TEDSummit
Abigail Marsh: Why some people are more altruistic than others
阿比盖尔·马什: 强烈的利他心理从何而来
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为什么一些人会做无私的事情，即使在可能威胁到自身安全的情况下还去帮助他人？心理学研究者阿比盖尔·马什探寻了人类无私行为背后的驱动力，例如将自己的健康肾脏捐给陌生人的捐赠者。这些利他者的大脑是否会有所不同？
Abigail Marsh - Psychologist
Abigail Marsh asks essential questions: If humans are evil, why do we sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to help others even at a cost to ourselves? Full bio
Abigail Marsh asks essential questions: If humans are evil, why do we sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to help others even at a cost to ourselves? Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
There's a man out there, somewhere,
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某个地方，
有这样一个人，
有这样一个人，
00:14
who looks a little bit
like the actor Idris Elba,
like the actor Idris Elba,
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长得有点儿像演员
伊德瑞斯·艾尔巴，
伊德瑞斯·艾尔巴，
00:17
or at least he did 20 years ago.
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好吧，至少20年前很像。
00:20
I don't know anything else about him,
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我对这个人一无所知，
00:22
except that he once saved my life
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除了他曾经冒着生命危险，
00:24
by putting his own life in danger.
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救过我一命。
00:26
This man ran across four lanes of freeway
traffic in the middle of the night
traffic in the middle of the night
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午夜时分，这个人在高速
车道上横穿了四个车道，
车道上横穿了四个车道，
00:32
to bring me back to safety
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将我从致命车祸现场
00:33
after a car accident
that could have killed me.
that could have killed me.
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带回了安全地带。
00:36
And the whole thing
left me really shaken up, obviously,
left me really shaken up, obviously,
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这一切显然把我吓坏了，
但这件事也给我留下了
一个强烈的欲望：
一个强烈的欲望：
00:39
but it also left me with this
kind of burning, gnawing need
kind of burning, gnawing need
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00:43
to understand why he did it,
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我想知道他为什么这么做，
00:45
what forces within him
caused him to make the choice
caused him to make the choice
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是什么驱使了他
做出这样的决定，
做出这样的决定，
00:48
that I owe my life to,
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为了救一个陌生人
不惜以生命为代价，
不惜以生命为代价，
00:50
to risk his own life
to save the life of a stranger?
to save the life of a stranger?
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足以让我欠他一条命？
00:54
In other words, what are the causes of his
or anybody else's capacity for altruism?
or anybody else's capacity for altruism?
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换而言之，是什么铸就了他
和其他人的强烈利他心理？
和其他人的强烈利他心理？
但首先让我告诉你们
具体发生了什么。
具体发生了什么。
00:59
But first let me tell you what happened.
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在事故发生的那个晚上，
我当时19岁，
我当时19岁，
01:01
That night, I was 19 years old
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01:03
and driving back to my home
in Tacoma, Washington,
in Tacoma, Washington,
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当时我正开车，
行驶在5号州际公路上，
行驶在5号州际公路上，
准备回华盛顿州塔科马市的家。
01:05
down the Interstate 5 freeway,
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01:07
when a little dog
darted out in front of my car.
darted out in front of my car.
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一只小狗冲到了我的车前。
01:10
And I did exactly
what you're not supposed to do,
what you're not supposed to do,
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然后我做了决不该在
高速上做的一件事情，
高速上做的一件事情，
01:12
which is swerve to avoid it.
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就是急转方向去躲避这只狗。
01:14
And I discovered why
you're not supposed to do that.
you're not supposed to do that.
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然而我很快就明白了
为什么这样做是错误的。
为什么这样做是错误的。
我还是不可避免地
撞上了那只狗，
撞上了那只狗，
01:17
I hit the dog anyways,
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01:19
and that sent the car into a fishtail,
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导致车辆开始甩尾，
01:21
and then a spin across the freeway,
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在高速公路上急速旋转，
01:24
until finally it wound up
in the fast lane of the freeway
in the fast lane of the freeway
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直到最后停在了
高速上最内侧的快车道上，
高速上最内侧的快车道上，
01:27
faced backwards into oncoming traffic
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车头朝后面对着来车的方向，
01:30
and then the engine died.
