As people respond to incentives, they will change their behaviors if they perceive that costs or benefits change.

人们在面对诱惑时尤其是当成本和利益发生变化时他们的行为也会有所变化。

This principle seems to find wide application in our daily lives.

这样的事情会在我们的生活中出现。

When college graduates learn that receiving a master degree will give them an upper hand in the job market,

当大学生发现获得硕士学位会让他们更容易找工作时

many decide to take part in post-graduate entrance examinations.

-许多人就会决定参加硕士考试。

In China, it is regarded as following suit.

在中国这就叫做紧追趋势。

Though we admire those who pride themselves on sticking to their ideals and principles,

尽管我们羡慕那些坚持己见的人

odds may not be against those who follow suit.

但是那些紧追趋势的人也会交到好运。

Generally speaking, there are both advantages and disadvantages of following suit.

总体来说紧追趋势有好有坏。

Firstly, following suit is indicative of the fact that followers have no indispensable beliefs

首先紧追趋势表明人们没有自己的信仰

or fixed principles and hence they are flexible in the vicissitudes of lives.

或是一些规定的准则所以他们会时长进行改变。

When the social context changes and opportunities arise,

当社会变化机遇增加时

those followers are the first to respond and make decisions.

那些追随者将会首先进行变化并作出决定。

Take the English training service for example.

我们以英语培训为例、

In early 1990s, increasing number of college graduates decided to study overseas 2090

199020世纪90年代初大量毕业生出国深造

and hence English training service was in large demand.

促使英语培训需求量增大。

Given that forerunners had make a fortune by providing training programs to those graduates,

那些为学生提供培训的企业赚到了钱

many businessmen just followed suit and established several training schools.

许多商人紧随其后建立了许多培训机构。

Undoubtedly, those who followed suit when the market did not reach saturation did make money.

在市场尚未饱和时那些跟风的商人赚到了钱。

Secondly, it is noteworthy that following suit can avoid making mistakes.

第二跟风可以避免犯错误。

For those forerunners, there is no previous information at their hand,

对于那些先驱者他们并不拥有所需要的信息

and therefore, it will take a long time to learn and improve by trial and error.

所以他们需要更长的时间来学习并在实践过程中不断进步。

During the period of trial and error, forerunners will encounter unexpected difficulties and pressures.

在实践的过程中先驱者会遇到许多不可预期的困难和压力。

As a result, when those become successful in certain domains,

所以当他们在某一领域取得成功时

they have proved that the path will lead to success,

他们已经证明这条道路是成功的

providing both pros and cons.

他们向人们提供了优点和缺点。

On the contrary, followers need not experience the process of trial and error.

相反跟随者并没有经历过实践的过程。

They can just imitate their forerunners proven pattern of behaviors and have easier access to success.

他们只是模仿先驱者所证明过的道路并很容易的取得了成功。

There are also some disadvantages of following suit.

但是跟风也会有许多弊端。

When there are so many followers, the world will become crowded and odds are against those later followers.

当追随者的人数过多时他们失败的几率也会增加。

Furthermore, following suit prevents innovation and creation,

而且跟风阻止了创新和发明

which is to the detriment of our society.

这对于社会是不利的。

However, whether one should follow suit or not is not simply a to-be-or-not-to-be question.

-----但是人们是否应该跟风不仅仅是一个是或否的问题。

A basic assumption of individual person is that everyone is rational.

每个人都应该是理性的。

So one should carefully calculate costs and benefits in specific circumstances

所以人们应该根据不同的情况来计算效率和成本

before they decide to follow suit or not.

之后人们才应该决定是否应该跟风。