Now, I want to start with a question:
上一次你被认为“幼稚”是什么时候
When was the last time you were called “childish”?
对于像我这样的孩子
For kids like me,
被说成幼稚是常有的事
being called childish can be a frequent occurrence.
每当我们有不合理的要求
Every time we make irrational demands,
做出不负责任的行为
exhibit irresponsible behavior,
或者表现出现任何不同于普通美国公民的行为
or display any other signs of being normal American citizens,
我们就会被说成幼稚
we are called childish.
这真的让我感到困扰
Which really bothers me.
首先 让我们来回顾下这些事件
After all, take a look at these events:
帝国主义和殖民主义
Imperialism and colonization,
世界大战 小布什
world wars, George W. Bush.
扪心自问 这些该归咎于谁？是大人
Ask yourself, who’s responsible? Adults.
而小孩呢 做了些什么？
Now, what have kids done?
安妮·弗兰克(Anne Frank)对大屠杀强有力的叙述
Well, Anne Frank touched millions
打动了数百万人的心
with her powerful account of the Holocaust.
鲁比·布里奇斯为美国种族隔离的终结作出了贡献
Ruby Bridges helped to end segregation in the United States.
最近
And, most recently,
查理·辛普森骑着他的小自行车
Charlie Simpson helped to raise 120,000 pounds for Haiti,
为海地募捐了12万英镑
on his little bike.
正如你在这些事例中清楚的看到的一样
So as you can see evidenced by such examples,
年龄与行为完全没有关系
age has absolutely nothing to do with it.
“幼稚”的痕迹 也经常可以在成年人中看到
The traits the word “childish” addresses are seen so often in adults,
当用“幼稚”批评不负责任的行为
that we should abolish this age-discriminatory word,
和不理智想法之际
when it comes to criticizing behavior associated with irresponsibility
我们需要重新定义不同年龄差别对待这个词
and irrational thinking.
（掌声）
(Applause)
谢谢
Thank you.
而且 谁又能断言这种非理性思考
Then again, who’s to say that certain types of irrational thinking
并非这个世界所需要的呢
aren’t exactly what the world needs?
也许你以前有过宏大的计划
Maybe you’ve had grand plans before,
但是你阻止了自己 心想
but stopped yourself, thinking,
“这不可能” 或者“这代价太大了”
“That’s impossible,” or “That costs too much,”
或者想“这对我没有好处”
or “That won’t benefit me.”
不论好坏 在思考为什么不做这件事时
For better or worse, we kids aren’t hampered as much
我们孩子不会被这样束缚
when it comes to thinking about reasons why not to do things.
孩子充满了鼓舞人心的愿望和充满希望的想法
Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations and hopeful thinking,
就像我希望没有人饥饿
like my wish that no one went hungry,
或者所有东西都是免费的 这有一点乌托邦
or that everything were free, a kind of utopia.
你们还有多少人梦想这些或者相信这些会发展成为可能？
How many of you still dream like that, and believe in the possibilities?
有时候熟知历史和过去追求理想化梦想的失败
Sometimes a knowledge of history and the past failures of Utopian ideals
可能成为一种负担
can be a burden,
因为你应该认识到如果所有东西都是免费的
because you know that if everything were free,
那么所有的食物补给站就会耗尽、减少并造成混乱
then the food stocks would become depleted and scarce and lead to chaos.
另一方面 我们孩子们仍在梦想完美
On the other hand, we kids still dream about perfection.
这是一件很好的事情 因为为了使任何事情成为现实
And that’s a good thing, because in order to make anything a reality,
你必须先要想到他
you have to dream about it first.
在很多时候 我们对梦想的大胆
In many ways, our audacity to imagine
拓宽了可能性的疆界
helps push the boundaries of possibility.
比如 华盛顿塔科马的玻璃博物馆
For instance, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington,
哦 我的家乡 华盛顿
my home state — yoohoo, Washington!
（掌声）
(Applause)
这个博物馆里有一个项目叫“儿童玻璃设计”
has a program called Kids Design Glass,
孩子们可以画下他们关于玻璃艺术的想象
and kids draw their own ideas for glass art.
