英国人骨子里的高冷劲儿，是从哪来的？

2021.01.04

Mat

难度：CSE9

课程导读

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。

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本篇课程首发于2021年1月4日

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。

应版权方要求，此内容仅对英国以外地区开放。

【内容拓展】

Brit

UK /brɪt/ US /brɪt/

n. a short way to say a British person

You could tell by their accents that they were Brits.

你可以从他们的口音听出他们是英国人。