TED英語演講稿：不幸也許是個(gè)機(jī)會

TEDaimeemullins健的演講者。她不喜歡字典中“disabled”這個(gè)詞，因?yàn)樨?fù)面詞匯足以i'dliketosharewithyouadiscoverythatimadeafewmonthsagowhilewritinganarticleforitalianwired.ialwayskeepmythesaurushandywheneveri'mwritinganything,buti'dalreadyfinishededitingthepiece,andirealizedthatihadneveronceinmylifelookeduptheword"disabled"toseewhati'dfind.letmereadyoutheentry."disabled,adjective:crippled,helpless,useless,wrecked,stalled,maimed,wounded,mangled,lame,mutilated,run-down,worn-out,weakened,impotent,castrated,paralyzed,handicapped,senile,decrepit,laid-up,done-up,done-for,done-incracked-up,counted-out;seealsohurt,uselessandweak.antonyms,healthy,strong,capable."iwasreadingthislistoutloudtoafriendandatfirstwaslaughing,itwassoludicrous,buti'djustgottenpast"mangled,"andmyvoicebroke,andihadtostopandcollectmyselffromtheemotionalshockandimpactthattheassaultfromthesewordsunleashed. youknow,ofcourse,thisismyraggedyoldthesaurussoi'mthinkingthismustbeanancientprintdate,right?but,infact,theprintdatewastheearly1980s,wheniwouldhavebeenstartingprimaryschoolandforminganunderstandingofmyselfoutsidethefamilyunitandasrelatedtotheotherkidsandtheworldaroundme.and,needlesstosay,thankgodiwasn'tusingathesaurusbackthen.imean,fromthisentry,itwouldseemthatiwasbornintoaworldthatperceivedsomeonelikemetohavenothingpositivewhatsoevergoingforthem,wheninfact,todayi'mcelebratedfortheopportunitiesandadventuresmylifehasprocured.so,iimmediatelywenttolookuptheXXonlineedition,expectingtofindarevisionworthnoting.here'stheupdatedversionofthisentry.unfortunately,it'snotmuchbetter.ifindthelasttwowordsunder"nearantonyms,"particularlyunsettling:"whole"and"wholesome." so,it'snotjustaboutthewords.it'swhatwebelieveaboutpeoplewhenwenamethemwiththesewords.it'saboutthevaluesbehindthewords,andhowweconstructthosevalues.ourlanguageaffectsourthinkingandhowweviewtheworldandhowweviewotherpeople.infact,manyancientsocieties,includingthegreeksandtheromans,believedthattoutteracurseverballywassopowerful,becausetosaythethingoutloudbroughtitintoexistence.so,whatrealitydowewanttocallintoexistence:apersonwhoislimited,orapersonwho'sempowered?bycasuallydoingsomethingassimpleasnamingaperson,achild,wemightbeputtinglidsandcastingshadowsontheirpower.wouldn'twewanttoopendoorsfortheminstead? onesuchpersonwhoopeneddoorsformewasmychildhooddoctoratthea.i.dupontinstituteinwilmington,delaware.hisnamewasdr.pizzutillo,anitalianamerican,whosename,apparently,wastoodifficultformostamericanstopronounce,sohewentbydr.p.anddr.palwaysworereallycolorfulbowtiesandhadtheveryperfectdispositiontoworkwithchildren. ilovedalmosteverythingaboutmytimespentatthishospital,withtheexceptionofmyphysicaltherapysessions.ihadtodowhatseemedlikeinnumerablerepetitionsofexerciseswiththesethick,elasticbands--differentcolors,youknow--tohelpbuildupmylegmuscles,andihatedthesebandsmorethananything--ihatedthem,hadnamesforthem.ihatedthem.and,youknow,iwasalreadybargaining,asafiveyear-oldchild,withdr.ptotrytogetoutofdoingtheseexercises,unsuccessfully,ofcourse.and,oneday,hecameintomysession--exhaustiveandunforgiving,thesesessions--andhesaidtome,"wow.aimee,youaresuchastrongandpowerfullittlegirl,ithinkyou'regoingtobreakoneofthosebands.whenyoudobreakit,i'mgoingtogiveyouahundredbucks." now,ofcourse,thiswasasimpleployondr.p'sparttogetmetodotheexercisesididn'twanttodobeforetheprospectofbeingtherichestfive-year-oldinthesecondfloorward,butwhatheeffectivelydidformewasreshapeanawfuldailyoccurrenceintoanewandpromisingexperienceforme.andihavetowondertodaytowhatextenthisvisionandhisdeclarationofmeasastrongandpowerfullittlegirlshapedmyownviewofmyselfasaninherentlystrong,powerfulandathleticpersonwellintothe