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而且发动机也坏了。
01:33
And I was sure in that moment
that I was about to die too,
that I was about to die too,
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我当时以为自己死定了，
01:37
but I didn't
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但结果我没有，
就是因为那个勇敢的陌生人，
01:39
because of the actions
of that one brave man
of that one brave man
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01:41
who must have made the decision
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在看见我和车
处于困境中的瞬间，
做出的一个决定，
做出的一个决定，
01:43
within a fraction of a second
of seeing my stranded car
of seeing my stranded car
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01:46
to pull over and run
across four lanes of freeway traffic
across four lanes of freeway traffic
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那就是靠边停车，
在黑暗中跑着
在黑暗中跑着
01:50
in the dark
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穿过了四个高速车道
01:52
to save my life.
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只为救我的命。
01:54
And then after he got my car working again
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在他帮助我修复我的车，
01:57
and got me back to safety
and made sure I was going to be all right,
and made sure I was going to be all right,
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将我送至安全位置，
并确保我会没事后，
并确保我会没事后，
02:01
he drove off again.
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就默默地开车走了。
02:02
He never even told me his name,
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他甚至没告诉我他叫什么，
02:05
and I'm pretty sure
I forgot to say thank you.
I forgot to say thank you.
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而且我确信，我甚至
忘记了说一句谢谢。
忘记了说一句谢谢。
02:08
So before I go any further,
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所以在我继续说下去之前，
02:10
I really want to take a moment
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我想利用这个机会
02:11
to stop and say thank you
to that stranger.
to that stranger.
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向那位陌生人说一句谢谢。
02:15
(Applause)
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（掌声）
我告诉你们这些
02:22
I tell you all of this
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是因为那晚发生的事
改变了我人生的轨迹。
改变了我人生的轨迹。
02:24
because the events of that night changed
the course of my life to some degree.
the course of my life to some degree.
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02:28
I became a psychology researcher,
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我成为了一名心理学研究者，
02:30
and I've devoted my work to understanding
the human capacity to care for others.
the human capacity to care for others.
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我致力于了解
人类关心他人的能力，
人类关心他人的能力，
这种能力从哪里来，
又是怎样形成与发展的？
又是怎样形成与发展的？
02:34
Where does it come from,
and how does it develop,
and how does it develop,
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02:37
and what are the extreme forms
that it can take?
that it can take?
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它最极端的形态会是怎样的？
02:40
These questions are really important
to understanding basic aspects
to understanding basic aspects
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这些问题是理解人类的
02:43
of human social nature.
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社会属性的关键。
02:45
A lot of people,
and this includes everybody
and this includes everybody
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很多人，包括哲学家，
02:47
from philosophers
and economists to ordinary people
and economists to ordinary people
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经济学家，还有普通人，
02:50
believe that human nature
is fundamentally selfish,
is fundamentally selfish,
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都认为人的天性是自私的，
02:53
that we're only ever really motivated
by our own welfare.
by our own welfare.
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我们永远只会被
利己的事所激励。
利己的事所激励。
02:57
But if that's true, why do some people,
like the stranger who rescued me,
like the stranger who rescued me,
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但如果那是真的，为什么总有
一些人会像救我的那个陌生人一样，
一些人会像救我的那个陌生人一样，
03:02
do selfless things,
like helping other people
like helping other people
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做着如此无私且利他的事情，
比如冒着极大的
比如冒着极大的
03:04
at enormous risk and cost to themselves?
