看到有关race discrimination文章，觉得很深刻：找工作的时候我们会这么认为么？

Murphy

—关于歧视的迷思  
澳大利亚媒体最近讲述了一个声称在模特界遭到歧视的故事。Kema Rajandran是一名漂亮的印度裔女模特，她向媒体投诉遭受到一间在珀斯的模特经纪公司的歧视。公司表示她的工作会因为她的种族而受到限制。在一封电邮中，经纪是这样跟Rajandran说的：  
We think you are very photogenic and would be suitable for our Casting Division. … Please note however that as you are of non-Caucasian heritage your work opportunities in Perth would be extremely limited.[2]  
我们认为你非常上镜，很适合我们的试镜组。……但无论如何，你要注意你并没有高加索血统（即白种人——译者），所以你在珀斯的工作机会将会受到严重的制约。  
Now, there is no doubt that this is race discrimination, or at least an indication that Ms. Rajandran can expect to encounter race discrimination in her future attempts to book modeling work in Perth. Evidently offended by this news, Ms. Rajandran told the Australian media that she plans to speak out against the agency (and in fact was already doing so, by complaining to the media about the matter in the first place).  
很明显，这是种族歧视，或者至少表明，Rajandran小姐可以预期，将来在珀斯的模特工作会遭遇到种族歧视。Rajandran小姐显然被激怒了，她告诉媒体她要公开与经纪公司作对（事实上在她把事实告诉媒体的那时开始，她就已与经纪作对了。）  
In response, the manager of the modeling agency adopted the don't-shoot-the-messenger defense, arguing that the agency was just being honest with Ms. Rajandran about her prospects in the Perth modeling industry. "This is just ridiculous," the manager told the media. "I don't see that this is race related. If we don't feel that she's going to secure work in the Perth market … then we tell [her] about it. We have the liberty to give an honest opinion."[3]  
模特经纪公司的经理回应，公司只是信使，传递行业信息，坦率地指出Rajandran在珀斯模特界的前途而已。“这是荒谬的”，经理告诉媒体，“我认为这与种族无关。我们感觉她在珀斯不会有一份稳定的工作……所以我们提醒她，给出坦率的意见。这是我们的自由。”  
Really? Not race related? Doesn't that term "non-Caucasian heritage" have just a little bit to do with race?  
事实果真如此吗？真的与种族无关吗？难道“没有高加索血统”这样的用词与种族没有关系吗？  
Let's get real here: this is race related. Ms. Rajandran has been advised that she is, or will be, the subject of adverse race discrimination as a model in Perth. She has been explicitly advised that she will find it harder to get modeling work because she is not Caucasian — and you don't get too much more clear-cut than that. It is quite likely that this race discrimination is not the agency's decision, and that they are indeed just the messenger, but it is nonetheless real. This is race related.  
我们实话实说：这确实与种族有关。Rajandran小姐被提醒，如果她要在珀斯当模特的话，就要面临着不利的种族歧视。她还被确凿无误地告知，由于她并不是白种人，找模特工作会很难——没有比这更清楚的了。模特经纪公司也许真的不是在种族歧视，他们只是传递出这样的事实，但无论如何，他们说的话确实牵涉到种族。  
So is this unfair? There is something about race discrimination that certainly seems unfair to many people. Ms. Rajandran can't change the fact that she is Indian, nor, presumably, would she want to. She has no control over her race and had no choice in the matter to begin with — she was born with Indian heritage, and she will die with Indian heritage. It is not a characteristic that reflects on her character or decisions. And she is therefore facing adverse consequences from a personal characteristic that is not of her own making. Nevertheless, something seems amiss. Something rings hollow about her protests. But what is it?  
