Name: 越不在意反而越快樂！將道教的智慧學起來，讓你的人生更快活！ (The Less You Care, The Happier You’ll Be | Taoist Wisdom For An Overly Serious World)
Uploaded: 2024-10-17T21:01:20.000Z
Duration: 13 min 42 s

A long time ago, Confucius and his students walked on a road to the kingdom of Wei.

很久以前，孔子和他的學生們走在通往衛國的路上。

They stumbled upon a hermit, at least a hundred years old.

他們偶然發現了一位至少有一百歲的隱士。

過去完成式

The man was gathering some grain that farmers had dropped, and he was singing while doing so.

這個人正在收集農民掉落的穀物，他一邊收集一邊唱歌。

One of the students, a young man named Zekun, was confused.

其中一位名叫 Zekun 的年輕學生感到很困惑。

He couldn't comprehend why the old hermit was so happy, as he must've been very poor and alone, having to scour for harvest scraps.

他不明白老隱士為什麼這麼高興，因為他一定很窮，而且孤苦伶仃，只能靠撿拾殘羹剩飯度日。

Zekun walked over to the hermit and showed compassion for his sad fate.

Zekun 走到隱士身邊，對他的悲慘命運表示同情。

But the old man smiled and said, "Why do you feel sorry for me?

老人卻笑著說：「你為什麼要同情我？

在你眼裡，我就那麼可憐嗎？」

"Well, sir," Zekun said, "I assumed you didn't work hard in your younger years and didn't care about success and status, and so you couldn't find a wife and have children to look after you.

Zekun 說：「先生，我想你年輕時沒有努力工作，也不在乎成功和地位，所以找不到老婆，生不出孩子來照顧你。

「我笑著唱歌，因為我感到快樂。

If I had worked hard in my younger years, competing with others, I wouldn't have gotten so old and healthy.

如果我在年輕時努力工作，與他人競爭，我就不會變得如此年老和健康。

I don't have to worry about their lives either.

This story is from a Taoist scripture called Li Tzu.

這個故事出自道教經書《李子》。

It shows a typical Taoist way of thinking, namely that there's always gain in what we perceive as loss.

這顯示了一種典型的道家思維方式，即在我們認為失去的東西中總會有得到的東西。

Even though the elderly man is not conventionally well-off, he's quite the archetypical loser in today's language, he's well aware of his many blessings in disguise.

儘管這位老人並不是傳統意義上的富翁，用現在的話說，他是一個典型的失敗者，但他深知自己有很多不幸。

But for most people, it's probably challenging to have this attitude.

但對大多數人來說，持這種態度可能具有挑戰性。

We're easily swayed by societal standards and concerned with other people's opinions.

我們很容易被社會標準所左右，也很在意別人的看法。

This is where Taoist philosophy becomes especially valuable.

這就是道家哲學變得尤為寶貴的地方。

It contains the wisdom to worry less, not just about what other people think, but about almost anything.

它蘊含著減少憂慮的智慧，不僅是減少對他人看法的憂慮，而且減少對幾乎任何事情的憂慮。

這不正是我們今天所需要的嗎？

Distractions are everywhere, and times are changing rapidly.

干擾因素無處不在，時代也在快速變化。

Life is stressful, with many suffering from burnout and depression and others on the verge.

生活壓力很大，很多人都患上了職業倦怠和抑鬱症，還有一些人瀕臨崩潰邊緣。

This video shares three insights from ancient Taoist sages to help you care less in an overly serious world.

這部影片分享了古代道家聖賢的三點啟示，幫助你在這個過於嚴肅的世界裡減少憂慮。

If you want to support EINZELGANGER, consider joining my Patreon page, which allows access to ad-free videos and free merch.

如果你想支持 EINZELGANGER，請考慮加入我的 Patreon 頁面，它讓你能觀看無廣告影片和免費商品。

Thank you, and I hope you'll enjoy this video.

謝謝，希望你們會喜歡這部影片。

The Taoist sage Zhuangzi observed long ago how people are hung up on things like fame, wealth and status.

道家聖人莊子很早就觀察到人們是如何迷戀名利和地位的。

In his time, people pursued luxuries such as expensive food and fine clothes, and traveled to far places to enjoy the sights.