后来 当地的艺术家说 他们所有的灵感
The resident artist said they got some of their best ideas
都来自这个项目 因为小孩不去理会
from the program, because kids don’t think about the limitations
将玻璃吹成某种形状会有多难的限制
of how hard it can be to blow glass into certain shapes,
他们仅仅去想好的想法
they just think of good ideas.
当说到玻璃时 你可能会想到Chihuly玻璃雕塑师的设计
Now, when you think of glass, you might think of colorful Chihuly designs,
或意大利花瓶
or maybe Italian vases,
但孩子敢于挑战玻璃艺术家 并超越他们
but kids challenge glass artists to go beyond that,
失恋小蛇
into the realm of brokenhearted snakes
培根男孩 你可以看到 有肉视力
and bacon boys, who you can see has meat vision.
（笑声）
(Laughter)
现在 我们内在的智慧 不一定要内行人才有的知识
Now, our inherent wisdom doesn’t have to be insider’s knowledge.
小孩已经在大人身上学了很多
Kids already do a lot of learning from adults,
我们有很多共通之处
and we have a lot to share.
我认为大人应该开始向小孩学习
I think that adults should start learning from kids.
现在听我演讲的大部分
Now, I do most of my speaking
都是受过教育的人群——老师和学生
in front of an education crowd — teachers and students,
我喜欢这样打比方：
and I like this analogy:
不应该只是老师站在教室讲台上
It shouldn’t be a teacher at the head of the class,
告诉学生这样做 那样做
telling students, “Do this, do that.”
学生应该教育他们的老师
The students should teach their teachers.
成人和小孩之间应该相互学习
Learning between grown-ups and kids should be reciprocal.
而现实里 很不幸 有所不同
The reality, unfortunately, is a little different,
这跟信任的关系很大 或者说是缺乏信任的结果
and it has a lot to do with trust, or a lack of it.
如果你不信任某人 你就给他们设限 对吧？
Now, if you don’t trust someone, you place restrictions on them, right?
如果我怀疑我姐姐 没有能力偿还10%的利息
If I doubt my older sister’s ability to pay back the 10 percent interest
我会根据她上次借钱的情况
I established on her last loan,
不给她再从我这儿拿钱的机会
I’m going to withhold her ability to get more money from me,
直到她还钱为止
until she pays it back.
（笑声）
(Laughter)
这是真实的例子
True story, by the way.
现在 大人似乎
Now, adults seem to have
普遍对小孩持约束态度
a prevalently restrictive attitude towards kids,
从学生守则里的不能这样做 不能那样做
from every “Don’t do that, don’t do this” in the school handbook,
到学校互联网使用的各种限制性规定
to restrictions on school Internet use.
如历史指出 当政权害怕统治失控时
As history points out, regimes become oppressive
它就会变得暴虐
when they’re fearful about keeping control.
虽然大人可能不会
And although adults may not be quite at the level
像极权主义一样
of totalitarian regimes,
但小孩在制定规则方面是几乎没有话语权的
kids have no or very little say in making the rules,
而正确的态度应该是两者相互尊重的
when really, the attitude should be reciprocal,
意味着大人应该了解
meaning that the adult population should learn
并认真考虑小孩的意愿
and take into account the wishes of the younger population.
然而比限制更糟糕的是
Now, what’s even worse than restriction,
大人经常低估小孩的能力
is that adults often underestimate kids’ abilities.
我们喜欢挑战 但大人对我们期望很低时
We love challenges, but when expectations are low,
我们会不思进取 意志消沉
trust me, we will sink to them.
我父母亲对我和姐姐
My own parents had anything but low expectations
抱有不高的期望
for me and my sister.
所以他们没有让我们从事医生或律师类似的职业
Okay, so they didn’t tell us to become doctors or lawyers or anything like that,
但我爸爸经常给我们读亚里士多德和先锋细菌斗士
but my dad did read to us about Aristotle and pioneer germ-fighters,
而其他很多小孩还在听
when lots of other kids were hearing
《公车的轮子转呀转》
“The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round.”
其实我们听过那首儿歌 但我们完全被先锋细菌斗士征服了
Well, we heard that one too, but “Pioneer Germ Fighters” totally rules.
（笑声）
(Laughter)
我自四岁起喜欢上了写作 当我六岁时
I loved to write from the age of four, and when I was six,
我妈妈给我买了台装有微软Word的笔记本
my mom bought me my own laptop equipped with Microsoft Word.