那么，这公平吗？种族歧视对很多人来说确实是不公平的。Rajandran小姐不可能，大概也不想改变自己印度裔的身份。生是印度人，死是印度鬼，这是无法选择的，从Rajandran小姐出生的那一刻开始便已注定。种族并不反映你的性格、为人处事。但由于这个不能控制的因素，Rajandran小姐就要承担不利的后果……等一下，似乎有些不对劲，在Rajandran小姐的控诉背后，似乎有些虚伪的东西，但这是什么呢？  
One might feel a bit sorry for Ms. Rajandran. One might, that is, until one realizes that although she is the subject of adverse discrimination in this present instance, she is also the beneficiary of many other forms of discrimination, of a very similar kind. In fact, her entire career, and her entire qualification as a model, depends on forms of discrimination that are exactly as arbitrary and superficial as the race discrimination she is now facing.  
人们可能会有些可怜Rajandran小姐，在他们察觉到她现在虽然是歧视的受害者，但也是很多其他形式的歧视的获益者之前。事实上，她的整个职业生涯，模特资格的获取都建基于如种族歧视般专断、肤浅的歧视性标准。  
This moral similarity between race discrimination and other kinds of discrimination is quite interesting. In his writings on discrimination, Professor Walter Block exposes the absurdity of attempts to forcibly equalize representation in different occupations and activities amongst demographic groups, saying,  
探讨种族歧视与其他形式的歧视在道德上的相似性是挺有趣的。沃特•布洛克教授在他关于歧视的文章中揭示出，强行在不同的职业和活动中使群体中的每个人受到平等对待的企图是多么荒谬：  
Even if such a policy were possible to administer fairly, which it is not, even if it did some good, which it does not, it is always open to the charge of hypocrisy, for there is no difference in principle between the characteristics which are presently protected (race, gender, nationality) and those that are not (height, weight, intelligence, beauty). And further, the characteristics we have so far considered are only the tip of the iceberg of those upon which people discriminate.  
即使这项政策能得到公平的实施（尽管事实并非如此），即使它会产生一些好处（事实也并非如此），这些对歧视的指控还是充满着虚伪。在这些受到保护领域中（如种族、性别、国籍），我们看不到与那些不受保护的领域（如体重、身高、智力、相貌）有什么区别，要使我们适用不同的准则。况且，我们考虑保护的领域，与其他领域的歧视相比，只是冰山之一角。  
In addition, to mention only a few more, there is hair color, the side of the head upon which people part their hair, fastidiousness, neatness, strength of handshake, biliousness, loudness, shyness, considerateness, reliability, left or right handedness — the list goes on and on.[4]  
我们还可以再举出一些例子，如头发颜色、发型、着装、脾气、声线、性格内向与外向、细心还是粗心，左撇子还是右撇子——这个歧视清单永无止境。  
What else can Professor Block teach us about discrimination in the present case? Well, take a look at the photos below: one is a picture of Ms. Rajandran; the other is a picture of Professor Block.  
把布洛克教授的观点放到Rajandran小姐的例子中，我们能得到什么结论呢？嗯，我们看看下面一组图片，左边的是Rajandran小姐，右边的布洛克教授。  

