后现代消费文化的伦理思考——论达雷尔小说《阿芙罗狄特的反抗》

Ethical Reflections on Postmodern Consumption Culture:On Durrell's Novel The Revolt of Aphrodite

通过《阿芙罗狄特的反抗》劳伦斯·达雷尔实现了对后现代消费文化在虚拟小说世界中的构拟与批判。小说中梅林公司建立的全球范围内的商业帝国是后现代消费文化的微缩景观。通过对发明者、公司、产品和消费者之间复杂伦理关系的描述,达雷尔为读者提出了一系列后现代消费文化下的伦理真空和伦理危机等亟待解决的问题。达雷尔意在指出:消费者个人层面上理性意志的觉醒和有德、有志且处于权力阶层的"有机知识分子们"果敢、正确的伦理判断和伦理选择,才是遏制后现代消费文化中人们的"兽性因子",回归"人性因子"的有效途径。

Through The Revolt of Aphrodite Lawrence Durrell has reconstructed and criticized the postmodern con- sumption culture in a virtual world of the novel. The global commercial empire established by Merlin Group is a miniature of postmodem consumption culture. Through the description of complicated ethical relations among in- ventor, company, product and consumer, Durrell raises a series of urgent questions such as ethical vacuum and ethical crisis. Durrell intends to argue that the awakening of rational will on an individual level and the decisive correct ethical judgment and choice made by ＂Organic Intellectuals＂ with sound ethical conscience and aspiration on an authoritative level are the ways in which man＇ s ＂animal factor＂ in postmodern consumption culture is con- tained and man＇ s ＂human factor＂ is effectively regained.