這部影片會讓你生氣：英語精讀講義

Hello Internet.

網路上的朋友們，大家好。

Thoughts compete for space in your brain. 片語搭配

各種想法都在競爭你大腦裡的空間。

Cat photos, news stories, belief structures,

貓咪照片、新聞故事、信仰體系、

funny GIFs, educational videos,

搞笑GIF、教育影片、

not so educational videos,

以及沒那麼有教育意義的影片，

and your thinking inventory is limited.

而你思考的庫存是有限的。

A thought without a brain, to think it dies.

如果沒有大腦去思考，想法就會消亡。

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

現在，我們可以把想法當成活的生物，

specifically alive like germs.

確切地說，像細菌一樣活著的生物。

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

這聽起來可能有點怪，但請接著聽我說。

Take jokes.

以笑話為例。

Jokes are thought germs that live in your brain,

笑話是生活在你大腦裡的思想細菌，

and when you tell the joke to another brain,

當你把笑話講給另一個大腦聽時，

you help it to reproduce,

你就幫助了它繁殖，

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

就像你得流感時打噴嚏幫助病毒繁殖一樣。

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

這種細菌透過嘴巴噴出的鼻涕進入宿主，

and this one by words through the ear,

而這一種則透過耳朵接收的語言進入，

but it's reproduction either way. 片語搭配

但無論哪種方式都是繁殖。

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

登入你的社群媒體就像是把自己暴露在每個人的精神噴嚏中，

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

每一則貼文都是一團帶著試圖進入你大腦的思想細菌的鼻涕。

If not for permanent residence, 文法

如果不能永久駐留，

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

那麼至少能停留足夠長的時間，讓你按下分享鍵，把它噴給你認識的每一個人。

In this analogy then,

那麼在這個比喻中，

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

配有完美字幕的搞笑貓咪照片就是一種超級流感。

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

現在，就像細菌會利用你免疫系統的弱點一樣，

so do thought germs exploit weak points in your brain,

思想細菌也會利用你大腦的弱點，

aka emotions.

也就是情緒。

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

一旦進入大腦，那些能觸動情緒開關的思想細菌就會讓宿主更多地傳播它們，

measurably more.

傳播量顯著增加。

Well, except sadness.

呃，悲傷除外。

Sad thoughts don't get very far. 慣用語

悲傷的想法傳不了多遠。

Awe is pretty good,

敬畏感的效果相當不錯，

which is why websites that construct thought germs like biological weapons

這也是為什麼那些把思想細菌像生物武器一樣建構的網站，

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

會給它們起上諸如「震撼你的七個什麼什麼」

or the shocking secret behind this thing.

或者是「這件事背後令人震驚的秘密」這樣的標題。

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

但是，憤怒才是思想細菌的終極武器。

Anger bypasses your mental immune system

憤怒能繞過你的精神免疫系統，

and compels you to share it like nothing else.

並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

了解你大腦的弱點對於保持良好的心理衛生是必要的，

like knowing how to wash your hands.

就像知道怎麼洗手一樣。

Because even without intentional construction,

因為即使沒有刻意建構，

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

網路上的任何思想細菌也可以自行

grow more infectious as it spreads.

隨著傳播變得更具傳染性。

To talk about why,

要討論為什麼會這樣，

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

讓我們暫時忘記憤怒，回到那張貓咪照片上。

Every photo ever taken is a thought germ,

拍下的每一張照片都是一個思想細菌，

and most die a quick death

而且大多數很快就會消亡，

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

就像網路上發布的無數從未被分享過的貓咪照片或嬰兒照片一樣。

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

但是一張稍微有點搞笑的貓咪照片可以發展得遠不止於此，

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

因為就像跨大西洋航班是細菌遇過最好的事情一樣，

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

網路也是思想細菌遇過最好的事情。

For once on board,

因為一旦上網，

that cat photo can leap into other brains,

那張貓咪照片就可以跳進其他人的大腦，

and those brains might share it,

而那些大腦可能會分享它，

and here's the key point, 表達脈絡

關鍵點來了，

occasionally change it.

