【经典原著导读】麦克卢汉：《理解媒介》（McLuhan: Understanding Media）—序言
一、原文选摘
After Three thousand years of explosion, by means of fragmentary and mechanical technologies, the Western world is imploding. During the mechanical ages we had extended our bodies in space. Today, after more than a century of electric technology, we have extended our central nervous system itself in a global embrace, abolishing both space and time as far as our planet is concerned. Rapidly, we approach the final phase of the extension of man—the technological simulation of consciousness.
凭借分解切割的、机械的技术，西方世界取得了三千年的爆炸性增长，现在它正在经历内爆。在机械时代，我们完成了身体的空间延伸。今天，经过一个世纪的电力技术发展以后，我们的中枢神经系统又得到了延伸，以至于能拥抱全球。就我们这颗行星而言，时间差异和空间差异已不复存在。我们正在逼近人类延伸的最后一个阶段——从技术上模拟意识的阶段。
In the mechanical age now receding, many actions could be taken without too much concern. Slow movement insured that the reactions were delayed for considerable periods of time. Today the action and reaction occur almost at the same time. We actually live mythically and integrally, as it were, but we continue to think in the old, fragmented space and time patterns of the pre-electric age.
机械时代正在退出舞台。在机械时代，许多行动都不用瞻前顾后。慢速的运动必然使反映迟滞相当长的时间。可是今天，行为及其反映几乎同时发生。事实上，我们似乎生活在神奇的一体化世界中，然而我们仍然在使用陈旧的、前电力时代那种支离破碎的时间模式和空间模式来思考问题。
As electrically contracted, the globe is no more than a village. Electric speed in bringing all social and political functions together in a sudden implosion has heightened human awareness of responsibility to an intense degree.
由于电力使地球缩小，我们这个地球只不过是一个小小的村落。一切社会功能和政治功能都结合起来，以电的速度产生内爆，这就使人的责任意识大大提高。
As extension of man the chair is a specialist ablation of the posterior, a sort of ablative absolute of backside.
椅子作为人的延伸，是从臀部分离出来的专用家具，是从这部分器官分离出来的独立结构，是背部的截除。
Some of the principal extensions, together with some of their psychic and social consequences, are studied in this book. Examination of the origin and development of the individual extensions of man should be preceded by a look at some general aspects of the media, or extensions of man, beginning with the never-explained numbness that each extension brings about in the individual and society.
本书研究的是人的一些主要延伸及其心理影响和社会后果。本书首先要看看媒介（即人的延伸）的一些总体情况，然后再分别检查各种延伸的由来和发展。首卷考察的是每一种媒介给个人和社会造成的麻木，迄今为止，还没有人对这种麻木做过解释。
二、单词&短语
Fragmentary (adj.) 支离破碎的，不完整的，零零散散的，碎片的
Implode (v.) 内爆，向内破裂，崩溃，爆炸，破灭
Simulation (n.) 仿造物，模拟，仿真
Mechanical (adj.) 机械的，呆板的，力学的 (n.) 技工，工匠，机修工
Technological (adj.) 技术的，科技的，工艺的
Recede (v.) 逐渐退去，逐渐减弱，逐渐远离
Mythically (adv.) 神话地，虚构地
Integrally (adv.) 完整地，整体地
Fragmented (adj.) 分裂的，支离破碎的
Contract (v.) 收缩，缩小；患上，感染；签合同 (n.) 合同，契约
Heighten (v.) 提高，增强
Ablation (n.) 切除，消融
Ablative (v.) 分离的，离格的，消融的
Posterior (n.) 后部，臀部
Absolute (n.) 独立结构 (adj.) 完全的，纯粹的，绝对的，无疑的
Intense degree 强烈程度
as far as … be concerned 就…而言；就…而论
参考文献
[1] Marshall Mcluhan. Understanding Media[M]. London: Routledge, 1964: 3-6.
[2] 马歇尔·麦克卢汉. 理解媒介（55周年增订本）[M]. 何道宽译, 南京: 译林出版社, 2019: 3-7.
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