二月底,股神巴菲特如常發布了一年一度給波克夏股東的公開信。除了交代投資決策,也關心社會議題,提及生產力提升如何衝擊美國社會,而社會安全網不失為緩衝的好方式。正經的說理之餘,這位老人家還發揮獨到的幽默,除引用名導伍迪艾倫的經典名言,說明波克夏的投資優勢之外,照例開了「喝可樂保長壽」的玩笑,並說即使科技使自己越來越依賴網路,「但無論如何,我還沒準備好使用Tinder(以約一夜情出名的交友軟體)。」(蔡曜蓮)
巴菲特股東信全文:http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2015ltr.pdf
Woody Allen once explained that the advantage of being bi-sexual is that it doubles your chance of finding a date on Saturday night. In like manner our appetite for either operating businesses or passive investments doubles our chances of finding sensible uses for Berkshire’s endless gusher of cash. Productivity gains frequently cause upheaval. The solution is a variety of safety nets aimed at providing a decent life for those who are willing to work but find their specific talents judged of small value because of market forces. The price of achieving ever-increasing prosperity for the great majority of Americans should not be penury for the unfortunate.
伍迪艾倫曾經解釋當個雙性戀的好處,是讓你周六晚上找到約會對象的機率倍增。 類比來說,我們既愛經營公司、又愛被動投資(指關注長期收益),也能讓波克夏源源不絕的現金,有了多一倍的機會找到聰明去向……。生產力增加經常導致社會動盪,解決的方式,是為那些願意工作、但其才能卻因市場因素而無用武之地的人,提供多樣的社會安全網,讓他能有尊嚴地生活。美國多數人為了達成不斷增長的繁榮,代價卻是少數不幸的人承受貧困,這是不應該的。
gusher/ˋgʌʃɚ/(n.)自噴井、噴油井
例句:
The oil gusher is worth billions of dollars.
這座油井價值十多億美元。
penury/ˋpɛnjərɪ/(n.)貧窮、窮困
例句:
The family couldn't face another year of penury.
這個家庭不能再面對另一個窮困的年頭。