論工業社會及其未來-115

115

這體系必須要強迫人們以日益遠離以自然的人類行為方式來行事。舉例來說，這體系需要科學家、數學家和工程師，這體系沒有他們將不能運作。因此孩子被施加巨大壓力，必須在這些領域表現出眾。對一個青少年來說花大把時間坐在書桌前專心學習是不自然的。一個正常的青少年想要花時間和真實世界積極接觸。在原始人當中，孩童被訓練去做的事情傾向和自然的人類衝動相協調。舉例來說，在美洲印第安人中，男孩被訓練積極的戶外活動 — 正是男孩會喜歡做的事。但在我們的社會中孩童被推入學習技術科目，而大多數孩童都不情願地學習這些。

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The system HAS TO force people to behave in ways that are increasingly remote from the natural pattern of human behavior. For example, the system needs scientists, mathematicians and engineers. It can’t function without them. So heavy pressure is put on children to excel in these fields. It isn’t natural for an adolescent human being to spend the bulk of his time sitting at a desk absorbed in study. A normal adolescent wants to spend his time in active contact with the real world. Among primitive peoples the things that children are trained to do tend to be in reasonable harmony with natural human impulses. Among the American Indians, for example, boys were trained in active outdoor pursuits — just the sort of thing that boys like. But in our society children are pushed into studying technical subjects, which most do grudgingly.