【英语时差8,16】为什么无法阻止朋友做出糟糕的决定

Studies have shown that unsound thinking can sort of pass from one person to the next. Say I bought a house with the intent of fixing it up and then selling it. It’s one of those deals where you keep sinking money into it, doing repair after repair, renovation¹ upon renovation. But, of course, things keep falling apart, and I don’t know what I am doing. But I keep throwing good money after bad. In other words, I am making some very bad decisions. Would you stop me? Well, I would like to think I would. Sure, but according to a few studies, because you know me, there’s a good chance you’ll actually encourage me to keep going. But why? Because it’s like you internalize my hopes and desires and aren’t able to be objective. It’s almost as though you’ve caught my fever for flipping² the house. So you end up justifying³ my bad decisions instead of pointing out their flaws. I see! But if I didn’t know you will had no personal connection, I’d be more able to give you objective advice? Right!

 

1 renovation   

n.革新，整修

参考例句：

• The cinema will reopen next week after the renovation.电影院修缮后，将于下星期开业。
• The building has undergone major renovation.这座大楼已进行大整修。

2 flipping   

讨厌之极的

参考例句：

• I hate this flipping hotel! 我讨厌这个该死的旅馆！
• Don't go flipping your lid. 别发火。

3 justifying   

证明…有理( justify的现在分词 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护）

参考例句：

• He admitted it without justifying it. 他不加辩解地承认这个想法。
• The fellow-travellers'service usually consisted of justifying all the tergiversations of Soviet intenal and foreign policy. 同路人的服务通常包括对苏联国内外政策中一切互相矛盾之处进行辩护。