2023考研英語閱讀美貌經濟學
The economics of good looks
美貌經濟學
Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People are MoreSuccessful. By Daniel Hamermesh. PrincetonUniversity Press; 216 pages; $24.95 and ?16.95. Buy from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
《美貌買單》:為何有魅力的人更加成功,丹尼爾?漢姆梅斯著,普林斯頓大學出版社,216頁,24.59美圓,點擊Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk購買.
The Beauty Bias: The Injustice of Appearance in Life and Law. By Deborah Rhode. OxfordUniversity Press USA; 272 pages; $17.95 and ?15.99. Buy from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
《美貌的偏見》:生活與法律中外貌的不公, 黛博拉?羅得著,美國牛津大學出版社;272頁;17.95美圓,點擊 Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk購買.
Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital. By Catherine Hakim. Allen Lane; 304 pages; ?20. Tobe published in America in September as Erotic Capital: The Power of Attraction in theBoardroom and the Bedroom by Basic Books; $26. Buy from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
《甜蜜的金錢》:魅力資本的力量, 凱瑟琳?哈金著,304頁,20歐元,9月將在美國由基礎圖書公司出版:魅力資本:會議室與臥室中美貌的吸引力;26美圓,點擊Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk購買.
FRANCE looked back this week at the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the walls of the Louvre.It was one of the most startling art heists in history, but the emotions it still arouses gobeyond that. Stealing Leonardo da Vincis painting was like stealing beauty itself. And beautyhas lost none of its power to bewitch, bother and get its own way, as three new books on theeconomic advantages of good looks confirm.
本周,法國回顧了1911年盧浮宮墻上的《蒙娜麗莎》被盜的事件。那是史上最令人吃驚的藝術品盜竊案之一,曾引起群眾強烈的情感反應,不過這些情感已超越了盜竊本身。盜竊列奧納多?達?芬奇的畫作,無異于盜竊美本身。不過,正如三本關于美貌所帶來的經濟優勢的書所證明,美并未失卻一絲一毫迷惑世人、擾亂世人和為所欲為的力量。
Physically attractive women and men earn more thanaverage-looking ones, and very plain people earnless. In the labour market as a whole , looks have a biggerimpact on earnings than education, thoughintelligencemercifully enough is valued morehighly still.
外貌出眾的男男女女能比相貌平庸之人賺更多的錢,長相相當普通的人則賺得更少。在勞動力市場上,整體而言,相貌對收入的影響要大于受教育程度,雖然智商仍然被認為價值更高這已是萬幸了。
Beauty is naturally rewarded in jobs where physical attractiveness would seem to matter, suchas prostitution, entertainment, customer service and so on. But it also yields rewards inunexpected fields. Homely NFL quarterbacks earn less than their comelier counterparts, despiteidentical yards passed and years in the league. Not everything comes easier: good-lookingwomen seeking high-flying jobs in particularly male fields may be stymied by the bimbo effectuntil they prove their competence and commitment. But the importance of beauty in thelabour market is far more pervasive than one might think.
在一些相貌似乎事關緊要的職業類型里,如妓女、娛樂業、客戶服務等,美貌理所當然可以賺取報酬。但是在一些意想不到的領域里,美貌竟也能夠帶來回報。在美國橄欖球聯盟里,同為四分衛,即使傳球的碼數、在聯盟中的資歷完全一樣,長相平凡者還是比外貌出眾者收入更少。但并非長得好看就能事事順利:外貌出眾的女性在由男性主導的職業領域里尋求志向遠大的工作時,胸大無腦效應便可能會從中作梗,直至她們證明自己能力出眾以及全心投入工作。但出眾的外貌在勞動力市場上的重要性要比想象中來得更為普遍。
The same is true in other markets. Women have traditionally traded looks for economic supportin marriage. A Chinese study confirms that the husbands of unappealing women earn about10% less than those of their dishier counterparts. Attractive people also have an easier timegetting a loan than plain folks, even as they are less likely to pay it back. They receive milderprison sentences and higher damages in simulated legal proceedings. In America more peoplesay they have felt discriminated against for their appearance than because of their age, race orethnicity. Pretty people, it seems, have all the luck. These books attempt to explain why that is,and what, if anything, should be done about it.
在其他方面,情況相同。傳統上,在婚姻中,女性就用外貌來換取經濟支援。一個中國的研究證明,妻子長相平凡的丈夫比妻子漂亮的丈夫要少賺10%。即便外貌出眾者還款的可能性更低,他們在申請貸款時也比長相平凡者更容易。在模擬法律訴訟中,外貌出眾者受到的服刑判決會更輕,也能獲得更高的賠償金。在美國,相比起年齡、種族或民族,更多的人說他們因長相而受到的歧視。漂亮的人似乎運氣很好。這幾本書嘗試解釋這個現象以及能對此做些什么。
Daniel Hamermesh, an economist at the University of Texas, has long written aboutpulchronomics. In Beauty Pays he reckons that, over a lifetime and assuming todays meanwages, a handsome worker in America might on average make $230,000 more than a very plainone. There is evidence that attractive workers bring in more business, so it often makessense for firms to hire them. Whether rewarding them accordinglyand paying their lessattractive peers more stingilyis good for society is another matter.
