often, actually, on a Sunday evening,

日曜日の夕方に太陽が沈もうとしている

just as the sun is starting to set,

ちょうどその時によく起こります

and the gap between my hopes for myself,

私が成りたい自分と現実の

and the reality of my life, start to diverge so painfully

痛いほどのギャップを憂い

that I normally end up weeping into a pillow.

涙で枕をぬらします

I'm mentioning all this,

私がこんなことを話すのは

I'm mentioning all this because I think this is not merely a personal problem.

これが単に私個人の問題ではないと思うからです

You may think I'm wrong in this,

貴方は間違っていると思うかもしれませんが

but I think that we live in an age when our lives are regularly

私達は経歴の転機によって人生が

punctuated by career crises,

区切られる時代に生きています

by moments when what we thought we knew,

自分の人生や経歴について

about our lives, about our careers,

知っていると思った途端に

comes into contact with a threatening sort of reality.

恐ろしい現実に出くわします

It's perhaps easier now than ever before to make a good living.

今までに無い程簡単に豊かな生活が出来るのに

It's perhaps harder than ever before

落ち着いてキャリアの不安から開放されるのは

to stay calm, to be free of career anxiety.

前より難しくなりました

I want to look now, if I may,

考えてみようと思います

at some of the reasons why

経歴に不安を覚える

we might be feeling anxiety about our careers.

理由について

Why we might be victims of these career crises,

キャリア悲観の犠牲となって

as we're weeping softly into our pillows.

涙で枕を濡らすのはなぜか

One of the reasons why we might be suffering

苦悩の理由の一つは

is that we are surrounded by snobs.

私達が俗物に取り囲まれているからです

In a way, I've got some bad news,

さて、外国からオックスフォードに来る人にとって

particularly to anybody who's come to Oxford from abroad.

悪いニュースがあります

There is a real problem with snobbery.

そこに俗物精神の本当の問題があります

Because sometimes people from outside the U.K.

外国からきた人はよく

imagine that snobbery is a distinctively U.K. phenomenon

俗物主義は田舎の邸宅や称号に固執した

fixated on country houses and titles.

イギリス特有の現象だと思いますが

The bad news is that's not true.

それは間違いです

Snobbery is a global phenomenon.

俗物精神は地球規模の現象です

We are a global organization. This is a global phenomenon.

我々はグローバルな組織で、これはグローバルな現象です

It exists. What is a snob?

俗物とは何でしょう？

A snob is anybody who takes a small part of you

それはあなたの一部のみを取り上げ

and uses that to come to a complete vision of who you are.

あたかもそれが貴方の全てであるように見る人です

That is snobbery.

それが俗物精神です

The dominant kind of snobbery

今日支配的な俗物主義は

that exists nowadays is job snobbery.

経歴を鼻にかけることです

You encounter it within minutes at a party,

パーティに行くと、一分以内に

when you get asked that famous iconic question

21世紀で最も代表的な質問をされます

of the early 21st century, "What do you do?"

「ご職業は？」と

And according to how you answer that question,

その質問にどう答えるかによって

people are either incredibly delighted to see you,

相手は貴方に会えた事を大そう喜ぶか

or look at their watch and make their excuses.

または、時計を見て言い訳をします

(Laughter)

（笑）

Now, the opposite of a snob is your mother.

俗物の反対は母親です

(Laughter)

（笑）

Not necessarily your mother, or indeed mine,

あなたの母親や私の母親と言うわけではなく

but, as it were, the ideal mother,

理想的な母親像で、

somebody who doesn't care about your achievements.

貴方の業績を気にしない人の事です

But unfortunately, most people are not our mothers.

でも、残念なことに殆んどの人は私達の母親ではありません

Most people make a strict correlation between how much time,

殆んどの人は "時間"と

and if you like, love -- not romantic love,

ロマンチックとは限らない一般的な"愛"や

though that may be something --

敬意の間に厳格な相互関係を築き

but love in general, respect,

相手の社会階級の位置で

they are willing to accord us, that will be strictly defined

慎重に定義された

by our position in the social hierarchy.

時間のみを割きます

And that's a lot of the reason why we care so much about our careers

だから私達は経歴を気に掛けるのです

and indeed start caring so much about material goods.

