書店圖鑑：體驗一日店員，揭開書店工作日常！

 

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據說在智慧型手機普及之前，日本通勤列車裡，最令台灣人驚豔與欽佩的景象，是座位上的乘客人手一本書專心閱讀。當時日本上班族普遍住在離公司距離一小時車程以上的郊區，在每天往來的通勤時間恰好能用來讀書打發時間。出版業界甚至因此需求推出了文庫本這種輕薄的書籍尺寸，方便一手掌握、隨時翻閱。

對此種說法，我可以親自作證。自從搬到淡水後，往來遠在內湖公司的路途上，我也是隨手一本紙書隨意瀏覽，整整一年下來可以看超過50本書。

對於愛書人來說，總有一個想到書店裡謀職的夢想，而這本《書店圖鑑：體驗一日店員，揭開書店工作日常！》能替讀者揭開書店店員的日常生活，讓我們不用真的遞出辭呈，就能領會在書店裡工作的真相。雖然此書為日本翻譯的圖文書，描述的是日本書店，但可猜想在台灣的書店店員工作內容應該也差不多。當然，在台灣複合式書店已成主流，說不定販賣文具商品和咖啡點心等任務，才是台灣書店店員最有經濟產值的工作，想想真令人傷心。

可愛簡潔的四格漫畫，加上每個章節後面補充的書店營運知識，充實的內容讓這本書幾乎可以當成實體書店的新生訓練手冊。事實上作家確實也收到一些讀者反應，是把這本書當成入職的參考書來翻閱。

全書以一天的時間為章節分隔點，從開門進貨、上架，到服務客人的詢問，中間就是不斷補貨、上架，穿插著回覆經銷商、出版社的業務洽詢。十足是勞力、心力要全部燃燒的吃重職業，然而每位願意到書店裡工作的人，多半都是打從心裡愛書的狂熱份子，因此對於能販售、推薦書籍給消費者，都是樂此不疲。尤其是仔細分析客層來下訂、精心排列書架和檯面以達成最佳的銷售效果，當看到有客人因此而購買時，真的是會高興得跳起來，對於建置書店電商推薦系統的我來說，完全可以體會作者的感受。

It is said that before smartphones became popular, what amazed and impressed Taiwanese people the most on Japanese commuter trains was seeing passengers in their seats, each holding a book and reading intently. At that time, Japanese office workers usually lived in suburbs more than an hour away from work, and the long daily commute was just right for passing the time with reading. The publishing industry even created "bunkobon"—small, pocket-sized books—so people could easily hold them with one hand and read anytime.

I can prove this from my own experience. Ever since I moved to Tamsui, on my long commute to my office in Neihu, I also carry a paper book with me to read. Over a full year, I can finish more than 50 books.

For book lovers, working at a bookstore is always a dream. The book Bookstore Illustrated: Experience a Day as a Clerk and Reveal the Daily Work of a Bookstore! opens the door to the daily life of bookstore staff. It allows us to understand what working in a bookstore is really like without having to quit our jobs. Although it is a translated Japanese book and describes Japanese bookstores, the work in Taiwanese bookstores is probably quite similar. Of course, in Taiwan, multi-concept bookstores have become the trend. Selling stationery, coffee, and snacks might actually bring in the most money for staff, which is a bit sad to think about.

With cute, simple four-panel comics and extra operating knowledge at the end of each chapter, the rich content makes this book work almost like a training handbook for new bookstore employees. In fact, the author did receive feedback from readers who said they used this book as a practical guide before starting their bookstore jobs.

The book divides its chapters across a single day: from opening the shop to receive inventory and shelf books, to answering customers' questions, along with endless restocking and handling business inquiries from distributors and publishers. It is a tough job that takes all your physical strength and energy. However, most people who want to work in a bookstore are true book lovers from the bottom of their hearts. They never get tired of selling and recommending books to readers. In particular, choosing books by analyzing customers, and arranging bookshelves and display tables for the best sales results—when a customer actually buys a book because of that, you truly feel like jumping for joy. Having built a bookstore e-commerce recommendation system myself, I completely understand how the author feels.

