海盜文化:海上烏托邦?

17～18世紀是海盜的黃金時代。他們反抗政府、貴族、教會的不公正待遇，過著無拘無束、驚險刺激的生活。他們沒有歧視，沒有壓迫，遵循平等與自由的生存準則，建立起了海上“烏托邦”王國。如今，海盜文化依然盛行，個中原因與其說是人們對海盜不羈性格、俠義行為的喜愛，不如說是人們向往海盜那自由、平等、刺激的生活。從這個角度來說，哪個人心中沒有一份“海盜情結”呢？

Nowadays pirates are cool， and I’m not talking about people who download music and movies illegally. I’m talking about buccaneers1): swashbuckling2)， rum drinking， peg-legged3)， eye-patched4) pirates. Not only can the Jolly Roger5) be seen in dorm rooms across the country， but skull and crossbones6) motifs are popping up in the unlikeliest of places such as on bibs7) for babies or backpacks for little girls. Even the Disney Corporation sensed that there was money to be made in this trend， coming out with their Pirates of the Caribbean movies. What’s behind this surge of pirate cool? Just another wacky bandwagon8) fad that will fade as quickly as it erupted or is it a reflection of something deeper?

Piracy and pirates have existed since ancient times and have been active all over the world. Even today the UN is doing battle with missile armed pirates off the coast of Somalia. However， for all intents and purposes9)， the pirates and pirate culture that I refer to in this article are based around the historical Caribbean pirates of the 17th and 18th centuries and the modern day revivalists10) who also use this era’s Caribbean or sometimes more exotically， South Seas， aesthetic. That means Black Beard11) and Captain Jack Sparrow12)， not ancient Phoenicians13) and modern day Somalis.

Lots of different things come to mind when one thinks of pirates: drunkenness， eye patches， wooden legs， walking the plank14)， brutality， beards， parrots， violence， whoreing and more drunkenness. For some， that’s the appeal， being rowdy， yelling and using a veritable treasure trove15) of colorful dialogue. But perhaps there is also a deeper meaning to the appeal of pirate culture today.

Pirates were free men and women who lived lives of autonomy and adventure， directing their ships where they wished， staying in idyllic islands for however long they wanted and taking what they needed to survive. In today’s modern world full of rules and regulations， boundaries， borders and patrols16)， such a lifestyle speaks powerfully to17) our own inner human needs for independence and freedom from the powers that oppress us and make us work 9~5 in a gray cubicle so we can pay off the mortgage.

During the Golden Age of piracy between 1650 to 1725， rules that regulated the life of ordinary people were very strict. But there was a way out of a peasant’s life of starvation， brutalization and misery for the benefit of unimaginably wealthy elites and that was the freedom and self-fulfillment of piracy. Like the many European settlers who escaped the brutal oppression of their colonial government in the New World and the near slavery of indentured18) servitude by running away to live with Native Americans， most of the men who became pirates escaped from the unimaginably cruel conditions of the Royal Navy and the merchant marine as well as slavery on sugar plantations19) in the Caribbean.

Contrary to many of the popular images we have of pirates as brutal， vicious fiends without honor， joining a pirate crew was more like a liberation for the average sailor. Conditions in the Navy and merchant marine were brutal and strict. Regular sailors shared in none of the profits that they made for the ship’s wealthy land-based owner while taking all the risks for miserable pay and even worse treatment. The power structure on these ships was strictly hierarchical20) and regular sailors had no input whatsoever in any decisions that their captain made. Discipline was harsh and intolerance for difference， whether religion， skin color， gender or sexual orientation， abounded. As Dr. Johnson21) famously observed: “No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in jail with the chance of being drowned ... A man in jail has more room， better food， and commonly better company.” It is no wonder then that many pirate crews were easily recruited and joined their “attackers” as soon as their officers were no longer in a position of power over them.

