- 第7節(jié) 都是經(jīng)驗惹的禍
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Field of Error
“嘿,克林特!”我喊道,“你知不知道每個玉米秸稈上只結(jié)出一根玉米穗?”
“不可能!難道2米高的玉米桿上只能結(jié)出一根玉米穗嗎?”
“真的!是不是感到很驚奇?明白了嗎?一根玉米!
你有沒有過這樣的經(jīng)歷:宣稱自己是某方面專家,但后來自己的專業(yè)知識卻遭受到了挑戰(zhàn),并被證明是錯誤的。這樣的經(jīng)歷讓人羞愧和尷尬,似乎還沒完沒了。
我在愛荷華州的一個農(nóng)場長大。那時候,我的傍晚、周末和暑假等空余時間都是在田間地頭度過的。在干農(nóng)活的過程中,我學(xué)到了一丁點兒的農(nóng)業(yè)常識,像一根玉米桿只結(jié)一根玉米穗之類。高中畢業(yè)后,我上了大學(xué)。為了確保暑期有不涉及農(nóng)場勞動的工作可做,我可真是煞費苦心。
大學(xué)畢業(yè)后,我搬到了城市生活。那里的朋友很喜歡聽我講講農(nóng)場生活的趣聞逸事,還有那些所謂的小常識。不過不幸的是,我所知道的那點兒事已經(jīng)發(fā)生了變化。
很顯然,當我離開大學(xué)開始工作的時候,基因工程已經(jīng)在農(nóng)業(yè)領(lǐng)域有所應(yīng)用,F(xiàn)在一根玉米桿已經(jīng)可以結(jié)出兩個玉米穗了。我付出慘痛代價后才知道這個改變。
一天,克林特和他的球友在一起打高爾夫球。正要開球的時候,克林特看到一片玉米地。“有個賭我肯定會贏,”他沾沾自喜地想!昂伲镉媯!我敢打賭那片玉米地里所有的玉米桿上都只有一根玉米穗,敢不敢跟我賭10美元?”“你瘋啦!”他的朋友回答,“我們接受你的賭注!苯Y(jié)果怎么樣?克林特不但輸了10美元,還輸了自己的驕傲。
而我呢?在朋友圈里失去了可信度。這事已經(jīng)過去10年了,可克林特每次見到我,依然會提起那個輸?shù)舻馁注。
Field of Error
“Hey, Clint!” I shouted. “Did you know that each stalk of corn only has one ear of corn on it?”
“No way! That seven-foot tall stalk only produces one ear of corn?”
“Really! Isn’t that amazing? Get it? A-maize-ing!”
Have you ever asserted yourself as an expert, only to have your “expertise”challenged and proven wrong? The experience can be humbling, embarrassing, and seemingly never-ending.
I grew up on a farm in Iowa where I spent my evenings, weekends, and summers performing menial labor. In the course of doing my chores, I picked up a few bits of trivia—like the one-ear-of-corn-per-stalk information. After high school, I went away to college, took great pains to ensure that I always had summer jobs lined up that did not involve farm labor.
After college, I moved to the city, where my friends enjoyed hearing occasional anecdotes and bits of trivia about life on the farm. Unfortunately, the truth as I knew it had changed.
Apparently, while I was away at college and beginning my career, genetic engineering had been applied in the field of agriculture, and corn stalks now regularly sported two ears of corn instead of one. I learned this the hard way.
One day, as Clint and his friends were about to tee off while playing golf, Clint spied a cornfield.
“Hey guys! I’ll bet you ten bucks that not one stalk of corn out there has more than one ear on it.” “You’re crazy!” they replied. “We’ll take that bet!”
And so Clint lost ten dollars and some measure of pride. I, on the other hand, lost all credibility. It’s been ten years, and I still cannot see Clint without his reminding me of that lost bet.
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