资本家如何让后人怀念

 资本家如何让后人怀念

We may not all yearn¹ to be immortal² but I don't believe anyone wants to be forgotten after they die. This isn't simply vanity but a deep, instinctive³ urge. For most of us, this longing⁴ is satisfied by having children and seeing our genes⁵ passed on through the ages.

　　我们可能并非所有人都希望流芳百世，但我相信，任何一个人都不希望自己死后被人遗忘。这并非仅仅是虚荣，而是一种深沉、本能的愿望。对于我们多数人而言，这种渴望因为生育子女、并看着我们的基因越过不同的时代传递下去而得到满足。

　　But others, especially ambitious men, seek to leave a material mark on the world. No doubt this is because they cannot give birth; so they seek to create something else as a substitute. I suspect entrepreneurs fall into this category – as a breed, they possess a powerful desire that their accomplishments⁶ outlive them. They agree with Pope John XXIII's advice: "Do not walk through time without leaving worthy⁷ evidence of your passage."

　　但还有一些人，尤其是雄心勃勃的男人，希望在世界上留下重要记号。无疑，这是因为他们无法生育；因此，他们希望创造一些其他的事物来代替。我猜，企业家就属于这一类，他们强烈希望他们的成就超越自己的生命。他们认同教皇约翰二十三世(Pope John XXIII)的箴言："不要度过人生长河而不留下值得追忆的证据。"

　　Yet most tycoons⁸ fail in this aspiration⁹, because their business empires tend not to survive for long after their demise¹⁰. And often they are more famous for amassing¹¹ a fortune rather than making the world a better place.

　　然而，多数大亨未能实现这一愿望，因为他们的企业帝国往往不会在他们死后长久地存活下去。他们出名通常更多是因为所聚集的财富，而不是让这个世界变得更美好。

　　One industrialist¹² who avoided that fate was Alfred Nobel, the Swedish explosives magnate. In 1888, he was mistakenly reported dead and a French newspaper published a damning obituary¹³, dismissing him as a "merchant of death". Nobel read this indictment¹⁴, and decided¹⁵ to dedicate the bulk of his estate to the funding of the Nobel Prizes to escape such a fate. Even though he made money inventing dynamite¹⁶ and gelignite, he is today remembered for honouring great scientists not as a munitions¹⁷ and arms maker¹⁸.

　　一位避免了这一命运的实业家是瑞典炸药巨擘阿尔弗雷德?诺贝尔(Alfred Nobel)。1888年，他被人误报去世，一家法国报纸发布了一篇谴责性讣告，称他为"死亡贩子"。诺贝尔读到了这一指责，并决定将他的大部分遗产用于为诺贝尔奖(Nobel Prizes)提供资金，以摆脱这一命运。尽管他通过发明炸药和爆炸胶赚取了大量财富，但他如今因为向伟大的科学家授予荣耀而被世人所铭记，而非作为一个军火和武器制造商。

　　Inventors in general have a far better chance of being commemorated¹⁹ than those who are simply good at business. Quite a few of the greatest technical geniuses died penniless but are still honoured. Charles Goodyear patented the vulcanised rubber process yet never profited from his innovation; Nikola Tesla saw the advantages of AC electricity before others but was a ruined man on his death; and Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press but died bankrupt. Others benefited financially from the insights of Goodyear, Teslaand Gutenberg, but those exploiters have been consigned²⁰ to oblivion by history, while the real pioneers are recalled.

　　总体而言，与仅仅擅长经商的人相比，发明家被人们铭记的可能性要大得多。很多最伟大的技术天才在去世时一文不名，但现在仍受人尊重。查尔斯?固特异(Charles Goodyear)申请了硫化橡胶工艺专利，但从未从这一创新中获利；尼古拉?特斯拉(Nikola Tesla)先于其他人发现了交流电的好处，但去世时却倾家荡产；约翰内斯?谷登堡(Johannes Gutenberg)发明了印刷机，但死时惨遭破产。其他人从经济上受益于固特异、特斯拉和谷登堡的发明，但这些利益剥削者却被历史遗忘，而那些真正的先驱则被世人铭记。

　　Certain entrepreneurs are imaginative enough to forge their commercial empires into institutions that can outlive them and prosper²¹ long into the future. Perhaps this deprives their descendants of inherited wealth, but it means their life's work is more likely to endure.

