egg headed 蛋壳脑袋 Egghead 与Brain Trust(智囊团)

美国人喜欢把那些整天只顾埋头看书、不理世事、自以为大有学问的知识分子称为“蛋壳脑袋”(egghead),这个比喻十分生动形象 。大凡知识分子因用脑过度,头发基本上掉光了,秃顶的脑袋颇像一个蛋壳,egghead也就“显山露水”了 。于是就有许多关于egghead一类人的笑话,甚至杜撰出一位教授就称为Professor Egghead,他虽然“满腹经纶、学富五车”,却因“大智若愚”常在一些生活细节上大出洋相,下面的英文就是关于Professor Egghead的一则笑话 。
Absent-minded Professors
There were three professors at the railway station. They were deep in conversation. The train had just arrived, but they didn't notice it. Then the guard shouted, "Take your seats, please!"
The professors heard the guard and rushed for the train. Two of them got on the train before it moved. The third one was left behind. It was Professor Egghead. He looked sad.
One of the professor's students was at the station. He tried to comfort the professor. "It wasn't really bad, sir." said the student. "Two out of three caught the train. That's quite good,you know."
"I know," the professor said. "But it was my train. My friends only came to say goodbye."
像这样有关Professor Egghead的笑话不胜枚举,但egghead的流行开来还与美国总统选举有关 。1952年,共和党(the Republican Party)候选人艾森豪威尔(Dwight D. Eisenhower)和民主党(the Democratic Party)候选人史蒂文森(Stevenson)竞选第34届总统 。艾森豪威尔是著名的战斗英雄,声名显赫,颇得人心;史蒂文森是一位深受尊敬的律师,支持他的大都是受教育程度很高的自由派人士 。史蒂文森的演讲不乏风趣幽默,但充满了严肃的观点和尖锐的说法,因而被称为“蛋壳脑袋”,一位共和党人曾说过这样一句话:“没错,所有长着蛋壳脑袋的人都热爱史蒂文森,可是你认为有多少人长着蛋壳脑袋呢?”(Sure all the egg-heads love Stevenson. But how many egg-heads do you think there are?)是呀,知识分子毕竟是少数,而长着“蛋壳脑袋”的知识分子则更是凤毛麟角 。看来,形势对史蒂文森极为不利,果然,艾森豪威尔以绝对优势赢得了大选,而史蒂文森终因曲高和寡,倍尝“高处不胜寒”的冷冷清清、凄凄惨惨 。
如果说长着“蛋壳脑袋”的人是因为用脑过度,那么不用脑子的人也不会有多大出息 。因他们不爱思考、头脑简单,想当然地行事,往往会铸成大错,被人骂成“猪脑子”、“没有脑子”(have not a brain in one's head),于人于己皆不利 。有一谚语说的是:An idle brain is the devil's workshop,意思是说:一闲生百邪,游手好闲是万恶之源 。因而我们要“勤于用脑”(use one's brains),遇事不急不躁,“保持冷静的头脑”(have one's brains on ice),有时为了找到解决问题的办法,甚至要“绞尽脑汁、苦思冥想”(rack/cudgel/beat one's brains),才不至于“晕头转向”(make sb's brain reel),不知所措 。所以说,既不要用脑过度,把自己搞得“头昏脑涨”(addle one's brain),也不要懒于用脑、鲁莽行事 。

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