Paradox of Our Times

Paradox of Our Times
我们这个时代的尴尬

Today we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time;
我们居住的房屋越来越宽敞，家庭却越来越小型化；可以享受的生活便利日益增多，属于自己的时间却日趋减少；

we have more degrees, but less common sense; more knowledge, but less judgment;
我们获得了一张又一张学位证书，却愈加频繁地陷入对常识的茫然中；我们广泛地涉猎各类知识，却越来越缺乏对于外界事物的准确把握和判断；

We have more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.
我们的专家越来越多，问题却也日渐增加；药物越吃越多，健康却每况愈下。

We spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get to angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too often, and pray too seldom.
我们花钱太疯，笑容太少，开车太快，怒气太盛，熬夜太晚，起身太累，文章读得太少，电视看得太勤，祷告做得太少。

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too little and lie too often.
我们不断聚敛物质财富，却逐渐丢失了自我价值。我们的话语太多，真爱太少，谎言泛滥。

We‘ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, not life to years.
我们掌握了谋生手段，却不懂得生活真谛；我们让年华付诸流水，却不曾将生命倾注其中。

We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
我们的住房越来越好，脾气却越来越糟；我们行驶的道路越来越宽阔，眼光却越来越狭隘。

We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.
我们付出很多，可获得的很少；我们购买了很多，可从中得到的乐趣却很少。

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
我们能够往返于地球与月球之间却不乐于穿过马路向新邻居问好。

We've conquered outer space, but not inner space. We've split the atom, but not our prejudice;
我们可以征服外部空间，却慑于走进内心世界。我们可以击碎原子，却不能突破思想偏见；

we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less.
我们写得很多，可学到的很少；计划很多，可完成的很少。

We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but lower morals.
我们学会了追赶时间，却没学会耐心等待；我们拥有的财富越来越多，道德品质却日益沦丧

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies, but have less communication. We are long on quantity, but short on quality.
我们生产更多的电脑用于存储更多的信息和制造更多的拷贝，而相互间的交流与沟通却越来越少。我们拥有的是数量，缺乏的是质量。

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men and short character; steep profits and shallow relationships.
这是一个快餐食品和消化迟缓相伴的时代；一个体格高大和性格病态并存的时代；一个追名逐利和人情冷漠相生的时代。

More leisure and less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition; two incomes, but more divorce; fancier houses, but broken homes.
我们的闲暇多了，乐趣却少了；食品种类多了，营养却少了；双薪家庭增加了，离婚率也激升了；居室的装修华丽了，家庭却残缺破碎了。

That’s why I propose, that as of today, you do not keep anything for a special occasion, because every day that you live is a special occasion.
因此我奉劝大家，在当今这个时代，不必为某个特别时刻保留什么，因为我们生活的每一天都是特别的。

Search for knowledge, read more, sit on your front porch and admire the view without paying attention to your needs.
探索知识，遨游书海，坐在门廊前欣赏眼前的景色，把所有烦恼抛在脑后。

Spend more time with your family and friends, eat your favorite foods, and visit the places you love.
留出更多的时间与家人和朋友一起分享，吃遍天下美食，游遍你心中想往的名山大川。

Life is a chain of moment of enjoyment, not only about survival.
生命是由快乐时光组成的一个链条，而绝不仅仅是一种生命的存在。

Use your crystal goblets. Do not save your best perfume, and use it every time you feel you want it.
举起你那水晶酒杯开怀畅饮吧，不要吝惜你最好的香水，只要想用就尽情地用吧。

Remove from your vocabulary phrases like “one of these days” and “someday”. Let’s write that letter we thought of writing “one of these days”. 
将“今后某一天”这类的话语从你的词汇中删除，现在就把你想在“今后某一天”写的信件写了寄走。

Let’s tell our families and friends how much we love them. Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life. 
不要把对家人和朋友的爱深藏心中，大胆地告诉他们。对于能给你的生命增添快乐的事情，不要押后拖延。

Every day, every hour, and every minute is special. And you don’t know if it will be your last.
每一天，每一小时，每一分钟都是特别的。你怎么知道这会不会是你的最后一刻。