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代价和风险去帮助别人？
要回答这个问题，
03:07
Answering this question
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03:09
requires exploring the roots
of extraordinary acts of altruism,
of extraordinary acts of altruism,
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我们要挖掘这些极端利他行为的本质，
03:13
and what might make people
who engage in such acts
who engage in such acts
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以及是什么导致了
这些人做出与他人
这些人做出与他人
03:15
different than other people.
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不同的行为。
03:17
But until recently, very little work
on this topic had been done.
on this topic had been done.
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但直到现在，有关课题的
研究仍然十分有限。
研究仍然十分有限。
我的救命恩人的行为
03:21
The actions of the man who rescued me
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03:23
meet the most stringent
definition of altruism,
definition of altruism,
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已经能够达到“无私”中
最狭隘且苛刻的定义了，
最狭隘且苛刻的定义了，
03:26
which is a voluntary, costly behavior
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也就是必须要是完全
自愿的、有代价的行为，
自愿的、有代价的行为，
03:29
motivated by the desire
to help another individual.
to help another individual.
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并且是被想帮助他人的
心理所驱动的。
心理所驱动的。
03:32
So it's a selfless act
intended to benefit only the other.
intended to benefit only the other.
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即这是一个完全利他行为。
03:36
What could possibly
explain an action like that?
explain an action like that?
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用什么能够解释这种行为呢？
03:40
One answer is compassion, obviously,
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一种解释是怜悯之心，
03:42
which is a key driver of altruism.
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显然，这是无私的
几个关键来源之一。
几个关键来源之一。
接着这个问题转变为：
03:44
But then the question becomes,
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03:46
why do some people
seem to have more of it than others?
seem to have more of it than others?
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为什么有些人会比
其他人的怜悯之心更强呢？
其他人的怜悯之心更强呢？
答案也许是，
那些有高度怜悯心的人的
那些有高度怜悯心的人的
03:50
And the answer may be that the brains
of highly altruistic people
of highly altruistic people
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03:54
are different in fundamental ways.
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大脑构造可能与
普通人有根本性区别。
普通人有根本性区别。
03:57
But to figure out how,
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想知道到底如何不同，
我实际上从精神病患者开始，
03:59
I actually started from the opposite end,
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04:02
with psychopaths.
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来逆向思考这个问题。
04:04
A common approach to understanding
basic aspects of human nature,
basic aspects of human nature,
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想要了解人类本性的某一方面时，
04:07
like the desire to help other people,
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例如想要了解人们
帮助他人的欲望时，
帮助他人的欲望时，
04:09
is to study people
in whom that desire is missing,
in whom that desire is missing,
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一个普遍的方式就是从缺失
这种欲望的人入手进行研究。
这种欲望的人入手进行研究。
04:13
and psychopaths are exactly such a group.
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精神病患者正是
这样的群体之一。
这样的群体之一。
04:16
Psychopathy is a developmental disorder
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精神病是一种
高级别的神经错乱，
高级别的神经错乱，
04:18
with strongly genetic origins,
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并且与基因有着很强的关联性，
由此带来冷漠无情的性格特征，
04:20
and it results in a personality
that's cold and uncaring
that's cold and uncaring
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04:23
and a tendency to engage in antisocial
and sometimes very violent behavior.
and sometimes very violent behavior.
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并且有着反社会倾向，甚至暴力倾向。
04:28
Once my colleagues and I
at the National Institute of Mental Health
at the National Institute of Mental Health
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我和我的同事们曾
在国家心理健康研究中心
在国家心理健康研究中心
04:31
conducted some of the first ever
brain imaging research
brain imaging research
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进行了首次针对
青少年精神病患者的
青少年精神病患者的
04:33
of psychopathic adolescents,
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脑成像研究，
04:36
and our findings, and the findings
of other researchers now,
of other researchers now,
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我们，以及后来其他
研究者们的发现都一致表明，
研究者们的发现都一致表明，
04:39
have shown that people
who are psychopathic
who are psychopathic
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精神病患者的大脑
04:41
pretty reliably exhibit
three characteristics.
three characteristics.
