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Why you keep buying books you don’t read
囤书为何让人感到幸福
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Why you keep buying books you don’t read
囤书为何让人感到幸福
把不读的书堆在家里的习惯，非但不会让人感到愧疚，反而能让我们感到幸福。这是因为买书时大脑会释放多巴胺，让我们在脑海中勾勒出未来阅读时的惬意画面，从而产生期待感。心理学家指出，这种积极的期待感不仅能愉悦心情，还能缓解压力，使那些堆积的书籍读起来就像是一份未来的奖励。
If you have a pile of unread books at home, don't feel guilty.
即便家里堆满了没读的书，也请不要感到愧疚。pile of unread books 堆积的未读书籍 / feel guilty 感到愧疚
Scientists say that buying unread books actually makes us happy.
科学家表示，购买不读的书实际上能给人带来幸福感。buying unread books 买不读的书 / actually makes us happy 实际上让我们快乐
This happens because of how our brains handle anticipation.
这种现象源于大脑处理‘期待感’的方式。how our brains 大脑的方式 / handle anticipation 处理期待感
This habit is known by the Japanese word tsundoku,
这种习惯在日语中被称为 'tsundoku' (囤书)，habit 习惯 / known by 被称为…… / Japanese word 日语单词
which means stacking books to read later.
意指为了以后阅读而把书堆叠起来。means stacking books 堆书 / read later 以后阅读
When we buy a book, our brain releases a chemical called dopamine.
买书时，大脑会释放一种叫做‘多巴胺’的化学物质。releases a chemical 释放化学物质 / called dopamine 被称为多巴胺
Dopamine is not just about final pleasure,
多巴胺不仅仅关乎最终的快感。not just about 不仅仅关于 / final pleasure 最终的快感
but it helps us find opportunities by rewarding us in advance.
它通过提前给予奖励，帮助我们寻找机遇。find opportunities 寻找机遇 / rewarding us in advance 提前奖励我们
At the same time, the hippocampus helps us imagine a happy future of reading.
与此同时，海马体还能帮助我们想象未来阅读时的幸福画面。At the same time 同时 / hippocampus 海马体 / imagine a happy future 想象幸福的未来
It uses past memories, like the smell of coffee, to build a cozy mental scene.
它会调动咖啡香气等往日记忆，在脑海中营造温馨的场景。past memories 过去的记忆 / build a cozy mental scene 营造温馨的精神场景
Psychologists say this positive anticipation is great for our wellbeing,
心理学家说，这种积极的期待对身心健康非常有益。positive anticipation 积极的期待 / great for our wellbeing 对幸福感非常有益
because it improves our mood and protects us from stress.
因为它能改善心情，帮助我们抵御压力。improves our mood 改善心情 / protects us from stress 抵御压力
That is why a pile of unread books feels like a future reward,
这就是为什么堆积的书籍感觉像是未来的奖励，pile of unread books 堆积的未读书籍 / future reward 未来的奖励
while unanswered emails feel like a chore.
而没回的邮件却感觉像是一件苦差事。unanswered emails 没回的邮件 / feel like a chore 感觉像件苦差事
Quiz 🧠
Q1. Looking forward to something pleasant can improve a person's mood.
查看答案
✅ True
期待好事发生时，大脑会分泌奖励物质，从而改善情绪并减轻压力。
Expecting a positive event triggers rewarding brain chemicals, which naturally boosts mood and lowers stress.
Q2. What does 'anticipation' mean in 'she smiled in anticipation'?
查看答案
✅ looking forward to something
'Anticipation'指的是对即将发生的事情充满期待或盼望的心情。
Anticipation means feeling excited or hopeful about something that will happen soon.
Q3. Why do people often feel happy right after buying a new book?
查看答案
✅ They imagine future reading
买书会让人提前想象未来享受阅读的时刻，从而感到心情愉悦。
Buying a book makes the brain imagine a cozy, enjoyable reading moment in the future.
Dialogue 🎧
Michael: Charlotte, look at this massive pile of unread books on my desk. I feel so guilty.
Michael: 夏洛特，快看我桌上堆的那座‘书山’。每次看到它们，我都觉得心里愧疚。
Charlotte: Don't feel bad! In Japan, they actually have a beautiful word for that: tsundoku.
Charlotte: 别太自责了！日语里有个很有意思的词专门形容这种行为，叫‘tsundoku’。
Michael: Tsundoku? That sounds like a disease or a weird guilty habit.
Michael: Tsundoku？听着像某种疾病的名字，或者是什么奇怪的坏习惯。
Charlotte: It just means stacking books to read later. And scientists say it makes us happy.
Charlotte: 其实就是指为了以后阅读而把书堆起来。不过科学家说，这能让我们感到幸福呢。
Michael: No way. How can buying books I do not read make me happy?
Michael: 得了吧，这怎么可能？买那些根本不读的书怎么能让我快乐？
Charlotte: It is all about anticipation. Our brains release dopamine just by looking at them.
Charlotte: 是因为‘期待感’。光是看着那些书，我们的大脑就会释放多巴胺。
Michael: Wait, isn't dopamine only released when we actually finish the book?
Michael: 等等，我以为多巴胺是在读完一本书之后才会释放的？
Charlotte: Actually, no. Dopamine rewards us in advance to help us find future opportunities.
Charlotte: 事实并非如此。多巴胺还扮演着‘预先奖励’的角色，引导我们寻找未来的机遇。
Michael: Oh, so my brain is rewarding me for future learning? That is amazing.
Michael: 噢，所以我的大脑是在为未来的学习提前奖励我？真有意思。
Charlotte: Exactly. And your hippocampus helps by creating a cozy mental scene of reading.
Charlotte: 没错。而且海马体会帮我们在脑海中描绘出惬意的阅读场景。
Michael: Let me guess. Does it involve the smell of coffee and a warm blanket?
Michael: 我猜猜，是不是还包括醇厚的咖啡香和舒适的小毯子之类的？
Charlotte: Yes! It uses past memories to construct a happy future experience.
Charlotte: 完全正确！海马体借鉴过去的记忆，来构筑那种幸福的未来体验。
Michael: That is wild. My brain is basically daydreaming for my wellbeing.
Michael: 太神奇了。原来我的大脑是为了我的幸福而在创造这些美好的念头。
Charlotte: It is! Psychologists say this positive anticipation protects us from daily stress.
Charlotte: 对呀！心理学家表示，这种积极的期待能帮我们抵御日常生活的压力。
Michael: Huh. So that is why this pile feels so different from my inbox.
Michael: 哈，怪不得这堆书的感觉跟我的电子邮箱完全不一样。
Charlotte: Right. Unanswered emails feel like a chore, but unread books feel like a future reward.
Charlotte: 没错。没回的邮件感觉像苦差事，但没读的书却像是未来的奖励。
Michael: That makes perfect sense. One is a promise, and the other is an obligation.
Michael: 非常有道理。一个是未来的承诺，另一个则是应尽的义务。
Charlotte: Yes. Buying them is like investing in a little pocket of future peace.
Charlotte: 是啊。买书就像是在为未来的安宁积攒碎片。
Michael: I am definitely going to the bookstore today. I need some more happy anticipation.
Michael: 我觉得我今天得去趟书店了。我需要多来点儿这种‘幸福的期待感’。
Charlotte: Go get some, Michael. Your hippocampus will thank you.
Charlotte: 快去吧，迈克尔。你的海马体会感谢你的！