台灣光電綠能怎麼了？：從太陽能板、反核到生態浩劫、黑金弊案，一次讀懂台灣的能源危機

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光看到這本書的作者是鄭麗文，以她近年來鮮明的親中立場，猜想很多人會因此把書丟到一旁不願意翻閱。但《論語》有句話說：「君子不以言舉人，不以人廢言。」告訴我們要就事論事，好的觀點要撿起來用；如果每件事都要做顏色檢查，那國家社會只會越來越分裂。其實退一步說，挑這本書也是別無選擇。雖然台灣出版業算是蓬勃，但除了這本《台灣光電綠能通識讀本》以外，我還找不到一本科普類型、討論台灣能源議題的專書。

這就真的得質疑政府在政策規劃與對人民溝通上到底有沒有用心？在 AI 世代，安全穩定的能源供給是國力的表現，然而這部分的政策討論和參與，卻都是單向、精英主義式的政令佈達。民進黨政府主政以來，在能源轉型特別是廢核的議題上相當積極。從光電、風電產業的扶植到具體的大規模供電，都可以看到逐年不斷的進步與發展。然而就如同書中所提及，強勢的漁電共生政策將許多良田漁塭變成鋪滿太陽能板的地景，連帶破壞了原本候鳥與濕地的生態環境。

環保與經濟發展孰輕孰重，永遠是充滿爭議與取捨的施政課題；但在台灣面臨的，卻是一種民族性裡的痼疾—常因能從旁門左道中獲利而沾沾自喜，甚至引以為傲。舉個具體的例子，就像被新聞稱為「卡神」的楊蕙如，找出信用卡合約裡的盲點進而套利，許多台灣人還會以欽佩的眼光豎起大拇指，認同其合法但失德的謀利行為。所以說，台灣政治不是缺乏有遠見的政策綱領與方向，而是在實際執行時，常會遇到事前無法預料的亂象，導致結果一敗塗地。像是書中指出的漁電共生，還有近來的離岸風電、高端疫苗和國造潛艦，都是立意良好、志向遠大，但每每在執行時，不知有多少見不得光的利益輸送涉入其中。

以反對黨政治人物的立場出版這本《台灣光電綠能通識讀本》，確實能把想質疑的問題一次講清楚，但可惜沒有更進一步提出能讓讀者參考的解決方案。畢竟點出問題是一回事，找到解答則需要更全面、通透的思維與邏輯推論。像是將夏季過盛的太陽能以及冬季過盛的風力轉化為氫氣加以儲存，或是加入外國的核融合研究團隊，即時掌握並跟上下一世代的核電技術，這都是政府可以著力的地方。要期待台積電能將一座座新晶圓廠繼續根留台灣，抱殘守缺的能源政策肯定是做不到的。能源議題應該投入更多心力集思廣益，台灣國力才有機會乘著 AI 浪潮迎風而起。

Just seeing that the author of this book is Cheng Li-wun, many people might toss it aside without reading, given her clear pro-China stance in recent years. However, a famous saying in The Analects teaches us: "Don't judge an idea simply by who said it." It tells us to focus on the facts and make good use of useful ideas. If we check political colors for everything, our society will only become more divided. In fact, picking this book was my only choice. Although Taiwan's publishing industry is doing well, I couldn’t find any other beginner-friendly book that focuses on Taiwan’s energy issues besides Taiwan Photovoltaic and Green Energy Reader.

This really makes me wonder: is the government truly putting effort into policy planning and public communication? In the AI era, a safe and stable energy supply shows a nation’s strength. However, policy discussions here are just one-way announcements from top officials. Since taking power, the DPP government has been very active in energy transition, especially "phasing out nuclear power." From supporting solar and wind power to supplying electricity on a large scale, we can see steady progress every year. However, as the book mentions, aggressive policies like "fishery-solar symbiosis" have turned many fishponds into landscapes covered with solar panels. This has damaged the local environment for migratory birds and wetlands.

Balancing environmental protection and economic development is always a tough topic. But Taiwan faces a deep-rooted cultural problem—people often take pride in making money through shortcuts. For example, Yang Hui-ru, known in the news as the "Card God," used loopholes in credit card contracts to make money. Many people in Taiwan praised her and admired her "legal but unethical" actions. So, Taiwanese politics does not lack far-sighted policies or clear directions. Instead, chaotic problems often pop up during implementation, leading to total failure. Examples mentioned in the book, along with recent cases like "offshore wind power," "Medigen vaccines," and "domestic submarines," all started with good intentions. Yet during execution, dark money deals always seem to get involved.

As an opposition politician, publishing Taiwan Photovoltaic and Green Energy Reader clearly explains the questions she wants to raise. However, it is a pity that she did not offer solutions for readers to consider. After all, pointing out problems is one thing, but finding answers requires deeper and clearer thinking. For instance, converting extra summer solar energy and winter wind energy into hydrogen for storage, or joining international nuclear fusion research teams to keep up with next-generation nuclear technology, are areas where the government could focus its efforts. If we want TSMC to keep its new wafer fabs in Taiwan, relying on outdated energy policies will definitely fail. We must put more heart into brainstorming energy solutions so Taiwan's strength can grow alongside the AI wave.