　　一些企业家具备足够丰富的想象力，他们把自己的商业帝国打造为寿命超过他们自己、而且可以在未来很长时间内蓬勃发展的企业。或许，这剥夺了他们后裔的财富继承，但这意味着，他们一生的事业更有可能长久。

　　John Spedan Lewis is a classic example: he founded the John Lewis Partnership²² because he believed in employee ownership, transferring control of the retailer²³ to its staff. Similarly, Henry Wellcome's will vested the entire share capital of his huge pharmaceutical²⁴ concern in the Wellcome Trust, now perhaps the world's largest biomedical charity – thanks to his generosity²⁵ and foresight²⁶. In the cases of Lewis and Wellcome, their philanthropy succeeded because their businesses grew enormously after their deaths.

　　约翰?史派登?路易斯(John Spedan Lewis)就是一个经典的例子：他创建John Lewis Partnership的原因是他信奉员工持股，于是他把这家零售企业的控股权转让给了员工。类似地，亨利?维康(Henry Wellcome)在遗嘱中将其庞大制药康采恩的全部股本投入维康信托(Wellcome Trust)，该信托现在大概是全球最大生物医学慈善组织，这源于他的慷慨和远见。在路易斯和维康的例子里，他们的慈善事业之所以成功，是因为他们的企业在他们死后大规模壮大。

　　Other rich entrepreneurs sell up and simply use their wealth for dedicated²⁷ good causes. Andrew Carnegie built the world's most profitable corporation in the steel trade in the late 19th century. He sold it for cash to JPMorgan, and proceeded to give almost the entire amount away, the equivalent today of billions of dollars, constructing thousands of libraries and endowing educational establishments. He wrote: "A man who dies thus rich dies disgraced." In a similar vein²⁸, I suspect one day Bill Gates will be better known for his charitable activities than for co-founding Microsoft.

　　还有一些富有企业家出售企业并将自己的财富投入崇高事业。19世纪末，安德鲁?卡内基(Andrew Carnegie)创建了全球钢铁行业中最具盈利能力的公司。他将该公司出售给摩根大通(JPMorgan)变现，并将几乎全部收益用于捐赠，金额相当于现在的数十亿美元，他用这些钱创办了数千家图书馆，并为教育机构提供捐赠。他写道："死得富有则死得耻辱。"类似地，我猜，比尔?盖茨(Bill Gates)将更多因为慈善活动被铭记，而非作为微软(Microsoft)的联合创始人。

　　I've no doubt that great composers, artists, writers and performers are more likely to be celebrated²⁹ after their deaths than any business leader. But by building companies that furnish jobs, that generate riches for stockholders and sell products that improve people's lives, capitalists can establish memorials to their efforts that are much more than tombstones. Prosperous family businesses passed down the generations are living epitaphs to the talents of their founders³⁰.

　　与商业领袖相比，伟大的作曲家、艺术家、作家和演员更有可能在死后被人们纪念，我对此毫不质疑。但通过创建企业提供就业、为股东创造财富以及销售改善人们生活的产品，资本家也可以为自己的努力建造一座意义远远大于墓碑的纪念碑。流传数代仍然繁荣的家族企业是创始人才华的活生生的墓志铭。

　　By their nature entrepreneurs upset the status quo, introducing change to the existing order. Such non-Establishment figures are often more renowned³¹ posthumously³² than those who meekly³³ conform all their lives. As General MacArthur put it: "You are remembered for the rules you break."

　　依照本性，企业家会打破现状，改变现有的秩序。与那些唯唯诺诺、随波逐流的人相比，这些打破常规的人物往往在死后更为出名。正如麦克阿瑟将军(General MacArthur)所言："你会因你打破的规则而被人铭记。"

　　Posterity³⁴ judges risk takers more kindly³⁵ than their contemporaries do.

