《股票作手回忆录·第十二章·棉花惨败·被专家说服》第7节
“I told you I couldn’t do it,” he said. “Do all of your customers make the same offer to you?” I asked. “No,” he answered. “Then why were you so sure that I was going to make it?” “It is what your type of sport would do. You are a first-class loser and that makes you a first-class business man. I am much obliged to you, but I can’t do it.” “Now tell me why you do not wish to make more than your commission?” “It isn’t that exactly,” he said. “I am not working just for the commission.” “What are you working for then?” “For the commission and the record,” he answered. “What record?” “Mine.” “What are you driving at?” “Do you work for money alone?” he asked me. “Yes,” I said. “No.” And he shook his head. “No, you don’t. You wouldn’t get enough fun out of it. You certainly do not work merely to add a few more dollars to your bank account and you are not in Wall Street because you like easy money. You get your fun some other way. Well, same here.” I did not argue but asked him, “And how do you get your fun?”
注释摘要
这一段是全书最耐人寻味的心理插曲之一。它发生在利弗莫尔正式回顾自己因珀西·托马斯而犯下棉花大错之前，他先用这个卖书人的故事来展示一个令人不安的事实：一个极度自信、惯于独立思考的人，是如何在几个小时之内被一个陌生人彻底瓦解防御的。这既是历史现场的白描，也是人性弱点的文学解剖。 要理解这个场景，得先知道 1900 年代初美国图书推销的生态。当时没有亚马逊，没有…