你不伸手，他會在這裡躺多久？：一個年輕社工的掙扎與淚水

 

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每天上班的通勤路線得經過台北車站，因此對北車舉目所及都是遊民的景象，一直覺得困惑。畢竟是國家門戶的重點地標，往來遊客絡繹不絕，穿插著或坐或臥的無家者，實在令人懷疑全球有哪個國家，可以容許首都車站如此凌亂又不潔。台北市長來來去去，不論是北車還是龍山寺附近的遊民問題依舊，甚至逐年惡化，人越來越多。究竟背後有什麼難為之處，《你不伸手，他會在這裡躺多久？》或許能帶來一些解答。

這本由專業社工李佳庭所寫的職場札記，直白地說出在服務婦女、幼兒、老人、遊民等不同對象的社會工作者中，服務無家者是最瀰漫負能量的一群。因為種種原因讓他們只能流落街頭，不少人也真的是無藥可救地自甘墮落。但是社工們正是抱持著能救一個是一個的心情，不吝於幫助目之所及的個案，並在心中期許能真正改善受助者的人生，透過社會倡議來澄清大眾對遊民的誤解和污名，讓他們有機會說出自己的故事。

現在任職於非營利組織芒草心慈善協會的作者，曾在新北市外展中心擔任社工。她也直言一般民眾打電話去抱怨遊民問題，十之八九公部門都是無力解決的。只要無家者沒有被收容的意願，即便是警察到場也無權驅趕，畢竟人在公共場合遊走真的不犯法。更誇張的是，整個新北市的遊民僅由三名公務員來處理、服務，資源如此不足，也難怪遊民問題一直懸在那裡。無家者的人權和公共環境的管理，看似是棘手又不討好的施政課題。地方選舉將近，也不見各候選人對此有什麼具體的政見，看來北車混亂的景象，不論哪個人當選，都會持續下去。

Every day on my way to work, I pass by Main Station. I have always been confused by the sight of homeless people everywhere. After all, it is a key landmark and the entryway to our country. Travelers come and go constantly, mixed with homeless people sitting or lying around. It really makes people wonder if any other country in the world would allow the main station in its capital to be so messy and dirty. Taipei mayors come and go, but the homeless issue near Main Station and Longshan Temple remains the same. In fact, it gets worse every year, and the number of people keeps growing. What is the difficulty behind this? The book If You Don't Reach Out, How Long Will He Lie Here? might offer some answers.

This book is a work journal written by social worker Li Jia-ting. She frankly points out that among social workers serving women, children, the elderly, and the homeless, those serving homeless people face the most negative energy. For various reasons, these people end up on the street, and many have indeed given up on themselves completely. However, social workers hold onto the mindset of "saving as many as possible." They generously help anyone they can reach and hope to truly improve their lives. Through public advocacy, they aim to clear up misunderstandings and stigma, giving homeless people a chance to tell their stories.

The author, who now works for the non-profit organization "Homeless Taiwan," once worked at the New Taipei City Outreach Center. She admits that when the public calls to complain about homeless issues, the government is helpless most of the time. As long as homeless people have no desire to be housed, even the police have no right to drive them away. After all, hanging around in public places is not against the law. Even worse, the homeless services in the entire New Taipei City were handled by only three civil servants. With such a lack of resources, it is no wonder the problem remains unresolved. Balancing homeless rights and public space management seems to be a tough and thankless political task. With local elections coming up, no candidates have proposed concrete plans. It seems that no matter who wins the election, the messy sight at Main Station will likely continue.

早餐店阿姨什麼都記得住：早安，今天的鬼故事加點洋蔥嗎？

 

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台式早餐店算是台灣獨步全球的餐飲店樣態，也是創造出台灣社會共同生活記憶的泉源。像是好喝但有清腸功效的冰奶茶；不論客人長得如何抱歉，都會稱呼帥哥、美女的掌櫃阿姨。這本《早餐店阿姨什麼都記得住》，便是以早餐店為故事背景所創作的一篇微辣鬼故事小說。

作者筆名路邊攤，據說是網路 PTT 上相當知名的鬼故事創作者。其實我不喜歡看恐怖故事，也很少閱讀台灣小說，然而，對早餐店文化以及其提供的各種美食佳餚卻十分有好感，因此便被書封上的題名所吸引，開始翻閱這本書。畢竟是由台灣人主筆創作的現代故事，讀起來就像《北投機車快遞》一樣，相當有親切感。

而書中以一名有陰陽眼的學生為主角，以他重回兒時常去的早餐店後所發生的一連串靈異事件為引線，逐步帶出一個與早餐店阿姨有關的最終故事。在劇情的描寫、篇章間的呼應以及伏筆的安排上，都令人感覺十分不錯。這些台灣華文作品，都有值得改編成影視作品的潛力。相較於對岸流行的 AI 短劇，一味地描寫仙俠和霸道總裁，這些台灣小說的故事更有深度和人情味。

Taiwanese breakfast shops are a unique part of Taiwan's food culture. They are also a source of shared memories for people in Taiwan. Think of the delicious iced milk tea that can also help clean out your bowels, or the aunties who run these shops and call every customer “handsome” or “beautiful,” no matter how they look. *The Breakfast Shop Auntie Remembers Everything* is a slightly scary ghost story set in a Taiwanese breakfast shop.

