Tracking Packages Is Unhealthy Obsession追踪快递让人走火入魔

Experts say it’s common for consumers to constantly track online purchases.

专家表示，消费者经常追踪网购快递物流。

There’s a child-like joy that comes with ordering something online—whether it be clothes or kitchen gadgets. We sit refreshing the U.S. Postal Service or FedEx pages to see when our items will arrive， and we become overly excited， hopeful and anxious.

无论是买衣服还是买厨房用品，网购总会给人带来一种孩童般的快乐。我们坐着刷新美国邮政服务或联邦快递的页面，想看看购买的物品什么时候会到达，然后我们变得兴奋不已、满怀希望又忐忑不安。

But why？

但这是为什么呢？

According to Owen O’Kane， a psychotherapist and author of Ten to Zen： Ten Minutes a Day to a Calmer， Happier You， even the smallest positive future events can motivate us when we’re feeling down—especially during the pandemic， which has been filled with unexpected disappointments.

根据《十分钟入禅：每天十分钟让你更平静、更快乐》一书的作者、心理治疗师欧文·奥凯恩所说，当我们情绪低落时，即使是未来最小的积极事件也能激励我们——尤其是疫情期间，这期间总有令人沮丧的意外发生。

This is why people look forward to dinner reservations， hair appointments and yes， receiving packages.

这就是为什么人们期待晚餐预定、理发预约，没错，还有接收快递。

“It’s anticipatory pleasure that something positive and good is going to happen when you get this parcel， and a lot of people realize that placing that order and waiting for it does feel good，” he says.

他说：“收到快递是一种预期的快乐，即知道某件积极美好的事要发生了。很多人觉得从下单到等待快递确实感觉很美好。”

But it’s not the purchase itself that elicits this happiness. Experts say there’s something about the anticipation of waiting that is exciting for those in need of change in their lives.

但并不是购物本身给人带来了这种幸福感。专家表示，对那些在生活中需要变化的人来说，等待中的期盼令他们激动。

Something positive to look forward to

期待好事

When our package finally arrives， many of us are satisfied. But that initial excitement has probably waned1 because our obsession with our parcel represents much more than the item we purchased.

当快递最终到手时，我们大多都很满意。但最初的那种兴奋感或许已经退去了，因为我们对包裹寓意的痴迷远远超过了包裹中的东西。

“What we’re talking about here is hope and having something to look forward to，” O’Kane explains. “Having something to look forward to can help some feel a sense of， ‘OK， whatever is going on in the moment isn’t forever，’ and reassures that things can improve.”

“我们在这里说的是希望和盼头。”奥凯恩解释道，“有盼头可以让一些人产生一种感觉，那就是‘好吧，现在发生的任何事情，都不会一直不变’，并安慰自己事情会有好转。”

For some people， the arrival of a package may also represent “an imagined positive future where you can control your needs for a book or blender or blouse，” making life feel more manageable and less monotonous2.

对一些人来说，快递的到来也可能意味着“一个想象中积极的未来，在那里你可以控制自己对一本书、一台搅拌机或一件衬衫的需求”，这让他们感觉生活更可控且不那么单调。

“It can be helpful to anticipate good things in the future，” says Ryan Howes， a clinical psychologist from Pasadena， California. “You had a hard week at work， but you keep yourself going because you anticipate the next ‘Ted Lasso’ episode on Friday. Or your new oven mitts. It’s a formula that has fueled many helpful clichés through the years： Tomorrow is another day.”

加州帕萨迪纳市的临床心理学家瑞安·豪斯说：“企盼未来的好事是有帮助的。这一周的工作很辛苦，但你一直在努力，因为你期待着周五播出的新一集《足球教练》，或者你在期待收到新的烤箱手套。明天又是新的一天——这句话就像一个可以套用的公式，多年来激发出众多人们耳熟能详的鸡汤表达。”

Waiting for a parcel can also serve as a temporary distraction from the monotony of your life because it gives you something new to wake up to3 and get excited about， Howes adds.

等待包裹也可以让生活单调的你转移注意力，因为它会带来某种新鲜事物让你去认识并为之兴奋，豪斯补充道。

“You’re distracting yourself from other feelings that might not feel so pleasant， like anxiety， boredom， even dread，” he says. “When you are imagining a positive event in the future， you’re feeling only that joyful anticipation. And tracking it down to the street of the delivery truck makes it even more personal.”

他说：“你让自己转移对其他不良情绪的注意力，比如焦虑、无聊，甚至恐惧。当想象未来的积极事件时，你只会感到愉悦的期待。追踪到运送包裹的卡车所在街道时，你会感觉它与自己更为密切。”

O’Kane agrees， noting， “There’s something about the anticipation of the unknown： ‘Is it what I expected？ Is it bigger or smaller than I thought？’

奥凯恩对此表示赞同，并指出：“这里有对未知的期待：它是我所期待的吗？比我预期的要大还是要小？

“It’s a curiosity that’s quite exciting for many.”

“对很多人来说，这是一种令人相当兴奋的好奇心。”

Why package delays create anger

快递延后送达为何引发愤怒

Anticipation isn’t always a good thing.

期待并不总是一件好事。

People went into a frenzy recently when the U.S. Postal Service announced that its mail delivery would become permanently slower. And now， many are worried about their items arriving on time， appearing broken， or simply not living up to expectations.

最近，当美国邮政服务宣布其邮件递送速度将永久放缓时，人们陷入了狂怒。现在，很多人担心他们的物品能否准时送达、会否出现破损，或者完全不符预期。

This phenomenon is called pre-parcel anxiety， and it’s more common than you might think.

这种现象被称作包裹签收前焦虑症，它比你想象的要更普遍。

“We live in a society where we build expectations and uphold perfectionism. We want things here and now. We want efficiency and struggle with patience，” O’Kane explains.

奥凯恩解释道：“我们生活在一个我们建立期望并坚持完美主义的社会。我们此时此地就想要拿到东西。我们想要效率，难有耐心。”

A delayed package may seem insignificant to some. But for others， getting your hopes up only for them to be thwarted is angering and anxiety-provoking.