德州大學的一位經濟學家丹尼爾? 漢姆梅斯一直在寫關于pulchronomics。他在《美貌買單》一書中指出,假若以如今的最低工資計算,在美國一個外貌出眾的人一生之中比一個長相平凡的人平均多賺230,000美圓。也有證據表明外貌出眾的員工能夠招攬更多生意,所以聘用他們對公司而言經常也是很有意義的。但是,給予他們相應的回報并支付其同僚更為刻薄的薪水是否對社會有益,那就是另一回事了。
In examining the case for legal protection for theugly, Mr Hamermesh relies to a degree on the workof Deborah Rhode, a law professor at StanfordUniversity and author of The Beauty Bias. MsRhode clearly struggles to see why any woman wouldwillingly embrace fashion .She is outraged that virtually all females considertheir looks as key to their self-image. She cites asurvey in which over half of young women said theywould prefer to be hit by a truck than be fat. Herindignation is mostly moral. Billions of dollars arenow spent on cosmetic surgeryup to 90% of it by womenat a time when almost a fifth ofAmericans lack basic health care. The more women focus on improving their looks, Ms Rhodeargues, the less they think about others.
在調查為長相丑陋的人提供法律保護的個案時,丹尼爾?漢姆梅斯在很大程度上參考了哈佛大學法學教授以及《美貌的偏見》的作者黛博拉?羅得所作的研究。黛博拉?羅得顯然極力探究為何所有女人都心甘情愿地追逐潮流。幾乎所有女人都認為外表對她們的個人形象無比重要,對此她感到憤怒。她作了一個調查,發現超過一半的受訪女性說她們寧愿被火車撞也不要變胖。黛博拉?羅得的憤怒大體是合乎道德的。如今,數十億美圓被花費在整容手術上,其中90%的消費者是女性,但同時,卻約有五分之一的美國人缺乏基本醫療保障。黛博拉?羅得認為,女性越是關注如何改善其外表,就會越少為他人著想。
The economics of good looks
美貌經濟學
Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People are MoreSuccessful. By Daniel Hamermesh. PrincetonUniversity Press; 216 pages; $24.95 and ?16.95. Buy from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
《美貌買單》:為何有魅力的人更加成功,丹尼爾?漢姆梅斯著,普林斯頓大學出版社,216頁,24.59美圓,點擊Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk購買.
The Beauty Bias: The Injustice of Appearance in Life and Law. By Deborah Rhode. OxfordUniversity Press USA; 272 pages; $17.95 and ?15.99. Buy from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
《美貌的偏見》:生活與法律中外貌的不公, 黛博拉?羅得著,美國牛津大學出版社;272頁;17.95美圓,點擊 Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk購買.
Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital. By Catherine Hakim. Allen Lane; 304 pages; ?20. Tobe published in America in September as Erotic Capital: The Power of Attraction in theBoardroom and the Bedroom by Basic Books; $26. Buy from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
《甜蜜的金錢》:魅力資本的力量, 凱瑟琳?哈金著,304頁,20歐元,9月將在美國由基礎圖書公司出版:魅力資本:會議室與臥室中美貌的吸引力;26美圓,點擊Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk購買.
FRANCE looked back this week at the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the walls of the Louvre.It was one of the most startling art heists in history, but the emotions it still arouses gobeyond that. Stealing Leonardo da Vincis painting was like stealing beauty itself. And beautyhas lost none of its power to bewitch, bother and get its own way, as three new books on theeconomic advantages of good looks confirm.
本周,法國回顧了1911年盧浮宮墻上的《蒙娜麗莎》被盜的事件。那是史上最令人吃驚的藝術品盜竊案之一,曾引起群眾強烈的情感反應,不過這些情感已超越了盜竊本身。盜竊列奧納多?達?芬奇的畫作,無異于盜竊美本身。不過,正如三本關于美貌所帶來的經濟優勢的書所證明,美并未失卻一絲一毫迷惑世人、擾亂世人和為所欲為的力量。
Physically attractive women and men earn more thanaverage-looking ones, and very plain people earnless. In the labour market as a whole , looks have a biggerimpact on earnings than education, thoughintelligencemercifully enough is valued morehighly still.
