《论美国的民主·卷二·二部·第十三章·富足之中何以焦躁不安》第4节
Amongst democratic nations men easily attain a certain equality of conditions: they can never attain the equality they desire. It perpetually retires from before them, yet without hiding itself from their sight, and in retiring draws them on. At every moment they think they are about to grasp it; it escapes at every moment from their hold. They are near enough to see its charms, but too far off to enjoy them; and before they have fully tasted its delights they die. To these causes must be attributed that strange melancholy which oftentimes will haunt the inhabitants of democratic countries in the midst of their abundance, and that disgust at life which sometimes seizes upon them in the midst of calm and easy circumstances. Complaints are made in France that the number of suicides increases; in America suicide is rare, but insanity is said to be more common than anywhere else. These are all different symptoms of the same disease. The Americans do not put an end to their lives, however disquieted they may be, because their religion forbids it; and amongst them materialism may be said hardly to exist, notwithstanding the general passion for physical gratification. The will resists--reason frequently gives way. In democratic ages enjoyments are more intense than in the ages of aristocracy, and especially the number of those who partake in them is larger: but, on the other hand, it must be admitted that man's hopes and his desires are oftener blasted, the soul is more stricken and perturbed, and care itself more keen.
注释摘要
这段文字处在整章论证收束的关节点上。托克维尔此前已经从两个层面铺开了他的解释：美国人渴望物质享乐，这使得他们永远急急忙忙，因为生命有限而欲望无穷；身份平等又撤去了一切等级藩篱，让每个人都觉得无限上升是可能的，可实际上竞争只会更残酷，能跑赢的人终究是极少数。现在他把这两条线索拧成一股绳，给出了一个存在论式的结论：民主社会的居民能够比较容易地达到某种程度的身份…