How to make hard choices | Ruth Chang

譯者: Daisy Hong 審譯者: Adrienne Lin

Think of a hard choice you'll face in the near future.

想想你在不久的將來 要面臨的一個艱難抉擇。

It might be between two careers --

可能是糾結於兩種職業：

藝術家或會計；

artist and accountant --

or places to live -- the city or the country --

或是住在哪：城市還是鄉村；

甚至是兩個人中選擇一個結婚，

or even between two people to marry --

你可以跟貝蒂或是洛麗塔結婚。

you could marry Betty or you could marry Lolita.

Or it might be a choice about whether to have children,

抑或是決定是否要孩子，

to have an ailing parent move in with you,

是否要年老體弱的父母搬過來住，

to raise your child in a religion that your partner lives by

是否讓你的孩子信奉你配偶的宗教，

但其實你並不信奉。

but leaves you cold.

或者是否將畢生儲蓄捐於慈善機構。

Or whether to donate your life savings to charity.

Chances are, the hard choice you thought of was something big,

這些艱難決定很可能是

對你來說非常重大的，

something momentous, something that matters to you.

關乎一切的。

Hard choices seem to be occasions

需要艱難抉擇的時刻

通常非常痛苦，令人絕望，

for agonizing, hand-wringing, the gnashing of teeth.

糾結到咬牙切齒。

但我認為我們誤解了艱難決定，

But I think we've misunderstood hard choices

誤解了它們在生活中的角色。

and the role they play in our lives.

Understanding hard choices

若能理解艱難決定，

則我們每個人

uncovers a hidden power each of us possesses.

會釋放出一種潛力。

What makes a choice hard is the way the alternatives relate.

這種決定之所以艱難，

是因為其他選擇的相關性。

In any easy choice,

在簡單的決定中，

one alternative is better than the other.

總是一種選擇比另一種好。

In a hard choice,

而在艱難決定裡，

one alternative is better in some ways,

一種選擇在某些方面是好的，

the other alternative is better in other ways,

另一種選擇在另一些方面是好的，

and neither is better than the other overall.

而且這兩種都不可能完勝對方。

You agonize over whether to stay in your current job in the city

你極其痛苦地徘徊於

繼續留在市區的這份工作，

還是去鄉村接受更有挑戰的工作，

or uproot your life for more challenging work in the country,

從而徹底改變你的生活，

因為留下了有些好處，

because staying is better in some ways,

moving is better in others,

離開也有另一些好處，

and neither is better than the other overall.

且兩個選擇都無法打敗對方。

We shouldn't think that all hard choices are big.

我們不該認為所有的艱難決定都如此重要。

比方說，你正在決定早飯吃什麼。

Let's say you're deciding what to have for breakfast.

You could have high fiber bran cereal

你可以吃高纖穀物麥片

或是巧克力甜甜圈。

or a chocolate donut.

假設這個決定的重要因素

Suppose what matters in the choice is tastiness and healthfulness.

包括可口度和健康度。

The cereal is better for you,

麥片對你身體好，

the donut tastes way better,

甜甜圈則好吃多了，

但沒有一種選擇是百分百更好。

but neither is better than the other overall,

a hard choice.

這是個艱難決定。

Realizing that small choices can also be hard,

如果意識到小的選擇

也可能很難決定，

may make big hard choices seem less intractable.

則會減小那些重大決定的不確定性。

After all, we manage to figure out what to have for breakfast,

畢竟我們還是能決定早餐吃什麼的，

so maybe we can figure out whether to stay in the city

所以或許我們會想明白

到底要留在市區

or uproot for the new job in the country.

還是遷到鄉下新的工作。

We also shouldn't think that hard choices are hard

我們也不應該覺得

艱難抉擇之所以難，是因為我們愚蠢。

because we are stupid.

When I graduated from college,

當我大學畢業時，

I couldn't decide between two careers, philosophy and law.

我無法在兩種事業中作出決定，

哲學還是法律。

我真的很愛哲學。

I really loved philosophy.