外貌出眾的男男女女能比相貌平庸之人賺更多的錢,長相相當普通的人則賺得更少。在勞動力市場上,整體而言,相貌對收入的影響要大于受教育程度,雖然智商仍然被認為價值更高這已是萬幸了。
Beauty is naturally rewarded in jobs where physical attractiveness would seem to matter, suchas prostitution, entertainment, customer service and so on. But it also yields rewards inunexpected fields. Homely NFL quarterbacks earn less than their comelier counterparts, despiteidentical yards passed and years in the league. Not everything comes easier: good-lookingwomen seeking high-flying jobs in particularly male fields may be stymied by the bimbo effectuntil they prove their competence and commitment. But the importance of beauty in thelabour market is far more pervasive than one might think.
在一些相貌似乎事關緊要的職業類型里,如妓女、娛樂業、客戶服務等,美貌理所當然可以賺取報酬。但是在一些意想不到的領域里,美貌竟也能夠帶來回報。在美國橄欖球聯盟里,同為四分衛,即使傳球的碼數、在聯盟中的資歷完全一樣,長相平凡者還是比外貌出眾者收入更少。但并非長得好看就能事事順利:外貌出眾的女性在由男性主導的職業領域里尋求志向遠大的工作時,胸大無腦效應便可能會從中作梗,直至她們證明自己能力出眾以及全心投入工作。但出眾的外貌在勞動力市場上的重要性要比想象中來得更為普遍。
The same is true in other markets. Women have traditionally traded looks for economic supportin marriage. A Chinese study confirms that the husbands of unappealing women earn about10% less than those of their dishier counterparts. Attractive people also have an easier timegetting a loan than plain folks, even as they are less likely to pay it back. They receive milderprison sentences and higher damages in simulated legal proceedings. In America more peoplesay they have felt discriminated against for their appearance than because of their age, race orethnicity. Pretty people, it seems, have all the luck. These books attempt to explain why that is,and what, if anything, should be done about it.
在其他方面,情況相同。傳統上,在婚姻中,女性就用外貌來換取經濟支援。一個中國的研究證明,妻子長相平凡的丈夫比妻子漂亮的丈夫要少賺10%。即便外貌出眾者還款的可能性更低,他們在申請貸款時也比長相平凡者更容易。在模擬法律訴訟中,外貌出眾者受到的服刑判決會更輕,也能獲得更高的賠償金。在美國,相比起年齡、種族或民族,更多的人說他們因長相而受到的歧視。漂亮的人似乎運氣很好。這幾本書嘗試解釋這個現象以及能對此做些什么。
Daniel Hamermesh, an economist at the University of Texas, has long written aboutpulchronomics. In Beauty Pays he reckons that, over a lifetime and assuming todays meanwages, a handsome worker in America might on average make $230,000 more than a very plainone. There is evidence that attractive workers bring in more business, so it often makessense for firms to hire them. Whether rewarding them accordinglyand paying their lessattractive peers more stingilyis good for society is another matter.
德州大學的一位經濟學家丹尼爾? 漢姆梅斯一直在寫關于pulchronomics。他在《美貌買單》一書中指出,假若以如今的最低工資計算,在美國一個外貌出眾的人一生之中比一個長相平凡的人平均多賺230,000美圓。也有證據表明外貌出眾的員工能夠招攬更多生意,所以聘用他們對公司而言經常也是很有意義的。但是,給予他們相應的回報并支付其同僚更為刻薄的薪水是否對社會有益,那就是另一回事了。
In examining the case for legal protection for theugly, Mr Hamermesh relies to a degree on the workof Deborah Rhode, a law professor at StanfordUniversity and author of The Beauty Bias. MsRhode clearly struggles to see why any woman wouldwillingly embrace fashion .She is outraged that virtually all females considertheir looks as key to their self-image. She cites asurvey in which over half of young women said theywould prefer to be hit by a truck than be fat. Herindignation is mostly moral. Billions of dollars arenow spent on cosmetic surgeryup to 90% of it by womenat a time when almost a fifth ofAmericans lack basic health care. The more women focus on improving their looks, Ms Rhodeargues, the less they think about others.
在調查為長相丑陋的人提供法律保護的個案時,丹尼爾?漢姆梅斯在很大程度上參考了哈佛大學法學教授以及《美貌的偏見》的作者黛博拉?羅得所作的研究。黛博拉?羅得顯然極力探究為何所有女人都心甘情愿地追逐潮流。幾乎所有女人都認為外表對她們的個人形象無比重要,對此她感到憤怒。她作了一個調查,發現超過一半的受訪女性說她們寧愿被火車撞也不要變胖。黛博拉?羅得的憤怒大體是合乎道德的。如今,數十億美圓被花費在整容手術上,其中90%的消費者是女性,但同時,卻約有五分之一的美國人缺乏基本醫療保障。黛博拉?羅得認為,女性越是關注如何改善其外表,就會越少為他人著想。