Pirate ships were veritable utopias on the sea. Democratically and horizontally organized， each crewman had a say in what he or she would be participating in and all shared in the risks and gains. Each crew operated under a written pact that was agreed on and signed by all crewmen. These pacts commonly made provisions for crewmen who were injured in raids in the form of compensation. Pirate crews were also highly diverse and included people of various skin colors as well as women. There was no glass ceiling22): anyone could be captain if they proved themselves worthy. These people were proletarian rebels， dropouts from an unjust and unequal society. They acted in an autonomous and egalitarian23) fashion， despite the dangers and constant persecution. They set up “pirate utopias” on uninhabited and remote islands which were like free autonomous zones organized with an anarchist24) political structure.

Contrary to popular notions， pirates were not just rough， brutal men interested only in rum and women. The Caribbean islands at the time were a teeming mass of outcasts， political deportees25) and so-called religious extremists—literally anyone who dared to challenge the state， the monarchy and capitalist exploitation. There were deported Irishmen， Scottish Royalists， religious dissenters， exiled conspirators of various uprisings and plots against the King as well as the defeated anarchist revolutionaries of the English Civil War of the 1640s， and many others who fled persecution and joined revolutionary pirate crews. This revolutionary consciousness can be seen in the words of one pirate Captain Bellamy who spoke these words to the captain of a merchant vessel his crew had just seized and who had refused to join them: “They vilify26) us， the scoundrels27) do， when there is only this difference. They rob the poor under the cover of law， and we plunder the rich under the protection of our own courage; had you not better make one of us， than sneak after the arses of those villains for employment?”

These pirates were so successful that their very existence threatened the mighty and fast-growing empires of Europe that were scrambling28) over each other to gain wealth and territory in the New World. Not only did they present an alternative lifestyle based on equality， freedom and solidarity， but their brazen attacks on shipping in the lucrative waters of the Caribbean deprived these growing empires of both manpower and material goods. Clearly， something had to be done.

It is ironic that the early stages of piracy were both encouraged and often state-sanctioned as in times of war between rivals England and Spain. Queen Elizabeth found it convenient to allow sea adventurers to attack Spanish ships while telling Spain that it was out of her hands since the men was clearly pirates. This setup， however， was not the free， autonomous piracy and so the crewmen on these privateer29) ships suffered the same depravation and exploitation as the men in the navy.

Once piracy had exhausted its “legitimate” uses for the state， a campaign to eradicate piracy once and for all30) was put into place that can be credited with many of our current ideas about the viciousness and brutality of pirates. It was a vast propaganda campaign meant to destroy any opposition to the power of the state. They were slandered31) as riotous， blood thirsty， sodomists， and vicious men while the penalty for piracy was death. The famous Captain Kidd32) was hanged and then his body， covered in tar to preserve it， was placed in a gibbet， a sort of iron cage and hung at Tilbury Point as a reminder to all seamen of the risks of escaping from wage slavery. And thus， piracy declined due to the steady retaliation33) of the major European powers that were tightening their political and economic grip on parts of the world that had previously been on the very fringes of civilization.

Pirate culture of today that emulates these free revolutionaries might be seen as an outcome and， ultimately， a rejection， of the devastation that the last 500 years of imperialism and capitalist exploitation has wrought not just on our environment or in the so-called “Third World” but on our very psyches. Why do we no longer have the choice to live free like the pirates of yesteryear? What I find heartening about this pirate fad is that more and more people are seeing that there is more to life than ceaseless accumulation of material goods and that freedom is something people really need and want. Only time will tell where pirate culture goes from here.

眼下海盜風靡一時，我不是指那些非法下載盜版音樂和電影的人(編注：pirate有“盜版者”之意)，而是真正的海盜：那些喝著朗姆酒、裝著木制假肢、戴著眼罩、神氣活現的海盜。不僅海盜旗在全國各地的學校宿舍里可以看到，而且帶有骷髏頭和交叉腿骨的圖案也無處不在，就連嬰兒圍嘴和小女孩背包這樣最不可能放這些東西的地方也不放過。甚至連迪士尼公司也意識到這一時尚大有錢賺，于是推出了《加勒比海盜》系列電影。隱藏在這股海盜熱背后的到底是什么呢？是又一陣來去匆匆、盲目跟從的瘋狂潮流呢，還是反映了某些深層的含義？

