“适者生存”的理念之害 |《健康之道》连载（26）

摘译自《健康之道》1984年4月3日

适者生存的概念在人类活动的许多领域都产生了相当有害的影响——特别是在医学思想和实践领域。

整个理念以最机械的方式发展起来，强调生命各个方面之间的竞争，将一种生命形态与另一种对立，并以体力、灵活性、敏捷和效率作为任何个人或物种存活的首要条件。

然而，在野生环境中，许多动物保护并供养受伤或残废的成员，这是千真万确的；而且随着年龄增长而产生的智慧也的确在动物王国里受到赏识。可是，适者生存的概念被夸大了，远远超过了那些合作的概念。

在政治和医学上，这种扭曲导致了不幸的情况：在第二次世界大战中孕育的雅利安人至上的生物观念，对“完美身体”的专注，以及其它的扭曲。理想身体的观念往往为大众所接受，这种观念通常会提出一种程式化的“完美”体格，而实际上很少有人与之匹配。任何变异都令人看不惯，而任何先天缺陷都被人以最怀疑的眼光看待。于是，有些思想体系认为，只有基因优越者才可以繁殖，而有些科学家则相信，通过明智的基因规划，所有的缺陷都可以被根除。

由于这些长期持有的理论，人们变得不信任自己的身体。残障者往往被灌输一些讯息，让他们感觉自己像是不适应环境的人，不值得存活——这种讯息甚至来自医学界。当人们生病时，他们常常以这样一种方式责备自己，以致产生了不必要的内疚。

在过去，一些宗教团体也宣扬这样的信念，说疾病是上帝惩罚的标志，或是因违抗上帝的“良善”而犯下罪行，由此受到的报复。

同样的信念往往传播到经济领域，在这些领域里，在上帝眼中讨喜的人因此被赐予了财富和兴旺，还有健康。因此，上帝被视为站在那些最努力竞争的人一边，所以贫穷或生病几乎被视为上帝不悦的标志。所有这些概念都以这样或那样的形式出现在大多数思想及教育的官方层面。自然美的整个概念都被遗忘了——在继续讨论时我们将进一步触及这个主题。

The concept of the survival of the fittest has had a considerably detrimental effect in many areas of human activity — particularly in the realm of medical ideology and practice. 

The whole idea was developed in the most mechanistic of terms, stressing competition among all aspects of life, pitting one life form against another, and using physical strength and dexterity, swiftness and efficiency, as the prime conditions for the survival of any individual or species. 

It is quite true, however, that in the wild many animals protect and provide for wounded or disabled members, and that the wisdom that comes with age is indeed appreciated even in the animal kingdom. The survival of the fittest concept, however, has been exaggerated far above those of cooperation. 

Politically as well as medically, such distortions have led to unfortunate conditions: the Aryan-supremacy biological ideas fostered in the second world war, the concentration upon "the perfect body," and other distortions. The idea of the ideal body has often been held up to the populace at large, and this often sets forth a stylized "perfect" physique that actually could be matched by few individuals. Any variations are frowned upon, and any birth defects considered in the most suspicious of lights. Some schools of thought, then, have it that only the genetically superior should be allowed to reproduce, and there are scientists who believe that all defects can be eradicated through judicious genetic planning. 

As a result of such long-held theories, people have grown distrustful of their own bodies. The handicapped are often given messages, even by the medical profession, that make them feel like  misfits, unworthy to survive. When people become ill, they often blame themselves in such a way that unnecessary guilt is the result. 

In the past some religious groups have also promoted beliefs that illness is a sign of God's punishment, or vengeance for sins committed against his "goodness." The same beliefs often spread to economic areas in which people who met pleasure in God's eyes were therefore gifted with wealth and prosperity, as well as good health. Therefore God was seen to be on the side of those who competed most strenuously, so that to be poor or sick was almost seen as a sign of God's disfavor. 

All such concepts appear in one form or another at most official levels of thought and education. The whole idea of the esthetics of nature is forgotten — a subject that we will touch upon further as we continue our discussion. 

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