它們偶爾還會對照片進行修改。

A photoshopped here, a tweaked caption there.

這裡修一下圖，那裡改一下字幕。

Most changes are terrible,

大多數修改都很糟糕，

but some make the thought germ even funnier,

但有些會讓這個思想細菌變得更搞笑，

getting more brains to share it,

從而讓更多的大腦去分享它，

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

這會導致更多的修改，以及成為超級明星的機會。

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

因此，一張卑微的貓咪照片就能實現對全球大腦的統治，

at least for a few hours.

至少可以維持幾個小時。

The internet with its unparalleled ability to share

網路擁有著無與倫比的分享能力，

and randomly change thought germs

並且能隨機改變思想細菌，

can't help but make them stronger. 文法

這不禁讓它們變得更加強大。

With jokes, that's awesome,

對於笑話來說，這棒極了，

but with angry germs, not always so awesome,

但對於憤怒的細菌來說，這並不總是那麼棒，

no.

沒錯。

Angry germs, the more they're shared,

憤怒的細菌，被分享得越多，

undergo the same process,

經歷的過程也是一樣的，

changing and distorting to be more aggravating.

它們會改變並扭曲，變得更加惹人惱火。

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

相比那些可能更準確、

but probably also more boring rivals.

但也可能更無聊的競爭對手，這些細菌傳播的機會更大。

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

但就像瘟疫一樣，思想細菌在人群中燃燒得可能也太快了。

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

只要去觀察你最喜歡的迷因產生器一週，

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

你就會看到這個生命週期轉瞬即逝。

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

然而，有些思想細菌找到了一種避免燃燒殆盡的方法。

Now, I must warn you,

現在，我必須警告你，

depending on which thought germs live in your head

取決於你腦海中存在著哪些思想細菌，

and which you fight for,

以及你為哪些細菌而戰，

the next section might sound horrifying.

接下來的部分聽起來可能有些令人毛骨悚然。

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

所以，請記住，我們正在討論的是

what makes some thought germs successful,

是什麼讓一些思想細菌取得成功，

particularly angry ones,

特別是那些憤怒的思想細菌，

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

而不是這些思想本身有多好或多壞。

Deep breath, calm.

深呼吸，冷靜。

Thought germs can burn out because once everyone agrees, 講解

思想細菌可能會燃燒殆盡，因為一旦每個人都達成共識，

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

就很難繼續談論，也就很難繼續思考它們。

But if there's an opposing thought germ,

但是如果有個對立的思想細菌，

an argument,

也就是一場爭論，

then the thinking never has to stop.

那麼思考就永遠不必停止。

The disagreement doesn't have to be angry, 文法

分歧並不一定是憤怒的，

but again, angry helps.

但再說一次，憤怒會有所幫助。

The more visible an argument gets, 文法

爭論越明顯，

the more bystanders it draws in, 片語動詞

吸引的旁觀者就越多，

which makes it more visible,

這會讓它變得更加明顯，

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

這就是為什麼從最無害的網路論壇

to the national conversation

到全國性的對話，任何群體，

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

都可以在瞬間演變成一場席捲天空的雙重憤怒風暴。

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

等等，這些思想細菌不是在競爭，

they're cooperating.

它們是在合作。

Working together,

透過合作，

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

它們接觸到的大腦比單打獨鬥時更多，留住想法的時間也更長。

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

爭論雙方對立的思想細菌可以是共生的。

One tool symbiotic anger germs in particular can employ is

共生的憤怒細菌特別能使用的一個工具就是

your-with-us-or-against-us. 慣用語

「非友即敵」。

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

無論剛才什麼思想細菌跳到了你大腦的前排，

push it back.

把它推回去。

This video isn't about that.

