又中又英 | Soft power | 褚简宁

　　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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　　强权即公理（might is right）对软实力（soft power）－－它们是两个截然不同的政治策略。我们可以辩论哪一个策略比较好，直至天荒地老（till kingdom come），但不要期望可以达成完全一致的共识。两边都各有支持者。Might is right是指那些较强大和最具影响力的，可以将他们的道德和其他原则强加于弱者身上。Soft power，正如你们许多人都知道的，就是用一个国家的文化与经济威望这些软实力去影响他人，而非用hard power，例如军事强权这种硬实力。习语"till kingdom come"是指无休止地、永远，或很长的时间。

　　熊猫是中国的软实力（soft power）之一。韩国流行音乐K-pop是南韩的软实力（soft power）。日本的软实力（soft power）是它每年吸引数以千万计国际游客的能力。美国兼备软（soft）和硬实力（hard power）：荷李活电影、迪士尼和像泰勒丝的歌星，都是其软实力（soft power）的其中几样；而它的硬实力（hard power）则是国家的军事强权。大部分专家都同意，美国的军力是世上最强的。总统当劳．特朗普似乎偏好强权即公理（might is right）多于软实力（soft power）。他不时吹嘘美国的军事强权，却鲜有谈及它的软实力（soft power）。

　　他进攻委内瑞拉，抓捕尼古拉斯．马杜罗，以及威胁要夺取格陵兰，就是两例。特朗普最近贴出一张人工智能的图片，图中是他自己在格陵兰，与拿着美国旗的企鹅同行。然而，格陵兰是没有企鹅的！企鹅仅仅住在南半球，特别在南极地区，一如熊猫只在中国找到，袋鼠也只在澳洲找得到。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