海盜和海盜活動自古就有，在世界各地都很猖獗。即使在今天，聯合國仍在與索馬里海岸附近裝備有導彈的海盜斗智斗勇。不過，不管從哪方面來講，本文所提到的海盜和海盜文化都是圍繞歷史上17和18世紀的加勒比海盜及其現代追隨者來展開的。其現代追隨者采用的也是那個時候加勒比海盜的審美情趣，有時為了顯得更有異國情調，他們也模仿南太平洋海盜的審美風格。這就是說，他們模仿的是黑胡子和杰克·斯帕羅船長之類的海盜，而不是古代的腓尼基海盜或者現代的索馬里海盜。

一想到海盜，人們腦海中就會浮現出許多不同的形象：醉酒、眼罩、木制假肢、走跳板、殘暴、留大胡子、養鸚鵡、暴戾、嫖宿，然后還是醉酒。對于某些人來說，這就是海盜的魅力所在，想喊就喊，想鬧就鬧，說話妙語連珠，猶如地下挖出的璀璨寶藏。然而，在當今海盜文化的魅力背后，也許還有著更為深層的含義。

海盜無論男女皆自由自在，他們過著無拘無束、驚險刺激的生活，喜歡把船開到哪兒就開到哪兒，在田園牧歌般的島上愛住多久就住多久，為了生存，需要什么就索取什么。在當今這個世界，到處都是清規戒律、疆界地界、巡邏巡視的世界上，我們內心渴望獨立，渴望自由，渴望擺脫那些壓迫我們、迫使我們在灰色的小隔間里朝九晚五地工作以償還房貸的權力機構，于是，海盜的生活方式就對我們產生了巨大的吸引力。

1650～1725年是海盜的黃金時期，那時普通百姓的生活被十分嚴格的清規戒律所束縛。但是，要擺脫饑餓、悲慘、受盡欺凌的農民命運，享受富貴奢華的精英生活，還是有辦法的，那就是做一個自由自在、自我實現的海盜。美洲大陸的許多歐洲移民為了擺脫殖民地政府的野蠻壓迫以及近乎奴隸般的契約勞役，他們選擇了逃跑，與土著美洲人生活在一起。同這些人一樣，許多人成為海盜，也是為了躲避皇家海軍和商船商人令人難以想象的殘酷虐待，以及加勒比海蔗糖種植園主的奴役。

在我們心目中，典型的海盜形象大都與野蠻、邪惡以及毫無廉恥道義的惡魔聯系在一起。但事實恰恰相反，對普通水手來說，加入海盜等于一種解放。在海軍和商船中，生活條件極為殘酷和嚴苛。普通水手為陸地上有錢的船老板打工，賺的錢卻沒有他們的份；他們拿著少得可憐的工資，受著非人的待遇，卻要承擔所有的風險。船上的權力結構等級森嚴，所有決定都是船長一人說了算，普通水手根本沒有說話的權利。船上有著苛刻的規定，幾乎不能容忍任何異端，不管是宗教、膚色、性別還是性取向等等。約翰遜博士曾有過一段著名的言論：“任何人，只要有能力把自己弄進監獄，都不會愿意當水手；因為在船上就相當于住在一個隨時都有可能淹沒的監獄里……何況一個蹲監獄的人還有更大的空間、更好的食物，以及通常來說更好的伙伴。”如此說來，也就難怪許多水手輕易就成了海盜，一旦他們的上司失去對他們的掌控，他們就會倒戈加入“攻擊者”的隊伍。