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会呈现出三种特性。
04:45
First, although they're not generally
insensitive to other people's emotions,
insensitive to other people's emotions,
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首先，他们并不是普遍
不能识别所有的人类情感，
不能识别所有的人类情感，
04:49
they are insensitive to signs
that other people are in distress.
that other people are in distress.
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但是他们的确不能感知到
他人正处于悲伤或痛苦中。
他人正处于悲伤或痛苦中。
04:53
And in particular,
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尤其是，
他们对于害怕这种面部神情
存在理解障碍，比如这个。
存在理解障碍，比如这个。
04:54
they have difficulty recognizing
fearful facial expressions like this one.
fearful facial expressions like this one.
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04:58
And fearful expressions convey
urgent need and emotional distress,
urgent need and emotional distress,
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害怕的神情同时会传达出
迫切需要帮助和情感上的悲痛，
迫切需要帮助和情感上的悲痛，
05:02
and they usually elicit
compassion and a desire to help
compassion and a desire to help
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而这些会引诱出目击者的怜悯之心
和想去帮助的欲望，
05:05
in people who see them,
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05:06
so it makes sense that people
who tend to lack compassion
who tend to lack compassion
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所以那些趋于缺少怜悯之心的人，
05:09
also tend to be insensitive to these cues.
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同时也趋向于对这些
神情表现出不敏感。
神情表现出不敏感。
杏仁核是人类大脑中
05:12
The part of the brain
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05:13
that's the most important
for recognizing fearful expressions
for recognizing fearful expressions
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负责识别痛苦的面部表情的
最重要的部分。
05:16
is called the amygdala.
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只有极少的人完全缺失杏仁核，
05:17
There are very rare cases of people
who lack amygdalas completely,
who lack amygdalas completely,
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05:21
and they're profoundly impaired
in recognizing fearful expressions.
in recognizing fearful expressions.
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他们对识别痛苦的神情
存在严重障碍。
存在严重障碍。
当看到害怕的神情时，
05:25
And whereas healthy adults and children
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05:27
usually show big spikes
in amygdala activity
in amygdala activity
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健康成年人与儿童的
05:30
when they look at fearful expressions,
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杏仁核会反应活跃，
05:32
psychopaths' amygdalas
are underreactive to these expressions.
are underreactive to these expressions.
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精神病患者的杏仁核
则处于非活跃状态，
则处于非活跃状态，
05:35
Sometimes they don't react at all,
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有时候它们根本毫无反应。
05:37
which may be why they have
trouble detecting these cues.
trouble detecting these cues.
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这也许解释了为什么
他们无法识别那些表情。
他们无法识别那些表情。
05:41
Finally, psychopaths' amygdalas
are smaller than average
are smaller than average
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最后，精神病患者的杏仁核的大小
05:44
by about 18 or 20 percent.
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比平均水平小18%-20%。
05:46
So all of these findings
are reliable and robust,
are reliable and robust,
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所有的这些发现都是
可靠而确凿的，
可靠而确凿的，
05:50
and they're very interesting.
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也是十分有趣的。
05:52
But remember that my main interest
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但要记得我主要的兴趣
05:53
is not understanding
why people don't care about others.
why people don't care about others.
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不是想弄明白为什么
有的人不关心他人，
有的人不关心他人，
而是为什么有的人会关心。
05:57
It's understanding why they do.
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05:59
So the real question is,
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所以真正的问题是，
06:02
could extraordinary altruism,
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拥有非凡的利他主义的人，
06:04
which is the opposite of psychopathy
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也就是在同情心和
帮助他人的想法上
帮助他人的想法上
06:06
in terms of compassion
and the desire to help other people,
and the desire to help other people,
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与精神病患者
完全相反的一群人，
完全相反的一群人，
06:10
emerge from a brain that is also
the opposite of psychopathy?
the opposite of psychopathy?
