支出，

and for a pirate company income means seizing the biggest booty.

而對於海盜公司來說，收入意味著奪取最大的戰利品。

Seizing the biggest treasure while provoking the least cost-inducing resistance. 片語搭配

在奪取最大的寶藏的同時，激起最少會增加成本的反抗。

The captain is more than happy to explain how we accomplish that through branding. 片語搭配

船長很樂意解釋我們如何透過品牌建立來實現這一點。

Branding built on the foundation of a solid business, mind you. 語氣意圖

請注意，品牌是建立在堅實的業務基礎之上的。

Brands are memorable and battles flashy,

品牌讓人印象深刻，戰鬥炫目，

but they don't happen without contracts and spreadsheets.

但沒有合約和試算表，它們就不會發生。

Thus, before we set sail, 片語搭配

因此，在我們起航之前，

there will be a contract for the voyage.

會有一份航行合約。

Though we choose not to live under the empire's law,

雖然我們選擇不在帝國的法律下生活，

we still have rules of our own

我們仍然有自己的規矩，

to which all men have input and to which all men must agree before setting sail. 文法

所有人都可以提出意見，並且在起航前所有人必須同意。

The contract sets the voting methods, codes of conduct,

合約規定了投票方法、行為準則、

punishments for violating those codes,

違反這些準則的懲罰、

distribution of pay, workman's compensation, etc.

薪資分配、工傷賠償等。

Each pirate enterprise is a bit different,

每個海盜企業都有點不同，

but in general it works thusly.

但總的來說，它就是這樣運作的。

There are two elected offices,

有兩個民選職位，

the captain and the quartermaster.

船長和軍需官。

The captain is not our boss but serves at the pleasure of the crew. 文化背景

船長不是我們的老闆，而是為船員服務。

If they are unhappy with his strategic decisions,

如果他們對他的戰略決定不滿意，

the crew can replace him at any time by a majority vote. 片語搭配

船員隨時可以透過多數票更換他。

There is no term length with one exception.

沒有任期限制，只有一個例外。

Battle is no time for democracy. 表達脈絡

戰鬥時不是講民主的時候。

Amidst pandemonium,

在一片混亂中，

the decider must be free to decide.

決策者必須能夠自由地做出決定。

But this is the only time the captain cannot be removed.

但這是唯一不能撤換船長的時候。

And though our branding may give you the impression the captain is in charge of all things, 片語搭配

雖然我們的品牌可能給你一種船長掌管一切的印象，

the quartermaster keeps the ship running, 文法

但軍需官維持著船隻的運作，

overseeing the men, their quarters, their rations,

監督船員、他們的住所、他們的口糧、

their agreed-upon privileges, and punishments executed for contract violations.

他們約定的特權，以及對違反合約的懲罰的執行。

Everything needed to keep the ship effective and profitable.

一切維持船隻高效和獲利所需的事項。

Quartermaster, Battle master. crew.

軍需官，戰鬥大師，船員。

Now, at the dawn of this new century, 慣用語

如今，在新世紀的曙光中，

a lot of men are qualified to be crew,

許多人都具備成為船員的資格，

which means the cost of their labor is low.

這意味著他們的勞動力成本很低。

So, you're not going to pay me much?

所以，你不會付給我很多錢？

You misunderstand.

你誤會了。

That you are here tells me you are not interested in traditional employment,

你在這裡告訴我，你對傳統就業不感興趣，

working 9 to 5 on a ship of the empire for minimum wage, 文化背景

不想在帝國的船上為了最低工資朝九晚五地工作，

staying out of trouble and saving for retirement 片語搭配

不想為了不惹麻煩和為退休存錢，

as banal days pass eroding the dreams and aspirations of your younger self,

隨著平庸的日子流逝，慢慢侵蝕你年輕時的夢想和抱負，

leaving you at the end to wonder how it all slipped away. 片語動詞

最後讓你疑惑這一切是如何溜走的。

No, your personality matrix,

不，你的性格矩陣，

shaped entirely by your genetics and your environment,

完全由你的基因和環境塑造，

tend you to engage in risk-taking.

使你傾向於冒險。

What's genetics?

什麼是基因？

Doesn't matter.

沒關係。

Given your situation,

鑑於你的處境，

you find being an outlaw with the possibility of great riches under the threat of the empire's noose, 慣用語

你發現成為一名亡命之徒，在帝國絞索的威脅下有可能獲得巨額財富，

a risk worth considering. 文法

是一個值得考慮的風險。

If the riches are large enough, which they are. 文法

如果財富足夠大——事實也確實如此。

As a crewman on a pirate ship,

作為海盜船上的一名船員，

you are not paid in wages but with one share of the profit, 文法

你的報酬不是薪資，而是一份利潤分成，

same as every crewman.

和每個船員一樣。

The captain gets two shares for the strategic decisions he makes,

船長因其戰略決策獲得兩份，

the quartermaster one and one half for his labors,

軍需官因其勞動獲得一份半，

the surgeon one and one fourth,

外科醫生一份又四分之一，

same for the carpenter.

木匠也一樣。

Though we do often have difficulty finding surgeons with the right personality matrix, 文法

儘管我們經常很難找到具有合適性格矩陣的外科醫生，

so if there is no surgeon,

所以如果沒有外科醫生，

the carpenter will be surgeon.

木匠將擔任外科醫生。

Shocking, I know. 語氣意圖

很震驚，我知道。

Such flat and equal compensation is not what you'll find on empire and merchant ships,

這種扁平而平等的報酬是你在帝國和商船上找不到的，

where captains and officers are compensated richly and get special quarters and privileges over the crew.

