“知识付费”繁荣的背后

∷杜承阳

近年来，号称“知识付费”的产品层出不穷，“知识付费”甚至被推崇为一种时尚的生活方式。然而，值得思考的是，这股狂热从何而来？付费之后，又有几人真正学到了知识，获得了自我成长呢？

Have you ever paid for educational podcasts or live videos?Ask a woman on the street and the chances are high that1. the chances are high that: 很有可能是。she will say yes. These years has seen China's ride on the crest of a trend—“paying for knowledge,” an emergent economy enjoying its popularity in its prosperity.2. on the crest of: ……处于最得意的时候；emergent: 新兴的。The content of its products ranges from economics, psychology, and fi nance to skills of talking,body-building, and baby-caring. The compass is so overarching that everything one possibly thinks of or something never occurs to one's mind is probably on platforms online right at this moment.3. compass: 范围；overarching:包罗万象的。

Then what accounts for this craze4. craze: 狂热。on “knowledge”? First of all,the Internet serves as a precondition.5. serve as: 发挥……的作用；precondition: 前提，先决条件。Compared with traditional business models, online business has toppled the tyranny of space and the barriers to entry are much lowered.6. 不同于传统的商业模式，线上商业打破了空间的限制，市场准入门槛也大大降低了。topple:颠覆；tyranny: 控制，限制；barriers to entry:【经】市场准入门槛，行业准入壁垒。With a fast network and a smartphone, anyone having passed the identity check upon online platforms can apply to be an online teacher, and anyone with an online account can pay for “knowledge products” he/she wants at an affordable price.7. identity check: 身份验证；affordable: 支付得起的。Meanwhile, in this age of information, a fear of missing out is generated by information explosion and information asymmetry.8. miss out: 错失；information explosion:信息爆炸，指现代信息或数据数量的急速增加及其带来的影响；information asymmetry:【经】信息不对称，指在市场经济条件下，市场的买卖主体不可能完全占有对方的信息，这种信息不对称必定导致信息拥有方为谋取自身更大的利益而使另一方的利益受损。On one hand, there is ever more desire for focused information that is useful and relevant. On the other hand, such information is usually at the hands of professionals and experts serving well-known companies and schools with high walls. Together, the significance of being well-informed9. well-informed: 见多识广的，消息灵通的。stands out. Moreover, the need to update skills constantly in this growingly competitive job market also pushes the mode10hard. Confronted with a higher level of requirements of institutions, not a few candidates and employees feel the threat of being replaced, thereby yearning for11. yearn for: 渴望，切盼。seeking a better self.

Admittedly, this “knowledge-based” payment fashion has proved to be lucrative.12. admittedly: 不可否认地；lucrative:生利的，赚钱的。With regard to the whole society, information is motivated to fl ow relatively free and, to some extent, monopoly13. monopoly: 垄断。of information is broken. Besides, as a nascent industry, this economy instills vigor into the development of our country.14. 另外，作为一种新兴产业，这一经济模式为我国的发展注入了活力。nascent:初生的，新生的。Sellers can reap15. reap: 获得，收获。rich profits from it; buyers can enjoy self-growth and a broader horizon.Plus, this is also a ref l ection of respect for knowledge and talents. It promises possibilities of turning information into income.

As with all the fl edgling industry, however, the “pay-for-knowledge”boom betrays a few problems.16. fl edgling: 新兴的；betray: （非故意地）暴露，显露。For one thing, the market is awash with exaggerated slogans such as “How to Be an Industry's Elite in 5 Hours” and “15 Classes to Be a Master of Appreciating Classical Music,”17. be awash with: 充斥着，泛滥；slogan: 标语，广告语；elite: 精英。which sound like once you pay for it, you are sure to succeed immediately. Also, most “knowledge” products cannot be counted as knowledge at all. They are at most media of information. For another,a host of18. a host of: 一大群，许多。consumers believe such nonsense and buy them just for showing off. It is a pity for them not to perceive that in essence, to digest knowledge-based commodities requires an enduring investment of time and energy, as well as the ability to discern the quality and to learn by oneself.19. in essence: 本质上，实质上；digest:（经反复思考）吸收，领悟；commodity: 商品；discern: 识别。Consequently, a paradox is noteworthy:20paradox: 悖论；noteworthy: 值得注意的，显著的。Those who have really obtained self-growth after buying online classes are probably the kind of people who need them least. In other words, with or without these classes, they can make it21. make it: 达到预定目标，成功。anyway, because they are people capable of learning by themselves.

On balance, the best is the one that suits you best. Knowledge-based payment should be used as a good start for individual exploration rather than a clutch at straws22. a clutch at straws: （落水者）抓救命稻草，形容（为求脱离危境等）作最后的绝望挣扎。to save your life. Be careful. Otherwise,great expectations may turn out to be dashed23. dashed: 破灭的，落空的。dreams.