Lesson 16

The modern city

In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factory upon the physiological and mental state of the workers has been completely neglected.
在工业生活的组织中，工厂对工人生理和心理状态的影响已被完全忽视。
Modern industry is based on the conception of the maximum production at lowest cost, in order that an individual or a group of individuals may earn as much money as possible.
现代工业是基于以最低成本实现最大化生产这一概念，以便个人或群体能够尽可能多地赚钱。
It has expanded without any idea of the true nature of the human beings who run the machines, and without giving any consideration to the effects produced on the individuals and on their descendants by the artificial mode of existence imposed by the factory.
它在对运行机器的人类的真实本质毫无了解的情况下扩张，且没有考虑工厂强加的人工生存模式对个体及其后代产生的影响。
The great cities have been built with no regard for us.
伟大的城市在建造时完全没有考虑到我们。
The shape and dimensions of the skyscrapers depend entirely on the necessity of obtaining the maximum income per square foot of ground, and of offering to the tenants offices and apartments that please them.
摩天大楼的形状和尺寸完全取决于获得每平方英尺土地最大收益的必要性，以及向租户提供能取悦他们的办公室和公寓的必要性。
This caused the construction of gigantic buildings where too large masses of human beings are crowded together.
这导致了巨型建筑的建设，在这些建筑中，过大的人群被挤在一起。
Civilized men like such a way of living.
文明的人们喜欢这种生活方式。
While they enjoy the comfort and banal luxury of their dwelling, they do not realize that they are deprived of the necessities of life.
当他们享受着住所的舒适和陈腐的奢华时，他们并没有意识到自己已被剥夺了生活必需品。
The modern city consists of monstrous edifices and of dark, narrow streets full of petrol fumes and toxic gases, torn by the noise of the taxicabs, lorries and buses, and thronged ceaselessly by great crowds.
现代城市由巨大的建筑物和黑暗狭窄的街道组成，街道上充满了汽油烟雾和有毒气体，被出租车、卡车和公共汽车的噪音所充斥，并不断地被巨大的人群所拥挤。
Obviously, it has not been planned for the good of its inhabitants.
显然，它并没有为了其居民的利益而进行规划。