好個《拼經濟》but "What Went Wrong ?"

讀英文翻譯書習慣找作者的演說先聽聽其重點金句，可惜《拚經濟：一本國民指南》 作者的口說沒Arirang頻道的來賓好懂，幸好有聲書早公開[audiobook]  Economics: The User's Guide。

開始讀時，「投機」這詞特別跳出來！除了牛頓（似乎是中文版刻意揭露，第32頁）和凱因斯透過此法成功致富，定義也很學院「金融市場不只為經濟活動提供資金，也供眾人拿五花八門的未來觀點互相買賣，也就是投機。」（第116頁）。可就庶民來說，能投機的項目或許只是賭博的各種變形比方運彩、股票、期貨等，泰半十賭九輸，成功致富者恐鳳毛麟角。

爬梳各代各派經濟學說的此書羅列多位經濟學史上的名人，不用力讀僅增廣見聞儘管只是門外窺視，總比一一去深入探究輕鬆，此書喻像喝雞尾酒，不過原文以各學派頭個英文字母來當作調酒的成份、比落落長的中文有趣得多；還有不算少的數字（數據），若因難消化略過隨即被棒喝：「本書讀者還是應該對某些數據有概念，至少要用時該知道怎麼查。更重要的是，不知道某些數據，就無法掌握當今世界財經實況。」（第159頁）即便握有數據，掌握程度會因社經地位這關鍵而異吧？

此書是南韓經濟學家將艱澀的眾家學理彙整轉化成白話文，含金量高，隨手拾來即見某領域翹楚的精華：
司馬賀（Herbert Alexander Simon）主張，正因為人類理性有限，才會發展出心智「捷徑」，把心智能力做最有效運用。這就是捷想法（heuristics）（直覺思考）…背後是類型辨別力…揚棄一大堆天南地北的思考路徑，只專注於小範圍，可管理、成功可能性最大的幾種選項。司馬賀常拿西洋棋來比擬這種心智手法：棋王的秘訣就在於有辦法快速排除勝算較小的棋步搜索，集中推演勝算最大的幾種棋步。

只思考一小部份的可能選項，做出來的可能不是最佳選擇，卻讓人類可以運用有限理性，去處理世界的複雜與不確定。因此司馬賀主張，人類做選擇時，要的只是「足夠滿足」（satisfice）。（第123頁）

因為是南韓學者多處以該國為例，也有提到台灣比方第142頁：「台灣的公營事業可能超過15%」。中文版「編按」也很用心，比方第248和249頁提到貧窮線和貧窮率都有註記台灣 / 台北實況。

中文版主打經濟也應和政治一樣成為可供思辨的論述，指的應是高階、高層次的國策方針吧？而能多些經濟概念或許至少庶（國）民能減少被經濟犯罪、金融詐欺所害的機率吧？不過正如第十一章標題〈經濟不可能離開政治〉，只希望經濟不會像台灣政論談話節目八卦成娛樂節目般，被耳濡目染的普羅人人各有想法、論點，但掌權者們仍失民心。台灣的政治有各種意識形態，經濟也會在內裡分裂或表面上長出水火不容的意識形態嗎？撇開高談闊論對市井小民而言，「拼經濟」的執行除了努力工作外，Shopping也是一途，實因 "One person's expenditure is another person's income." 比方若把買書的錢拿去其他誘惑更強大的體驗式消費如看電影，那麼前者就沒被拼到經濟了，而每個人的「足夠滿足」各有不同的點，在這娛樂當道的世況能打到愉悅點似乎是後者之流勝算更大。第八章讀來較有感畢竟離生活最近，也或許會有預言的效果，特別因為章首引用的1964年美國電影在2008年金融海嘯後十年的今年底上映了續集。

此書讀來是有被作者的幽默感動到，能順順讀完是有收穫的，只是生硬的東西絕非常識，而生活裡的常識也不是樣樣知行合一，所以花錢買書是必要的，留著日後有遇到的機會來翻查。

but ... 

有別於戰績輝煌的此一人出版社曾發行過叫好叫座的多本暢銷 /長銷書，此書的狀況似乎…是因為發行人忙於個人著作 / 品牌經營而顧此失彼？還是…

Don't Judge A Book by It's Cover ?