そして、身の回りの物質に気を配ります

You know, we're often told that we live in very materialistic times,

私達はしごく物質的な時代を生きており

that we're all greedy people.

貪欲だと言われます

I don't think we are particularly materialistic.

私はそうは思わず

I think we live in a society

物質を得るという事が

which has simply pegged certain emotional rewards

ある種の感情的な報酬に結びついた

to the acquisition of material goods.

社会に生きているのだと思います

It's not the material goods we want. It's the rewards we want.

私達が欲しいのは物質でなく、報酬なのです

And that's a new way of looking at luxury goods.

これは贅沢品への新しい見方を提供します

The next time you see somebody driving a Ferrari

もし、フェラーリに乗っている人を見かけたら

don't think, "This is somebody who is greedy."

「貪欲な人だ」などど思わず

Think, "This is somebody who is incredibly vulnerable and in need of love."

「すごく傷つきやすく、愛に飢えた人だ」と思ってください

In other words -- (Laughter)

言い換えると -- （笑）

feel sympathy, rather than contempt.

軽蔑でなく、同情してあげて下さい

There are other reasons --

他にも理由があります --

(Laughter)

（笑）

there are other reasons why it's perhaps harder now

心を落ち着かせるのが

to feel calm than ever before.

今までに無い程難しい理由は他にあります

One of these, and it's paradoxical because it's linked to something that's rather nice,

逆説的ですが、一つは私達の自分のキャリアに対する

is the hope we all have for our careers.

期待に関係しています

Never before have expectations been so high

人類がその生涯で成し遂げられることへの

about what human beings can achieve with their lifespan.

期待は今までになく高く

We're told, from many sources, that anyone can achieve anything.

誰でも何でも出来ると聞かされ

We've done away with the caste system.

カースト制が無くなり

We are now in a system where anyone can rise

自分が望むだけ昇れる

to any position they please.

制度の中にいます

And it's a beautiful idea.

これは素晴らしい発想です

Along with that is a kind of spirit of equality. We're all basically equal.

私達は基本的に平等だという平等精神：

There are no strictly defined

厳格に定められた

kind of hierarchies.

階級もありません

There is one really big problem with this,

ここに大きな問題があるのです

and that problem is envy.

それは妬みです

Envy, it's a real taboo to mention envy,

嫉妬、羨望を口にするのはタブーですが

but if there is one dominant emotion in modern society, that is envy.

現代社会を支配する感情があるとすれば、それは妬みです

And it's linked to the spirit of equality. Let me explain.

そして、それが平等精神に繋がるのです。説明しましょう

I think it would be very unusual for anyone here, or anyone watching,

ここにいる人、またこれを見ている人で

to be envious of the Queen of England.

英国女王を嫉妬する人はいないでしょう

Even though she is much richer than any of you are.

彼女は大変なお金持ちで

And she's got a very large house.

すごく大きな家に住んでいるのにです

The reason why we don't envy her is because she's too weird.

私達が彼女を羨まないのは彼女が違いすぎるからです

She's simply too strange.

彼女はとても特殊なので

We can't relate to her. She speaks in a funny way.

共感を持てません。彼女は変わった話し方をし

She comes from an odd place.

変わった場所から来ています

So we can't relate to her. And when you can't relate to somebody, you don't envy them.

私達は彼女との接点が見出せず、関連が見出せないので 妬みもありません

The closer two people are, in age, in background,

二人の年齢や状況、身の回りなど

in the process of identification, the more there is a danger of envy --

近ければ近いほど、妬みを招く恐れがあります

which is incidentally why none of you should ever go to a school reunion --

だから学校の同窓会など行かないことです

because there is no stronger reference point

なぜなら、学校の同級生ほど

than people one was at school with.

確かな基準点は無いからです

But the problem, generally, of modern society, is that it turns the whole world

現代社会の問題は、全世界を学校に摩り替えてしまうことです

into a school. Everybody is wearing jeans, everybody is the same.

皆がジーンズを穿いて、同じだけど

And yet, they're not.

実は、同じではない

So there is a spirit of equality, combined with deep inequalities.

平等精神と深い不平等が入り混じっています

Which makes for a very -- can make for a very stressful situation.

とてもストレスの溜まる状況です

It's probably as unlikely that you would nowadays

今貴方が ビル・ゲイツのように

become as rich and famous as Bill Gates,

お金持ちで有名になることは

as it was unlikely in the 17th century

１７世紀に貴方がフランス上流階級の階級を

that you would accede to the ranks of the French aristocracy.

