在物质和文化生活越来越丰富多彩的现代社会，离婚现象也越来越普遍了，很多国家都面临着这个问题。美国高的离婚率是和美国人自身观念有关系的。自由是美国人的最高信念之一，没有任何东西可以取代自由。走进婚姻后，当他们觉得爱情和家庭不能带给他们幸福和安全感时，就会选择离婚。而西雅图一家创业公司却从高离婚率中看出了商机，这家创业公司因为投资离婚而上了新闻。

　　A Seattle startup is in the news for investing in divorce – its business model is based on the fact that nearly 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the US end up parting ways. SwanLuv offers to pay couples for their dream wedding, but the money will have to be returned with interest if they ever get divorced.

　　西雅图一家创业公司因为投资离婚而上了新闻。该公司的商业模式是基于美国有近40%-50%的婚姻以离婚告终这一事实。SwanLuv公司为新婚夫妇提供资金筹备梦幻婚礼，但一旦他们离婚，公司会连本带利地收回其资金。

　　So if you’re about to get married and you apply to Swanluv, they’ll run your profile through an algorithm, study your relationship, and select you if you meet their criteria. Then, they’ll offer you a loan of up to $10,000. You don’t have to return the money, ever, as long as you stay together. But the moment you decide to get a divorce you’ve got to cough up the original amount, plus interest. And stronger relationships are assigned higher interest rates, so the longer couples stay together, the more they’ll stand to lose if they split.

　　如果你们是即将步入婚姻殿堂的情侣，就可以向SwanLuv公司提出申请。该公司会通过计算机演算程序分析你们的个人资料，并研究你们的关系。若是能达到其标准，你们就成功入选了，然后会得到该公司提供的高达一万美元的贷款。只要你们的婚姻不破裂，就无需偿还。但如果你们决定离婚了，你们面临的不止是偿还本金，还要加付利息。夫妻关系越稳固，利率就越高。也就是说，夫妻关系维系的时间越长，离婚给他们带来的损失也会越大。

　　When you think about it, that’s kind of like the opposite of how insurance works. You’re supposed to get paid when things go wrong, but with SwanLuv, it’s the other way round.

　　当你考虑到这一点，你会发现，这种商业模式和买保险是截然相反的。如果你买了保险，事情出现差池，你应该得到一笔钱。但SwanLuv公司的模式正好与之相反。

　　CEO and co-founder Scott Avy says SwanLuv is like a casino for marriages, but the company doesn’t really stand to lose because the odds are 50 percent in their favor. He does want all marriages to succeed, but the statistics clearly show that not all of them will. And that’s what the company is heavily banking on. “It comes back to statistics,” Avy said. “We’ll have the right odds so we’ll be OK. But they won’t be so crazy that no one wants to do it.”

　　SwanLuv公司总裁斯科特·阿维认为，他们公司就好比一个婚姻赌场，输赢几率均等，他们也不会一直赔钱。他个人希望每桩婚姻都能美满，但数据清楚地显示，结果并不会总是如人所愿。该公司对这一点深信不疑。阿维说道：“用数据来说话，我们是有胜券在握的，我想我们的模式不会有问题的。但这并不是说情侣们没有机会赢，那样的话他们就不会参加了。”

　　Avy insists that couples can actually stand to gain from the scheme, if they’re confident their relationship will last. It gives them a chance to gamble on themselves, and it also raises an important question: “Should we be getting married if we’re not willing to sign up?”

　　阿维始终认为，实际上，如果情侣们真对维持他们的关系有足够的信心，他们就能从这个项目中获利。这让他们有机会将赌注押在自己身上。同时也向他们提出了一个重要的问题：“如果我们连报名都不愿意，那我们应该结婚吗?”

　　“It really depends on where you are in your relationship,” Avy said. “I’m betting on my relationship I’ve established with my soulmate. It’s going to be a no-brainer for the ones it makes sense for.”

　　“这完全取决于你们之间的关系处于哪个阶段，”阿维说：“我就把赌注下在了我和爱人经营多年的婚姻关系上。对于那些认为婚姻是有意义的人来说，将它维持下去也是轻而易举的。”

　　There will be clauses in the contract that protect one or both partners. So if a marriage ends in abuse, only one person is responsible for paying off the debt. And to help couples beat the odds, SwanLuv offers free marriage counselling when things get rocky.

　　合同中将包含各项用以保护夫妻一方或双方的条款。如此一来，如果婚姻是因家庭暴力而告终的，那么，只有一人需独自承担债务。当婚姻状况出现危机的时候，SwanLuv公司会提供免费的婚姻辅导服务，希望帮助情侣成功拿到贷款。

　　It certainly is an unusual and a rather controversial business model, but according to Avy the math makes sense. He claims that he’s already talking to angel investors, but it’s unclear whether the company has managed to raise funds or not. If the idea does take off, there’s bound to be criticism over the fact that SwanLuv essentially gambles on people’s lives and happiness. But the company’s website insists that they do not actually profit from divorces.

　　毫无疑问，这是一种与众不同的商业模式，同时也饱受争议。但是，阿维认为数学思维是有道理的。他声称自己已经与天使投资者进行了商洽，但该公司是否成功筹集到了资金还暂不明确。如果这个想法真的成功实现了，必然会有人出来声讨SwanLuv公司实际上是将人们生活和幸福视为了赌注。但该公司网站坚称自己并未从离婚中获益。

　　“100% of the money collected from members who are later divorced is used to provide funds for future couples’ dream weddings,” it states. “SwanLuv keeps the dream alive.”

　　“那些以离婚告终的参与者需贷款连本带利偿还给我们，我们将这些钱全部投资到今后准备结婚的情侣中，为他们筹备梦幻婚礼，”它称：“SwanLuv会让梦想闪耀。”

　　Avy says most people have reacted positively to the concept. “They’re signing up for it,” he said. “We’re not forcing them. It’s all by choice.” He is accepting applications from couples and hopes to start making payments by Valentine’s Day next year. Would you be willing to bet on your relationship?

　　阿维说这个模式得到了大多数人的支持。“他们踊跃报名参加，”他说：“我们并没有强迫他们这样做。全凭个人意愿。”他接连不断地受到情侣们提交的申请，并希望在来年情人节前开始出资筹备婚礼。你是否愿意用你的婚姻关系打个赌呢?

　　Vocabulary

　　cough up: 被迫付出

　　bank on: 指望;依赖

　　no-brainer: 无需用脑的事;容易的事

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