15. Free Lunch
One day a priest goes to a restaurant for a lunch.
After the lunch he asks about
【1】 his bill, and the boss replies, "I can not accept money from you, for you are a good man—you do God's work."
The priest is pleased, and leaves the restaurant.
When the boss goes to open up 【2】 his restaurant the next morning, there is a dozen bibles waiting for him at the door to the restaurant.
Later, a police officer comes in for a lunch, and when he tries to pay his bill, the boss again replies, "I cannot accept money from you, for you are a good man—you protect the public."
The police officer is happy and leaves the restaurant.
The next morning when the boss goes to open up there is a dozen doughnuts waiting for him at the door to the restaurant.
Later that day, an economist comes in for a lunch, and when he goes to pay his bill the boss again replies, "I cannot accept money from you, for you are a good man—you serve the social welfare."
The economist is very happy and leaves the restaurant.
The next morning when the boss goes to open up, there are a dozen economists lined up 【3】 waiting for a free lunch.
免費午餐
一天,一位牧師來到一家飯館吃午餐。
飯后他要結(jié)賬,飯館老板說:“我不能收你的錢,因為你是個好人——你在為上帝工作?!?
牧師高興地離開了飯館。
第二天早上,當(dāng)飯館老板開門營業(yè)時發(fā)現(xiàn)門口擺放著12部《圣經(jīng)》。
不久,一位警察進來吃午餐,當(dāng)他準備結(jié)賬時,老板再次拒絕說:“我不能收你的錢,因為你是個好人——你在保護大眾?!?
警察高興地離開了飯館。
第二天早上,當(dāng)飯館老板開門營業(yè)時發(fā)現(xiàn)門口擺放著12個炸面包圈。
不久,一位經(jīng)濟學(xué)家進來吃午餐,當(dāng)他起身準備結(jié)賬時,老板又一次拒絕道:“我不能收你的錢,因為你是個好人——你在為大眾謀福利。”
經(jīng)濟學(xué)家高興地離開了飯館。
第二天早上,當(dāng)飯館老板開門營業(yè)時發(fā)現(xiàn)門口有12位經(jīng)濟學(xué)家正排隊等著吃免費的午餐。
背景知識與點評
·經(jīng)濟學(xué)家強調(diào)“天下沒有免費的午餐”(There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world!)[參見著名經(jīng)濟學(xué)家格里高利·曼昆(Gregory Mankiw)的《經(jīng)濟學(xué)原理》第3版第4頁],意思是要想得到就必須付出。
·但是假如經(jīng)濟學(xué)家們真的碰上了天上掉餡餅這樣的好事,他們似乎比不知道“天下沒有免費的午餐”這個道理的那些人(如笑話中的牧師和警察)更積極想得到這樣的好事。其實這也難怪,因為經(jīng)濟學(xué)家相信人們都是自私自利的理性人,是利益最大化、成本最小化的理性人,享受免費午餐的成本為零,當(dāng)然就趨之若鶩了。另外,是不是經(jīng)濟學(xué)知識越豐富的人就越容易貪小便宜呢?威斯康星大學(xué)社會學(xué)家杰拉爾德·馬維爾(Gerald Marwell)和魯斯·埃姆斯(Ruth Ames)在1981年發(fā)現(xiàn),經(jīng)濟學(xué)專業(yè)的學(xué)生比其他專業(yè)的學(xué)生貪小便宜的傾向高得多。其實人人都想得到免費午餐,所以有了免費殺毒軟件,誰還去買付費殺毒軟件呢?
·福利經(jīng)濟學(xué)(welfare economics)是研究社會經(jīng)濟福利的一種經(jīng)濟學(xué)理論體系。內(nèi)容包括:社會經(jīng)濟運行的目標,或稱檢驗社會經(jīng)濟行為好壞的標準;實現(xiàn)社會經(jīng)濟運行目標所需的生產(chǎn)、交換、分配的最適度的條件及其政策建議等。本笑話也諷刺了研究社會福利的經(jīng)濟學(xué)家其實并不熱衷于創(chuàng)造社會福利,而是熱衷于享受社會福利。
英語知識鏈接
【1】 ask about:詢問,打聽
【2】 open up:開業(yè),營業(yè)
【3】 line up:排成一行