継承するのと同じくらい無理なことでしょう

But the point is, it doesn't feel that way.

要点はその気になるかどうかです

It's made to feel, by magazines and other media outlets,

雑誌やマスコミに煽られると

that if you've got energy, a few bright ideas about technology,

精力やテクノロジー、それに少しの名案があれば

a garage, you too could start a major thing.

ガレージで大きなことが始められるような気になります

(Laughter)

（笑）

And the consequences of this problem make themselves felt in bookshops.

これはまるで私達を本屋にいるような気分にさせます

When you go to a large bookshop and look at the self-help sections,

私はたまに大きな本屋に行って

as I sometimes do,

自己啓発の部門を見ますが

if you analyze self-help books that are produced

世界中で発行されている自己啓発の本を分析すると

in the world today, there are basically two kinds.

基本的に２種類に分類されます

The first kind tells you, "You can do it! You can make it! Anything is possible!"

最初のは「貴方には出来る！不可能はない！」

And the other kind tells you how to cope

そして、他の種類はよく言えば「自尊心の低い人」

with what we politely call "low self-esteem,"

悪く言えば「自分を最低と思っている人」への

or impolitely call "feeling very bad about yourself."

対処方

There is a real correlationship,

「貴方は何でも出来る」と

a real correlation between a society that tells people that they can do anything

励ます社会と自尊心の低さには

and the existence of low self-esteem.

相関関係があります

So that's another way in which something that is quite positive

これは何か肯定的なものには

can have a nasty kickback.

ひどい反作用がある例です

There is another reason why we might be feeling more anxious,

私達が今まで以上に職業や地位を気にするのは

about our careers, about our status in the world today, than ever before.

他にも理由があります

And it is, again, linked to something nice,

これも肯定的なものと結びついています

and that nice thing is called meritocracy.

それは実力社会と呼ばれ

Everybody, all politicians on Left and Right,

右や左の政治家やだれもが

agree that meritocracy is a great thing,

実力主義は素晴らしく

and we should all be trying to make our societies really, really meritocratic.

私達は本当の実力社会を築くべきだと同調します

In other words, what is a meritocratic society?

実力社会とは何でしょう？

A meritocratic society is one in which

実力社会とは貴方に才能や

if you've got talent and energy and skill,

精力、技能があれば 何の障害もなく

you will get to the top. Nothing should hold you back.

トップに立てる社会です

It's a beautiful idea. The problem is

素晴らしい発想です。問題は

if you really believe in a society

もし、実力のある者が

where those who merit to get to the top, get to the top,

頂点に立てる社会というものを信じているならば

you'll also, by implication, and in a far more nasty way,

それは暗に

believe in a society where those who deserve to get to the bottom

実力のない人は下にいて、這い上がれない社会を

also get to the bottom and stay there.

信じているということです

In other words, your position in life comes to seem not accidental,

これは人生での地位が偶然ではなく

but merited and deserved.

実力で獲た物と言え

And that makes failure seem much more crushing.

だから失敗がとても痛烈なのです

You know, in the Middle Ages, in England,

中世のイギリスで

when you met a very poor person,

貧乏な人は

that person would be described as an "unfortunate" --

「不幸な人」と呼ばれました

literally, somebody who had not been blessed by fortune, an unfortunate.

言葉どおり運に恵まれなかった人たちです

Nowadays, particularly in the United States,

現代では、特に米国では

if you meet someone at the bottom of society,

社会の底辺にいる人は

they may unkindly be described as a "loser."

「敗者」と呼ばれます

There is a real difference between an unfortunate and a loser,

不幸と敗者には大きな違いがありますす

and that shows 400 years of evolution in society

これは400年にわたる社会の進化と

and our belief in who is responsible for our lives.

人生の責任起因の進化です

It's no longer the gods, it's us. We're in the driving seat.

それはもはや神ではなく、私達自身なのです。

That's exhilarating if you're doing well,

うまく行っているときは爽快ですが

and very crushing if you're not.

そうじゃないと痛烈で

It leads, in the worst cases, in the analysis of a sociologist

エミール・デュルケームなど社会学者の分析によると

like Emil Durkheim, it leads to increased rates of suicide.