在那裡，船長和軍官報酬豐厚，並享有超越船員的特殊住所和特權。

On a pirate ship,

在海盜船上，

we are all equals achieving a common goal.

我們都是為了實現共同目標的平等者。

Wow, what great guys pirates are.

哇，海盜真是太棒了。

Such camaraderie.

多麼深厚的同袍情誼。

No, this is not because we are better and the empire worse, 文法

不，這不是因為我們更好而帝國更壞，

but again, economic inevitability.

而是再次重申，經濟的必然性。

Empire and merchant ships are not owned by the men who sail them,

帝國和商船並不屬於航行它們的那些人，

but by monarchs or investors who hire captains and officers to run them.

而是屬於君主或投資者，他們僱用船長和軍官來經營它們。

To ensure loyalty to the owners above crew,

為了確保對所有者的忠誠高於對船員的忠誠，

the captain is not only paid much more, 文法

船長不僅報酬高得多，

but has a share in the ship's profits,

而且享有船隻利潤的分成，

which the men do not,

而船員沒有，

and may be granted titles and land upon his successful return.

並且在他成功返航後可能被授予頭銜和土地。

Meanwhile, the crew, hired from the mass of men with lives of quiet desperation 文化背景

同時，船員是從那些過著平靜卻絕望生活的人群中僱用來的，

and personality matrices constraining them inside the law,

他們的性格矩陣將他們限制在法律之內，

have only the low price of their undifferentiated labor to offer.

只能提供他們無差別的廉價勞動力。

And being inside the law,

而且由於在法律之內，

their captains can threaten them with corporal punishment on board,

他們的船長可以用船上的體罰來威脅他們，

with prison or treason offboard,

或者在岸上以入獄或叛國罪來威脅，

backed by the empire and her resources to track down traitors and deserters. 片語動詞

背後還有帝國及其資源來追捕叛徒和逃兵。

But for us pirates,

但對我們海盜來說，

captain's orders are but the words of one man. 用詞

船長的命令不過是一個人的話。

Outside the law,

在法律之外，

a majority can take control at any time by force.

多數人隨時可以用武力取得控制權。

It is only our contract that eases this transition. 文法

只有我們的合約能緩解這種過渡。

And at every port,

在每個港口，

if a man trust not the contract or the crew,

如果一個人不信任合約或船員，

he can just leave.

他隨時可以離開。

There is no pirate empire to track him down.

沒有海盜帝國來追捕他。

We have a ship and a business only by our cooperation 文法

我們只有透過合作才能擁有一艘船和一門生意，

and only if we can keep it.

並且只有我們能維持它。

But the incentive is great.

但誘惑是巨大的。

We are not here to sell our labor to distant and disinterested owners,

我們不是來這裡把我們的勞動力賣給遙遠而冷漠的所有者的，

but to taste the fruit of our labors directly, 慣用語

而是為了直接品嚐我們勞動的果實，

to make money,

為了賺錢，

a lot of money for all of us.

為了我們所有人賺很多錢。

The only thing standing in our way, 慣用語

唯一阻礙我們的，

aside from our customers occasionally,

除了偶爾出現的客戶，

is the subtractor of costs.

就是成本這個減法項。

If it grows too large,

如果它成長得太大，

the business will inevitably dissolve

生意將不可避免地解體，

and we won't get paid.

我們也就拿不到錢。

These costs come in mostly two forms, 片語搭配

這些成本主要有兩種形式，

ship repairs and people repairs.

船隻維修和人員維修。

For the ship,

對於船隻來說，

the rules of supply and demand work against us. 文化背景

供需法則對我們不利。

We can't sail into a port of the empire seeking repairs without raising questions. 片語搭配

我們不能駛入帝國的港口尋求維修而不引起懷疑。

So, we must only visit pirate-friendly ports with pirate-friendly dockworkers,

所以，我們只能去海盜友好的港口找海盜友好的碼頭工人，

mostly far away in the new world,

大多在遙遠的新大陸，

which raises repair costs considerably.

這大大提高了維修成本。

For pirates,

對於海盜來說，

each broken mast or cannon hole is more costly than for the empire.

每根折斷的桅杆或砲彈孔的成本都比帝國更高。

So, for business reasons,

所以，出於商業考量，

we prefer not to fight. 文法

我們盡量不打仗。

Also, fighting incurs personnel costs, 片語搭配

此外，打仗會產生人員成本，

since we know that some crew will be injured in battle,

因為我們知道一些船員會在戰鬥中受傷，

permanently,

永久性受傷，

and it's just a roll of the cosmic dice as to who and to what. 講解

這完全就像擲宇宙骰子一樣，決定誰會受什麼傷。

The contract we decide on lists generous compensation for lost legs, arms, hands, eyes.

我們制定的合約列出了對失去腿、手臂、手、眼睛的慷慨賠償。

Thus, after the treasure is seized,

因此，在奪取寶藏後，

the injured are compensated,

傷者得到賠償，

the ship is repaired,

船隻得到修理，

supplies replenished,

補給得到補充，

the remainder is profit,

剩下的就是利潤，

the glorious glorious profit.

光榮的、光榮的利潤。

And your one share,

而你的一份分成，

after one successful voyage with us,

在與我們成功航行一次後，

will be worth years of labor with the empire.

將抵得上在帝國勞動好幾年。

So, are you compelled to join?

那麼，你有迫切加入的想法嗎？

I'd like to hear from the captain. 語氣意圖

我想聽聽船長怎麼說。