“知識付費”繁榮的背后

杜承陽

Have you ever paid for educational podcasts or live videos？ Ask a woman on the street and the chances are high that1 she will say yes. These years has seen Chinas ride on the crest of a trend—“paying for knowledge，” an emergent economy enjoying its popularity in its prosperity.2 The content of its products ranges from economics， psychology， and finance 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 ones mind is probably on platforms online right at this moment.3

Then what accounts for this craze4 on “knowledge”？ First of all， the Internet serves as a precondition.5 Compared with traditional business models， online business has toppled the tyranny of space and the barriers to entry are much lowered.6 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 Meanwhile， in this age of information， a fear of missing out is generated by information explosion and information asymmetry.8 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 stands out. Moreover， the need to update skills constantly in this growingly competitive job market also pushes the mode10 hard. Confronted with a higher level of requirements of institutions， not a few candidates and employees feel the threat of being replaced， thereby yearning for11 seeking a better self.

Admittedly， this “knowledge-based” payment fashion has proved to be lucrative.12 With regard to the whole society， information is motivated to flow relatively free and， to some extent， monopoly13 of information is broken. Besides， as a nascent industry， this economy instills vigor into the development of our country.14 Sellers can reap15 rich profits from it； buyers can enjoy self-growth and a broader horizon. Plus， this is also a reflection of respect for knowledge and talents. It promises possibilities of turning information into income.

As with all the fledgling industry， however， the “pay-for-knowledge”boom betrays a few problems.16 For one thing， the market is awash with exaggerated slogans such as “How to Be an Industrys Elite in 5 Hours” and “15 Classes to Be a Master of Appreciating Classical Music，”17 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 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 Consequently， a paradox is noteworthy：20 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 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 to save your life. Be careful. Otherwise， great expectations may turn out to be dashed23 dreams.

1. the chances are high that： 很有可能是。

2. on the crest of： ……處于最得意的時候；emergent： 新興的。

3. compass： 范圍；overarching：包羅萬象的。

4. craze： 狂熱。

5. serve as： 發揮……的作用；precondition： 前提，先決條件。

6. 不同于傳統的商業模式，線上商業打破了空間的限制，市場準入門檻也大大降低了。topple：顛覆；tyranny： 控制，限制；barriers to entry：【經】市場準入門檻，行業準入壁壘。

7. identity check： 身份驗證；affordable： 支付得起的。

8. miss out： 錯失；information explosion：信息爆炸，指現代信息或數據數量的急速增加及其帶來的影響；information asymmetry：【經】信息不對稱，指在市場經濟條件下，市場的買賣主體不可能完全占有對方的信息，這種信息不對稱必定導致信息擁有方為謀取自身更大的利益而使另一方的利益受損。

9. well-informed： 見多識廣的，消息靈通的。

10. mode： 方式，形式。

11. yearn for： 渴望，切盼。

12. admittedly： 不可否認地；lucrative：生利的，賺錢的。

13. monopoly： 壟斷。

14. 另外，作為一種新興產業，這一經濟模式為我國的發展注入了活力。nascent：初生的，新生的。

15. reap： 獲得，收獲。

16. fledgling： 新興的；betray： （非故意地）暴露，顯露。

17. be awash with： 充斥著，泛濫；slogan： 標語，廣告語；elite： 精英。

18. a host of： 一大群，許多。

19. in essence： 本質上，實質上；digest：（經反復思考）吸收，領悟；commodity： 商品；discern： 識別。

20 paradox： 悖論；noteworthy： 值得注意的，顯著的。

21. make it： 達到預定目標，成功。

22. a clutch at straws： （落水者）抓救命稻草，形容（為求脫離危境等）作最后的絕望掙扎。

23. dashed： 破滅的，落空的。