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洪晃:貴族的定義

(2007-06-01 13:24:02) 下一個
看他穿什麽鞋,讀什麽書,就知道他是不是貴族。

Anselm是德國人,他父親是法蘭克福時報的主編,見過,訪問過無數的人,名字裏雖然沒有“VON” 這個字,但屬於沒吃過豬肉也看過豬跑的人. 我和Anselm曾經在一家德國公司共事,那年正好趕上德國統一,我倆在公司食堂的角落裏,啃著雞肉沙拉三明治,喝著健怡可樂,評頭論足第一批東德過來的實習生。在我眼裏,Anselm很貴族。他所有的襯衫袖口上都有他姓名的第一個字母,衣櫃裏像一個色卡,衣服由淺到深排隊掛列。西裝都是一個店裏訂製的,他家祖宗三代都用這家店。我說他是貴族,他說錯,他隻是資產階級,比較臭講究。他說,貴族向來衣來伸手,飯來張口,衣服都是傭人買的,他們不在乎。

“這些實習生呢?” 我問。

“都是小資產階級,崇拜貴族,你看,省吃儉用買了好東西,小心翼翼怕弄壞,弄髒了,活得太仔細.” 他最後總結說,有無產階級作風的有錢人就是貴族.

“那鞋和書怎麽說?”

Anselm笑笑說,“貴族隻有兩件事情要自己買,一是鞋,因為鞋必須試一下才知道是不是合腳,二是書,必須自己翻看了才知道想不想讀。那些書架上擺著一排莎士比亞精裝本的不肯定是小資產階級,因為那些書是為了擺,不是為了讀.”

                                                             --  洪晃
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flamenco_girl 回複 悄悄話 Ya, you are right Melly. I used to enjoy reading Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen type of classic novels during college and graduate school years. The "nobility" image was pretty much like what you described. I guess, with time passing by, there will be 新貴 being produced. The 貴族 has the foundation, manner, life style, and attitude, which have to be built up through several generations. 暴發戶 can't make it. I can feel clearly the sense of class in Hong Kong. Maybe the same in Europe.

Your English is very good, has rich vocabulary. People make mistakes even in native language. Don't worry about it.
melly 回複 悄悄話 Oops, many typos. Sorry. I bet you understand. hehe..
melly 回複 悄悄話 It is interesting. I have not been think of the word "nobility" for a while.

As far as I know, the nobility was the scoial class mainly composed by those who originated from royal families, either the offsprings or the relatives. They were not only weathlthy materially, but also versatile and well-rounded.They despised rich people without good education background.

As for those who possess many classic masterpieces on shelf without reading even skimming can only be defined as petty bourgeois.

The brightside is even if one was not born in a noble family with a noble birth, he/she has great chance to pursue noble spirit and personality.
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