American society--All for one

Robert Putnam and Michael Sandel diagnose America

The rancour of American politics, say these two distinguished scholars, is a symptom of an even deeper malaise. Robert Putnam charts a rise in economic inequalities, cultural tribalism and frayed social connections since the 1960s—when, he recalls, the spirit of solidarity and reform was by contrast strong. Michael Sandel focuses on the meritocratic rat-race and its justifications, which create, in his words, “hubris among the successful and resentment among the disadvantaged”.

Rancour  n. /ˈræŋkə(r)/ (BrE) (US rancor ) 怨恨；怨毒 • She learned to accept criticism without rancour . 她学会了坦然接受批评而不怀恨在心。

Malaise  n.   /məˈleɪz/  1.（广泛存在的）难以捉摸的问题，无法描述的问题 •economic/financial/social malaise 揣摩不透的经济╱金融╱社会问题 2.莫名的不适（或不快、不满等） •a serious malaise among the staff 员工极为不满的情绪

Tribalism  n. /ˈtraɪbəlɪzəm/ 1.部落习性；种族意识；部落主义 2.部落制度

cultural tribalism ：指的是一成不变的保持自身固有文化，过分强调本民族的优越性而忽略本民族存在的文化缺失，容易演变成“文化孤立主义”。从导致文化发展的滞后甚至停滞。

fray /freɪ/  动词 1.（使织物边沿）磨损，磨散 •The cuffs of his shirt were fraying. 他衬衣的袖口磨破了。 2.（使）烦躁，恼火 •As the debate went on, tempers began to fray. 随着辩论的继续，火气就上来了。名词，打斗，竞争，争辩（尤指激烈或视为检验能力的）•They were ready for the fray. 他们准备好了争斗。•to enter/join the fray 加入争辩

IDIOMS 习语

1. ˌfray at/around the ˈedges/ˈseams 开始卷边；脱线脚；分崩离析；失败 •Support for the leader was fraying at the edges. 对这位领导人的拥护已开始瓦解。

meritocratic  /ˌmɛrɪtəˈkrætɪk/ ADJ (社会或社会制度)评功论赏的; 任人唯才的; 以功绩定地位的

rat-race  激烈的竞争; 你争我夺的生活        the disadvantaged：弱势群体

Hubris  n. /ˈhjuːbrɪs/ 傲慢；狂妄

resentment  n. /rɪˈzentmənt/  愤恨；怨恨 • to feel/harbour/bear resentment towards/against sb 对某人感到╱深怀╱有怨恨

Both blame the ills they identify on widespread acceptance of egotistical go-getting at a cost to common purpose. Their bleak picture of private indifference to public welfare prompts an equally sweeping solution. America needs nothing less, they think, than a recovery of community and rededication to the common good.

egotistical  /,eɡə'tɪstɪkəl/  adj. 任性的；自我本位的；傲慢自尊的

go-getting：野心的，手段强硬的            Rededication :re-dedication  再奉献

bleak  adj./bliːk/  1.(状况) 不乐观的；无望的；暗淡的 •a bleak outlook/prospect 暗淡的前景╱前途；2.(天气) 阴冷的 •a bleak winter's day 一个阴冷的冬日；3.(地方) 无遮掩的；荒凉的；索然无味的 •a bleak landscape/hillside/moor 荒芜的景色╱山坡╱野地

sweeping  adj.   /ˈswiːpɪŋ/  

1.影响广泛的；大范围的；根本性的 •sweeping reforms/changes 全面改革；彻底变化；2.（过分）笼统的；一概而论的 •a sweeping generalization/statement 笼统的概括；一概而论的说法； 3.~ victory （在投票等中的）大胜，全胜；4.弧线的；弯曲的 •a sweeping gesture 挥动的动作

Mr Putnam, a political scientist, is well-known for Bowling Alone (2000), which reported a drop of clubbability in a nation of joiners. Written with Shaylyn Romney Garrett, “The Upswing” is a reprise that answers critics and laments a yet broader retreat to private concerns. It offers a historical account of trends in public commitment over 120 years.