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他们是否在大脑构造中也与
精神病患者的大脑完全相反？
精神病患者的大脑完全相反？
06:14
A sort of antipsychopathic brain,
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是否拥有一种
“反精神错乱型大脑”，
“反精神错乱型大脑”，
能够更加易于识别他人的恐惧，
06:17
better able to recognize
other people's fear,
other people's fear,
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06:21
an amygdala that's more reactive
to this expression
to this expression
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并且有着更活跃
06:23
and maybe larger than average as well?
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且体积更大的杏仁核？
我的研究已经
证实了我们的猜想，
证实了我们的猜想，
06:25
As my research has now shown,
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06:27
all three things are true.
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上述三点都是存在的。
06:29
And we discovered this
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我们的发现基于
对一批真正的极端
利他主义者的测试。
利他主义者的测试。
06:30
by testing a population
of truly extraordinary altruists.
of truly extraordinary altruists.
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他们会将自己的肾脏捐赠给
06:33
These are people who have given
one of their own kidneys
one of their own kidneys
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06:36
to a complete stranger.
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一个完全陌生的人，
06:38
So these are people who have volunteered
to undergo major surgery
to undergo major surgery
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也就是说他们完全自愿地
承受一个大型外科手术
承受一个大型外科手术
06:41
so that one of their own
healthy kidneys can be removed
healthy kidneys can be removed
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来移除自己身上
一个健康的肾脏，
一个健康的肾脏，
捐给一个从未见过，
06:44
and transplanted into a very ill stranger
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06:46
that they've never met and may never meet.
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甚至也永远不会相见的陌生人。
06:49
"Why would anybody do this?"
is a very common question.
is a very common question.
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也许许多人都想问
“谁会想做这样的事啊？”。
“谁会想做这样的事啊？”。
06:52
And the answer may be
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而答案很可能是
06:53
that the brains of these
extraordinary altruists
extraordinary altruists
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那些极端利他主义者的大脑
06:56
have certain special characteristics.
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有他们的独特之处。
06:59
They are better at recognizing
other people's fear.
other people's fear.
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他们擅长识别他人的恐惧。
07:02
They're literally better at detecting
when somebody else is in distress.
when somebody else is in distress.
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他们确确实实更能
察觉处在悲痛中的人。
察觉处在悲痛中的人。
07:05
This may be in part because their amygdala
is more reactive to these expressions.
is more reactive to these expressions.
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这种行为部分源于他们的杏仁核
会对这些表情做出更活跃的反应。
会对这些表情做出更活跃的反应。
但要记得，我们发现神经病患者的
07:10
And remember, this is the same part
of the brain that we found
of the brain that we found
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大脑在同一区域，是处于非活动状态的。
07:13
was underreactive
in people who are psychopathic.
in people who are psychopathic.
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最后，利他者的杏仁核
也要比平均水平大，
也要比平均水平大，
07:15
And finally, their amygdalas
are larger than average as well,
are larger than average as well,
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大百分之八左右。
07:18
by about eight percent.
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07:19
So together, what these data suggest
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总的来说，最终这些
实验数据都表明了，
实验数据都表明了，
07:21
is the existence of something
like a caring continuum in the world
like a caring continuum in the world
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这世界上有一种关爱衡量轴，
07:25
that's anchored at the one end
by people who are highly psychopathic,
by people who are highly psychopathic,
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一个极端就是精神高度错乱，
07:28
and at the other by people
who are very compassionate
who are very compassionate
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处于另一个极端的人则
非常具有同情心，
非常具有同情心，
07:31
and driven to acts of extreme altruism.
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总是被极度利他的精神驱使着。
07:34
But I should add that what makes
extraordinary altruists so different
extraordinary altruists so different
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但我应该继续补充的是，
极端利他主义者之所以如此，
极端利他主义者之所以如此，
07:38
is not just that they're
more compassionate than average.
more compassionate than average.