在他的時代，人們追求奢侈，如昂貴的食物和精美的衣服，並前往遙遠的地方欣賞風景。

今天，我們看到一切都沒有改變。

Moreover, our modern-day media constantly pressures us to live a high life.

此外，現代媒體不斷向我們施壓，要求我們過上高尚的生活。

Our tendency to seek out that new shiny thing, whether luxury or experience, is being exploited.

我們追求閃亮新事物（無論是奢侈品還是體驗）的傾向正在被利用。

Society teaches us to have great careers, big houses, nice cars.

社會教導我們要有偉大的事業、大房子和好車。

We get raised under the imperative to be successful and, if possible, wealthy.

我們從小就被教育要成功，如果可能的話，要富有。

Material success, status and achievement are the metrics by which we decide people's worth.

物質上的成功、地位和成就是我們衡量人們價值的標準。

It's what the world honors, argues Zhuangzi.

莊子認為，這是世人所尊崇的。

"If they do not get these things, they're very sorrowful and go on to be troubled with fears," he said.

他說：「如果他們沒有得到這些東西，他們就會非常悲傷，並繼續被恐懼所困擾。」

Once you commit yourself to pursuing all these celebrated external things, it seems to be never enough.

一旦你致力於追求所有這些被人稱道的外在事物，似乎永遠都不夠。

Once you get a nice car, you will likely want a better one.

一旦你有了一輛好車，你很可能會想要一輛更好的。

Once you have your dream house, things get old quickly.

一旦擁有了夢想中的房子，一切都會變得很快。

The euphoric happiness, generated by this once so much desired but pricey house, fades into normalcy.

這棟曾經如此令人嚮往但價格不菲的房子所帶來的愉悅感逐漸消失，變得平淡無奇。

But despite not feeling much happier in the long run, you still have to make your mortgage payment.

不過，儘管從長遠來看，你並不覺得自己有多幸福，但你還是得還房貸。

Over time, you become trapped, a slave to your possessions.

久而久之，你就會陷入困境，成為財產的奴隸。

From Zhuangzi's viewpoint, this is a stressful mode of living.

在莊子看來，這是一種充滿壓力的生活模式。

People living like this wear themselves out.

這樣生活的人會把自己累垮的。

"This is a stupid way to treat the body," he stated.

他說：「這種對待身體的方式很愚蠢。」

And isn't he correct, looking at the rates of burnout, anxiety and depression in modern-day societies?

看看現代社會中的職業倦怠、焦慮和憂鬱率，他說得沒錯吧？

In pursuit of riches, we are wearing ourselves out.

在追求財富的過程中，我們把自己累垮了。

In the quest for fame on social media, we're exploiting ourselves.

在社交媒體上追求名利的同時，我們也在利用自己。

We're doing it because we think it makes us happy.

我們這麼做是因為我們認為這能讓我們快樂。

Many do it so other people hold them in high esteem.

許多人這樣做是為了讓其他人對他們高看一眼。

Others do it to belong, but they're nothing more than cogs in the consumerist machine.

還有一些人這樣做是為了歸屬感，但他們不過是消費主義機器上的齒輪而已。

A never-ending pursuit of stuff and fame that never satisfies, rarely leading to lasting happiness.

對物質和名利永無止境的追求，永遠不會讓人滿足，也很少能帶來持久的幸福。

Something ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus also realized, as he saw many of the things we pursue nowadays as unnecessary and vain.

古希臘哲學家伊壁鳩魯也意識到了這一點，他認為我們現在追求的許多東西都是不必要的、虛榮的。

At the same time, Zhuangzi observed that people look down on poverty, bad reputation and what we would call irrelevance today.

與此同時，莊子觀察到人們看不起貧窮、壞名聲和我們今天所說的無關緊要。

These people don't have the finest clothes, don't eat oysters and caviar, and don't get to see the many fabulous sights of the world.

這些人沒有最好的衣服，吃不到牡蠣和魚子醬，也看不到世界上許多美妙的風景。

They are to be met with contempt and avoidance.

But Zhuangzi said we can't judge right and wrong by the world's standards.

但莊子說，我們不能以世俗的標準來判斷是非。

He proposes doing nothing, as doing nothing leads to perfect enjoyment.

他建議什麼也不做，因為什麼也不做就能得到完美的享受。

"Heaven does nothing, and thence comes its serenity;

「上天什麼也不做，所以才有了它的寧靜。

Earth does nothing, and thence comes its rest."

