Posted: 24 Oct 2012 05:52 AM PDT
国外有一个著名的问答社交网站叫Quora，硅谷精英的小后花园。在那里你可以提出各种问题，然后找到合适的人回答。自然，也就有真正懂行的人来回答，或者是装逼人士过来摆姿势。于是有人提问说：知识分子和伪知识分子的区别是什么？
一位叫做Marcus Geduld的人回答了这个问题，得到了社区里许多人的赞同。我把他的回答翻译为中文，你也可以去看：原文。
《知识分子和伪知识分子的区别》
作者：Marcus Geduld我的定义是：我是一个知识分子。在这个意义上来说，并不意味着我比普通人更聪明。我意思是：我过着一种智性的生活。
也许我的看法是对的，也许这些看法是错的。重点是我一直在动脑筋，我一直在脑子里塞进新东西，我一直把各种信条在脑子里拉来扯去。我致力于求知，而且当我这么的做的时候甚至会在某些事情上得到类似高潮的体验。
伪知识主义是摆姿势。一个伪知识分子希望其他人觉得他很聪明。他极尽一切最功利的手段去达成这个目的。
一个真正的知识分子会通读一本书，因为他的目标是吃透这本书。而一个伪知识分子会读内容概述和摘要，因为他的目的是说服人们相信他读了这本书。要做到这一点你根本不需要通读，概述和摘要更有效。
一个真正的知识分子总是想要知道“为什么”，他的求知欲无可餍足。为什么天会下雨？因为天空有云。为什么天空会有云？因为冷凝水。为什么会有冷凝水？等等等等。他对此永无厌倦。如果你问他为什么总是想着求知，他会望着你心头茫然。因为对于他来说，知识本身即为目的。知识里的多巴胺驱使他不断向前，他不能理解类似“这有什么关系”、“这有什么意义”，或者“实际用途是什么”一类的话。
一个伪知识分子绝对不问“为什么”。他只问那些暗示他是聪明人之一的问题。事实上，他基本不发问，他只是阐述。
一个真正的知识分子不关心所谓“才智之士的话题”。在特定的时间段和特定的文化中，总是有写被称为“你应该知道的事情”。今天，这意味着政见---“聪明人”对政治“知之甚详”。一个真正的知识分子可能碰巧会对政治有兴趣，但是一旦他发觉自己对通心粉更感兴趣，那么他会立即转而研究通心粉。无论指向何方，他遵从自己大脑的指示。
一次伪智力活动总是指望着“才智之士的话题”。伪知识分子总是非常关注哪一本书他应该去读，哪一部电影他应该去看，哪些事情他应该知道。
如果你对一个真正的知识分子说：“我会告诉你一个问题的答案，但是你不可以把这个答案告诉其他人，甚至不可以让任何人知道你得到了答案。”他会回答说：“好吧，告诉我吧。”
如果你对一个伪知识分子说相同的话，他会回答说：“算了吧。”
在Quora上，一个伪知识分子会找到特定的一类提问，然后回答说：“这是一个愚蠢的问题。”或者“你这是故意捣乱”。他关心的是给智力划分等级，他关心的是提问的动机。
而一个真正的知识分子在Quora上只会关心一个问题是不是可以被解答，至少是在理论上找到答案。他不大关心为什么这个问题会提交出来，他只关心问题本身。而且，当他尝试着更仔细地检查那些所谓的“蠢问题”和“捣蛋题”的时候，当他认真严肃地对待这些问题并且试着回答的时候，往往答案会是如此捉摸不定，又是如此复杂难解，同时让人深深着迷。
和菜头怎样正确地欣赏左小祖咒和鸟叔 - pavillonrose@gmail.com - Gmail
Here's my definition: I am an intellectual. By that, I don't mean I'm smarter than the average person. I mean that I live a life of the mind.
Maybe my ideas are right; maybe they are wrong. The point is that I'm constantly in my head. I'm constantly cramming new things in my head. I'm constantly pushing around symbols inside my head. I'm devoted to learning. I actually feel something akin to an orgasm when I learn.
Pseudo-intellectualism is a social stance. A pseudo-intellectual wants other people to think he's smart. He will work towards that goal in the most economical way possible.
An intellectual will read a whole book, because his goal is to understand the book. A pseudo-intellectual will read the Cliff Notes, because his goal is to convince people that he's read the book. And you don't need to read a whole book in order to make most people think you have. Cliff Notes are more efficient.
An intellectual always wants to know why. His whys are bottomless. Why is it raining? Because there are clouds in the sky. Why are there clouds? Because water condensed. Why did water condense? Etc. He will never tire of this. If you ask him why he wants to know, he'll stare at you blankly. Because, to him, knowledge itself is the goal. He gets a dopamine rush from knowledge. He doesn't understand phrases like "Why does it matter?" "What's the point?" or "What's the practical application?"
A pseudo-intellectual doesn't ask why? why? why? He only asks about things that signal he's one of the smart set. In fact, he rarely asks. He tells.
An intellectual doesn't care about "smart topics." Depending on the time period and culture, there are certain things "one should know." Nowadays, the main signifier is politics. "Smart people" are "well informed" about politics. An intellectual might happen to be interested in politics. But if he's more interested in pasta, he'll study that instead. He follows his brain wherever it leads him.
A pseudo-intellection will always be on the lookout for "smart topics." He's very concerned with what books one should read, what movies one should see, and what facts one should know.
If you say to an intellectual, "I'm going to tell you the answer to a question, but you can't share the answer with anyone else, and you can't even tell anyone you know the answer," he'll say, "Okay. Tell me."
If you say the same thing to a pseudo-intellectual, he'll say, "Don't bother."
A pseudo-intellectual, on Quora, will look at certain questions and say, "That's a stupid question" or "You're clearly trolling." He is concerned with ranking intelligence. He is concerned with motivations for asking questions.
An intellectual on Quora is concerned with whether or not a question is answerable -- at least in theory. He doesn't much care about why the question was asked. He cares about the question itself. And he's often found that when you closely examine "stupid questions" or even "troll questions" -- when you take them seriously and try to answer them -- the answers are elusive, complex and fascinating.
This explains a lot about me: http://www.quora.com/Marcus-Gedu... Marcus Geduld's answer to:
Intellectualism: What is the difference between a pseudo-intellectual and an intellectual?
Marcus Geduld, Shakespearean director, computer prog... (more) Shakespearean director, computer programmer, teacher, writer, likes dinosaurs.
206 votes by
Specific Quora Users: Who is Emilya Burd?
Graduated University of California, Los Angeles '11 with a Political Science degree with international... (more)Loading...
Autodidact, xenogenic, polymath wannabe with a thirst for knowledge that knows few bounds. Philosopher and realist, perpetually trying to separate ... (more)Loading...
Anon User, (more)Loading...
7+ Comments Loading... • Share (20) • Embed • 23:44 on Tue Oct 23 2012
Cannot add comment if you are logged out.
That's brilliant! Thanks.
Comment downvoted • 0:39 on Wed Oct 24 2012
Cannot add reply if you are logged out.
UpvoteDownvote • Post • 0:39 on Wed Oct 24 2012
没有评论:
发表评论