TheImportanceofDoingThingsBadly
Understandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.enhance[in'hɑ:ns]v.提高,增加,加強
2.fallacy['f?l?si:]n.謬誤;謬見;謬論
3.proverbial[pr?'v?:bi?l]adj.諺語的,聞名的,諺語式的
4.legitimate[li'd?itimit]adj.合法的,婚生的,正當的
5.contemptible[k?n'tempt?b?l]adj.可鄙的
6.prevalence['prev?l?nt]n.流行,盛行;流行程度;普遍,廣泛
7.vainglorious[ve?n?gl?:ri:?s]adj.虛榮的
8.inferior[in'fi?ri?]adj.下等的;差的;下級的
9.disposition[,disp?'zi??n]n.性情,處理,處置
10.hesitation[,hez?'te???n]n.躊躇,猶豫;口吃;含糊
I.A.WilliamswasborninEnglandandeducatedatCambridge.AfterWorldWarIheservedasacorrespondentfortheLondonTimes.Williamswroteseveralbooksoneighteenth-centurypoetryanddrama,publishedwidelyinjournalsandmagazines,andpublishedcollectionsofhisownpoetry.ThefollowingarticlefirstappearedinLondon』sTheOutlookin1923.
Perhapsthegreatestthreattoproductivityinbothworkandplayisthefearofdoingthingsbadlyorwrong.Thisarticleofferssomecomfort.Williamspointsoutthattherearemanythingsworthdoingbadly,andthatourlivesareenrichedandourpersonalitiesenhancedbytheseactivities.Twocentralexamples,sportsandmusic,arevaluabletomostpeopleinproportiontohowenthusiasticallytheydothem,ratherthanhowwell.
CharlesLambwroteaseriesofessaysuponpopularfallacies.Idonot,atthemoment,carrythemveryclearlyinmymemory;but,unlessthattreacherousservantmisleadsmemoreeventhansheusuallydoes,hedidnotwriteofonepieceofproverbialso-calledwisdomthathasalwaysseemedtometobepeculiarlypernicious.Andthissaw,thisscrapofspeciousadvice,thisuntruthmasqueradingaslogic,isonethatIremembertohavehadhurledatmyheadatfrequentintervalsfrommyearliestyouthrightuptomypresentadvancedage.HowmanytimeshaveInotbeentoldthat「Ifathingisworthdoingatall,itisworthdoingwell」?
Neverwasthereamoreuntruthfulwordspokeninearnest.Fortheworldisfullofthingsthatareworthdoing,butcertainlynotworthdoingwell.WasitnotsogreatasageasHerbertSpencerwhosaidtotheyoungmanwhohadjustbeatenhimatbilliards,「Moderateskill,sir,isthesignofagoodeyeandasteadyhand,butskillsuchasyoursarguesayouthmisspent?」Isanygameworthplayingsupremelywell,atthepriceofconstantpracticeandapplication?
AgainsttheprofessionalplayerIsaynothing;heisapublicentertainer,likeanyother,andbyhisskillinhisparticularsportheatleastfulfillsthefirstsocialdutyofman—thatofsupportinghimselfandhisfamilybyhisownlegitimateexertions.Butwhatistobesaidofthecrackamateur?Tomeheseemsoneofthemostcontemptibleofmankind.Heearnsnomoney,butdevoteshimself,forthemereselfishpleasureofthething,tosomegame,whichheplaysdayindayout;hebreaksdownthesalutarydistinctionbetweentheamateurandtheprofessional;eventuallyhisskilldesertshim,andheleavesbehindhimnothingthatisofservicetohisfellowmen—notabricklaid,notanacreploughed,notalinewritten,notevenafamilysupportedandeducatedbyhislabor.
Itistruethathehasprovidedentertainmentforacertainnumberofpersons,buthehasneverhadtheplucktosubmithimselftothetestbywhichwedemandthateveryentertainershouldjustifyhischoiceofacalling—thedemonstrationofthefactthatthepubliciswillingtopayhimforhisentertainment.And,whenhisdayisover,whatisleft,noteventotheworld,buttohimself?Nothingbutanamethatisatonceforgotten,orisrememberedbystoutgentlemeninclubs.
Theplayingofgames,certainly,isathingwhichisnotworthdoingwell.Butthatdoesnotprovethatitisnotworthdoingatall,astheproverbwould,byimplication,persuadeus.Thereisnothingmoreagreeableandsalutarythanplayingagamewhichonelikes,andthecircumstanceofdoingitbadlyinterfereswiththepleasureofnorealdevoteeofanypastime.Themanwhomindswhetherornothewinsisnotruesportsman—whichobservationistrite,buttheruleitimpliesisseldomobserved,andcomparativelyfewpeoplereallyplaygamesforthesheerenjoymentoftheplaying.Isthisnotprovedbytheprevalenceandpopularityofhandicaps?Whyshouldweexpecttobegivenpointsunlessitbethatwewishtowinbymeansotherthanourownskill?