thisisanexampleofhowadultsinpositionsofpowercanignitethepowerofachild.but,inthepreviousinstancesofthosethesaurusentries,ourlanguageisn'tallowingustoevolveintotherealitythatwewouldallwant,thepossibilityofanindividualtoseethemselvesascapable.ourlanguagehasn'tcaughtupwiththechangesinoursociety,manyofwhichhavebeenbroughtaboutbytechnology.certainly,fromamedicalstandpoint,mylegs,lasersurgeryforvisionimpairment,titaniumkneesandhipreplacementsforagingbodiesthatareallowingpeopletomorefullyengagewiththeirabilities,andmovebeyondthelimitsthatnaturehasimposedonthem--nottomentionsocialnetworkingplatformsallowpeopletoself-identify,toclaimtheirowndescriptionsofthemselves,sotheycangoalignwithglobalgroupsoftheirownchoosing.so,perhapstechnologyisrevealingmoreclearlytousnowwhathasalwaysbeenatruth:thateveryonehassomethingrareandpowerfultoofferoursociety,andthatthehumanabilitytoadaptisourgreatestasset. thehumanabilitytoadapt,it'saninterestingthing,becausepeoplehavecontinuallywantedtotalktomeaboutovercomingadversity,andi'mgoingtomakeanadmission:thisphraseneversatrightwithme,andialwaysfeltuneasytryingtoanswerpeople'squestionsaboutit,andithinki'mstartingtofigureoutwhy.implicitinthisphraseof"overcomingadversity"istheideathatsuccess,orhappiness,isaboutemergingontheothersideofachallengingexperienceunscathedorunmarkedbytheexperience,asifmysuccessesinlifehavecomeaboutfromanabilitytosidesteporcircumnavigatethepresumedpitfallsofalifewithprosthetics,orwhatotherpeopleperceiveasmydisability.but,infact,wearechanged.wearemarked,ofcourse,byachallenge,whetherphysically,emotionallyorboth.andi'mgoingtosuggestthatthisisagoodthing.adversityisn'tanobstaclethatweneedtogetaroundinordertoresumelivingourlife.it'spartofourlife.anditendtothinkofitlikemyshadow.sometimesiseealotofit,sometimesthere'sverylittle,butit'salwayswithme.and,certainly,i'mnottryingtodiminishtheimpact,theweight,ofaperson'sstruggle. thereisadversityandchallengeinlife,andit'sallveryrealandrelativetoeverysingleperson,butthequestionisn'twhetherornotyou'regoingtomeetadversity,buthowyou'regoingtomeetit.so,ourresponsibilityisnotsimplyshieldingthosewecareforfromadversity,butpreparingthemtomeetitwell.andwedoadisservicetoourkidswhenwemakethemfeelthatthey'renotequippedtoadapt.there'sanimportantdifferenceanddistinctionbetweentheobjectivemedicalfactofmybeinganamputeeandthesubjectivesocietalopinionofwhetherornoti'mdisabled.and,truthfully,theonlyrealandconsistentdisabilityi'vehadtoconfrontistheworldeverthinkingthaticouldbedescribedbythosedefinitions. inourdesiretoprotectthosewecareaboutbygivingthemthecold,hardtruthabouttheirmedicalprognosis,or,indeed,aprognosisontheexpectedqualityoftheirlife,wehavetomakesurethatwedon'tputthefirstbrickinawallthatwillactuallydisablesomeone.perhapstheexistingmodelofonlylookingatwhatisbrokeninyouandhowdowefixit,servestobemoredisablingtotheindividualthanthepathologyitself. bynottreatingthewholenessofaperson,bynotacknowledgingtheirpotency,wearecreatinganotherillontopofwhatevernaturalstruggletheymighthave.weareeffectivelygradingsomeone'sworthtoourcommunity.soweneedtoseethroughthepathologyandintotherangeofhumancapability.and,mostimportantly,there'sapartnershipbetweenthoseperceiveddeficienciesandourgreatestcreativeability.soit'snotaboutdevaluing,ornegating,thesemoretryingtimesassomethingwewanttoavoidorsweepundertherug,butinsteadtofindthosewrappedintheadversity.somaybetheideaiwanttoputoutthereisnotsomuchovercomingadversityasitisopeningourselvesuptoit,embracingit,grapplingwithit,touseawrestlingterm,maybeevendancingwithit.and,perhaps,ifweseeadversityasnatural,consistentanduseful,we'relessburdenedbythepresenceofit. thisyearwecelebratethe200thbirthdayofcharlesdarwin,anditwas150yearsago,whenwritingaboutevolution,thatdarwinillustrated,ithink,atruthaboutthehumancharacter.toparaphrase:it'snotthestrongestofthespeciesthatsurvives,norisitthemostintelligentthatsurvives;itistheonethatismostadaptabletochange.conflictisthegenesisofcreation.fromdarwin'swork,amongstothers,wecanrecognizethatthehumanabilitytosurviveandflourishisdrivenbythestruggleofthehumanspiritthroughconflictintotransformation.so,again,transformation,adaptation,isourgreatesthumanskill.and,perhaps,untilwe'retested,wedon'tknowwhatwe'remadeof.maybethat'swhatadversitygivesus:asenseofself,asenseofourownpower.so,wecangiveourselvesagift.wecanre-imagineadversityassomethingmorethanjusttoughtimes.maybewecanseeitaschange.adversityisjustchangethatwehaven'tadaptedourselvestoyet. ithinkthegreatestadversitythatwe'vecreatedforourselvesisthisideaofnormalcy.now,who'snormal?there'snonormal.there'scommon,there'stypical.there'snonormal,andwouldyouwanttomeetthatpoor,beigepersoniftheyexisted?