地球什麼也不做，於是它休息了。」

We could ask ourselves, do all these external things truly make us happy?

我們可以捫心自問，這些外在的東西真的能讓我們快樂嗎？

Or can happiness be found in the simplest things?

還是說，幸福可以從最簡單的事情中找到？

Isn't the mere cessation of trying to pursue happiness when happiness arises?

當幸福來臨的時候，不就是停止努力追求幸福嗎？

The reason we're unhappy seems to be that we try too hard to be happy, and we do so following a dead-end path.

我們之所以不快樂，似乎是因為我們太努力去追求幸福，結果卻走入了死衚衕。

How about we stop striving and let enjoyment unfold?

不如我們停止奮鬥，讓享受來得更猛烈些吧？

Our achievement society scares us into being useful, self-exploiting members of the capitalist system.

我們的成就社會嚇唬我們成為資本主義體系中有用的、自我剝削的成員。

We're expected to be good for something, to participate in the rat race, and to be successful in what we do so we can respect ourselves and gain the respect of others.

我們被期望成為優秀的人，參與老鼠賽跑，在我們所做的事情上取得成功，這樣我們才能尊重自己，贏得他人的尊重。

From the Taoist point of view, we're all playing a silly game.

從道家的角度來看，我們都在玩一個愚蠢的遊戲。

We adopt specific beliefs, mark them as the truth, and act accordingly, taking it all very seriously.

我們接受特定的信仰，將其視為真理，並據此行事，非常認真地對待這一切。

Hence, we care greatly about walking in line and what people think about us.

所以我們非常在意排隊和別人對我們的看法。

People generally fear being disliked and seen as odd, worthless, or inadequate, whatever that means.

人們一般都害怕被人討厭，害怕被視為怪人、無用或不稱職，不管這意味著什麼。

Most people spend their lives conforming to what society values.

大多數人一生都在迎合社會的價值觀。

Having many friends, having a good job, starting a family, and being a useful member of society.

有很多朋友，有一份好工作，成家立業，成為對社會有用的人。

I'm a hard-working, God-fearing, freedom-loving American, and I'm proud of it.

我是一個勤奮工作、敬畏上帝、熱愛自由的美國人，我為此感到自豪。

Of course, if you earned your rank in the game, there's no shame in looking down on those who didn't.

當然，如果你在比賽中獲得了自己的等級，那麼看不起那些沒有獲得等級的人也沒什麼丟人的。

But as Zhuangzi said, we can't judge right and wrong by the world's standards.

但正如莊子所說，我們不能以世俗的標準來判斷是非。

The majority may agree on something, but that doesn't mean it's a universal truth.

大多數人可能會同意某件事情，但這並不意味著它就是普遍真理。

Taoist sages generally love crushing conventional beliefs.

道教聖人一般都喜歡粉碎傳統信仰。

For example, suppose everyone thinks that being unambitious is bad.

例如，假設每個人都認為不思進取是不好的。

As Zhuangzi might argue, because of this, people fret greatly about not being seen as unambitious.

莊子可能會說，正因為如此，人們才會非常擔心自己會被視為胸無大志。

So, they chase promotions, flaunt their career ambitions, and spend hours discussing their new roles and future plans, just to prove to others that they're driven and worthy of admiration.

他們追逐晉升，炫耀自己的職業抱負，花上幾個小時討論自己的新角色和未來計劃，只為向別人證明自己有幹勁，值得欽佩。

People who lack such aspirations are generally frowned upon, and for many, that's frightening.

缺乏這種抱負的人通常會被人不屑一顧，這對許多人來說是可怕的。

But the Taoist sages challenge us to look beyond societal conditioning.

但是，道家先賢挑戰我們要超越社會條件。

In this case, we could ask ourselves, is being unambitious truly bad?

在這種情況下，我們可以捫心自問，胸無大志真的不好嗎？

Is following your ambition really worth the daily stress?

追求理想真的值得每天承受壓力嗎？

What if we choose not to be ambitious, or even refuse to be cogs in the machine?

如果我們選擇不求上進，甚至拒絕成為機器上的齒輪呢？

How about we become like the elderly hermit, turning our backs on societal expectations?

要不，我們也像那位隱士老人一樣，背棄社會的期望？