本書的封面設計和大專中文教科書擺在一起完全沒違和感。或許是如書名副標的「國民」為設定吧？（原文內文是有提到 citizens，但此設定受眾似乎未被打動）封面走教科書路線，故此書擺在當今台灣書市平面、裝幀設計爭奇鬥艷的書店裡，很難抓到眼球。要此書當教科書也行，比方第128和129跨頁的各派學說對照簡表就很適合出考題。而且台灣國民教育還要在表面上延長，讓學子及早擁有經濟學常識，將會是福國利民的美事。

只不過，作者在序中自介的獨特 "How to think" 而非 "What to think"，同期也有大出版社出相同主打的書。如此單槍匹馬和大部隊對戰，實在不利前者。Or maybe, over the years, unique vision no more ? Since publishing industry is packed with brilliant talents and has no shortage of innovative ideas to be squeezed out.

Translation Accuracy in Doubt ?
第118頁對照 [audiobook]的 3:43:12 "One sentence summery : Individuals are products of the society, even though they MAY change its rules. "中譯「個人是社會的產物，儘管個人『無法』改變社會規則。」，而看內文「制度不光是影響人，還會改變人，只不過，人『也可以』改變制度」前後矛盾…開始邊讀邊聽有聲書發現的，後面懶了只隨意快覽，很流暢的譯文應該沒差池，會在理解上的卡關大抵是自己知識不足。

No offense, this is merely a social-economic inferior's humble review, needless to be taken seriously.

Looking forward to the publisher's next title.

Aquaman Rocks！ DC made it！

VFX has been Warner Bros' pro, take 300(2007) to FBs: C of Grindelwald (2018) for examples, as it married to DC's latest fantasy, Aquaman, is evidently a turnaround of the latter's universe. Marvel Studio has spent 10 years of fabricating its persuading and massively successful one and Aquaman could be a golden / death cross of the two comics titans. Or will it be enough room / market for two superpowers?

[spoiler warning]

VFX climax

The constructs of the Atlantis are visual feasts, both above and deep under water. The Sisley, Italy chase and fight scene is well orchestrated plus liquor and red wine are indeed "bowel penetrating" (Chinese saying「酒是穿腸毒藥」). The scale of the wars between the Kingdom of Brine and Atlantis joined with others is jaw-droppingly magnificent. As your mind tells you that these are all VFX, while your eyes are convinced.

Though Aquaman is truly visually stunning and most of the VFX scenes are impeccable, some of them still have flaws, like the one when Arthur is chained and kneeled before King Orm, the palace is in simplicity form but so fake that you can easily tell it’s unreal. And the Hidden Sea at the earth's core is starting with Pterosaurs which make it so Jurassic Park-like world but when it comes to the The Golden Trident safeguarded entrance, the waterfall, well, it’s not only in a relative much smaller scale, also artificial and fake.

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall are excellent storytellers, though some plots are so out of blue and untold and maybe loose, but the pace of the film is so quick, thanks to the Editors, that you can still grasp the story line without a life line as you're in the sea. Perhaps since you're flashed with glamorous VFX, it's hard to be picky at other minor faults. Director James Wan is a perfect visualizer by translating the screenwriters' words into a spectacular film, in his own way. As a horror film director, Mr. Wan did make the appearance of Trench monsters intimidating and when the swarm of them gathered to chase the couple, that's awesomely awful. Doctor Strange (2016) director: Scott Derrickson is also a famous horror film creator. What's in common that makes Mr. Derrickson and Mr. Wan win the hearts of DC and Marvel Studio is really interesting to delve into.

Casting

To tell a man/hero’s story from his infancy to adulthood by casting 5 actors is really a serious stuff. The first time Arthur, 9 y-o played by Kaan Guldur, shows his hand-emitting circular sound waves is in elementary school aquarium field trip when he’s bullied by two bigger kids. And this skill also helps him get the The Golden Trident by persuading the guardian deep sea monster. 13 y-o Arthur is less memorable, but 16 y-o Arthur, played by Kekoa Kekumano, is as attractive as the leading actor. 16 y-o Arthur is looking for the truth about his mother and getting stronger to be a future hunk. Thanks to the Oscar winner Nicole Kidman portraits a Mother and the Queen Atlanna who has a heart of gold so does her half blood son. Grateful to the Art Director, Makeup Talents and Costume Designers, Miss Kidman has been younger and older not only in hair color but in outfits which make her convincing that she literally cross the generations and bridge the two worlds as the first one.

Repetition or Talent-Shortage？

Korean-American Randall Park plays Dr. Stephen Shin, a crazy scientist, here, and he's Jimmy Woo, an FBI agent, in the competition’s Ant-Man and the Wasp. Why can't the former role played by Ken Jeong? Who's also a Korean-American and a comedian and even crazier since he has played Crazy Rich Asians(2018) and The Hangover Trilogy. Isn’t it going to make audience confuse that Mr. Park cross the two universe? Though Jude Law is also in WB’s FBs: C of Grindelwald as the young Dumbledore and will be as Walter Lawson/Mar-Vell in Captain Marvel(2019) by Marvel Studio. It’s a totally different story as they’re two different genre.