The author, who goes by the pen name “Roadside Stall,” is said to be a well-known ghost story writer on PTT, a popular online forum in Taiwan. To be honest, I don't like horror stories and rarely read Taiwanese fiction. However, I have a soft spot for breakfast shop culture and all the delicious food these shops offer. So, the title on the book cover caught my attention, and I started reading it. Since it is a modern story written by a Taiwanese author, it feels familiar and close to home, much like *Beitou Motorcycle Delivery*.

The story follows a student who can see ghosts. After returning to the breakfast shop he often visited as a child, he experiences a series of strange supernatural events. These events gradually lead to the final story, which is connected to the auntie who runs the shop. The storytelling is quite good, especially the way the chapters connect and the clues are planted throughout the story. These Taiwanese Chinese-language works have great potential to be adapted into movies or TV shows. Compared with the AI-generated short dramas that are popular in mainland China, which tend to focus on fantasy stories about immortals and powerful, domineering CEOs, these Taiwanese novels have more depth and a stronger human touch.

努力被房價收走，亨利．喬治論進步與貧困

 

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台灣在 2026 年新生兒人數確定跌破 10 萬人，十年來出生人口數幾乎打對折。另一方面，台北市中山商圈赤峰街近期傳出店家出走潮，經新聞報導追查，原來是店面租金大漲 2 倍到 5 倍，導致商家只好另尋出路。看似不相干的兩則新聞，追究背後的原因都難免觸及台灣房地產的惡性發展。《努力被房價收走，亨利．喬治論進步與貧困》一書剖析台灣房價飆升後造成多數人生活壓力的問題，並點出許多顯而易見卻尚未被政府與國民填補的稅制漏洞。

全書不斷提及十九世紀由亨利．喬治（Henry George）撰寫的《進步與貧困》，其核心觀點是：都市的發展是由生活在裡面的勞動者共同創造出來的。正是因為這些人們的工作、交通、教育和生活需求，才使得這座城市變得熱鬧與繁榮；然而，這些努力積累而成的經濟成果，絕大多數卻被地主和房東收割。回到赤峰商圈的例子就很具體—當初那裡只是無人問津的低矮舊房，只因鄰近雙連捷運站且租金相對便宜，才吸引了不少文青小店進駐，加上市府投入預算整理、重建周邊街景，打造出線型公園這類公共場域，自此便成為北市時尚男女假日逛街、聚會的新熱點。

土地與房子不單單是可以交易的財產，更是人們生活的入口。不論是工作、求學或安養等人生階段，都離不開一個便利且友善的物理位置。在經濟學供需法則的運作下，大家都喜愛的便利地段，價格自然只會水漲船高。此書的論點不在於否定市場經濟，而是提出了一個值得討論的問題：當繁榮的原因來自政府的預算與勞動者的投入，為何地主與房東能躺著賺取全部的利益？在台灣，囤地與置產的成本遠低於最終的獲利，過輕的稅制是一切混亂的源頭。

在台灣，房價議題總會觸動所有人的神經。無房者認為過高的房價是阻礙他們人生的大石頭；有房者則擔心房價一旦下跌，自己的財務與退休計畫將打折扣；對土地投機者來說，影響更是至為重大；甚至短視的執政者也樂見土地價格連年上漲，以便政府出售公有地來填補財政黑洞。一切問題源於同一塊土地上，不同立場的人所抱持的期待完全不同，甚至互相衝突：生活的必需品、退休的養老金、投資的資產、可變現的國有財產。台灣人把太多的需求連結到土地和房產上，以至於破壞了人們生活起居的必備要素，帶來與日俱增的壓力，最終導致年輕世代做出躺平與不生的決定。竭澤而漁一直是台灣社會最差勁的行事作風，而炒作土地與房價足以動搖國本，如果政府繼續放任下去，台灣將看不到未來。

這本由財經錢線出版的著作，在版權聲明中直接點出是由AI 協作，閱讀時確實讓人有一種違和感。文本內容的確有抓到核心論點並反覆舉例描述，但讓人覺得不斷把同一句話換個方式重複講，近兩百頁的內容充斥著大量的灌水文字。就像吃超商便當一樣，第一口覺得風味獨特、熱騰騰地能填飽肚子，但吃到八成後，就發現食材稀少、口味偏鹹，遠不如現烹便當。以目前來看，AI 協作的文字仍遠遜於真人作家的用心編寫。

In 2026, the number of newborn babies in Taiwan fell below 100,000. Over the past ten years, the birth rate has dropped by almost half. On the other hand, many shops in Taipei’s Chifeng Street have been leaving recently. News reports show that store rents went up by 2 to 5 times, so shop owners had to find other places. These two news stories seem different, but they are both related to the problems of Taiwan's real estate market. The book Progress and Poverty looks into how rising housing prices create pressure for most people. It also points out obvious tax loopholes that the government and citizens have not fixed yet.

