資源描述：
《新世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語(yǔ)綜合教程.doc》由會(huì)員上傳分享，免費(fèi)在線閱讀，更多相關(guān)內(nèi)容在工程資料-天天文庫(kù)。
1、3Unit2Inthepresentera,allofusareenthusiasticallypursuingtechnologicaladvancementandtakeitforgrantedthatthedevelopmentoftechnologywillmakeushappier.However,littleevidencecanbefoundtoprovethecorrelationbetweentechnologyandhappinessoncematerialandtechnologicaladvancesreachacertainlevel.Thetextb
2、elowmayprovideyouwithsomeinsightsintothisissue.TechnologyandHappinessJamesSurowiecki1)Inthe20thcentury,Americans,Europeans,andEastAsiansenjoyedmaterialandtechnologicaladvancesthatwereunimaginableinpreviouseras.IntheUnitedStates,forinstance,grossdomesticproductpercapitatripledfrom1950to2000.L
3、ifeexpectancysoared.TheboominproductivityafterWorldWarIImadegoodsbetterandcheaperatthesametime.Thingsthatwereonceluxuries,suchasjettravelandlong-distancephonecalls,becamenecessities.AndeventhoughAmericansseemedtoworkextraordinarilyhard,theirpursuitofentertainmentturnedmediaandleisureintomult
4、ibillion-dollarindustries.2)Bymoststandards,then,youwouldhavetosaythatAmericansarebetteroffnowthantheywereinthemiddleofthelastcentury.Oddly,though,ifyouaskAmericanshowhappytheyare,youfindthattheyarenohappierthantheywerein1946(whichiswhenformalsurveysofhappinessstarted).Infact,thepercentageof
5、peoplewhosaytheyare"veryhappy"hasfallenslightlysincetheearly1970s–eventhoughtheincomeofpeoplebornin1940has,onaverage,increasedby116percentoverthecourseoftheirworkinglives.Youcanfindsimilardataformostdevelopedcountries.3)Therelationshipbetweenhappinessandtechnologyhasbeenaneternalsubjectforso
6、cialcriticsandphilosopherssincetheadventoftheIndustrialRevolution.Butit'sbeenleftlargelyunexaminedbyeconomistsandsocialscientists.Thetrulygroundbreakingworkontherelationshipbetweenprosperityandwell-beingwasdonebytheeconomistRichardEasterlin,whoin1974wroteafamouspaperentitled"DoesEconomicGrow
7、thImprovetheHumanLot?"Easterlinshowedthatwhenitcametodevelopedcountries,therewasnorealcorrelationbetweenanation'sincomelevelanditscitizens'happiness.Money,Easterlinargued,couldnotbuyhappiness–atleastnotafteracertainpoint.Easterlinshowedthatthoughpo