　　与同时代的人相比，后人对冒险者的评判更为友好。

　　The writer runs Risk Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and is chairman of StartUp Britain

　　本文作者管理着私人股本公司Risk Capital Partners，并担任StartUp Britain主席

1 yearn   

v.想念；怀念；渴望

参考例句：

• We yearn to surrender our entire being.我们渴望着放纵我们整个的生命。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

2 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

3 instinctive   

adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的

参考例句：

• He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。
• Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。

4 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

5 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

6 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

8 tycoons   

大君( tycoon的名词复数 )； 将军； 企业巨头； 大亨

参考例句：

• The great tycoons were fierce competitors, single-minded in their pursuit of financial success and power. 企业巨头都是激烈的竞争者，他们一心追求钱财和权势。
• Tycoons and their conglomerates are even raising money again on international markets. 企业大亨们以及他们的企业甚至正再次从国际市场上筹集资金。

9 aspiration   

n.志向，志趣抱负；渴望；(语)送气音；吸出

参考例句：

• Man's aspiration should be as lofty as the stars.人的志气应当象天上的星星那么高。
• Young Addison had a strong aspiration to be an inventor.年幼的爱迪生渴望成为一名发明家。

10 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

11 amassing   

v.积累，积聚( amass的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The study of taxonomy must necessarily involve the amassing of an encyclopaedic knowledge of plants. 分类学研究一定要积累广博的植物知识。 来自辞典例句
• Build your trophy room while amassing awards and accolades. 建立您的奖杯积累奖项和荣誉。 来自互联网

12 industrialist   

n.工业家，实业家

参考例句：

• The industrialist's son was kidnapped.这名实业家的儿子被绑架了。
• Mr.Smith was a wealthy industrialist,but he was not satisfied with life.史密斯先生是位富有的企业家，可他对生活感到不满意。

13 obituary   

n.讣告，死亡公告；adj.死亡的

参考例句：

• The obituary records the whole life of the deceased.讣文记述了这位死者的生平。
• Five days after the letter came,he found Andersen s obituary in the morning paper.收到那封信五天后，他在早报上发现了安德森的讣告。

14 indictment   

n.起诉；诉状

参考例句：

• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
• They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

15 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

16 dynamite   

n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破)

参考例句：

• The workmen detonated the dynamite.工人们把炸药引爆了。
• The philosopher was still political dynamite.那位哲学家仍旧是政治上的爆炸性人物。

17 munitions   

n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品

参考例句：

• The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.军队用精确瞄准的枪炮炸掉敌方目标。
• He rose [made a career for himself] by dealing in munitions.他是靠贩卖军火发迹的。

18 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

19 commemorated   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Lincoln commemorated the soldiers killed in the battle in his address. 林肯在演说中表扬阵亡将士。 来自辞典例句
• You'll be commemorated for killing a spy, and be specially discharged. 你们每杀一个间谍将会被记录到特殊档案。 来自电影对白

20 consigned   

v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃

参考例句：

• I consigned her letter to the waste basket. 我把她的信丢进了废纸篓。
• The father consigned the child to his sister's care. 那位父亲把孩子托付给他妹妹照看。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

21 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

22 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

23 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

24 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

25 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

26 foresight   

n.先见之明，深谋远虑

参考例句：

• The failure is the result of our lack of foresight.这次失败是由于我们缺乏远虑而造成的。
• It required a statesman's foresight and sagacity to make the decision.作出这个决定需要政治家的远见卓识。

27 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

28 vein   

n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络

参考例句：

• The girl is not in the vein for singing today.那女孩今天没有心情唱歌。
• The doctor injects glucose into the patient's vein.医生把葡萄糖注射入病人的静脉。

29 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

30 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

31 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

32 posthumously   

adv.于死后，于身后；于著作者死后出版地

参考例句：

• He was confirmed posthumously as a member of the Chinese Communist Party. 他被追认为中国共产党党员。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her last book was published posthumously in 1948. 她最后的一本书在她死后于1948 年出版了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 meekly   

adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地

参考例句：

• He stood aside meekly when the new policy was proposed. 当有人提出新政策时，他唯唯诺诺地站 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He meekly accepted the rebuke. 他顺从地接受了批评。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 posterity   

n.后裔，子孙，后代

参考例句：

• Few of his works will go down to posterity.他的作品没有几件会流传到后世。
• The names of those who died are recorded for posterity on a tablet at the back of the church.死者姓名都刻在教堂后面的一块石匾上以便后人铭记。

35 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。