The book keeps mentioning Henry George's 19th-century work, Progress and Poverty. His main idea is that city development is created by the workers who live there. Because of their jobs, transportation, education, and daily needs, the city becomes busy and lively. However, most of these economic fruits are taken by landowners and landlords. The Chifeng Street area is a good example. At first, it was just an old area with low houses that nobody cared about. Because it was near the Shuanglian MRT station and the rent was cheap, many trendy little shops moved in. Also, the city government spent money to upgrade the street and built a "linear park." After that, it became a popular spot for young people to hang out on weekends.

Land and houses are not just items to buy and sell. They are the start of our daily lives. Whether for work, school, or retirement, people need a convenient and friendly place to live. Based on supply and demand, convenient locations that everyone likes will naturally become more expensive. The book does not reject the market economy. Instead, it asks an important question: when prosperity comes from government spending and workers' efforts, why can landowners and landlords sit back and take all the profits? In Taiwan, the cost of holding land and property is much lower than the profits. A tax system that is too light is the cause of all this mess.

In Taiwan, housing prices affect everyone’s feelings. People without homes feel high prices are a huge wall in their lives. Homeowners worry that if prices drop, their financial and retirement plans will be hurt. For land speculators, the impact is even bigger. Even short-sighted leaders are happy to see land prices go up every year so the government can sell public land to cover budget money holes. The problem is that different people have completely conflicting hopes for the same land: a daily necessity, retirement money, an investment asset, or public land to sell for cash. Taiwanese people put too many expectations on land and property. This ruins the basics of daily life and brings growing pressure, making young people decide to "lie flat" and not have children. Taking everything without thinking about the future has always been a bad habit in Taiwanese society. Land and property speculation can hurt the nation deeply. If the government keeps ignoring this, Taiwan will have no future.

This book was published by Financial Frontline. The copyright page directly says it was created with "AI assistance." Reading it really feels a bit strange. The text captures the main points and gives many examples, but it repeats the same ideas again and again. The nearly 200-page book has a lot of extra words. It is like eating a convenience store bento: the first bite feels hot and tasty, but after finishing 80%, you find little food and too much salt. It is not as good as a freshly cooked meal. For now, AI-assisted writing is still far behind the thoughtful work of human writers.

地獄解剖圖鑑

 

（點此前往博客來購書）

原本以為地獄這個概念大體上只限於佛教廣為流傳的東方文明，但隨即想到外國電影常看到詛咒別人「Go to hell」的情節，看來地獄是全世界文明共有的意象。《地獄解剖圖鑑》是瑞昇文化所出版的圖鑑書系中的一本。即便是講述地獄這麼令人膽寒的主題，這本翻譯自日本的圖文書，藉由精緻又略帶俏皮的插圖淡化了恐怖氛圍，讓人讀起來輕鬆不少。

從冥土十王開始，書中介紹了陰曹地府裡的居民。除了眾所皆知的冥府之主閻羅王以外，其餘九王分別是：秦廣王、初江王、宋帝王、五官王、變成王、泰山王、平等王、都市王以及五道轉輪王。他們聯手對亡者進行一步步的審判，結果將決定亡者是否投胎或落入地府。而數不清的獄卒和恐怖生物（如吐火的巨龍、牛頭羅剎），則在無止盡地折磨亡者。部分亡者則是變成餓鬼，住在餓鬼道中永遠無法填飽肚子。

本書介紹的是以日本佛教為基礎的地獄觀，最早可以追溯自日本平安時代名僧源信所撰寫的《往生要集》，該書詳細描述了地獄的世界。雖然佛教是由中國傳入日本，但在日本佛教淨土信仰的發展下，逐漸演化成和中國佛道文化相異的宗教文化。像是《地藏十王經》裡論及的賽之河原和地藏菩薩，就是日本獨有的典故。八大地獄則由等活地獄、黑繩地獄、眾合地獄、叫喚地獄、大叫喚地獄、焦熱地獄、大焦熱地獄和阿鼻地獄組成。生前犯下過錯的亡者，將會依據罪刑輕重被關到不同的地獄。然而以現代的眼光來檢視有關地獄的描述，那將是非常不政治正確的體驗。