海盜船是名副其實的海上理想國。他們有著民主、平等的組織，每一個成員都有權決定自己要參加什么行動，每個人都分擔共同的風險，享受共同的利益。每一個成員的行為都受一個書面協定的支配，這個協定經過所有成員的認同和簽名。這類協定通常會對在突襲中受傷的成員如何補償作出規定。海盜成員的構成高度多元化，包括各種膚色的人，還有婦女。海盜船上不存在晉升的“玻璃天花板”，任何人只要證明自己有能力，都有可能成為船長。當時這些人都屬于反叛的普羅大眾，被一個缺乏公平和正義的社會所拋棄。雖然經常有危險，也經常受到迫害，但他們自己當家做主，人人地位平等。在荒無人煙的偏僻海島上，他們成立了“海盜烏托邦”，這是一種無政府主義者的政治結構，好比是自由的自治區域。

和人們通常的看法不同，海盜并不只是粗魯、野蠻的男人，只對朗姆酒和女人感興趣。那時的加勒比海島聚集了形形色色的人：有被家庭和社會拋棄者，有政治流放犯，有所謂的宗教極端分子。幾乎所有敢于挑戰國家、王權和資本主義剝削的人皆匯集于此。他們中有被放逐的愛爾蘭人，有蘇格蘭保皇黨人，有宗教異端分子，有因為密謀各種叛亂以及謀害國王而被放逐者，有17世紀40年代英國內戰中失敗的無政府主義革命者，還有許多其他逃避迫害、加入了革命性的海盜組織的人。這種革命意識可以從海盜貝拉米船長的話中聽出端倪，這些話是他對一艘商船的船長說的(這位船長的船被貝拉米船長的手下攻占，但拒絕加入他們)：“他們故意丑化我們，那些無賴的家伙，他們和我們的區別僅僅在于：他們在法律的保護下掠奪窮人，而我們則是在自身勇氣的保護下劫富濟貧；你加入我們難道不比鬼鬼祟祟地跟在那群流氓的屁股后面替他們賣命強嗎？”

這些海盜十分成功，他們的存在本身就是對強大并快速發展的歐洲帝國的一種威脅。這些帝國其時正爭先恐后地在美洲大陸搶奪財富，瓜分領土。這些海盜不僅提供了另一種建立在平等、自由和團結基礎上的生活方式，而且他們在加勒比最有油水的海域對過往船只發動的肆無忌憚的進攻，也從人力和物力兩方面削弱了這些發展中的帝國。顯然，必須得采取一些應對的措施了。

具有諷刺意味的是，在英國和西班牙這對老對手交戰期間，這些早期的海盜活動是受到鼓勵的，而且往往得到國家的許可。伊麗莎白女王就發現讓海上冒險家去攻擊西班牙船只特別得心應手，同時卻告訴西班牙她管不了，因為那顯然是海盜所為。然而，這種勾當并非自由、自主的海盜行為，因此這些私掠船上的水手和海軍里的水手一樣，也是遭到虐待和剝削的。

一旦海盜對國家失去了“合法的”利用價值，一場完全徹底的清剿海盜運動就開始了。可以說，我們當前許多有關海盜邪惡、殘暴的觀點都是這場運動的成果。這是一場聲勢浩大的宣傳攻勢，旨在摧毀敢于對抗國家權力的任何力量。他們被扣上了暴亂、嗜血、變態和邪惡的帽子，而對海盜罪的處罰是死刑。著名的基德船長就是被絞死的，他的尸體被涂上焦油(以利于保存)后放置在一個像鐵籠子的絞刑架里，掛在蒂爾伯里角，以警示所有水手逃脫雇傭勞役的代價。因此，隨著歐洲主要國家持續的報復，它們對以前處于文明邊緣的地區加強了政治和經濟控制，海盜活動就此逐漸衰落。

過去五百年來，帝國主義和資本主義剝削不僅對環境或者所謂的“第三世界”帶來了破壞，也給我們造成了心理上的損傷。當今這些模仿自由革命者的海盜文化可以看做是這種破壞產生的結果，而且，從根本上來看，也是對這種破壞的抵抗。為什么我們無法像過去的海盜那樣選擇自由自在的生活呢？令我覺得欣慰的是，從風靡的海盜時尚中，我發現越來越多的人意識到生活的意義并不僅僅在于無休止地積聚物質財富，自由才是人們真正需要和渴望的。海盜文化此后還將走向何方？只有時間能給出答案。