There are amazing things you can learn as a philosopher,

作為哲學家，你可以學到很多

令人驚奇的東西，

and all from the comfort of an armchair.

而且只需要坐在凳子上就好了。

但是我來自一個收入平平的移民家庭，

But I came from a modest immigrant family

where my idea of luxury

我對於奢侈的概念就是

was having a pork tongue and jelly sandwich

能有一個豬舌三明治

in my school lunchbox,

出現在我午餐盒裡。

so the thought of spending my whole life

所以要一輩子

sitting around in armchairs just thinking ...

坐在冷板凳上思考的想法，

其實，對我來說是極其奢侈和輕率的。

Well, that struck me as the height of extravagance and frivolity.

所以我拿出我的筆記本，

So I got out my yellow pad,

I drew a line down the middle,

在中間劃一條線，

and I tried my best to think of the reasons

我竭盡全力想出

for and against each alternative.

每個選擇的利與弊。

我當時想

I remember thinking to myself,

if only I knew what my life in each career would be like.

要是我能知道選擇某種職業後

我的生活會是怎樣，就好了。

If only God or Netflix would send me a DVD of my two possible future careers,

要是上帝或 Netflix 能送我一張 DVD

講述兩種職業生活，我就能決定了。

I'd be set.

I'd compare them side by side,

我就能將兩者進行對比，

I'd see that one was better,

就會看到一種比另一種好，

and the choice would be easy.

那麼選擇就變簡單了。

But I got no DVD,

但我不會有這種 DVD，

and because I couldn't figure out which was better,

而且因為我想不通到底哪種更好，

I did what many of us do in hard choices:

我就像大多數面對艱難抉擇的人一樣：

I took the safest option.

我選擇了最安全的那個。

Fear of being an unemployed philosopher led me to become a lawyer,

害怕成為哲學家找不到工作，

我就成了一名律師。

後來逐漸發現，

and as I discovered, lawyering didn't quite fit.

當律師並不合適。

It wasn't who I was.

這不是真正的我。

So now I'm a philosopher,

所以現在我是個哲學家，

and I study hard choices,

而且我研究艱難的決定。

and I can tell you, that fear of the unknown,

我可以告訴你，對未知的恐懼

while a common motivational default in dealing with hard choices,

雖然是面對艱難抉擇時

會出現的自然反應，

rests on a misconception of them.

卻也是種對艱難決定的誤解。

It's a mistake to think that in hard choices,

在艱難決定中，認為一種選擇

one alternative really is better than the other,

比另一種好，是錯誤的。

but we're too stupid to know which,

但我們的智商不足以判斷哪個更好，

and since we don't know which,

既然不知道哪個更好，

we might as well take the least risky option.

則最好選擇風險最小的那個。

Even taking two alternatives side by side

就算對於兩種選擇你有全面的資訊，

with full information, a choice can still be hard.

對比著看，仍然難做決定。

這些選擇之所以難，

Hard choices are hard not because of us or our ignorance;

並非因為我們無知，

they're hard because there is no best option.

而因為根本沒有最好的選擇。

那麼，若沒有最好選擇，

Now, if there's no best option,

如果天枰不會傾斜於

if the scales don't tip in favor of one alternative over another,

任何一方，

那麼任何替代選項都是一樣好的。

then surely the alternatives must be equally good.

So maybe the right thing to say in hard choices

所以應該說，在艱難的決定裡

所有選項都是一樣的好。

is that they're between equally good options.

But that can't be right.

這肯定不對。

If alternatives are equally good, you should just flip a coin between them,

如果選項都差不多好，

你就該直接拋硬幣了，

and it seems a mistake to think,

連思考都成了錯誤。

你於是可以這樣決定事業、

here's how you should decide between careers,

places to live, people to marry:

住處、婚姻：拋硬幣。

Flip a coin.

說艱難的決定

There's another reason for thinking

that hard choices aren't choices between equally good options.

並非是在兩個同樣好的選項中選擇

還有另一個原因。

設想你要在兩份工作中做選擇：

Suppose you have a choice between two jobs:

you could be an investment banker

你可以是投資銀行家，

or a graphic artist.

