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There was a time in America when you would be considered selfish and looked down upon if you refused to help someone in need, but "I don't want to get involved" has now become a national motto. Are people still willing to treat others with the same kindness their forefathers displayed? The author makes a cashless journey through the land of the almighty dollar to test his faith in America. And the answer he finds is: you can still depend on the kindness of strangers.
在美国，曾有那么一段时间，你要是对需要帮助的人置之不理，大家会认为你很自私并且看不起你，但是现在“我不想卷进去”已经成了美国的信条。现在的人们还会和他们的祖先一样善待陌生人吗？为了验证这一点，本文的作者在美元至上的土地上开启了一次身无分文的旅行。他找到了答案：你仍然可以依赖陌生人的善意。
The Kindness of Strangers
陌生人的善意
Mike Mclntyre
迈克·麦金太尔
One summer I was driving from my hometown of Tahoe City, California, to New Orleans. In the middle of the desert, I came upon a young man standing by the roadside. He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him. Someone else will stop for him, I reasoned. Besides, that gas can is just a ploy to flag down a car and rob the driver. There was a time in this country when you'd be considered a jerk if you passed by somebody in need. Now you're a fool for helping. With gangs, drug addicts, murderers, rapists, thieves and carjackers lurking everywhere, why risk it? "I don't want to get involved" has become a national motto.
—年夏天，我从家乡加利福尼亚州的塔霍城开车前往新奥尔良。在沙漠深处，我碰到一个年轻人站在路旁。他一只手打出拇指向外的手势，另一只手里拿着一个汽油罐。我直接从他身边开过去了。别人会停下来的，我想。再说，那汽油罐只是个让车停下、好抢劫司机的幌子而已。在这个国家，曾有那么一段时间，你要是对需要帮助的人置之不理，大家会认为你是混蛋，而如今你要是帮了你就是笨蛋。到处潜伏着犯罪团伙、吸毒上瘾者、杀人犯、强奸犯、盗窃犯还有劫车犯，为什么要冒险呢？“我不想卷进去”已经成为全国性的信条。
Several states later I was still thinking about the hitchhiker. Leaving him stranded in the desert didn't bother me as much. What bothered me was how easily I had reached the decision. I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator. Does anyone stop anymore? I wondered.
开过了几个州以后，我还在想着那个想搭便车的人。把他一个人留在沙漠中倒并没有让我有多么不安。让我不安的是，我多么轻易地就做出了这个决定。我甚至根本没把脚从油门上抬起来。我很想知道，现在还有人会停车吗？