Clubbability 合群性；善于交际性；做俱乐部会员的资格.

Upswing /ˈʌpswɪŋ/ n ~ (in sth) 改进；改善；上升；进步

reprise  n. /rɪˈpriːz/ 重复部分；﹙尤指乐曲的﹚重复部分，再现部

Lament  /ləˈment/ 对…感到悲痛；痛惜；对…表示失望 •In the poem he laments the destruction of the countryside. 在那首诗里他对乡村遭到的破坏流露出悲哀。 名词：挽歌；哀诗；悼词

The narrative arc is simple. A dog-eat-dog Gilded Age at the end of the 19th century prompted ever greater social engagement and reform in three stages--Progressivism, the New Deal and the 1960S. Soon, however, dog-eat-dogism returned and is now again uppermost. To support that analysis, a mass of survey data and statistics is mapped onto what Mr Putnam calls I-we-I curves, which show a rise and fall in economic equality, political co-operation, social solidarity and a sense of shared American culture.

narrative  n.   /ˈnærətɪv/  1.（尤指小说中的）描述，叙述 2.讲故事；叙述；叙事技巧

arc /ɑːk/n. 弧（度）；弧光（全称electric arc）；弧形物；天穹；adj. 圆弧的；反三角函数的；vt. 形成电弧；走弧线

dog-eat-dog adj. 自相残杀的，狗咬狗的；竞争激烈的；n. 狗咬狗；自相残杀

Gilded Age  /ˈɡɪldɪd eɪdʒ/ 镀金时代，19世纪70年代到1900年左右这段时间，这个术语诞生于20世纪20年代和30年代马克吐温的讽刺小说。

Progressivism  /prəˈɡresɪvɪzəm/ n. 进步主义；革新论

the New Deal ：罗斯福新政，是指1933年富兰克林·罗斯福(小罗斯福)就任美国总统后所实行的一系列经济政策。

Uppermost /ˈʌpəməʊst/ 1. 最高的；最上端的；最上面的 •the uppermost branches of the tree 树顶端的枝桠；2.最重要；最关键；3.处于最高位置；面向上地

“The Upswing” ranges widely, yet its scrupulous survey-mining and curve-fitting is not wholly persuasive, or indeed necessary. Up on the latest research and impeccably open to counterargument, Mr Putnam tends to take away with one study what he has just offered with another. A heartfelt communitarian essay, “What ails America”, without the social-science apparatus, might have been just as convincing.。

scrupulous  adj. /ˈskruːpjələs/  1.仔细的；细致的；一丝不苟的 •You must be scrupulous about hygiene when you're preparing a baby's feed. 给婴儿准备食物时，对卫生丝毫马虎不得。•scrupulous attention to detail 体察入微 2.~ (in sth/in doing sth) 审慎正直的；恪守道德规范的

Impeccably  /ɪmˈpekəbli/ 无可挑剔地，毋庸置疑地，完美地

Counterargument：/ˈkaʊntərɑːɡjumənt/n. 抗辩；辩论；用来反驳的论点

heartfelt  adj. /ˈhɑːtfelt/ 衷心的；真诚的• a heartfelt apology/plea/sigh 真切的道歉╱恳求╱叹息 • heartfelt sympathy/thanks 由衷的同情╱感谢

Communitarian /kə,mjuːnɪ'teərɪən/n. 提倡共产主义社会者；共产主义社会的成员adj. 公有社会的；鼓吹公有社会的

Ail  v. /eɪl/  1.困扰；干扰；使麻烦 •They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。 2.使患病；使不适 •What is ailing you? 你哪里不舒服？

apparatus/ˌæpəˈreɪtəs/  

1.仪器；器械；装置•a piece of laboratory apparatus 一件实验室仪器 2.（尤指政党或政府的）机构，组织，机关 •the power of the state apparatus 国家机关的权力；3.器官 •the sensory apparatus 感觉器官译文

译文

The rancour of American politics, say these two distinguished scholars, is a symptom of an even deeper malaise. Robert Putnam charts a rise in economic inequalities, cultural tribalism and frayed social connections since the 1960s—when, he recalls, the spirit of solidarity and reform was by contrast strong. Michael Sandel focuses on the meritocratic rat-race and its justifications, which create, in his words, “hubris among the successful and resentment among the disadvantaged”.