谢谢你比尔·盖茨！也谢谢你 妈咪！
Thank you, Bill Gates, and thank you, Ma.
我用那台笔记本写了三百多篇短篇小说
I wrote over 300 short stories on that little laptop,
而且我想发表我的作品
and I wanted to get published.
我父母没有嘲笑我 说不可能出版
Instead of just scoffing at this heresy that a kid wanted to get published,
也没有说等你长大点儿再说
or saying wait until you’re older,
他们非常支持我
my parents were really supportive.
很多出版社不这么鼓舞人心
Many publishers were not quite so encouraging.
颇具讽刺意味的是 一个很大的儿童出版社说
One large children’s publisher ironically said
他们不跟儿童打交道
that they didn’t work with children.
儿童出版社不和儿童打交道？
Children’s publisher not working with children?
我不知道 你这是在怠慢一个大客户
I don’t know, you’re kind of alienating a large client there.
（笑声）
(Laughter)
后来 出版社Action Publishing愿意摒除偏见 信任我
One publisher, Action Publishing, was willing to take that leap and trust me,
并倾听我说的话
and to listen to what I had to say.
他们出版了我的第一本书 飞舞的手指 就是这个
They published my first book, “Flying Fingers,” you see it here.
从那以后 它在数百所学校流行
And from there on, it’s gone to speaking at hundreds of schools,
为成千教育家们定调
keynoting to thousands of educators,
最后 在今天我给你们做演讲
and finally, today, speaking to you.
我非常感谢你们今天的关注
I appreciate your attention today,
因为这证明你们愿意倾听
because to show that you truly care, you listen.
但小孩比大人好这么多
But there’s a problem with this rosy picture
这样乐观的心态也有个问题
of kids being so much better than adults.
小孩会长大并变成像你们一样的大人
Kids grow up and become adults just like you.
（笑声）
(Laughter)
跟你们一样 真的吗？
Or just like you? Really?
目的不在于把小孩变成你们这样的大人
The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adult,
而是比你们更好的大人
but rather, better adults than you have been,
考虑你们的资历 这可能颇具挑战性
which may be a little challenging, considering your guys’ credentials.
（笑声）
(Laughter)
但进步的发生
But the way progress happens,
是因新的一代人和新的时期而发生
is because new generations and new eras
不断的进步和发展 并超越之前的年代
grow and develop and become better than the previous ones.
这就是为什么我们不再处于黑暗时代
It’s the reason we’re not in the Dark Ages anymore.
不论你生活地位如何
No matter your position or place in life,
你必须给孩子创造机会
it is imperative to create opportunities for children,
这样他们才能成长并把你们拍在沙滩上
so that we can grow up to blow you away.
（笑声）
(Laughter)
大人和TED观众们
Adults and fellow TEDsters,
你们需要倾听并向小孩学习
you need to listen and learn from kids,
信任我们和对我们怀有更高的期望
and trust us and expect more from us.
今天你们需要聆听
You must lend an ear today,
因为我们是未来的领导人
because we are the leaders of tomorrow, which means
我们在你们年老体衰时照顾你们
we’re going to take care of you when you’re old and senile.
不 只是开玩笑
No, just kidding.
（笑声）
(Laughter)
不 真的 我们将成为
No, really, we are going to be the next generation,
推动世界前进发展的下一代
the ones who will bring this world forward.
如果你认为 对你没有意义
And in case you don’t think that this really has meaning for you,
不要忘了克隆是可能的
remember that cloning is possible,
而这意味着童年可以重来
and that involves going through childhood again,
这样你就希望有大人倾听你的话 就像我们这一代
in which case you’ll want to be heard, just like my generation.
世界需要新领袖和新想法的机会
Now, the world needs opportunities for new leaders and new ideas.
小孩需要机会去领导和取得成功
Kids need opportunities to lead and succeed.
你们准备好去促成这一切了吗？
Are you ready to make the match?
因为这个世界的问题 不应该一代又一代地传下去
Because the world’s problems shouldn’t be the human family’s heirloom.
谢谢
Thank you.
（掌声）
(Applause)
谢谢！谢谢！
Thank you. Thank you.
\^O^/
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