Ask yourself, why is it that Ms. Rajandran can make a living as a fashion model, but Professor Block probably could not? If your visual assessment is anything like mine, you'll notice the following: Ms. Rajandran is a young woman, whereas Professor Block is an older gentleman, whose peak of physical beauty is probably a few years behind him. She is extremely lean and physically fit, whereas he is a bit stockier, with less muscle tone and a touch more bulk. She has a beautiful, youthful face, full lips, stylish hair, taut skin, a long elegant nose, and big bright youthful eyes. He has quite a handsome face, but with older, less-taut skin, smaller eyes, a bigger, more-bulbous nose, scruffier and grayer hair, and a proud bald cranium — not exactly in high demand in the modeling world. (But at least he doesn't have to worry about discrimination on the basis of which side he parts his hair!)  
问问你自己，为什么Rajandran小姐能成为一名模特，而布洛克教授不能呢？如果你的视力和我一样的话，你会注意到Rajandran小姐是一名年轻女子，而布洛克教授是一个老男人，年华不再。她苗条而健康，而他身体粗壮，肌肉越来越少，身子却越来越胖；她有着美丽、青春、清秀的脸，嘴唇丰盈，皮肤紧密，鼻子修长，眼睛大而明亮，还加上一束秀发，而他样子尚算好看，然皮肤老而松驰，眼小，鼻子大又圆，几绺杂乱的灰发映衬着个光头——这些都不太符合一名模特的要求。（不过至少他不用担心受到发型歧视！）  
Doubtless, Professor Block is a handsome fellow. But absent some major change in the kind of "look" favored in the modeling world, he is not likely to appear on the catwalk anytime soon. He is of Caucasian heritage yes, but nonetheless, due to other unchosen characteristics, his opportunities in the modeling world are, as a modeling agency might put it, "extremely limited."  
布洛克作为一名教授，无疑算是英俊的。但在模特界的话，他就有些难以克服的缺陷，很难想象他可以在天桥上走猫步。他虽然是白人，但由于其他先天上的特征，他在模特界的发展前景，正如模特经纪所说，“会受到严重的制约”。  
Some of these features are within a person's control, or at least their partial control. No doubt Ms. Rajandran and other models spend large amounts of effort exercising, eating well, caring for their skin, and grooming themselves in order to maintain their exemplary looks. But there is also no doubt that some of these features are genetic, or at least partially genetic. For most women, no amount of effort — or even surgery — will enable them to look as stunning as Ms. Rajandran. In fact, many of her loveliest facial features are probably a direct result of her genetic lineage and her "non-Caucasian heritage." Is it fair that she can earn large amounts of money as a fashion model, whereas other women cannot? Is it fair that she was born with a genetic endowment that led her to grow into a highly attractive young woman, capable of being a model?  
以上的这些特征，有些是由人的行为控制的，或至少是可以影响的。Rajandran小姐和其他模特为了保持他们的美貌，无疑很用心去健身、节食、护肤、梳洗。但同样有一些是天生的，或先天的影响较大。对于大多数的女性，无论他们怎么努力，即使是去整容，恐怕也不会有Rajandran小姐的美貌。事实上，她那令人着迷的脸部特征，很可能是由于她的遗传基因，以及她的“非高加索血统”。她能依靠自己的脸蛋赚取大量的金钱，而其他女性却不能——这公平吗？由于天生丽质，她比其他女性漂亮得多，令她能成为一名模特，这公平吗？  
Ms. Rajandran did not choose to be Indian; she just is. But she also did not choose to be naturally beautiful; she just is. Without discrimination on the basis of the superficial traits that make a model a model, she would be just another face among three billion women. She would not be capable of earning a living with her looks if not for the fact that people often judge others on the basis of superficial physical traits and like to look at physically attractive people. This discrimination is her bread and butter; she benefits directly from these superficial judgments, since her appearance puts her in a superior position compared to most other women. Though she complains of race discrimination in the present case, it is only because of similar kinds of discrimination, equally capricious, that she is special — that she can be a model, and other women cannot.  
Rajandran 小姐并没有“选择”成为一个印度人，她就是一个印度人。但他同样没有选择成为一名漂亮的女性，她就是长得漂亮而已。如果模特界不存在外貌上的歧视，她也只是芸芸三十亿女性的普通一员而已。人们总是以貌取人，都是外貌协会的成员，而Rajandran小姐正是靠着人们的偏见来赚钱。这种歧视，是她的面包，她的生活来源。她从偏见中直接获益，使自己从与其他女性的竞争中处于优势地位。如今她抱怨受到种族歧视，讽刺的是，她之所以可以成为模特，而其他人不能，恰恰也是由于其他领域人们反复无常的歧视。  
The present complaint, therefore, is somewhat selective. Moreover, even race-based discrimination in modeling often cuts both ways (though it may not even out). When casting agents in a predominantly Caucasian country tell an Indian model that they love her "exotic look," that is basically code for: you are not Caucasian, and we like it! This kind of race-related discrimination is apparently perfectly fine, since we don't see any media headlines cropping up when it happens. But race-based discrimination against a non-Caucasian model! Good God! Alert the authorities! (Which, sadly, is exactly what has happened.)  