首先，非素食者全部都得下地獄，因為殺生（不論任何生物）就是罪孽。傷害虐待孩童與小動物，確實值得深究亡者的過錯；但一心爭強鬥勝的好強者也是種罪，感覺就太超過了。殺生、偷盜和淫邪肯定是不符合佛教教理的行為，但像是飲酒、欺騙（接受布施後否認）的罪刑卻比前者更重，那只能解釋為時代的差異。種種罪行的定義，的確能看出當初立論者的刻意描繪與當時社會文化的反映。像是否認佛教、鼓吹邪說（宗教自由）、放棄進食、禁食自盡（安樂死）等，都是現代社會可以接受的行為。

我第一次看到六道輪迴這個詞彙，是來自日本漫畫《聖鬥士星矢》裡角色的招式名稱。確實，日本動漫作品中有數不清的設定都取材自日本佛教。六道包含天道、人道、修羅道、畜生道、餓鬼道和地獄道，尚未頓悟前往極樂世界的芸芸眾生，只能在這六道中不斷投胎轉世受苦受難。記載日本古代神話的《古事記》中也描述世界開創之初，男神伊邪那岐和女神伊邪那美生出日本列島和眾多神明，女神卻因為難產而去世、住進黃泉國裡，在漫畫《流浪神差》中也有採錄這些典故。日本的三大怨靈都源自平安時代，由於那時候疫病甚多、枉死者眾，加上朝廷內部動亂不安，迫害含冤而死的達官貴人不在少數，因此便有了長屋王、菅原道真、崇德上皇的相關傳說。

諷刺的是，當日本歷史步入戰國時代後，殺戮不斷、哀鴻遍野，人世間比地獄更淒慘時，佛教的勢力反而變得更為微弱。因為人們深刻地體認到善惡不一定有報，地獄的描述再恐怖，也比不上日常所見的千分之一。後續德川幕府統一日本，佛教信仰也就無法像平安時代那般強盛與受世人敬信了。《地獄解剖圖鑑》是一本適合粗淺了解日本佛教文化的輕鬆讀物，對於日本動漫發燒友來說，更能增添未來在欣賞作品時的趣味，有空時不妨翻閱看看。

I used to think that the concept of "hell" was mainly limited to Eastern cultures where Buddhism is popular. But then I remembered how often people say "Go to hell!" in Western movies. It seems that hell is a shared idea across civilizations worldwide. The Anatomy of Hell is a book from the "Illustrated Guide" series published by Rising Culture. Even though hell is a scary topic, this book—translated from Japanese—uses detailed and cheerful illustrations to make it feel less frightening and much easier to read.

Starting with the "Ten Kings of the Underworld," the book introduces the residents of hell. Besides King Yama, the famous ruler of hell, there are nine other kings who work together to judge the dead step by step. Their decisions determine whether a person is reborn or sent down to hell. Countless guards and scary monsters, like fire-breathing dragons and bull-headed demons, torture the sinners forever. Some of the dead become "hungry ghosts" and live in the Hungry Ghost Realm, where they can never feel full.

This book introduces the view of hell based on Japanese Buddhism. It goes back to Genshin, a famous monk in the Heian period, who wrote Ojo Yoshu and described the world of hell in detail. Although Buddhism came to Japan from China, Japanese Pure Land Buddhism developed its own unique religious culture. For example, "賽之河原" (Sainokawara) and the "Jizo Bodhisattva" mentioned in the Jizo Ten Kings Sutra are unique Japanese stories. The "Eight Great Hells" include the Revival Hell, Black Thread Hell, Crushing Hell, Screaming Hell, Great Screaming Hell, Burning Hell, Great Burning Hell, and Avici Hell. Sinners are sent to different hells based on how bad their actions were. However, looking at these descriptions today, many of them are not "politically correct."

First, non-vegetarians all go to hell because killing any living thing is considered a sin. Hurting children or small animals definitely deserves punishment, but treating overly competitive people as sinners feels a bit too much. Actions like killing, stealing, and bad sexual behavior clearly go against Buddhist teachings. However, sins like drinking alcohol or lying (such as denying a donation you received) carry even heavier punishments, which can only be explained by differences in time. These definitions show how people at that time viewed society. Things like "denying Buddhism" (freedom of religion) or "fasting to die" (euthanasia) are both acceptable in modern times.

The first time I saw the phrase "Six Realms of Reincarnation" was in the Japanese manga Saint Seiya, as a character's special attack. In fact, many settings in Japanese anime and manga come from Japanese Buddhism. The six realms are the Heavenly Realm, Human Realm, Asura Realm, Animal Realm, Hungry Ghost Realm, and Hell Realm. People who have not reached enlightenment must keep being reborn and suffering in these six realms. Japan's ancient book Kojiki also describes how the god Izanagi and goddess Izanami created the Japanese islands and many gods. Later, the goddess died during childbirth and went to the underworld ("Yomi"). The manga Noragami also uses this story. Japan's famous "Three Great Vengeful Spirits" all come from the Heian period. During that time, diseases were common, many innocent people died, and political trouble led to the wrongful deaths of high officials, creating legends about Nagaya, Sugawara no Michizane, and Emperor Sutoku.

