登陆注册
19611600000080

第80章 CHAPTER 5 The Egotist Becomes a Personage(7)

"No," said Amory, shaking his head. "Money isn't the only stimulus that brings out the best that's in a man, even in America."

"You said a while ago that it was."

"It is, right now. But if it were made illegal to have more than a certain amount the best men would all flock for the one other reward which attracts humanity-honor."

The big man made a sound that was very like boo.

"That's the silliest thing you've said yet."

"No, it isn't silly. It's quite plausible. If you'd gone to college you'd have been struck by the fact that the men there would work twice as hard for any one of a hundred petty honors as those other men did who were earning their way through."

"Kids-child's play!" scoffed his antagonist.

"Not by a darned sightunless we're all children. Did you ever see a grown man when he's trying for a secret societyor a rising family whose name is up at some club? They'll jump when they hear the sound of the word. The idea that to make a man work you've got to hold gold in front of his eyes is a growth, not an axiom.

We've done that for so long that we've forgotten there's any other way. We've made a world where that's necessary. Let me tell you"Amory became emphatic"if there were ten men insured against either wealth or starvation, and offered a green ribbon for five hours' work a day and a blue ribbon for ten hours' work a day, nine out of ten of them would be trying for the blue ribbon. That competitive instinct only wants a badge. If the size of their house is the badge they'll sweat their heads off for that. If it's only a blue ribbon, I damn near believe they'll work just as hard. They have in other ages."

"I don't agree with you."

"I know it," said Amory nodding sadly. "It doesn't matter any more though. I think these people are going to come and take what they want pretty soon."

A fierce hiss came from the little man.

"Machine-guns!"

"Ah, but you've taught them their use."

The big man shook his head.

"In this country there are enough property owners not to permit that sort of thing."

Amory wished he knew the statistics of property owners and non-property owners; he decided to change the subject.

But the big man was aroused.

"When you talk of 'taking things away,' you're on dangerous ground."

"How can they get it without taking it? For years people have been stalled off with promises. Socialism may not be progress, but the threat of the red flag is certainly the inspiring force of all reform. You've got to be sensational to get attention."

"Russia is your example of a beneficent violence, I suppose?"

"Quite possibly," admitted Amory. "Of course, it's overflowing just as the French Revolution did, but I've no doubt that it's really a great experiment and well worth while."

"Don't you believe in moderation?"

"You won't listen to the moderates, and it's almost too late. The truth is that the public has done one of those startling and amazing things that they do about once in a hundred years.

They've seized an idea."

"What is it?"

"That however the brains and abilities of men may differ, their stomachs are essentially the same."

THE LITTLE MAN GETS HIS

"If you took all the money in the world," said the little man with much profundity, "and divided it up in equ-"

"Oh, shut up!" said Amory briskly and, paying no attention to the little man's enraged stare, he went on with his argument.

"The human stomach-" he began; but the big man interrupted rather impatiently.

"I'm letting you talk, you know," he said, "but please avoid stomachs. I've been feeling mine all day. Anyway, I don't agree with one-half you've said. Government ownership is the basis of your whole argument, and it's invariably a beehive of corruption.

Men won't work for blue ribbons, that's all rot."

When he ceased the little man spoke up with a determined nod, as if resolved this time to have his say out.

"There are certain things which are human nature," he asserted with an owl-like look, "which always have been and always will be, which can't be changed."

Amory looked from the small man to the big man helplessly.

"Listen to that! That's what makes me discouraged with progress.

Listen to that! I can name offhand over one hundred natural phenomena that have been changed by the will of mana hundred instincts in man that have been wiped out or are now held in check by civilization. What this man here just said has been for thousands of years the last refuge of the associated mutton-heads of the world. It negates the efforts of every scientist, statesman, moralist, reformer, doctor, and philosopher that ever gave his life to humanity's service. It's a flat impeachment of all that's worth while in human nature. Every person over twenty-five years old who makes that statement in cold blood ought to be deprived of the franchise."

The little man leaned back against the seat, his face purple with rage. Amory continued, addressing his remarks to the big man.

"These quarter-educated, stale-minded men such as your friend here, who think they think, every question that comes up, you'll find his type in the usual ghastly muddle. One minute it's 'the brutality and inhumanity of these Prussians'the next it's 'we ought to exterminate the whole German people.' They always believe that 'things are in a bad way now,' but they 'haven't any faith in these idealists.' One minute they call Wilson 'just a dreamer, not practical'a year later they rail at him for making his dreams realities. They haven't clear logical ideas on one single subject except a sturdy, stolid opposition to all change.

