live and let live 与 象牙塔

Live and let live. 这是一个很常见的短语，啰嗦一点的说其实就是，You should live your life free from others and let other live their life free from you. 英文的解释其实就是换个方式再说一遍，to be open-minded toward or tolerant of others, not to interfere with other people's business and or preferences, show tolerance for those different from yourself. 深层的含义是，You should tolerate other people's opinions and behaviour so that they will similarly tolerate your own. 人与人之间要相互包容，才能共存。求同存异（没有求同的意思，只是讲要存异）。要对与己不同的人的生活、观点、行为、爱好等表示宽容，这样才能互不干扰地共存。

这个习语据传在1622年从一句荷兰谚语传入英语并流行开来。

I just don't care my roommate's dressing style. Live and let live, that's it.

Everyone should just have a live and let live attitude, so we could have a peace.

If you just had learned to live and let live a little more, how could she had broke up with you.

中文里常用象牙塔比喻“大学、研究所”，搞学术的人就总被称作“活在象牙塔里的人”。这个词是有点贬义的，因为强调的是脱离和逃避现实的丑恶，自隐于理想美满之地而创作的人群。这个词本源就是来自于英文，所以英文里就是 ivory tower, 活在象牙塔里也就是 live in a / one's ivory tower. 英文是这样解释的，a place or attitude of retreat, remoteness from practical affairs, a social circle which is aloof from the realities of life. 逃避现实，自隐于世的地方、态度、圈子。常用来形容学院、作家、艺术家们，也可以用于任何逃避现实的人。

这个词在英语里本身也是外来词，1837年从法语中传入。

When you're living in an ivory tower, all the world's problem seems just so easy to solve. But after you graduate, you'gonna realize how stupid you are now.

Don't listen to those so called "experts", they're living in their ivory tower and know nothing about the realities of life. 那些专家都是住在象牙塔里的人，听他们说有什么用。

也可以说 come out of one's ivory tower.

Why don't you just come out of your ivory tower and see the truth with your own eyes?