卡耐基演講·3.使用類比

類比，根據(jù)韋氏字典，是“兩樣事物之間相似的關(guān)系……不是存在于事物本身的相像，而在于兩種或兩種以上的事物在性質(zhì)、狀況或效用方面的相像。”An analogy, according to Webster, is a "relation of likeness between two things ... consisting in the resemblance not of the things themselves but of two or more attributes, circumstances, or effects."

使用類比支持論點(diǎn)是個(gè)很好的技巧。以下是一段題目為《更強(qiáng)勁電力的需要》的演講摘錄。由C.吉拉德·戴維生在任內(nèi)政部助理秘書時(shí)所講。請(qǐng)留意他如何利用類比來(lái)做比較，以支持自己的論點(diǎn)：The use of an analogy is a fine technique for supporting a main idea. Here is an excerpt from a talk on "The Need for More Electric Power" by C. Girard Davidson when he was Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Note how he employs a comparison, an analogy, to back up his point:

“繁榮的經(jīng)濟(jì)必須不斷向前邁進(jìn)，不然就會(huì)陷于紊亂。好比飛機(jī)停憩于地面時(shí)，只是一堆無(wú)用的螺釘、螺帽的組合，可是一旦在空中前進(jìn)，它就如魚得水，發(fā)揮了有效的功能。為了要停留在高空，它必須繼續(xù)前進(jìn)。它若是不前進(jìn)，就會(huì)下沉——而它是不能后退的。”A prosperous economy has to keep moving for-word or it goes into a tailspin. There is a parallel with the airplane, which is a useless collection of nuts and bolts standing still on the ground. When moving forward in the air, however, it comes into its own and serves as a useful function. To stay up, it has to keep going forward. If it doesn't move , it sinks-and it can't move backward.

這里有另一個(gè)類比，恐怕是演講史上最杰出的類比了。它是林肯在艱難的南北戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)期間，回答批評(píng)他的人所使用的：Here is another, perhaps one of the most outstanding analogies in the history of eloquence; it ws used by Lincoln in answer to his critics during a crucial period of the Civil war:

“諸位先生，我想讓各位來(lái)做一番假設(shè)。假設(shè)你所有的財(cái)產(chǎn)都是黃金，而你把它交給著名的走索家柏羅丁手中，讓他走在繩索上帶過(guò)尼亞加拉瀑布去。當(dāng)他走在瀑布上時(shí)，你會(huì)不會(huì)搖動(dòng)繩索，或不斷地對(duì)他喊叫‘柏羅丁，再俯低些！走快些！’不會(huì)，我確信你一定不會(huì)。你會(huì)屏息閉嘴，肅立一邊，直至他安全走過(guò)去?，F(xiàn)在，政府亦處于相同的情況。它正背負(fù)著極大的重量越過(guò)狂瀾洶涌的海洋。數(shù)不盡的財(cái)寶握在它的手中，它正竭盡所能地去做。請(qǐng)勿打擾它！只需保持安靜，它就能帶你安然渡過(guò)?！盙entlemen, I want you to suppose a case for a moment. Suppose that all the property you were worth was in gold, and you had put it in the hands of Blondin, the famous rope-walker, to carry across the Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Would you shake the rope while he was passing over it, or keep shouting to him, "Blondin, stoop a little more! Go a little faster!" No, I am sure you would not. You would hold your breath as well as your tongue, and keep your hands off until he was safely over. Now the government is in the same situation. It is carrying an immense weight across a stormy ocean. Untold treasures are in its hands. It is doing the best it can. Don't badger it! Just keep still, and it will get you safely over.