TED演讲:选择的困惑(6)

 We all know what's good about it, so I'm going to talk about what's bad about it. 我们都知道它的好处。那么就让我来说说它的不好之处吧。

All of this choice has two effects, two negative effects on people. 所有这些选择对人们有两个影响，而且是两个负面的影响。

One effect, paradoxically, is that it produces paralysis¹, rather than liberation. 其一，说起来有些自相矛盾，就是，（选择）给我们带来的不是解放，而是束缚，是麻痹。

With so many options to choose from, people find it very difficult to choose at all. 面对这么多的选择，人们发现要做出决定非常困难。

I'll give you one very dramatic example of this: a study that was done of investments in voluntary retirement² plans. 让我给你举个非常生动的例子来说明这点，这是一个关于对等退休金计划投资方面做的调查。

A colleague of mine got access to investment records from Vanguard, 我的一个同事有幸接触到Vanguard的投资记录。

the gigantic mutual³-fund company of about a million employees and about 2,000 different workplaces. Vanguard是一家巨大的互助基金公司，拥有约百万员工和2000多个办公地点。

And what she found is that for every 10 mutual funds the employer offered, rate of participation⁴ went down two percent. 她的调查发现是，当这些客户（向他们的雇员）提供的互助基金种类每增加10个，参加的人数就减少2个百分点。

You offer 50 funds -- 10 percent fewer employees participate than if you only offer five. Why? 你提供50种基金，雇员参加的人数比你提供5种基金时下降百分之十。为什么呢？

Because with 50 funds to choose from, it's so damn hard to decide which fund to choose, that you'll just put it off until tomorrow. 因为面对50种基金来选择，想要决定选那种那简直是难上加难，所以你干脆放到明天再说。

And then tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, and of course tomorrow never comes. 明日复明日，明日何其多，当然，明天永远也不会到来。

Understand that not only does this mean that people are going to have to eat dog food when they retire 我们知道这其实意味着，当人们退休时，可能只有用狗粮充饥，

because they don't have enough money put away, 因为他们没有划出足够的钱给将来，

it also means that making the decision is so hard that they pass up significant matching money from the employer. 同时，由于做决定是一件如此之难的事，以至于连雇主给他们的那笔相当可观的对等补助金都白白放弃了。

By not participating, they are passing up as much as 5,000 dollars a year from the employer, who would happily match their contribution. 不参加这种对等计划，他们每年让多达5千元的雇主对等补贴从手边溜掉。雇主本来是很乐于提供这种补贴的。

So paralysis is a consequence of having too many choices. And I think it makes the world look like this. 所以，选择可能性过多的结果是麻痹僵化。它使得我们的世界变成这个样子。

1 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

2 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

3 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

4 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。