或平面藝術家。

這一決定中有眾多重要因素，

There are a variety of things that matter in such a choice,

像工作的興奮度、

like the excitement of the work,

achieving financial security,

帶來經濟保障、

having time to raise a family, and so on.

有時間顧家等等。

Maybe the artist's career puts you on the cutting edge

也許當一名藝術家

能讓你接觸最前沿的

of new forms of pictorial expression.

圖像表達形式。

也許當銀行家

Maybe the banking career puts you on the cutting edge

能讓你接觸最先進的

of new forms of financial manipulation.

金融操縱形式。

(Laughter)

Imagine the two jobs however you like,

無論怎麼想像這兩種職業

so that neither is better than the other.

都無法判斷哪個最好。

Now suppose we improve one of them, a bit.

現在，我們試著改善一下其中一個。

Suppose the bank, wooing you,

假設某家銀行向你示好，

每月提薪500美元。

adds 500 dollars a month to your salary.

Does the extra money

有了每月更多的錢，

now make the banking job better than the artist one?

銀行家的工作是否看起來比藝術家好了？

Not necessarily.

不一定。

更高的薪水是讓銀行家的工作

A higher salary makes the banking job better than it was before,

變得比原來好了，

但不足以讓成為銀行家

but it might not be enough

to make being a banker better than being an artist.

變得比成為藝術家更好。

But if an improvement in one of the jobs doesn't make it better than the other,

但是如果對其中一個的改善

並沒有讓它比另一個好，

then the two original jobs could not have been equally good.

那麼兩個工作原本不可能是同樣好。

If you start with two things that are equally good,

如果有兩件事一開始同樣好，

你改善了其中之一，

and you improve one of them,

it now must be better than the other.

則它必然變得比另一個好。

That's not the case with options in hard choices.

但在艱難抉擇中並非如此。

那麼我們就有個難題了。

So now we've got a puzzle.

We've got two jobs.

這有兩份工作，

Neither is better than the other, nor are they equally good.

沒有哪個是最好的，

也不是同樣好。

So how are we supposed to choose?

那該怎樣選擇呢？

Something seems to have gone wrong here.

這裡好像出現了些問題。

Maybe the choice itself is problematic, and comparison is impossible.

可能是選擇自身的問題

使我們無法比較。

但肯定不是這樣。

But that can't be right.

It's not like we're trying to choose between two things that can't be compared.

因為我們並不是

在兩個不可能比較的選項中選擇。

畢竟我們是衡量兩個工作的利弊

We're weighing the merits of two jobs, after all,

而不是比較數字 9 和

not the merits of the number nine and a plate of fried eggs.

一盤煎蛋的好處。

對兩份工作所有優點的比較

A comparison of the overall merits of two jobs

is something we can make,

是我們能做的，

and one we often do make.

也是我們通常所做的。

I think the puzzle arises

我認為問題根源於

because of an unreflective assumption we make about value.

一種對價值的

草率的設想。

We unwittingly assume that values like justice, beauty, kindness,

我們不知不覺地認為，

像正義、美麗和善良等價值

類似於一些科學數量，

are akin to scientific quantities, like length, mass and weight.

如長度、品質和重量。

Take any comparative question not involving value,

試想任何一個無關價值的比較，

如，兩個箱子誰重？

such as which of two suitcases is heavier.

There are only three possibilities.

只有三種可能。

The weight of one is greater, lesser or equal to the weight of the other.

其中一個重量大於、小於

或等於另一個。

Properties like weight can be represented by real numbers --

像重量之類的性質可由

數字表示：1, 2 ,3 ...

one, two, three and so on --

and there are only three possible comparisons

而且在任何兩個數字間的比較

between any two real numbers.

只有三種可能。

One number is greater, lesser, or equal to the other.

一個數字大於、小於或

等於另一個。

Not so with values.