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并非仅仅因为他们的
同情心高于平均水平。
同情心高于平均水平。
他们确实是有很强的同情心，
07:41
They are,
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但令他们更不同寻常的是
07:42
but what's even more unusual about them
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07:44
is that they're compassionate
and altruistic
and altruistic
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他们的同情和无私
07:46
not just towards people
who are in their own innermost circle
who are in their own innermost circle
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并不只是针对他熟知的
07:49
of friends and family. Right?
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核心圈子里人，对吗？
07:51
Because to have compassion for people
that you love and identify with
that you love and identify with
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因为对自己爱的人无私
并不能使你与众不同。
07:54
is not extraordinary.
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07:58
Truly extraordinary altruists' compassion
extends way beyond that circle,
extends way beyond that circle,
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真正非凡的利他主义者的
恻隐之心远远超过那个圆圈，
恻隐之心远远超过那个圆圈，
08:02
even beyond their wider
circle of acquaintances
circle of acquaintances
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甚至超出他们的社交圈
和任何认识的人，
08:04
to people who are outside
their social circle altogether,
their social circle altogether,
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08:07
total strangers,
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甚至完全是陌生人，
08:09
just like the man who rescued me.
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就像救我的那个人一样。
08:11
And I've had the opportunity now
to ask a lot of altruistic kidney donors
to ask a lot of altruistic kidney donors
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如今我有机会去询问很多
无私的肾脏捐赠者，
无私的肾脏捐赠者，
08:15
how it is that they manage to generate
such a wide circle of compassion
such a wide circle of compassion
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问他们是如何建立一个
如此广阔的怜悯圈，
如此广阔的怜悯圈，
08:19
that they were willing to give
a complete stranger their kidney.
a complete stranger their kidney.
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以至于愿意给完全
陌生的人捐赠肾脏。
陌生的人捐赠肾脏。
08:23
And I found it's a really difficult
question for them to answer.
question for them to answer.
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然而我发现，他们不知道
怎么回答这个问题。
怎么回答这个问题。
08:26
I say, "How is it that
you're willing to do this thing
you're willing to do this thing
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我说，“为什么你愿意去做
08:30
when so many other people don't?
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大多数人都不愿意做的事情呢？
08:32
You're one of fewer than 2,000 Americans
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你属于美国不到两千人的
08:35
who has ever given a kidney to a stranger.
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肾脏捐赠者之一，
08:37
What is it that makes you so special?"
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是什么让你如此特别？”
08:40
And what do they say?
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你知道他们说了什么吗？
08:43
They say, "Nothing.
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他们说，“没什么，
08:46
There's nothing special about me.
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我没有什么不同，
08:48
I'm just the same as everybody else."
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我跟所有人都一样。”
08:51
And I think that's actually
a really telling answer,
a really telling answer,
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其实我觉得这恰恰
是个很说明问题的回答，
是个很说明问题的回答，
08:54
because it suggests that the circles
of these altruists don't look like this,
of these altruists don't look like this,
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因为这说明利他主义者的
圆不是这样画的,
圆不是这样画的,
08:59
they look more like this.
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而是这样的。
09:01
They have no center.
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它们是没有圆心的。
09:03
These altruists literally
don't think of themselves
don't think of themselves
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这些无私的人从来就
09:05
as being at the center of anything,
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不以自己为中心来思考问题，
不觉得自己比其他人更重要。
09:08
as being better or more inherently
important than anybody else.
important than anybody else.
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当我问利他主义者
为什么捐赠肾脏时，
为什么捐赠肾脏时，
09:12
When I asked one altruist
why donating her kidney made sense to her,
why donating her kidney made sense to her,
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09:15
she said, "Because it's not about me."
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她说，“因为这对他们更重要。”
09:19
Another said,
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另一个人说，
09:20
"I'm not different. I'm not unique.
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“我没有什么不同。我并不特别。
09:23
Your study here is going to find out
that I'm just the same as you."
that I'm just the same as you."
