每日英語 #061: Fiction for a Kinder, Gentler World

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Fiction for a Kinder, Gentler World

People spend a lot of time with “fiction” (stories that aren’t true) in some “form” (type) or other. They watch movies, TV shows, and/or read novels. Could what we watch or read have a bigger “impact” (affect; influence) on us than we thought?

人們花費大量時間接觸某種形式的“虛構”（不真實的故事）。他們看電影、電視節目和/或閱讀小說。我們所觀看或閱讀的內容是否對我們產生了比我們想像中更大的“影響”（影響；影響）？

Jonathan Gottschall, who wrote a 2012 book about storytelling, “argues” (gives evidence to support his idea) that fiction “shapes” (changes) the way we see ourselves and other people, helping us develop empathy for others. “Empathy” is the ability to feel what other people feel and to understand them. According to the studies or research he “cites” (mentions as evidence), the more “involved” (deeply caring about) we are in the story, the more influence the story has on our empathy for others.

喬納森·戈特沙爾（Jonathan Gottschall）在2012年撰寫了一本關於講故事的書，書中“主張”（提供證據支持他的觀點）虛構故事“塑造”（改變）了我們看待自己和他人的方式，幫助我們培養對他人的同理心。“同理心”是感受他人感受並理解他們的能力。根據他“引用”的研究或調查，“參與”故事越深，我們對他人的同理心影響就越大。

According to Gottschall, fiction “enhances” (increases) our ability to understand other people. It promotes a deep “morality” (feeling of right and wrong) that “cuts across” (is not limited by) religious and political “creeds” (sets of beliefs).

根據戈特沙爾的說法，虛構故事“增強”（提高）了我們理解他人的能力。它促進了一種深刻的“道德”（正義與錯誤的感覺），這種道德“超越”（不限於）宗教和政治“信條”（一套信仰）。

In fact, Gottschall argues that we respond to fiction in a very different way than we do to “nonfiction” (stories or writings based on facts, real people/events, and more, such as the news). When we watch or read nonfiction, our “defenses” (ways of protecting ourselves) are up and we tend to be “skeptical” (not believing; are not easy to convince).

事實上，戈特沙爾認為我們對虛構故事的反應與對“非虛構”（基於事實、真實人物/事件等的故事或寫作，如新聞）的反應非常不同。當我們觀看或閱讀非虛構內容時，我們的“防禦”（保護自己的方式）會提高，我們傾向於“懷疑”（不相信；不容易被說服）。

On the other hand, when we “encounter” (meet) fiction — in movies, TV shows, and novels — our “guard is down” (not watchful for something to harm us) and we’re more easily “shaped” (changed).

另一方面，當我們“接觸”（遇見）虛構故事時——在電影、電視節目和小說中——我們的“警惕性降低”（不警惕有害的東西）並且更容易被“塑造”（改變）。

Of course, while fiction may be able to make people more empathetic, it can also make them more angry, “militant” (aggressive; wanting to fight), or “bitter” (feeling hurt and resentful). However, according to the research that Gootschall cites, fiction tends to have a more positive than negative effect on us.

當然，雖然虛構故事可能讓人們變得更有同理心，但也可能使他們更生氣、更“好鬥”（好鬥的；想打架的），或者“痛苦”（感到受傷和怨恨）。然而，根據戈特沙爾引用的研究，虛構故事對我們的影響往往是積極的多於消極的。

重點單字

• 1. Fiction [ˈfɪkʃən] 虛構
• 2. Form [fɔrm] 形式
• 3. Impact [ˈɪmpækt] 影響
• 4. Argue [ˈɑrɡju] 主張
• 5. Shape [ʃeɪp] 塑造
• 6. Empathy [ˈɛmpəθi] 同理心
• 7. Cite [saɪt] 引用
• 8. Involved [ɪnˈvɑlvd] 參與
• 9. Enhance [ɪnˈhæns] 增強
• 10. Morality [məˈrælɪti] 道德
• 11. Creed [krid] 信條
• 12. Nonfiction [nɒnˈfɪkʃən] 非虛構
• 13. Defense [dɪˈfɛns] 防禦
• 14. Skeptical [ˈskɛptɪkəl] 懷疑的
• 15. Encounter [ɪnˈkaʊntər] 遇見
• 16. Guard [ɡɑrd] 警惕
• 17. Militant [ˈmɪlɪtənt] 好鬥的
• 18. Bitter [ˈbɪtər] 痛苦的