但價值不是這樣。

作為後啟蒙運動的生物，

As post-Enlightenment creatures,

we tend to assume

我們容易去設想

that scientific thinking holds the key to everything of importance in our world,

科學的思考可以解決

世間一切重要之事。

但是價值的世界

but the world of value is different from the world of science.

不同於科學世界。

The stuff of the one world can be quantified by real numbers.

後者的世界

可以被數字量化，

而前者不能。

The stuff of the other world can't.

We shouldn't assume that the world of is, of lengths and weights,

我們不該以為

「是與否」、長度和重量的世界

與「該或不該」、「該做什麼」的世界

has the same structure as the world of ought,

of what we should do.

有著同種結構。

So if what matters to us --

所以，如果重要的因素

如，孩子的幸福、對配偶的愛，

a child's delight, the love you have for your partner —

can't be represented by real numbers,

都不能被數字量化，

那麼沒理由相信在

then there's no reason to believe

that in choice, there are only three possibilities --

選擇中只有三種可能

一種選項比另一種好、差

that one alternative is better, worse or equal to the other.

或同樣好。

We need to introduce a new, fourth relation

我們需要引入第四種關係，

beyond being better, worse or equal,

除了更好、更差或同樣好以外，

它可以描述艱難抉擇的機制。

that describes what's going on in hard choices.

I like to say that the alternatives are "on a par."

我喜歡說，所有選項都

「打成平手」。

When alternatives are on a par,

當選項都打成平手時，

選擇哪個就變得很重要，

it may matter very much which you choose,

但是並沒有哪個比任何一個好。

but one alternative isn't better than the other.

Rather, the alternatives are in the same neighborhood of value,

事實上，

這些選項價值都差不多，

in the same league of value,

都在同一價值範疇。

while at the same time being very different in kind of value.

但同時它們又具

非常不同的價值。

That's why the choice is hard.

這就是選擇為何艱難。

Understanding hard choices in this way

這樣理解了艱難選擇的話，

我們會對自己有意外的發現。

uncovers something about ourselves we didn't know.

我們每個人都能

Each of us has the power to create reasons.

創造理由。

Imagine a world in which every choice you face

想像一下在某個世界上，

你所面臨的都是簡單的選擇，

is an easy choice,

that is, there's always a best alternative.

即，你總會有最好的選項。

If there's a best alternative, then that's the one you should choose,

如果有最佳選項，

當然你應該選那個，

because part of being rational

因為理智就意味著

is doing the better thing rather than the worse thing,

做更好的決定而不是更差的，

選擇那個最合理的選項。

choosing what you have most reason to choose.

In such a world,

這樣一個世界裡，

we'd have most reason

我們會有足夠理由

to wear black socks instead of pink socks,

穿黑襪子而不是粉紅襪、

吃麥片而不吃甜甜圈、

to eat cereal instead of donuts,

住在城裡而非搬到鄉下、

to live in the city rather than the country,

跟貝蒂結婚而不是洛麗塔。

to marry Betty instead of Lolita.

一個滿是簡單選擇的世界

A world full of only easy choices would enslave us to reasons.

會讓我們成為理由的奴隸。

When you think about it,

當你這麼一想的話，

(Laughter)

it's nuts to believe that the reasons given to you

一切都太瘋狂了：

那些現成的理由

決定了你有最合理的理由

dictated that you had most reason to pursue

去追求你目前追求的愛好、

the exact hobbies you do,

to live in the exact house you do,

去住你現在的房子、

去做你現在的工作。

to work at the exact job you do.

Instead, you faced alternatives that were on a par --

而現實是，你有很多選項，

它們打成平手，很難決定

hard choices --

and you made reasons for yourself

你為自己創造理由

去選擇那個愛好、那個房子、那個工作。

to choose that hobby, that house and that job.

當選項都打成平手時，

When alternatives are on a par,

the reasons given to us,

我們手上的理由，

the ones that determine whether we're making a mistake,

這些決定我們的選擇錯誤與否的理由，

are silent as to what to do.