最悪、自殺者の率が増えるそうです

There are more suicides in developed individualistic countries

先進国の個人主義の国ではその他の国に比べて

than in any other part of the world.

自殺者が増えています

And some of the reason for that is that people take what happens

その理由は、人々が出来事の責任を

to them extremely personally.

全て自分のせいだと思うからです

They own their success. But they also own their failure.

成功の理由は自分にあり、失敗もまた自分にある

Is there any relief from some of these pressures

これらの重圧から

that I've just been outlining?

逃れる方法はあるでしょうか？

I think there is. I just want to turn to a few of them.

あると思います。少し紹介しましょう

Let's take meritocracy.

実力主義を取り上げると

This idea that everybody deserves to get where they get to,

誰もが行き着くところに行くという発想

I think it's a crazy idea, completely crazy.

これは馬鹿げた発想です

I will support any politician of Left and Right,

政治家の右・左関係なく、この実力主義の半分でも

with any halfway decent meritocratic idea.

ましな発想を提案すれば私は支持します

I am a meritocrat in that sense.

私は実力主義ですが

But I think it's insane to believe that we will ever

純粋な実力社会を築こうなんて

make a society that is genuinely meritocratic. It's an impossible dream.

馬鹿げた発想です。不可能な夢です

The idea that we will make a society

皆が正当に評価され

where literally everybody is graded,

良い者から上、悪いのは下、

the good at the top, and the bad at the bottom,

という社会を築くなんて

and it's exactly done as it should be, is impossible.

不可能です

There are simply too many random factors:

無作為の要因があまりにも多いからです

accidents, accidents of birth,

事故、出生事故

accidents of things dropping on people's heads, illnesses, etc.

頭の上に物が落ちてくるような事故、病気等

We will never get to grade them,

それらに評価はつけられません

never get to grade people as they should.

人を正当に評価するなど出来ようもありません

I'm drawn to a lovely quote by St. Augustine in "The City of God,"

アウグスティヌス聖人の「神の国」に面白い引用があります

where he says, "It's a sin to judge any man by his post."

彼はこう言っています「地位で人を判断するのは罪である」

In modern English that would mean

現代英語で言い換えると

it's a sin to come to any view of who you should talk to

誰と会話をするかをビジネスカードで判断するのは

dependent on their business card.

罪である

It's not the post that should count.

地位なんてどうでもいいのです

According to St. Augustine,

アウグスティヌス聖人によると

it's only God who can really put everybody in their place.

誰がどこに納まるかは神のみが知り

And he's going to do that on the Day of Judgment

神は天使が舞い、トランペットが響き、天が開く

with angels and trumpets, and the skies will open.

審判の日にそれを決める

Insane idea, if you're a secularist person, like me.

私のような世俗主義にとってはばかばかしい発想です

But something very valuable in that idea, nevertheless.

それでも大変価値のあるものがその発想にあります

In other words, hold your horses when you're coming to judge people.

人を判断するのはちょっと待て、という事です

You don't necessarily know what someone's true value is.

誰かの本当の価値なんて知る必要はありません

That is an unknown part of them.

それは知らざれる部分なのです

And we shouldn't behave as though it is known.

だから、私達はそれをまるで知っているように振舞うべきではありません

There is another source of solace and comfort for all this.

これらを慰める癒しの情報源は他にもあります

When we think about failing in life, when we think about failure,

人生に失敗したとか、失敗について考える時

one of the reasons why we fear failing is not just

私達が恐れるのは収入面や

a loss of income, a loss of status.

地位を無くすからだけではなく

What we fear is the judgment and ridicule of others. And it exists.

他人の判断や嘲笑を私達は恐れるのです。

You know, the number one organ of ridicule

さて、最大の嘲笑の機関

nowadays, is the newspaper.

現代のそれは新聞です

And if you open the newspaper any day of the week,

週の何曜日だろうと、新聞を開けば

it's full of people who've messed up their lives.

人生を台無しにした人でいっぱいです

They've slept with the wrong person. They've taken the wrong substance.

悪い人と関係を持った、悪い薬物を取った

They've passed the wrong piece of legislation. Whatever it is.

悪い法案を通した、それが何は関係なく

And then are fit for ridicule.

嘲笑に値する

In other words, they have failed. And they are described as "losers."