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你的研究最终只能
发现我跟你完全一样”。
发现我跟你完全一样”。
我觉得对这些神奇的
缺乏自我中心意识的行为，
缺乏自我中心意识的行为，
09:26
I think the best description
for this amazing lack of self-centeredness
for this amazing lack of self-centeredness
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09:30
is humility,
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最好的解释是谦虚。
09:32
which is that quality
that in the words of St. Augustine
that in the words of St. Augustine
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正如奥古斯丁所说的
09:35
makes men as angels.
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谦虚让人如同天使。
09:38
And why is that?
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这是为什么？
09:39
It's because if there's
no center of your circle,
no center of your circle,
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因为如果你的圆圈没有中心，
那就没有内圆和外圆的区别，
09:42
there can be no inner rings
or outer rings,
or outer rings,
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09:45
nobody who is more or less worthy
of your care and compassion
of your care and compassion
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所有人在你眼中都是同等的，
都值得怜悯和关心。
09:48
than anybody else.
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我相信这一点是真正将
非凡的利他主义者与大众
非凡的利他主义者与大众
09:49
And I think that this is what really
distinguishes extraordinary altruists
distinguishes extraordinary altruists
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区分开来的地方。
09:53
from the average person.
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其实我认为这样一种
世界观是绝大多数人
世界观是绝大多数人
09:55
But I also think that this is a view
of the world that's attainable by many
of the world that's attainable by many
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能够接受和拥有的。
09:59
and maybe even most people.
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10:01
And I think this
because at the societal level,
because at the societal level,
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而且由于社会发展的程度，
无私与怜悯之心已经在各处扩张。
10:03
expansions of altruism and compassion
are already happening everywhere.
are already happening everywhere.
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心理学家史迪芬·平克
以及很多研究者都表明，
以及很多研究者都表明，
10:07
The psychologist Steven Pinker
and others have shown
and others have shown
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全世界范围内的人
都越来越不能接受
都越来越不能接受
10:10
that all around the world people
are becoming less and less accepting
are becoming less and less accepting
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其他人承受痛苦，
而这个圈子还在不断扩大。
而这个圈子还在不断扩大。
10:13
of suffering in ever-widening
circles of others,
circles of others,
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10:16
which has led to declines
of all kinds of cruelty and violence,
of all kinds of cruelty and violence,
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这也就导致人们拒绝
任何方式的残迫与暴力，
任何方式的残迫与暴力，
从虐待动物到家庭暴力，
再到死刑。
再到死刑。
10:19
from animal abuse to domestic violence
to capital punishment.
to capital punishment.
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10:23
And it's led to increases
in all kinds of altruism.
in all kinds of altruism.
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各种无私心都在增长。
10:26
A hundred years ago, people
would have thought it was ludicrous
would have thought it was ludicrous
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一百年前，人们会认为
10:29
how normal and ordinary it is
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把对陌生人的
无偿献血和骨髓捐献
视为一种平常事，
视为一种平常事，
10:30
for people to donate
their blood and bone marrow
their blood and bone marrow
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10:34
to complete strangers today.
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是绝不可能的。
但一百年后，
10:36
Is it possible that
a hundred years from now
a hundred years from now
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人们是否会将捐赠肾脏，
10:38
people will think
that donating a kidney to a stranger
that donating a kidney to a stranger
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视为再也正常不过的事呢？
10:41
is just as normal and ordinary
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就像今天的无偿献血
与捐献骨髓一样。
与捐献骨髓一样。
10:42
as we think donating blood
and bone marrow is today?
and bone marrow is today?
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10:45
Maybe.
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也许会的。
10:47
So what's at the root
of all these amazing changes?
of all these amazing changes?
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所以到底是为什么
会发生这些改变呢？
会发生这些改变呢？
其中部分原因是，
10:50
In part it seems to be
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10:52
increases in wealth
and standards of living.
and standards of living.