(laughter)idon'tthinkso.ifwecanchangethisparadigmfromoneofachievingnormalcytooneofpossibility--orpotency,tobeevenalittlebitmoredangerous--wecanreleasethepowerofsomanymorechildren,andinvitethemtoengagetheirrareandvaluableabilitieswiththecommunity. anthropologiststellusthattheonethingweashumanshavealwaysrequiredofourcommunitymembersistobeofuse,tobeabletocontribute.there'sevidencethatneanderthals,60,000yearsago,carriedtheirelderlyandthosewithseriousphysicalinjury,andperhapsit'sbecausethelifeexperienceofsurvivalofthesepeopleprovedofvaluetothecommunity.theydidn'tviewthesepeopleasbrokenanduseless;theywereseenasrareandvaluable. fewyearsago,iwasinafoodmarketinthetownwhereigrewupinthatredzoneinnortheasternpennsylvania,andiwasstandingoverabusheloftomatoes.itwassummertime:ihadshortson.ihearthisguy,hisvoicebehindmesay,"well,ifitisn'taimeemullins."anditurnaround,andit'sthisolderman.ihavenoideawhoheis. andisaid,"i'msorry,sir,havewemet?idon'tremembermeetingyou." hesaid,"well,youwouldn'tremembermeetingme.imean,whenwemetiwasdeliveringyoufromyourmother'swomb."(laughter)oh,thatguy.and,butofcourse,actually,itdidclick. thismanwasdr.kean,amanthatihadonlyknownaboutthroughmymother'sstoriesofthatday,because,ofcourse,typicalfashion,iarrivedlateformybirthdaybytwoweeks.andsomymother'sprenatalphysicianhadgoneonvacation,sothemanwhodeliveredmewasacompletestrangertomyparents.and,becauseiwasbornwithoutthefibulabones,andhadfeetturnedin,andafewtoesinthisfootandafewtoesinthat,hehadtobethebearer--thisstrangerhadtobethebearerofbadnews. saidtome,"ihadtogivethisprognosistoyourparentsthatyouwouldneverwalk,andyouwouldneverhavethekindofmobilitythatotherkidshaveoranykindoflifeofindependence,andyou'vebeenmakingliaroutofmeeversince."(laughter)(applause) theextraordinarythingisthathesaidhehadsavednewspaperclippingsthroughoutmywholechildhood,whetherwinningasecondgradespellingbee,marchingwiththegirlscouts,youknow,thehalloweenparade,winningmycollegescholarship,oranyofmysportsvictories,andhewasusingit,andintegratingitintoteachingresidentstudents,medstudentsfromhahnemannmedicalschoolandhersheymedicalschool.andhecalledthispartofthecoursethexfactor,thepotentialofthehumanwill.noprognosiscanaccountforhowpowerfulthiscouldbeasadeterminantinthequalityofsomeone'slife.anddr.keanwentontotellme,hesaid,"inmyexperience,unlessrepeatedlytoldotherwise,andevenifgivenamodicumofsupport,iflefttotheirowndevices,achildwillachieve."see,dr.keanmadethatshiftinthinking.heunderstoodthatthere'sadifferencebetweenthemedicalconditionandwhatsomeonemightdowithit.andthere'sbeenashiftinmythinkingovertime,inthat,ifyouhadaskedmeat15yearsold,ifiwouldhavetradedprostheticsforflesh-and-bonelegs,iwouldn'thavehesitatedforasecond.iaspiredtothatkindofnormalcybackthen.butifyouaskmetoday,i'mnotsosure.andit'sbecauseoftheexperiencesi'vehadwiththem,notinspiteoftheexperiencesi'vehadwiththem.andperhapsthisshiftinmehashappenedbecausei'vebeenexposedtomorepeoplewhohaveopeneddoorsformethanthosewhohaveputlidsandcastshadowsonme. see,allyoureallyneedisonepersontoshowyoutheepiphanyofyourownpower,andyou'reoff.ifyoucanhandsomebodythekeytotheirownpower--thehumanspiritissoreceptive--ifyoucandothatandopenadoorforsomeoneatacrucialmoment,youareeducatingtheminthebestsense.you'reteachingthemtoopendoorsforthemselves.infact,theexactmeaningoftheword"educate"comesfromtherootword"educe."itmeans"tobringforthwhatiswithin,tobringoutpotential."soagain,whichpotentialdowewanttobringout? therewasacasestudydonein1960sbritain,whentheyweremovingfromgrammarschoolstocomprehensiveschools.it'scalledthestreamingtrials.wecallit"tracking"hereinthestates.it'sseparatingstudentsfroma,b,c,dandsoon.andthe"astudents"getthetoughercurriculum,thebestteachers,etc.well,theytook,overathree-monthperiod,d-le