Black Power Rise

Black Manta is good at engineering by hands. We also see this kind of excellent technology-savvy African American talents in the same series’ Cyborg/Victor Stone and Marvel’s Shuri in Black Panther. Colored People audience has always been a yet-to-be-discovered market, these film producers are really good at exploring it by empowering them with high skills.

Smart Move
As a superhero, making Arthur drinking beers at bar is definitely a smart move to help him blend in the real world scenario and it tells the audience that the birth right King can be as friendly and even vulgar as a civilian, just like one of us, that's the sense of identity which makes this film a blockbuster by its own right. And since revenge has always been a good excuse to be exploded, who knows Black Manta and King Orm will be united in the sequel?

Watch out Marvel, here comes the NEW DC！And as we all know that the Ocean & Seas are immense and so much to be discovered.

x

《人類大歷史》哈拉瑞：身為同性戀的Q&A

Yuval Noah Harari - Q&A on Being Gay

Q：身為同性戀是否會影響你的科學研究？

A：身為同性戀很重要的認知就是得會分辨「人為論述」（stories invented by humans）和「事實」（reality）有何不同。這種辨別力在科學研究中也很重要。小時候總聽到「男生都愛女生」，我曾如此深信。爾後，我花了很長的時間才想通，這種說法是人們刻意為之，因為事實上，有些男生就是愛男生，而我恰巧就是其中之一。當事實和大多數人的認知相抵觸，能坦然接受事實的本質是為大智慧。身為同性戀我得以透過經驗驗證「事實」和「人為論述」之間的差異，而選擇相信事實是為上策。

除了「男生都愛女生」，類似的說法還有，有人說：「至高無上的上主看到兩個同性的人相愛，會勃然大怒！」可是這不過又是另一個捏造出來的說法。因為若同性相愛而未對其他人造成傷害，又有何錯？至高無上的上主並不會因此發怒，會跳腳的是宗教界的祭司和學者。

科學研究正是以辨別洞察力為根本。身為科學家的我不斷自問：「事實究竟為何？」、「拋開所有人為的世界觀。」、「世界的實相為何？」而身為同性戀的成長歷程讓我成為一位更傑出的科學家。

Q：你的科學研究可曾影響過你的性別認同？

A：科學確實強化我對自己的性別認同。常聽人說「同性戀是不自然的」，因為大自然讓雄性愛上雌性，雌性愛上雄性，而同性戀違反了自然法則。科學研究的實證則告訴我該論述是一派胡言，因為「凡存在者於定義上即為自然，故無所謂不自然的行為」（There's just no such thing that is unnatural behavior. Anything that exists is by definition also natural.）人類是無法違反自然法則的，因為自然法則不是交通罰規，違規就要被罰。自然法則說光速無法被超越，可是在某些特定條件的狀況下，超越光速是再自然不過的了。「凡存在者於定義上即為自然」：若兩名女子彼此相愛，也是再自然不過的了，並未違反任何一條自然法則，沒有一條自然法則禁止她們相戀。

事實上，同性戀非人類獨有，而是常見於很多動物身上，比方人類的近親黑猩猩。「性存在的意義僅在於繁衍後代」是宗教界所約束的荒誕冥頑見解。實際上，人們對於「自然」、「不自然」的看法並非來自於生物學，而是基督教神學。基督教神學主張神造萬物，人類的器官各有所用，適得其用為自然，反之則為不自然。可惜這是迷思，因為人並非由神所造，所有的生物都是透過天擇、演化而來，而演化本身並不具目的性。所有的器官都不是為特定目的而演化，而人體所有的器官的功能、作用絕不僅止於原人當初所用的方式，其他生物亦然。器官一旦成形，除了原有的功能，也會隨著時間發展出其他的用途，比方在遠古的爬蟲類身上有羽毛是為保暖，而後鳥類利用來飛上天。原人的手指是用來爬樹，近代人開始用手指彈鋼琴。生物的口部原是用來攝食，而人類的口則能用來說話和親吻。上述例子有那個是不自然的？


Q：對於因為同志遊行有裸露成份而反對的人，你有什麼話想對他們說？

A：綜觀人類歷史，因赤身裸露而招致殺害的人少之又少，可是宗教狂熱運動卻造成數百萬人枉死。因此，與其擔心裸露太多的同志遊行，倒不如多留意宗教極端主義的威脅。