Only the Good Die Younger
Academy Award nominees1) who go home empty-handed may not have a shiny Oscar to show off,but they may turn out to be the bigger winners in the game of life.According to a study published in British Medical Journal,Oscar-winning screenwriters2) are more successful,more productive,and more respected than losing nominees;however,they die sooner by about four years.
“Because success is usually linked to better health,this is the first occupation ever that success is not associated with improved longevity3),”says Donald Redelmeier,lead author of the study.Researchers tracked down information about every person who was ever nominated for an Oscar since the awards were first handed out 73years ago.
To explain the puzzling findings,he offers two theories.The first is the“work-to-death hypothesis4).”According to Redelmeier,screenwriters are more apt to lead unhealthy lifestyles,meaning they smoke more,exercise less,and work a lot of late-night hours,which translates into not enough sleep.
Screenwriters don’t have a boss to report to,which brings into account Redelmeier’s second explanation,the“party-hearty hypothesis.”“When you become a successful screenwriter,you gain status without daily accountability,and as a consequence your success may lead you to more alcohol,more parties,and more obesity5),”he says.
成功和健康可以兼得嗎?
雖然奧斯卡頒獎典禮上空手而歸的編劇們沒有金燦燦的獎杯向人們炫耀,但是他們可能會成為現(xiàn)實(shí)生活的大贏家。《英國醫(yī)學(xué)雜志》刊登的一項(xiàng)研究成果表明,最終獲得奧斯卡獎的編劇們比僅獲提名的同行們在事業(yè)上更加成功,更加多產(chǎn),更加受人尊敬,但是他們的壽命平均比后者短大約4年。
該研究報告的第一作者唐納德·雷德梅爾說:“通常身體健康和事業(yè)有成總是緊密聯(lián)系在一起的,但編劇是我們發(fā)現(xiàn)的第一種在工作中成功與長壽并沒有聯(lián)系的職業(yè)。”研究者對自奧斯卡首次頒獎至今73年間所有獲得奧斯卡提名者進(jìn)行了跟蹤調(diào)查。
為了解釋這一令人困惑的研究結(jié)果,雷德梅爾提出了兩個理論。第一個是“鞠躬盡瘁論”。雷德梅爾說,劇本編劇們通常生活方式并不健康,他們煙癮很大,缺乏運(yùn)動,經(jīng)常工作到深夜,睡眠不足。
第二個是“熱衷于社交聚會論”,雷德梅爾認(rèn)為這緣于編劇們不用受上級管束。他說:“當(dāng)你成為一名成功的編劇后,你所獲得的地位使你不必每日為生計操心,成功帶來的結(jié)果是你更多地引酒、參加社交聚會以及身體發(fā)福。”
NOTE 注釋:
1. nominee [nCmi5ni:] n. 被提名的人, 被任命者
2. screenwriter [5skri:n7raitE] n. 電影劇本作家, 編劇家
3. longevity [lCn5dVeviti] n. 長命, 壽命
4. hypothesis [hai5pCWisis] n. 假設(shè)
5. 6.obesity [Eu5bisiti] n. 肥胖,發(fā)福