【News takeaway】訂閱文化中偷偷摸摸的價格震撼

The Sneaky Sticker Shock of Subscription Culture

訂閱文化中偷偷摸摸的價格震撼

來源：The New York Times
難度：3
閱讀時間：4 mins

隨著越來越多的app和串流平台需要訂閱，每個月似乎都有這麼一筆錢，不知不覺就花掉了。這種「自動化的資本主義」一方面讓購買商品變得輕鬆，卻也隱約意味著我們已放棄消費的主動權。在這種情況下，我們是否應該重新思考訂閱制的合理性？

By David Mack

In recent years, much of my life as a consumer has shifted to what I like to call background spending. As I've subscribed to more apps and streaming platforms, significant sums of my money tend to drift away each month without my ever thinking about it.
近年來，我的消費生活在很大程度上發生了變化，轉變為一種我喜歡稱之為「後台消費」的方式。隨著我訂閱的應用程序和串流媒體平台的會員服務越來越多，每個月都會有一大筆錢不知不覺就花掉了。

Think of it as automated capitalism. Spending without the hassle of spending. Acquisition without action. Or thought.
我們可以把它看成一種自動化資本主義，連花錢的麻煩都省掉了，沒有購物行為，甚至都不用思考，就獲得了商品。

"Hand over your credit card details and let us take care of the rest," these companies assure us. But by agreeing to this trade, we've become passive consumers who are allowing the balance of capitalism to tilt away from us. We have ceded one of our key powers as individuals: our agency.
這些商家向我們保證：「你只要提供信用卡資料，剩下的都交給我們。」但是，一旦同意了這種交易模式，我們就變成被動的消費者，任由資本消費的天秤朝我們傾斜。我們放棄了個人的一個重要權力，就是我們的主動權。

And this laziness breeds more laziness because most of us can't be bothered with conducting regular reviews of our subscription spending.
而且，這種懶惰會讓我們越來越懶惰，因為大多數人都懶得對訂閱支出進行定期檢查。

If we're going to rebalance the wheels of capitalism just a little, we could do worse than to support a recently proposed rule from the Federal Trade Commission. In March, the agency suggested a "click to cancel" provision that would require companies to make it just as easy to end a subscription as to sign up for one.
如果要調整一下資本消費的運作方式，讓天秤恢復平衡，那我們不妨支持美國 聯邦貿易委員會（Federal Trade Commission）近期提議的一項規定。今年3月，該機構提議設置「點擊取消」條款，要求商家讓終止訂閱和註冊訂閱一樣容易。

If all that doesn't work, I have another idea: an app designed to keep track of your various subscriptions and background spending so you can better control your finances. Oh wait, those already exist — for a recurring fee, of course.
如果這些都沒用，我還有一個主意，那就是：設計一個app來追蹤你的各項訂閱和後台支出，這樣就可以把自己的財務狀況管理得更好。喔，等一下，這種app已經存在了——不過，當然是要固定收費的。

1. sticker shock 標價震驚

I experienced sticker shock when I saw the price tag on the new smartphone; it was much higher than I expected.
看到新手機的標價時，我被嚇一跳，它比我想像的要高得多。

2. subscribe to 訂閱......

I decided to subscribe to the magazine to stay updated on the latest trends in technology.
我決定訂閱這本雜誌，以便了解最新的科技趨勢。

3. drift away 逐漸遠離或慢慢離開某人、某事

Over time, I noticed that my old friends started to drift away, and we weren't as close as we used to be.
隨著時間的推移，我注意到我的老朋友開始逐漸遠離，我們的關係也不像以前那麽親近了。

4. hassle 困難，麻煩

Dealing with the paperwork for the visa was such a hassle; it took weeks to complete.
辦簽證的文件非常麻煩，需要花幾個星期才完成。

5. assure 使某人確信、向某人保證

I wanted to assure my parents that I would be careful while traveling abroad.
我想向父母保證，我在國外旅行時會小心。

6.tilt 傾斜

The strong wind caused the tree to tilt dangerously, and we had to cut it down for safety.
強風導致樹木傾斜，十分危險，為了安全起見，我們不得不把它砍倒。

7. cede (正式用語)自願放棄領土、權利或職責等

In the peace treaty, the country agreed to cede a portion of its territory to the neighboring nation.
在和平條約中，該國同意把一部分領土割讓給鄰國。

8. breed 引起，帶來；培育，繁殖

Positive actions often breed positive reactions, creating a cycle of goodwill.
積極的行動通常會帶來積極的回應，形成良性循環。

9. can't be bothered with doing something 懶得做某事

I can't be bothered with doing the dishes right now; I'll do them later.
我現在懶得洗碗，我等一下再洗。

10. could do worse than (to) do 不妨做......

If you're looking for a reliable car, you could do worse than to consider this brand.
如果你在找一輛可靠的車，不妨考慮一下這個牌子。

11. make it as easy to do something as to do something 使得做......和做......一樣簡單

The goal is to make it as easy to recycle as it is to throw things away.
我們的目標是讓回收變得和把東西丟掉一樣簡單。

史嘉琳《英語思維50講》每個人的英語基本功，看課程

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