对我说谎试试

By Aleks Krotosk

Every day in train stations， hotel 1）lobbies， advertising 2）bureaus and singles bars， people are saying one thing and meaning another. Sample phrases like “cheap taxi”， “beautiful well-3）apportioned suite”， “this product will make you happy”and “you are the woman or man of my dreams”， can have 4）dire consequences， both financial and emotional if the inner and outer dialogues are in 5）stark contrast to one another. And so I propose a permanent device worn 6）discreetly under the hairline or hat that is attached to the 7）olfactory nerves. It 8）emits an unpleasant 9）farmyard scent， 10）detectable only to the wearer， if a person she or he is speaking with is being economical with the truth. The system will serve two purposes. First， it will enlighten the wearer that the other person is not to be trusted， thus saving time， money and hardship in the future. Secondly， by only alerting the wearer of the 11）incongruities， she or he is 12）empowered to make his or her own decision about how to proceed. After all， there are some situations， like family reunions and weddings， in which it may be inappropriate to raise the issue.

每天，在火车站、酒店大堂、广告局和单身酒吧，人们总是言不由衷。类似的话有：“便宜的出租车”，“富丽堂皇、优雅舒适的套房”，“这件商品物有所值”，以及“你是我的女神或男神”。这些话如果里外明显不一致，就会给人们在经济上和精神上带来可怕的影响。所以我提议发明一个能够连接到人嗅觉神经的设备，将它小心地固定到人们的发线或者帽子下。这个设备能散发出一股难闻的农场味，只有安装这一设备的人才能识别出跟他交谈的人是否说实话。这个系统将达到两个目的。首先，它会告知装有设备的人对方不值得信赖，以此为将来进一步的交往节省了时间、金钱和努力。其次，通过提醒人们与对方交谈的不适当性，能够使人们自主地决定如何控制事态的发展。毕竟，总有诸如家庭聚会、婚礼的场合，有些话题是不适宜提起的。