They don't think uneducated people should be highly paid, but they won't see that if they don't pay the uneducated people their children are going to be uneducated too, and we're going round and round in a circle. Thatis the great middle class!"

The big man with a broad grin on his face leaned over and smiled at the little man.

"You're catching it pretty heavy, Garvin; how do you feel?" The little man made an attempt to smile and act as if the whole matter were so ridiculous as to be beneath notice. But Amory was not through.

同类推荐
  • 绝余编

    绝余编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 元史

    元史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 归田琐记

    归田琐记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • THE SIGN OF FOUR

    THE SIGN OF FOUR

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Woodlanders

    The Woodlanders

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 父亲进城

    父亲进城

    烂尾楼背后的那些男男女女们留下了一堆废弃的钢筋混凝土的同时也留下了许多的辉煌、失落、曲折辛酸,那些或高或矮的烂尾楼都是一种命运与人生传奇。
  • 守护甜心之我会报仇的守护者

    守护甜心之我会报仇的守护者

    亚梦的身份竟是全球首富千奈家千金千奈飘雪!
  • 和谐做事

    和谐做事

    和谐经济,是经济过程人和人、人的因素和物的因素的对称,是宏观经济和微观经济结构的合理有序,是老板之间、股东之间、出资者和管理人员之间、老板和员工之间、领导和群众之间、上级和下级之间、合作伙伴之间、团队成员之间、企业和顾客之间的双赢合作,是上游产品和下游产品之间、生产链的上一个环节和下一个环节之间的最佳组合。只有经济过程、企业内外各种关系协调有序、和谐运作,才能发挥经济主体的最佳功能。
  • DNF之死亡旅途

    DNF之死亡旅途

    因为恋人的意外去世,李超沉浸在游戏之中不能自拔。一次意外让其来到了神秘的阿拉德大陆。为了心中的执念,为了还能回到那熟悉的家园。李超开始了疯狂变强之路!
  • 凤统

    凤统

    作为一个动物训练师居然也能穿越?穿了也就穿了,还中了媚药被人动了?好吧,解了毒,跑了路,一年之后才发现自己无意之间带走了球?天啊,这球是谁的?十月临盆,居然生出俩娃,孩子他爹们还找上门!
  • 沉默的子弹

    沉默的子弹

    他曾经是一个出色的特种兵,令敌胆寒的狙击手,因为违背军纪,他选择了离开。生活的经历,让他承受了常人难以想象的痛苦,为了忘却那些刻骨铭心的伤痛,他只选择最危险的任务。因为,只有在枪林弹雨中,他才能找回自己,一个特种兵的忠与魂!
  • 附魔者之久炼千灵

    附魔者之久炼千灵

    附魔者,人之本体,加之附魔以强能。在这个纷乱的世界,强者为王。人人都想要无穷的力量,以征服天下。然而一位不闻世事的少年确实一个天生的“附魔者”。他本来对力量毫无兴趣,在遭遇一系列变故之后,他也走上了一条坎坷的修炼之路。身为天生的“附魔者”,他的命运到底会如何呢?在这纷乱的世界,他将何去何从呢······
  • 新编世界五千年(三)

    新编世界五千年(三)

    1649年1月27日,英国最高法庭判决查理一世是暴君、叛徒、杀人犯和人民公敌,应处死刑。1月30日,查理—世被送上了断头台。臣民们把自己的国王送上断头台,这在人类历史上还是第一次。这是英国资产阶级革命的伟大成果。从此,欧洲的历史揭开了新的一页。
  • 左右你一生的心态

    左右你一生的心态

    本书共分十章。前四章为第一部分,主要是指导人们如何调整心态、把握心态。给予是一种快乐,平衡自己的心态,以补偿的心理超越自卑,以乐观的态度对待失败。第二部分为五到十章,主要阐述了如何度过心情的低谷、消除心中的“毒瘤”,做自己心态的引导者,体谅他人心情的一些具体方法,即在绝望中要抓住快乐,相信自己能主宰自己,消灭自卑才能自信,调整自己的心情,追求淡泊恬静,笑看输赢得失,心存美好的期盼等。
  • 雷道罚天

    雷道罚天

    天地不仁,以万物为刍狗;圣人不仁,以百姓为刍狗!地球小子意外坠落异星,开启血脉传承、远古的记忆,且看他是如何逆伐天道!