這段影片不是講那個的。

We're just talking about this tool,

我們只是在討論這個工具，

which makes it very hard for neutral brains to resist,

這個工具讓中立的大腦很難抗拒，

and its divisiveness also grows its symbiotic partner.

而且它的分裂性也讓它的共生夥伴得以成長。

This explains why in some arguments

這解釋了為什麼在某些爭論中

gaining more allies also gains more enemies,

獲得更多盟友的同時也會樹立更多敵人，

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

因為儘管參與者認為他們捲入了一場激烈的殊死搏鬥，

from the anger germ's 片語搭配

但從憤怒細菌的

perspective,

角度來看，

one side is a field of flowers 文法

一方是花海，

and the other a flock of butterflies.

另一方則是蝶群。

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

當然，種更多的花會招來更多的蝴蝶，

and getting more butterflies will pollinate more flowers.

而招來更多的蝴蝶就能為更多的花授粉。

If there is some argument that splits the population

如果有一場爭論讓人們產生分歧，

and lasts forever

且永遠持續下去，

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

甚至連最中立的人都難以迴避，

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

那麼你看到的可能就是一對超級成功的、

that have reached ecological stability. 用詞

已經達到生態穩定的共生憤怒細菌。

Now, one final depressing thought,

那麼，最後一個令人沮喪的想法，

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

呃，我是說又一個令人敬畏的觀點，

that will reveal the secrets of a,

它將揭開……的秘密，

actually no, it's just depressing.

其實不是，這就是令人沮喪。

When opposing groups get big,

當對立的群體變得龐大時，

they don't really argue with each other, 文法

他們並不真的在互相爭論，

they mostly argue with themselves

他們主要是在內部爭論

about how angry the other group makes them.

另一群體讓他們有多麼生氣。

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

我們實際上可以用圖表把網路上的爭吵畫出來以展示其實際運作。

Each becomes its own quasi-isolated

每個群體都成了自己半孤立的

internet sharing thoughts about the other.

共享關於對方想法的網路。

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

你明白這會導致什麼結果了吧？

Each group breeds thought germs about the other,

每個群體都滋生著關於對方的思想細菌，

and as before,

和之前一樣，

the most enraging,

最令人憤怒的，

but not necessarily the most accurate, 片語搭配

但不一定是最準確的，

spread the fastest.

傳播得最快。

The group almost can't help but construct a totem

這個群體幾乎情不自禁地建構了一個關於對方的圖騰，

of the other so

這個圖騰如此

enraging they'll talk about it all the time,

令人憤怒，以至於他們會一直談論它，

which now that you know how thought germs grow, 文法

而既然你已經知道了思想細菌是如何成長的，

is exactly what makes the totem always perfectly maddening.

也就知道了正是這個過程讓這個圖騰永遠完美地讓人抓狂。

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

當然，這一切並不是說爭論毫無意義。

That's a different video.

那是另一支影片的話題。

Or that the internet isn't amazing,

也不是說網路不神奇，

or that there aren't things worth trying 文法

或者說不值得去嘗試

to change people's minds about. 慣用語

改變人們的看法。

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

各種各樣的思想細菌來了又去，

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

但了解思想是如何

can use our emotions to spread,

利用我們的情緒來傳播是有用的，

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

以及了解思想傳播得越快，

the more chances it has to become even better at spreading

它就越有機會透過人們對其進行的隨機修改

through random changes that are made to it.

而變得更加善於傳播。

Sometimes that's great,

有時候這很棒，

sometimes it's terrible.

有時候這很糟糕。

But if you want to maintain a healthy brain,

但是如果你想保持大腦健康，

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

對那些經過許多其他大腦

and that poke you where you're weakest. 慣用語

並且直戳你弱點的想法保持謹慎是值得的。

It's your brain.

這是你的大腦。

Be hygienic with it. 慣用語

請保持衛生。