英文讀書會
12/18 Topic1.錢買不到? Topic2.「憂」2012
哈佛教授桑德爾 談錢買不到的東西【聯合報】
著名的哈佛大學教授邁可‧桑德爾（Michael Sandel）昨晚在文化部邀請下舉行大師講座，以「錢買不到的東西」為題在台大小巨蛋引導現場六千名聽眾進行金錢與正義攻防。
昨晚現場如同將哈佛大學講堂搬到台灣，桑德爾以該不該搶購五月天演唱會開始，在現場進行即席「投票」，贊成和反對買黃牛票的人數各半。相反的，對於高價購買有限的外科手術掛號、以現金獎勵小朋友讀書，觀眾則多表反對。有趣的是，桑德爾即席調查在場觀眾，發現絕大多數與會者都曾因為考試進步，收過父母親給的獎金。至於媒體壟斷獲絕大多數反對票。
清大學生陳為廷現身時，現場響起掌聲。這回他為家鄉的社區小雜貨店發聲。他說，農村裡的雜貨店不只賣雜貨，還賣鄰里自己種的菜，著重社區的互動。與超商充斥「偽善的謊言」的市場邏輯不同。
桑德爾表示，超商不只是生意的問題，也可能遭大財團壟斷。他要求觀眾闡述雜貨店vs.超商，並與媒體壟斷之間進行聯結。一位學生說，超商著重的是便利性，半夜有超商提供熱騰騰的泡麵，當然會受歡迎。但人們希望媒體能提供不同意見、不同的聲音以及挑戰，供我們思考及回饋。不希望媒體被壟斷。
桑德爾在總結時表示，我們經常排除爭議而說：「由市場決定吧！」以致全世界都缺乏公共論述。他說，公共論述的目的並非為了得到單一的結論，而是讓生活更有價值，讓每個人成為更好的公民。
1. What does money mean to you?
2. How much money is enough?
How much money is really enough to retire
on?
3. How Much Money Do You Really Need To Be
Happy?
4.. Reasons Money Can Buy Happiness? Reasons
Money Can not Buy Happiness?
5. Good or Bad For Students? Debating on
social issues?
Harvard professor in Taiwan to speak on money, markets
Taipei, Dec. 9 (CNA) Noted political philosopher Michael Sandel is visiting Taiwan for the first time to share his views on justice and ethical issues, including money and markets, as part of Human Rights Day events in Taiwan, the organizers said Sunday.
Sandel, a professor at Harvard University whose course on justice has become one of the most popular in the university, was to attend a public discussion with Taiwan's Culture Minister Lung Ying-tai that day in Taipei, according to the Ministry of Culture.
Shortly after his arrival that day, Sandel attended a news conference and said his talks in Taiwan will focus on the questions of what should be the role of money and markets in a good society.
"I very much look forward to engaging in a dialogue with readers of my books," said Sandel, whose books "Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?" and "What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets" have received wide interest in Taiwan.
The culture minister said at the news conference that justice has many facets and becomes a complicated issue when it involves the power of the government and the power of markets.
Meanwhile, asked about concerns over the media concentration in Taiwan that could arise from a recent media acquisition, Sandel said many countries around the world face the serious problem of concentrated control of the media, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
"It's important to try to avoid the media from being concentrated in very few hands," because it will damage free exchanges of ideas through the media, he added.
Although he did not put forward a solution specifically for Taiwan, he suggested that generally, creating a system of regulation and law that limits a market power or monopoly power is one way to preserve a media industry that is competitive and gives expression to many voices.
When asked to comment on other contentious issues in Taiwan such as the death penalty and same-sex marriage, Sandel said the debate surrounding both issues has raised strong competing, ethical ideas and contending philosophies of justice in many countries around the world.
He added that while discussing these issues, "I don't tell my students or readers what they should think about these questions."
Instead, Sandel said he tried to promote and trigger a debate on such difficult questions that highlight opposing ethical convictions.
During his four-day visit, Sandel will also give a lecture Dec. 11 at National Taiwan University.
Both events will be broadcast online and on the Public Television Service, the organizers said.
More than 5,000 people have registered to attend the events, the organizers said.