两位有名学者指出美国政治漫开的不平之毒怨是根植于美国深处且难以琢磨问题的表面症状。Robert Putnam 描绘了上世纪60年代兴起的经济不平等，文化部落主义以及社会关系紧张，相较于当时还有相当强烈的团结与改革精神。Michael Sandel 关注在精英统治下的激烈竞争与其存在的理由。用他的话说“傲慢包裹着成功人士，而愤恨在弱势群体中弥漫”。

Both blame the ills they identify on widespread acceptance of egotistical go-getting at a cost to common purpose. Their bleak picture of private indifference to public welfare prompts an equally sweeping solution. America needs nothing less, they think, than a recovery of community and rededication to the common good.

两位都将观察到的弊病归咎于社会广泛接受的，以牺牲公共共同目标为代价的极度自我主义。个人对公共福利漠不关心的惨淡景象提醒着需要同等广泛规模的解决方案。他们认为美国人不需要任何东西，除了社区的复兴与对公共利益的再奉献。

Mr Putnam, a political scientist, is well-known for Bowling Alone (2000), which reported a drop of clubbability in a nation of joiners. Written with Shaylyn Romney Garrett, “The Upswing” is a reprise that answers critics and laments a yet broader retreat to private concerns. It offers a historical account of trends in public commitment over 120 years.

Putnam先生，一位政治科学家，以其著作《独自打保龄球》闻明，该书记录了美国国家民众社交参与度的衰退。他与Shaylyn Romney Garrett合著的《上升》是对批判家的反复回答和哀叹更广泛的社会转向自我关注现象。它提供了美国公众之力120年发展趋势的历史性视角。

The narrative arc is simple. A dog-eat-dog Gilded Age at the end of the 19th century prompted ever greater social engagement and reform in three stages--Progressivism, the New Deal and the 1960S. Soon, however, dog-eat-dogism returned and is now again uppermost. To support that analysis, a mass of survey data and statistics is mapped onto what Mr Putnam calls I-we-I curves, which show a rise and fall in economic equality, political co-operation, social solidarity and a sense of shared American culture.

《上升》的叙事线很简单。19世纪末镀金时代的自相残杀掀起了三个阶段大规模的社会参与与改革--进步时代、罗斯福新政和20世纪60年代。但现在，自相残杀主义回归并再次发展至巅峰。为了支持这个观点，大量的调查数据与统计绘出了一条Putman先生叫做“我-我们-我”的曲线，显示了在经济平等、政治协作、社会团结和美国文化认同等方面的上升与衰退。

“The Upswing” ranges widely, yet its scrupulous survey-mining and curve-fitting is not wholly persuasive, or indeed necessary. Up on the latest research and impeccably open to counterargument, Mr Putnam tends to take away with one study what he has just offered with another. A heartfelt communitarian essay, “What ails America”, without the social-science apparatus, might have been just as convincing.

《上升》涉及内容广泛，但它细致的调查挖掘与曲线拟合并不完全具有说服力，或者说是并不必要。在最新的研究和无可挑剔的辩驳面前，Putnam先生倾向于把他刚刚提出的研究成果用另一项来替代。一篇感情真挚的鼓吹共有主义的文章--“什么在阻碍美国”，没有借助任何的社会科学研究工具，可能会有同等说服力吧。（是UP主理解有问题吗？感觉作者写这段话的时候透着淡淡的嘲讽···）

经济学人11月刊