都無法告訴我們該如何做。

It's here, in the space of hard choices,

而就在這個有艱難抉擇的世界，

that we get to exercise our normative power --

我們能夠鍛煉我們的

規範性力量，

the power to create reasons for yourself,

為我們創造理由、

to make yourself into the kind of person

讓自己成為

另一種人，

for whom country living is preferable to the urban life.

那麼相比於城市生活

你會更喜歡鄉村生活。

當我們在打成平手的

When we choose between options that are on a par,

選項中進行選擇時，

we can do something really rather remarkable.

我們可以做出了不起的事。

We can put our very selves behind an option.

我們能夠將自我放在一個選項背後。

說這就是我的選擇。

Here's where I stand.

Here's who I am, I am for banking.

這就是我，我喜歡銀行業，

I am for chocolate donuts.

我喜歡巧克力甜甜圈。

(Laughter)

在艱難抉擇中，

This response in hard choices is a rational response,

這是一種理性反應，

but it's not dictated by reasons given to us.

但並非由我們所被給的理由來決定，

Rather, it's supported by reasons created by us.

而是由我們創造的理由來支持。

When we create reasons for ourselves

當我們為自己創造理由

to become this kind of person rather than that,

去成為一種人而非另一種人時，

we wholeheartedly become the people that we are.

我們徹底成為了真正的自己。

You might say that we become the authors of our own lives.

你可以說

我們成為了自己生命的作者。

所以，當面臨艱難抉擇時，

So when we face hard choices, we shouldn't beat our head against a wall

不應該拿腦袋撞牆

trying to figure out which alternative is better.

試圖想出哪種選擇更好。

根本沒有最好的選擇。

There is no best alternative.

Instead of looking for reasons out there,

不要從外界尋找理由

而是應該從內心尋找理由：

we should be looking for reasons in here:

Who am I to be?

我要成為怎樣的我？

You might decide to be a pink sock-wearing,

你或許會決定做個穿粉紅襪子的、

cereal-loving, country-living banker,

愛吃麥片的、熱愛鄉村的銀行家，

或是一個穿黑襪子的、

and I might decide to be a black sock-wearing,

urban, donut-loving artist.

住在城市的、熱愛甜甜圈的藝術家。

What we do in hard choices is very much up to each of us.

我們在艱難決定時的做法

很大程度取決於自己。

Now, people who don't exercise their normative powers in hard choices

那些在艱難抉擇時不去鍛煉規範力量的人

are drifters.

都成了漂流族。

We all know people like that.

我們都認識這樣的人。

I drifted into being a lawyer.

比如我就漂進了法律行業。

I didn't put my agency behind lawyering.

我並沒有全心投入法律。

I wasn't for lawyering.

我不喜歡當律師。

Drifters allow the world to write the story of their lives.

漂流者讓世界上的人

書寫他們的故事。

They let mechanisms of reward and punishment --

他們讓獎懲機制——

pats on the head, fear, the easiness of an option --

鼓勵、恐懼、某種選擇的簡單性——

來決定他們做什麼。

to determine what they do.

So the lesson of hard choices:

所以艱難抉擇中的收穫

reflect on what you can put your agency behind,

是反映在你所致力的事物上、

on what you can be for,

你的追求上，

而且通過艱難決定，

and through hard choices,

become that person.

讓自己成為那個人。

艱難抉擇不是痛苦和害怕的來源，

Far from being sources of agony and dread,

而是難得的機遇

hard choices are precious opportunities

for us to celebrate what is special about the human condition,

讓我們慶幸人類的狀況

是怎樣的特殊，

that the reasons that govern our choices as correct or incorrect

慶幸那些決定我們選擇

對錯與否的理由

sometimes run out,

有時會不夠用。

and it is here, in the space of hard choices,

也就是在這樣一個有著艱難決定的世界

that we have the power to create reasons for ourselves

我們有力量

去為自己創造理由

to become the distinctive people that we are.

去成為與眾不同的自己。

And that's why hard choices are not a curse

這就是為何艱難決定並非詛咒，

而是福祉。

but a godsend.

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）