因此，Rajandran小姐的抱怨其实是选择性的。不仅如此，模特界的种族歧视还往往会反过来（虽然两者未必能等量齐观）。如果是在一个白种人占主导的国家，模特公司也许会对一名印度模特说，我们喜欢你的“异国情调”。那就意味着：因为你不是白种人，所以我们喜欢你！这种类型的种族歧视却被认为完全没问题，媒体也不会用来做头条。可是！！！当种族歧视针对的是有色人种的时候！！！噢！天啊！！政府快做事！！！（遗憾的是，这并不夸张。）  
One would think that a beautiful model would be aware of the fact that her career rests almost entirely on her own appearance and the superficial judgments of others. But not so. In fact, Ms. Rajandran told the media that she was shocked by the email incident. According to media reports, she "hoped that by her speaking out about it, the practice of culling models based solely on their appearance would change."[5] Whoa, be careful there darlin' — the irony meter is going berserk! This thing's about to blow!  
人们会认为一名漂亮的模特应该知道她之所以可以立足于模特界，靠的主要就是她的外表以及给他人留下的表面印象。但并不是这样哦。事实上，根据媒体报道，Rajandran小姐向媒体表示，她对收到那封邮件感到震惊，“Rajandran小姐希望通过说出真相，挑选模特时至以貌取人的行规会发生改变。”哇，年轻貌美的 Rajandran小姐说选模特不应以貌取人！大伙小心啊！牛在天上飞！  
Even leaving Ms. Rajandran aside for the moment, a cursory look at other female models leads one to the unmistakable conclusion that the entire modeling industry is built on superficial kinds of discrimination, focused on characteristics that are largely the results of unchosen genetic gifts. This means that if race discrimination in modeling is unfair, then so is the entire idea of modeling — of favoring the beautiful over the ugly, the tall and thin over the short and stout, the young over the old, of favoring this "look" over that one, and so on.  
暂且把Rajandran小姐放到一边，我们看看其他顶尖的女名模，大致上就可以做出结论，那就是整个模特行业都是建立在外貌歧视的基础上的，而外貌很大程度上是天生的。如果在模特界种族歧视是不公平的，那意味着整个模特界都是不公平的——美丽歧视丑陋，高挑歧视矮胖，年青歧视年老，这个样其实那个样，不一而足。  
Let's suppose that the offending modeling agency is correct in their assessment that the prospects for a non-Caucasian model in Perth are extremely limited. Why would this kind of race discrimination exist? Though there are certainly some people in the modeling industry who have control over the kinds of models chosen, presumably the ultimate culprit is the public, whose viewing and buying decisions determine what kind of "look" a modeling campaign needs to have in order to be successful. As Mises has noted, it is consumers, not producers, who are the ultimate decision makers in the market economy; it is not a particular modeling agency that is ultimately in control of the kinds of women who make it as models. Although they are the decision makers in many individual cases, in the long run, it is the preferences of people in the public who drive the demand for models of different kinds.[6] If there is a preference for Caucasian models in the modeling industry, then this is most likely the result of the preferences of consumers in the public, just as is the preference for thin models over plump ones, young models over old ones, and so on.  
我们假设这令人生厌的模特行业对珀斯的非白种模特需求非常有限的评估是正确的，那为什么会出现这种种族歧视的情况呢？虽然在模特界的确是有些人负责挑选模特的，但最终掌握模特的生杀大权的，其实是大众，他们的观感及购物行为会决定着什么样子的模特能取得成功。正如米塞斯所言，在市场经济里头，是消费者，而不是生产商，最终决定市场上有什么产品；并不是某一个模特经纪最终决定什么样的女性能成为模特，虽然在个案中，他们的确有决定权，但从长期来看，是公众的偏好主宰着各类模特需求的改变。如果模特界都偏好白人模特，那最大的可能是因为消费者喜欢白人，正如他们喜欢高挑而不是矮胖，喜欢年轻而不是年老的模特那样。  
If one has a complaint about race discrimination in modeling, then the ultimate target of that complaint is, well, basically everyone. People care about looks, and one's race and genetic lineage affect one's looks. Ms. Rajandran's deep-brown eyes, silky dark hair, light-brown skin, and long, elegant nose are all a product of her "non-Caucasian heritage," and yet these characteristics may well have been responsible for booking her some of her modeling gigs, and putting her image in front of thousands of gawking men the world over.  
因此，如果有人指责模特界存在种族歧视，那所有人其实都要为此负责。人们在意外貌，而一个人的种族、遗传因子影响着他的外表。Rajandran小姐的深褐色眼睛，光滑的黑发，浅褐色的皮肤，修长的鼻子都与她的“非高加索血统”有关，这些种族特征还让她获得登台的机会。颠倒一众男生。  
There's race discrimination in modeling? Wow, no kidding!  
所以，模特界有种族歧视，那又如何？

注：文章转的。

[ 本帖最后由 Murphy 于 2011-4-2 23:44 编辑 ]

bulaohu

是你翻译的？

Murphy

这篇文章让我回忆到我在一个贴子力争执：“招聘英语为母语的候选人”这个条款是否为歧视呢？

Murphy

没那个本事。我能翻译出来那个意思，但绝对没有那个味道。我转贴的。

刚才修改题目的时候不小心zt字样删掉了。现在加上。

鲁青青

招聘广告上就算是说只招聘英语为母语的人，那又怎样呢，难不成去告人家歧视？就算进了这样的公司，我也不认为在这样的公司里面能舒服了。