又中又英 | Soft power | 褚簡寧

　　Might is right versus soft power. They are two very different political strategies. We can debate which strategy is better till kingdom come but don't expect total agreement. There are supporters on both sides. Might is right means those strongest and most powerful can impose their moral and other principles on weaker people. Soft power, as many of you know, is the use of a country's cultural and economic prestige to influence others instead of using hard power, such as military might. The expression "till kingdom come" means forever or a very long time.

　　Pandas are part of China's soft power. K-pop is South Korea's soft power. Japan's soft power is its ability to attract tens of millions of international tourists annually. America has both soft and hard power. Hollywood movies, Disney parks, and singers such as Taylor Swift are part of its soft power. Its hard power is the country’s military might. Most experts agree America's military is the world's most powerful. President Donald Trump seems to prefer might is right than soft power. He often boasts about America’s military might but seldom talks about its soft power.

　　His invasion of Venezuela to capture Nicolás Maduro and threat to acquire Greenland are examples. Trump recently posted an AI picture of himself in Greenland walking with a penguin holding an American flag. But there are no penguins in Greenland! Penguins live exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in the Antarctic region in the same way that pandas are found exclusively in China and kangaroos are only found in Australia.

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　　強權即公理（might is right）對軟實力（soft power）－－它們是兩個截然不同的政治策略。我們可以辯論哪一個策略比較好，直至天荒地老（till kingdom come），但不要期望可以達成完全一致的共識。兩邊都各有支持者。Might is right是指那些較強大和最具影響力的，可以將他們的道德和其他原則強加於弱者身上。Soft power，正如你們許多人都知道的，就是用一個國家的文化與經濟威望這些軟實力去影響他人，而非用hard power，例如軍事強權這種硬實力。習語"till kingdom come"是指無休止地、永遠，或很長的時間。

　　熊貓是中國的軟實力（soft power）之一。韓國流行音樂K-pop是南韓的軟實力（soft power）。日本的軟實力（soft power）是它每年吸引數以千萬計國際遊客的能力。美國兼備軟（soft）和硬實力（hard power）：荷李活電影、迪士尼和像泰勒絲的歌星，都是其軟實力（soft power）的其中幾樣；而它的硬實力（hard power）則是國家的軍事強權。大部分專家都同意，美國的軍力是世上最強的。總統當勞．特朗普似乎偏好強權即公理（might is right）多於軟實力（soft power）。他不時吹噓美國的軍事強權，卻鮮有談及它的軟實力（soft power）。

　　他進攻委內瑞拉，抓捕尼古拉斯．馬杜羅，以及威脅要奪取格陵蘭，就是兩例。特朗普最近貼出一張人工智能的圖片，圖中是他自己在格陵蘭，與拿着美國旗的企鵝同行。然而，格陵蘭是沒有企鵝的！企鵝僅僅住在南半球，特別在南極地區，一如熊貓只在中國找到，袋鼠也只在澳洲找得到。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