(By Elaine Hou)
台灣二○一二年度代表字大選昨天揭曉。經歷廿一天、六萬二千一百零八通的全民電話票選，「憂」字以八千零九十四票居冠，成為這一年全民心靈與社會亂象的寫照。
由遠東集團徐元智紀念基金會、聯合報合作舉辦的「台灣年度代表字大選」，今年邁入第五年，去年選出「讚」字。今年第二到十名依序為：漲、轉、感、慘、鬱、苦、怨、窮、爛。前十名中，僅第三名的「轉」字為正面字。
「憂」字的原始推薦人是中研院副院長陳建仁。他指出，這一年來，無論是末日預言、國際形勢、歐債危機、貧富差距、薪資倒退、物價上揚、朝野族群對立、台灣競爭力落後等，「在在令人『憂』。」
主辦單位請來倫敦奧運奪牌選手許淑淨、曾櫟騁，曾櫟騁並以其充滿力量的雙手寫下「憂」字。
「有擔心、才有未來！」曾奪下台灣奧運舉重首面獎牌的蔡溫義說，台灣選出「憂」字，「代表大家醒了」，未來希望大家以「憂」字自我要求，將「憂」化為動力。與會的體委會主委戴遐齡說，「憂」字代表今年體育界的整體心情，她說，就是憂慮在倫敦奧運時無好成績，就更加努力。
遠東集團代表、SOGO董事長黃晴雯表示，民眾的「憂」是因為關心這塊土地，「『憂』可能會帶來沮喪、也會帶來力量。」
聯合報總編輯游美月表示，第一名的「憂」字反映整體社會心情，第二名的「漲」字則反映民眾的憂慮所在：「萬物皆漲，薪水沒漲」，需要政府和社會各界關心，排名第三的「轉」字，或可視為解「憂」的力量，正視憂慮，轉一下心念，尋找新的方法，讓「轉」的力量，帶動台灣正向前進。
1. What Do You Worry About Most In Life?
2. How Much Do You Worry About Money
issues?
3. How to Stop Worrying About Money?
4. Should we be worrying about the global
crisis?
5. How to Get Rid of Your Worries?
6. How to solve the economic crisis, if you
were a leader of a country?
Talk of the Day -- `Worry' is word for 2012 (CNA)
"Worry" was selected in a recent survey as the word that best represents public feeling about the soon-to-end year in the fifth year that such a poll has been conducted.
The survey, jointly conducted by Far Eastern Memorial Foundation and the United Daily News, asked respondents to choose words that they think best epitomize 2012.
The results, published Friday, show that "worry" was the top choice out of a list of words recommended by nearly 100 scholars and laymen.
Next came the word "hike," followed by "turnaround," "feeling," "misery" and "blue."
The other words that rounded out the top 10 were "hardship," "grievance," "poverty" and "sucks."
Most of the words selected are negative in nature, showing collective gloom among the public about the year.
The following are excepts from coverage of the list by the United Daily News:
Chen Chien-jen, vice president of Academia Sinica, who recommended the word "worry," was a bit surprised about the result of the survey.
He said it shows that the public shares his feelings.
He pointed to the international situation, the European debt crisis, the widening gap between rich and poor, the stagnant and shrinking salaries, rising consumer prices, the confrontation between the ruling and the opposition parties, the dropping of Taiwan's competitiveness, and even the 2012 doomsday predictions, as making "every one of us worried."
But he also expressed hope that the public will try to find a way out and that "there will be no worries next year."
Fan Chiang Tai-chi, spokesman of the Presidential Office, said that due to the fallout from the European debt crisis, all countries in the world, including Taiwan, are facing rigorous tests.
Despite the economic downturn, Fan Chiang said that some positive signs have begun to show since September, including the industrial production index, exports and economic outlook taking a turn for the better.
He cited President Ma Ying-jeou as saying that he "sees a light at the end of the tunnel."
Wang Min-sheng, a spokesman of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, said Ma has been in office for more than four years and that the people are not just worried this year but have been worried for a long time.
Sophia Huang, Pacific Sogo Department Store chairwoman, said said the public feel worried because they care about the country.
She said that "worry can bring depression but can also bring strength."
The word "turnaround" recommended by Far Eastern Group Chairman Douglas Hsu, ranked third, the highest of the positive words in the survey, and this word represents strength, she said.
The word "worry" is the collective mentality of the people of Taiwan and the words ranking second to 10th illustrate why they are worried.
For example, the word "hike" shows the public's concern about rising prices for everything except salaries, while the word "feeling" represents the people's feelings about the "insensitive" government in pushing its policies.
The eighth-ranking word " grievance" is a sign of worry about increasing rivalry between the ruling and opposition parties and the widening gap between rich and poor.
The ninth word --"poverty" -- is a reflection of the government's financial crisis embodied by the controversy about year-end bonuses for retired civil servants.
In 2008, the first year of the representative word survey, the word "chaos" was selected, and eight of the 10 top words were negative.
In 2009, the top word went to "aspiring," with the negative words cut to six. In 2010, it was the neutral word "light" and the only negative word was "hike."
In 2011, "like" was top and the only negative word was "worry."
This year, the fact that the only positive word was "turnaround" should serve as a warning to the government. (By Lilian Wu)
Conversation
vent his anger on me
Sherry: You look upset.
What's going on?
Billy : My wife is
being unreasonable! She flared up at me, making a mountain out of
molehill!
Sherry: What's the
matter?
Billy: I just paid
NT$ 3,000 bought her a handbag, and I didn't think it was any big deal, but she
blew up at me!
Sherry: Well, She has
been under a lot of pressure these days.
Billy : Well, I
know she is careful with money
, but it doesn't
mean she can vent his anger on me.
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