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生活水平与富裕水平的提升。
10:56
As societies become
wealthier and better off,
wealthier and better off,
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因为社会变得更富裕且更好，
10:59
people seem to turn
their focus of attention outward,
their focus of attention outward,
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看起来人们关切的
焦点会向外部转移，
焦点会向外部转移，
11:02
and as a result, all kinds of altruism
towards strangers increases,
towards strangers increases,
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由此，针对陌生人的
无私之心也会增加,
无私之心也会增加,
从自愿帮助到慷慨捐赠，
甚至到肾脏捐赠。
甚至到肾脏捐赠。
11:05
from volunteering to charitable donations
and even altruistic kidney donations.
and even altruistic kidney donations.
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11:11
But all of these changes also yield
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但这些改变同样得出
一个矛盾的结果，
11:14
a strange and paradoxical result,
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11:17
which is that even as the world is
becoming a better and more humane place,
becoming a better and more humane place,
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尽管这世界变得越来越有爱心，
的确是这样，
11:21
which it is,
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同时有一种声音说这个
世界在变得更糟糕，
世界在变得更糟糕，
11:22
there's a very common perception
that it's becoming worse
that it's becoming worse
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11:25
and more cruel, which it's not.
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更残忍，但这不是事实。
11:28
And I don't know exactly why this is,
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我并不确切地知道
这种声音的由来，
这种声音的由来，
但我想这也许是由于
现在人们能够
现在人们能够
11:29
but I think it may be
that we now just know so much more
that we now just know so much more
241
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11:33
about the suffering
of strangers in distant places,
of strangers in distant places,
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了解到更多远距离的新闻，
11:36
and so we now care a lot more
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而且我们更在意受难的人，
11:39
about the suffering
of those distant strangers.
of those distant strangers.
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尽管这些事并未发生在我们身边。
11:42
But what's clear is the kinds
of changes we're seeing show
of changes we're seeing show
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但我们可以确定的是，
我们看到这些变化表明了
我们看到这些变化表明了
利他主义和怜悯之心的
根源都是人性，
根源都是人性，
11:45
that the roots of altruism and compassion
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11:48
are just as much a part of human nature
as cruelty and violence,
as cruelty and violence,
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如同残忍和暴戾的人性一样，
甚至程度更深，
11:51
maybe even more so,
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11:53
and while some people do seem
to be inherently more sensitive
to be inherently more sensitive
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同时部分群体对
在遥远的地方受难的人
在遥远的地方受难的人
11:57
to the suffering of distant others,
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生来敏感，
11:59
I really believe that the ability
to remove oneself
to remove oneself
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我确信，摆脱以自我为中心的
思考方式，
12:02
from the center of the circle
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扩充自己的怜悯之心，
关心更多的陌生人，
关心更多的陌生人，
12:04
and expand the circle of compassion
outward to include even strangers
outward to include even strangers
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12:08
is within reach for almost everyone.
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对于大部分的人来说
都是触手可及的。
都是触手可及的。
12:12
Thank you.
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谢谢。
（掌声）
12:13
(Applause)
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Reviewed by Junyi Sha
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Abigail Marsh - PsychologistAbigail Marsh asks essential questions: If humans are evil, why do we sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to help others even at a cost to ourselves?
Why you should listen
How do we understand what others think and feel? An associate professor in the department of psychology and the interdisciplinary neuroscience program at Georgetown University, Abigail Marsh focuses on social and affective neuroscience. She addresses questions using multiple approaches that include functional and structural brain imaging in adolescents and adults from both typical and non-typical populations, as well as behavioral, cognitive, genetic and pharmacological techniques. Among her ongoing research projects are brain imaging and behavioral studies of altruistic kidney donors and brain imaging studies of children/adolescents with severe conduct problems and limited empathy.
Marsh's 2017 book The Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Altruists, Psychopaths, and Everyone In-Between explores the extremes of human generosity and cruelty.
Abigail Marsh | Speaker | TED.com