《乌合之众·第二编·群体的意见与信念·群体意见与信念的间接因素》第3节
[7] The novelty of this proposition being still considerable and history being quite unintelligible without it, I devoted four chapters to its demonstration in my last book ("The Psychological Laws of the Evolution of Peoples"). From it the reader will see that, in spite of fallacious appearances, neither language, religion, arts, or, in a word, any element of civilisation, can pass, intact, from one people to another. Environment, circumstances, and events represent the social suggestions of the moment. They may have a considerable influence, but this influence is always momentary if it be contrary to the suggestions of the race; that is, to those which are inherited by a nation from the entire series of its ancestors. We shall have occasion in several of the chapters of this work to touch again upon racial influence, and to show that this influence is so great that it dominates the characteristics peculiar to the genius of crowds. It follows from this fact that the crowds of different countries offer very considerable differences of beliefs and conduct and are not to be influenced in the same manner. Traditions represent the ideas, the needs, and the sentiments of the past. They are the synthesis of the race, and weigh upon us with immense force.
注释摘要
在这条脚注里，勒庞要为自己的核心主张做一次简短的集中辩护。他的论证很简单：一切文明的要素——语言、宗教、艺术——绝无可能完整地从一族人民移植到另一族人民，因为环境、时势这些表面因素虽然会带来一时的冲击，但只要它们与种族的天赋倾向相悖，效果就注定短暂。真正主宰一个民族的，是从历代祖先那里继承下来的共同心理特质。拿这个眼光去看，不同国家的群体会呈现出完全不同的…