长期以来，超市摆货员都被视为毫无前途的职业，甚至比不上回家生孩子。然而，细细观察那些默默无闻的摆货员，你会发现他们同样值得尊敬和感谢。

If you ask anyone for his idea of a dead-end job, the chances are that he will reply “stacking supermarket shelves.”[1]

This occupation, indeed, has become a trope for the futility of existence at the lower end of the social spectrum.[2] Not long ago, for example, a columnist in the Guardian wrote that it was scarcely any wonder that teenage girls had babies when the only alternative open to them was stacking supermarket shelves.[3] As far as she was concerned, having a baby could prevent a worse fate.

But if supermarkets are necessary, then so are supermarket shelves—they have to be stacked by someone.

There is nothing dishonourable[4] or dishonest about stacking shelves. On the contrary, it is a socially useful thing to do. Moreover, the variation of abilities to be found in any human population suggests that this is the kind of work that suits some people quite admirably.[5]

However, I do not want to stress this last point for fear that I should be thought to be impugning the intelligence of those who work in supermarkets.[6] And this would be precisely the opposite of my intentions. I have always found people who work in supermarkets—whether in Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Morrisons or any other[7]—not only competent but eager to please. Whenever I approach them to ask where I may find coriander or brass polish,[8] they drop what they are doing and take me straight there.

The checkout[9] staff are always pleasant too. Their job is far from uninteresting, contrary to what unimaginative intellectuals might suppose. Surely people’s purchases, infinitely various in their combination, must tell you a lot about them. I don’t think I would mind working on a supermarket checkout, at least for a few months.

In my experience, this snobbish condescension expressed by intellectuals for supermarket shelf-stackers often infuriates people much more than large injustices.[10] Therefore, if you want to improve society, don’t take for granted the small services rendered[11] you by others. Don’t just say thank you, but actually be thankful for them.

Vocabulary

1. dead-end: 没出路的，没前途的;the chances are: 很有可能的情况是……;stack: 堆放。

2. 的确，这一职业已用来比喻社会下层民众的生存毫无希望。trope: 修辞，比喻;spectrum: 范围。

3. it was scarcely any wonder: 不足为奇;alternative: 可供选择的事物。

4. dishonourable: 不光彩的，丢脸的。

5. variation: 变化;admirably: 极好地。

6. impugn: 怀疑，质疑;intelligence: 智力，智慧。

7. Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Morrisons均为英国大型超市名。

8. coriander: 芫荽，香菜;brass polish: 擦铜油(铜部件时间长了有铜绿，用擦铜油擦后会变亮)。

9. checkout: 收银台。

10. snobbish: 自命不凡的，势利的;condescension: 屈尊俯就;infuriate: 激怒，使发怒。

11. render: 给予。

长期以来，超市摆货员都被视为毫无前途的职业，甚至比不上回家生孩子。然而，细细观察那些默默无闻的摆货员，你会发现他们同样值得尊敬和感谢。

If you ask anyone for his idea of a dead-end job, the chances are that he will reply “stacking supermarket shelves.”[1]

This occupation, indeed, has become a trope for the futility of existence at the lower end of the social spectrum.[2] Not long ago, for example, a columnist in the Guardian wrote that it was scarcely any wonder that teenage girls had babies when the only alternative open to them was stacking supermarket shelves.[3] As far as she was concerned, having a baby could prevent a worse fate.

But if supermarkets are necessary, then so are supermarket shelves—they have to be stacked by someone.

There is nothing dishonourable[4] or dishonest about stacking shelves. On the contrary, it is a socially useful thing to do. Moreover, the variation of abilities to be found in any human population suggests that this is the kind of work that suits some people quite admirably.[5]

However, I do not want to stress this last point for fear that I should be thought to be impugning the intelligence of those who work in supermarkets.[6] And this would be precisely the opposite of my intentions. I have always found people who work in supermarkets—whether in Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Morrisons or any other[7]—not only competent but eager to please. Whenever I approach them to ask where I may find coriander or brass polish,[8] they drop what they are doing and take me straight there.

The checkout[9] staff are always pleasant too. Their job is far from uninteresting, contrary to what unimaginative intellectuals might suppose. Surely people’s purchases, infinitely various in their combination, must tell you a lot about them. I don’t think I would mind working on a supermarket checkout, at least for a few months.

In my experience, this snobbish condescension expressed by intellectuals for supermarket shelf-stackers often infuriates people much more than large injustices.[10] Therefore, if you want to improve society, don’t take for granted the small services rendered[11] you by others. Don’t just say thank you, but actually be thankful for them.

Vocabulary

1. dead-end: 没出路的，没前途的;the chances are: 很有可能的情况是……;stack: 堆放。

2. 的确，这一职业已用来比喻社会下层民众的生存毫无希望。trope: 修辞，比喻;spectrum: 范围。

3. it was scarcely any wonder: 不足为奇;alternative: 可供选择的事物。

4. dishonourable: 不光彩的，丢脸的。

5. variation: 变化;admirably: 极好地。

6. impugn: 怀疑，质疑;intelligence: 智力，智慧。

7. Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Morrisons均为英国大型超市名。

8. coriander: 芫荽，香菜;brass polish: 擦铜油(铜部件时间长了有铜绿，用擦铜油擦后会变亮)。

9. checkout: 收银台。

10. snobbish: 自命不凡的，势利的;condescension: 屈尊俯就;infuriate: 激怒，使发怒。

11. render: 给予。