Ironically, when Japan entered the Warring States period, non-stop wars made human life even worse than hell, and the power of Buddhism actually weakened. People realized that good deeds did not always bring good rewards. No matter how scary hell was described, it was nothing compared to daily life. Later, when the Tokugawa Shogunate unified Japan, Buddhist faith never returned to its strong status from the Heian period. The Anatomy of Hell is a light and easy book for getting a simple understanding of Japanese Buddhism. For anime fans, it can make watching anime even more fun in the future. You should check it out when you have time!

科技泡沫：熱潮背後是機會還是炒作？教你識破下一個投資陷阱

 

（點此前往博客來購書）

哲學家黑格爾曾說：「人類從歷史中學到的唯一教訓，就是人類沒有從歷史中吸取任何教訓。」在 AI 浪潮隨著股市行情一波波上漲之際，矽谷的科技巨頭們卻大舉裁員與凍結人事，讓美國資訊科系畢業生面臨前所未有的就業危機。對比 2021 年時，矽谷工程師擁有令人稱羨的年薪與大筆分紅，如今盛況已不可同日而語。產業趨勢發生如此大幅度的反轉，當然有數不清的成因，但這本《科技泡沫》裡面提到的問題，或許正是壓垮駱駝的最後一根稻草。

Google、亞馬遜、臉書和 Netflix，在網際網路產業中，有太多耀眼的科技公司由原本的默默無聞，蛻變成富可敵國的跨國企業，同時也讓許多早期投資人賺得盆滿鉢滿。因此，創業投資（簡稱創投）在美國投資產業中一直是撐起半邊天的熱門項目，而科技創業也成為許多青年才俊前赴後繼的職涯選項。然而，本書作者伊曼紐．馬喬里卻明確指出，現今創投產業與新創公司之間存在著日益嚴重的弊病，造就了無數的資源錯置與財務損失。

2000 年爆發網路泡沫時，那斯達克股市大跌 75%，矽谷裁員 20 萬人。此後 20 多年間，又陸續發生許多經濟危機，以美國為首的各國政府，像老狗玩不出新把戲般，只能靠大量印鈔救市。不論是量化寬鬆還是日本行之有年的零利率政策，都是助長泡沫的貨幣政策。1998 年亞洲金融風暴助長了網路泡沫，網路泡沫又助長了 2008 年金融海嘯；而 2019 年因新冠疫情產生的量化寬鬆，正是促成矽谷新創公司如雨後春筍般湧現的背後活水，但過多的資金也導致亂象叢生。

新創公司追求爆炸式成長，最後多半演變成一種吹牛比賽，在經營公司時忽視顯而易見的風險，更仰賴三種類型的奇蹟來促成自身的成功：

市場奇蹟：消費者行為突然改變（例如：突然願意為原本免費的服務付費）。

技術奇蹟：宣稱將推出目前做不到、未來也尚不知如何達成的技術或服務（例如《惡血》一書所描述的情節）。

人才奇蹟：深信只要聚集足夠的人才與頂尖人物，就能做出前所未有的商業成果（目前 AI 產業的投資氛圍恰好類似於此）。

原本創投資金會採分批投入的種子輪方式，從小額資金開始嘗試，當新創公司逐步證明自身價值後，才漸進式投入更多資金以降低風險。然而，在資金氾濫的大環境下，亂槍打鳥的投資卻變成了有心人士蓄意欺騙的溫床。

跑馬圈地是中國大陸網路產業最常採用的競爭手法，利用龐大的資金補貼搶占目標市場的高市占率，隨之而來的是連年巨額虧損。但創投公司非常吃這一套，畢竟資金來源源源不絕，只差一個能把故事講好的對象。其背後的投資邏輯是：只要有足夠的耐心與資本，等到新創公司達到足夠的規模，總有一天會帶來鉅額獲利來彌補先前的損失。

然而事實上，這些燒錢的新創公司根本沒有打造出超額補貼以外的護城河。一旦有其他資本雄厚的公司意圖投入同一市場，就會影響原本預估的獲利，爭相削價競爭便演變成深不見底的紅海市場。在網路產業中，真正算得上護城河的經營優勢，除了網絡效應（適用於社群網站、電商平台）之外，就是轉換成本（適用於手機與電子裝置）；至於規模經濟、商業模式與先行者優勢，都不是可以長久依賴的靠山。這種護城河的幻覺包含了「十倍」的迷思、「規模」的迷思與「品牌」的迷思。