1.buccaneer [#716;b#652;k#601;#712;ni#601;] n. 海盜

2.swashbuckling [#712;sw#596;#643;#716;b#652;kli#331;] adj. 神氣活現的，虛張聲勢的

3.peg-legged：裝木制假肢的

4.eye-patched：戴眼罩的

5.Jolly Roger：海盜旗(飾有白色骷髏的黑旗)

6.skull and crossbones：骷髏頭和交叉腿骨的圖案，該圖案以前多出現在海盜旗上用作海盜的標志，現今還用來表示危險或死亡的警告。

7.bib [b#618;b] n. (小兒用的)圍嘴

8.bandwagon [#712;baelig;nd#716;waelig;ɡ#601;n] n. (尤指政治上或商業上的)時尚，浪潮，聲勢浩大的活動

9.for all intents and purposes：(=in every practical sense)從所有方面來說

10.revivalist [ri#712;vaiv#601;list] n. 信仰復興運動者

11.Black Beard：黑胡子海盜，真名愛德華·蒂奇(Edward Teach， 1680～1718)，出生于英國布里斯托爾，是18世紀橫行加勒比海地區最臭名昭彰的海盜之一。動漫《海賊王》(One Piece)中亦有此角色。

12.Jack Sparrow：杰克·斯帕羅，電影《加勒比海盜》(Pirates of the Caribbean)系列中“黑珍珠號”(The Black Pearl)的船長，人稱杰克·斯帕羅船長。

13.Phoenician：腓尼基人，歷史上一個古老的民族，自稱為閃美特人，又稱閃族人。生活在今天地中海東岸的黎巴嫩和敘利亞沿海一帶。腓尼基人是古代世界最著名的航海家和商人，他們駕駛著船只踏遍了地中海的每一個角落。

14.walk the plank：走跳板，舊時海盜處死俘虜的一種辦法

15.treasure trove：(被發現但不知屬于誰的)大量錢財(或財富)；埋在地下的無主金銀財寶

16.patrol [p#601;#712;tr#601;#650;l] n. 巡邏，巡視

17.speak to：對……有吸引力

18.indentured [#618;n#712;dent#643;#601;(r)d] adj. 受契約束縛的

19.plantation [plɑ#720;n#712;te#618;#643;(#601;)n] n. 種植園

20.hierarchical [#716;ha#618;#601;#712;rɑ#720;(r)k#618;k(#601;)l] adj. 分等級的

21.Dr. Johnson：約翰遜博士(Samuel Johnson， 1709～1784)，英國作家，批評家

22.glass ceiling：玻璃天花板(指視若無形而實際存在的婦女、少數族裔在職業崗位上升遷的局限)

23.egalitarian [#618;#716;ɡaelig;l#618;#712;te#601;ri#601;n] adj. 平等主義的

24.anarchist：請參見第31頁注釋1。

25.deportee [#716;di#720;p#596;#720;(r)#712;ti#720;] n. 被放逐者

26.vilify [#712;v#618;l#618;fa#618;] vt. 誹謗，辱罵

27.scoundrel [#712;ska#650;ndr#601;l] n. 無賴，惡棍

28.scramble [#712;skraelig;mb(#601;)l] vi. 爭奪，搶奪

29.privateer [#712;pra#618;v#601;t#618;#601;] n. 私掠船

30.once and for all：斷然地，堅決地

31.slander [#712;slɑ#720;nd#601;(r)] vt. 口頭誹謗，造謠

32.Captain Kidd：基德船長，全名威廉·基德(William Kidd， 1645～1701)，蘇格蘭人，有“海盜之王”的稱號。基德是一位極富爭議的船長，他曾經是戰爭英雄，后成為賞金獵人，最后卻以海盜罪被處死，但他至死不承認自己是海盜。

33.retaliation [r#618;#716;taelig;li#712;e#618;#643;(#601;)n] n. 報復，報仇