|
Lesson 27 Nothing to sell and nothing to buy 没有东西可卖也没有东西可买 It has been said that everyone lives by selling something. In thelight of this statement, teachers live by selling knowledge, philosophers byselling wisdom and priests by selling spiritual comfort. Though it may bepossible to measure the value of material good in terms of money, it isextremely difficult to estimate the true value of the services which peopleperform for us. There are times when we would willingly give everything wepossess to save our lives, yet we might grudge paying a surgeon a high fee foroffering us precisely this service. The conditions of society are such thatskills have to be paid for in the same way that goods are paid for at a shop.Everyone has something to sell. Tramps seem to be the only exception to this general rule. Beggarsalmost sell themselves as human beings to arouse the pity of passers-by. Butreal tramps are not beggars. They have nothing to sell and require nothing fromothers. In seeking independence, they do not sacrifice their human dignity. Atramp may ask you for money, but he will never ask you to feel sorry for him.He has deliberately chosen to lead the life he leads and is fully aware of theconsequences. He may never be sure where the next meal is coming from, but heis free from the thousands of anxieties which afflict other people. His fewmaterial possessions make it possible for him to move from place to place withease. By having to sleep in the open, he gets far closer to the world of naturethan most of us ever do. He may hunt, beg, or steal occasionally to keephimself alive; he may even, in times of real need, do a little work; but hewill never sacrifice his freedom. We often speak of tramps with contempt andput them in the same class as beggars, but how many of us can honestly say thatwe have not felt a little envious of their simple way of life and their freedomfrom care? | 