其實作者著手撰寫本書，源於他在新創公司任職時發現的奇怪現象：科技業在資金過剩的情況下出現招募狂潮，以優渥的福利與薪水，搶占市場上能找到的所有資訊工程師。然而，許多新創公司甚至是矽谷科技巨頭，根本沒有足夠的任務分配給這些超額徵聘的人力。這導致許多人只好裝忙，或是把原本簡單的工作拆解細化，讓每個人手上都有事可做。而敏捷開發的風行也帶來了另一種浪費工時的反效果—墨守成規地要求每天開會，卻沒有將時間花在真正的開發工作上，反而讓許多想混水摸魚的工程師樂得輕鬆。

《科技泡沫》是一本難得一見的好書，鞭闢入裡地點出前幾年網路產業中的種種亂象。我認為最近矽谷幾次的大規模裁員，表面上是 AI 工具確實帶來了效率提升、降低了企業的人力成本；但實際上，可能是這些大公司借題發揮，想利用 AI 當作擋箭牌，在利率上升、零成本資金消逝之際，趕緊修正先前過於樂觀的擴張策略，回歸理性的營運步調。

The philosopher Hegel once said, "The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history." While AI trends keep pushing stock markets higher, tech giants in Silicon Valley are cutting jobs and freezing hiring. This has created an unprecedented job crisis for computer science graduates in the U.S. Compared to 2021, when Silicon Valley engineers enjoyed enviable salaries and big bonuses, today's situation is completely different. There are countless reasons for such a big shift in industry trends. However, the issues mentioned in the book The Tech Bubble might be the straw that broke the camel's back.

In the internet industry, bright tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Netflix grew from unknown startups into super-rich multinational corporations. At the same time, early investors made huge profits. Because of this, "venture capital" (VC) has long been a major part of the U.S. investment industry, and starting a tech company became a popular career path for many talented young people. However, the book's author, Emmanuel Marot, clearly points out that growing problems between today's VC industry and startups have caused wasted resources and massive financial losses.

When the "dot-com bubble" burst in 2000, the Nasdaq dropped 75%, and Silicon Valley cut 20,000 jobs. Over the next 20 years, more economic crises followed. Governments led by the U.S. seemed to have no new tricks and could only print large amounts of money to save the market. Whether it was "quantitative easing" (QE) or Japan's long-standing "zero-interest-rate policy," these monetary policies all fueled economic bubbles. The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis helped create the dot-com bubble, which then contributed to the 2008 global financial crisis. Similarly, the QE policy during the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic fueled the rapid growth of Silicon Valley startups—though too much money also led to widespread chaos.

Startups chasing explosive growth often end up in a bragging contest. They ignore obvious business risks and rely on three types of miracles to succeed:

Market Miracle: Consumer behavior changes suddenly (for example, people suddenly pay for services that used to be free).

Technology Miracle: Promising technology or services that cannot be built today and no one knows how to make in the future (like the story in the book Bad Blood).

Talent Miracle: Believing that gathering enough top talent will naturally lead to unprecedented business success (a mindset very similar to today's AI investment trend).

Normally, VC funds invest step-by-step through "seed rounds," starting small and adding more money as startups prove their value to lower risk. But in an environment flooded with cash, random investing became fertile ground for scammers.

"Land grabbing" is a favorite competitive strategy in China's internet industry. Companies use heavy money subsidies to grab market share, accepting years of huge losses. Yet, VC firms love this approach because money keeps flowing, and they just need someone who can tell a good story. The logic is simple: with enough patience and money, once a startup grows large enough, it will eventually make huge profits to cover past losses.

In reality, these cash-burning startups never built a real "moat" beyond cash subsidies. Once another rich company enters the market, expected profits drop, and price wars turn the market into a deep "red ocean." In the internet world, true moats are "network effects" (for social media and e-commerce platforms) and "switching costs" (for phones and electronics). Things like "economies of scale," "business models," and "first-mover advantage" are not reliable over time. These fake moats include the myths of "10x," "scale," and "brand."

The author wrote this book based on strange things he saw while working at a startup. Flush with excess cash, tech companies went on hiring sprees, offering high pay and great perks to snap up every engineer available. However, many startups—and even Silicon Valley giants—did not have enough work for all these hires. As a result, many employees pretended to be busy or broke simple tasks into tiny steps so everyone had something to do. The popular "Agile development" method also backfired by wasting work hours—forcing daily meetings instead of real coding work, allowing lazy engineers to slide by easily.

The Tech Bubble is a rare and great book that clearly explains the chaos in the internet industry over recent years. In my view, the recent wave of tech layoffs may seem like AI tools are boosting efficiency and cutting labor costs. In reality, large companies may just be using AI as an excuse. As interest rates rise and free money disappears, they are rushing to fix their over-optimistic expansion strategies and return to sensible business operations.