At least in the old days lovers could split, move on and retain their dignity. Now, in the age of social media, extrication is nearly impossible. The pain of a breakup is nourished by an endless real-time stream of Facebook status updates, Instagram photos and tweets about one’s ex.
至少在以往，情侶分手後，還可以繼續過自己的生活，並且保有尊嚴。然而在當今這個社群媒體當道的時代，徹底解脫卻幾乎是不可能的事。分手的痛苦因為無止盡的臉書即時狀況更新、Instagram照片及有關當事人前情侶的推文而揮之不去。

Until recently, anyone with two fingers and a smartphone was subjected to this kind of self-torture. But a new set of apps and Web sites created to ease the pain of breakups may be changing that.
直到不久之前，任何人只要有2根手指及一支智慧手機，就都難逃這種自找的折磨。然而可用於紓解分手痛苦的新興應用程式及網站可能已經開始改變這種局面。

One is Killswitch, a mobile app that promises to “seamlessly and discreetly remove all traces of your ex from your Facebook.”
其中之一是手機應用程式Killswitch。它號稱可以「天衣無縫且謹慎地清除個人臉書帳戶中前情侶的一切痕跡」。

Erica Mannherz, 28, who created the app with her friend, Clara de Soto, 27, said the app reduces the bitter taste of a breakup. The two women, who live in New York, came up with the idea after seeing a friend go through breakup after breakup online.
28歲的艾莉卡‧曼赫茲與她27歲的好友卡蕾拉‧迪索托共同設計了這個應用程式。她說，這個應用程式能夠減輕分手產生的痛苦。住在紐約的她倆目睹一名友人一再與網路情人分手，情緒隨即陷入低潮後，想到了這個點子。

“The poor girl, her Facebook profile was a minefield of elements of her defunct relationship,” Ms. de Soto said.
迪索托說：「可憐的女孩。她的臉書檔案是她那段已終結關係的點點滴滴構成的地雷區。」

Ms. de Soto said the app is the digital version of throwing an ex’s gifts and belongings into the trash, something she has her fair share of experience with. “I’ve seen Clara’s ex-boyfriend boxes, and they aren’t pretty,” Ms. Mannherz confirmed.
迪索托指出，這個應用程式有如「把前情人贈送的禮物及他的個人物品丟入垃圾桶」的數位版。她個人也有過相同的經驗。曼赫茲說：「我看過克蕾拉的前男友訊息視窗。還真不好看。」

But being connected to so many people across a web of overlapping social networks means that “defriending” or “unfollowing” people rarely removes them completely from your virtual world.
然而在重疊的社群網絡與這麼多人連結意味的是，將某人「從好友名單刪除 」或「取消對他的關注」其實很難把對方完全逐出妳的虛擬世界。

“It was a lot easier before because you could actually achieve out of sight, out of mind,” Ms. de Soto said, “but you can’t do that online.” For proof that the need is real, walk into any bar and listen on a conversation between 20-somethings. It’s almost certain that at some point, the fateful question will be asked aloud: “Should I text him?”
迪索托說：「以前事情容易得多，因為妳可以真正做到眼不見，心不煩。在網路上這可辦不到。」若想證明這種需求千真萬確，不妨走進一家酒吧，聽聽20來歲年輕人之間的對話。幾乎可以確定，在某一時刻一定會有人大聲問道：「我是不是該傳個簡訊給他？」

For extra support, an app developed by the Brazilian soft drink company Guaraná Antarctica called the Ex-Lover Blocker, also tries to tackle the impulse to reconnect. Anytime you try to call an ex, the app sends a text message to your closest friends so they can come to your rescue before you make a tragic mistake. The app also posts an update on Facebook alerting the world of your imminent transgression.
巴西瓜納拉飲料公司推出的應用程式Ex-Lover Blocker（舊愛阻絕者）會設法消弭用戶再與前情人連絡的衝動。每當妳打算連絡前男友時，它就會傳簡訊給妳幾個最要好的朋友，使她們得以在妳鑄下大錯之前，及時拉妳一把。它也會在臉書張貼更新訊息，針對妳可能越界的狀況示警。

“It’s kind of like, hey, if you call him everyone is going to see on Facebook how weak you were,” said Marco Versolato, 46, of DDB Brasil, the São Paulo-based advertising agency that created the app. “Self-control depends on the person but when you’re not emotionally stable you can use the Ex-Lover Blocker’s help as friend.”
這個應用程式由聖保羅的DDB巴西廣告公司研發，該公司的46歲創意總監維爾索拉托說：「這有點像，嘿，如果妳連絡他，大家都會在臉書上看到妳是何其軟弱。自制繫於個人，然而如果妳情緒處於不穩定狀態，可以借助於Ex-Lover Blocker。」

Annabel Acton, 29, had a different approach in mind when she started Never Liked It Anyway, a Web site on which spurned lovers can sell gifts from their exes that are too painful to keep. “I think it’s very cathartic,” said Ms. Acton, who also lives in New York.
網站Never Liked It Anyway（反正從來就不喜歡它）專供網友拍賣留在身邊徒增痛苦的前情人禮物。29歲的安娜貝兒‧艾克頓開辦它時，想法不同。住在紐約的艾克頓說：「我認為，它很有宣洩淨化的作用。」

Bettye Dewey, 29, of Euclid, Ohio, needed to move on after divorcing her multimillionaire husband two years ago. She had discovered that he was having an affair – and buying another woman duplicates of gifts he bought for Ms. Dewey.
29歲的貝蒂‧杜威住在俄亥俄州尤克里德，2年前與富豪丈夫離婚後，必須繼續如常生活。她發現他有外遇，而且為另一個女人購買的禮物與送給她的一模一樣。

After they split, Ms. Dewey was left with a pile of Louis Vuitton purses, Dolce and Gabbana dresses and Chanel jewelry that she didn’t want to throw away, but couldn’t bear to look at. So when she found Never Liked It Anyway, she was thrilled.
離婚後的杜威留有一堆路易威登錢包、Dolce & Gabbana洋裝與香奈兒珠寶。她不想丟掉，睹之又情無以堪。發現Never Liked It Anyway時她很興奮。

“I mean, cathartic isn’t even the word,” she said. “I feel like I am puking this stuff out of my life.”
她說：「我的意思是，『宣洩淨化』還不足以形容那種感覺。我感覺好像已經把這些東西嘔出自己的生命之外。」

原文參照：
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/fashion/apps-and-web-sites-that-go-with-a-breakup.html

2013-03-26聯合報/G5版/UNITEDDAILYNEWS 陳世欽譯 原文參見紐時週報十一版下