The natural desire of every man to be somebody else explains many of the minor¹ irritations of life. It prevents that perfect organization of society in which everyone should know his place and keep it. The desire to be somebody else leads us to practice on work that does not strictly belong to us. We all have aptitudes² and talents that overflow³ the narrow bounds of our trade or profession. Every man feels that he is bigger than his job， and he is all the time doing what theologians call \"works of supererogation.\"

A man enters a barber's shop with the simple desire of being shaved. But he meets with the more ambitious desires of the barber. The serious barber is not content with any slight contribution to human welfare. He insists that his client shall be shampooed， manicured⁴， massaged， steamed beneath boiling towels， cooled off by electric fans， and， while all this is going on， that he shall have his boots blacked.

Have you never marveled at the patience of people in having so many things done to them that they don't want， just to avoid hurting the feelings of professional people who want to do more than is expected of them?

Or you take up a novel expecting it to be a work of fiction. But the novelist has other views. He wants to be your spiritual adviser. He must do something to your mind， he must rearrange your fundamental ideas， he must massage your soul， and generally brush you off. All this in spite of the fact that you don't want to be brushed off and set to rights. You don't want him to do anything to your mind. It's the only mind you have and you need it in your own business.

人人都想成為別的什么人的這種欲望，能很好地解釋生活中很多細小的不愉快的事情。這種欲望會導致一個完善的社會組織中的人不能各司其職。這種想成為別的什么人的欲望每每引導我們?nèi)ゲ俪忠恍﹪栏駚碚f并不屬于自己范圍的事務。我們的才干本領往往超出于我們自己行業(yè)與職務的狹小范圍。每個人都這樣認為自己是大才小用。因而他時時刻刻都在做著那種神學家們所謂的“額外工作”。

一個人走進理發(fā)店，目的不過是去刮胡子。但遇到的卻是理發(fā)師的一番雄心壯志。這位志行高超的理發(fā)師是絕不滿足于僅對人類的幸福做點卑微貢獻的。他堅決認定，他這位顧客還需要洗發(fā)、修指、按摩、在滾熱毛巾下發(fā)汗，在電風扇下冷卻，等等，同時，他的皮鞋還必須再上油重擦。

當你看到有些人在接受種種他們并不需要的服務時所表現(xiàn)的那番耐性，你沒有感覺過奇怪嗎?其實也不過是為了不愿意傷害多干點活的手藝人罷了。

又如你拿起一部小說來看，以為這一定是一篇故事。殊不料的小說家卻另有他的一番見解。他想充當你的精神顧問師。他要對你的心智有所建樹，他要重新整理你的基本思想，他要對你的靈魂進行按摩，對你的周身進行大掃除。盡管你并不想讓他給你做什么掃除或調(diào)整，他卻要對你所有這一切進行調(diào)整。你不愿讓他動你那顆心。你自己也只有那么一顆可憐的心，你在自己的工作上還需要它。

注釋：

1. minor adj．較小的；次要的；較不嚴重的

2. aptitude n. 天資；聰慧；適合

3. overflow v. 超出

4. manicure v. 修……的指甲；修剪