TEDxTaipei
Michelle Kuo: The healing power of reading
Mišel Kuo (Michelle Kuo): Isceljujuća moć čitanja
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2,399,463 views
Čitanje i pisanje mogu da budu odvažni postupci koji nas zbližavaju sa drugima i sa nama samima. Spisateljica Mišel Kuo deli sa nama kako joj je podučavanje njenih đaka iz Delte Misisipija veštinama čitanja otkrilo zbližavajuću snagu pisane reči - kao i granice njene moći.
Michelle Kuo - Teacher, writer, lawyer
Michelle Kuo believes in the power of reading to connect us with one another, creating a shared universe. Full bio
Michelle Kuo believes in the power of reading to connect us with one another, creating a shared universe. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
I want to talk today
about how reading can change our lives
about how reading can change our lives
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Danas želim da govorim o tome
kako čitanje može da nam promeni život,
kako čitanje može da nam promeni život,
00:18
and about the limits of that change.
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kao i o granicama te promene.
00:21
I want to talk to you about how reading
can give us a shareable world
can give us a shareable world
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Želim da vam govorim o tome kako čitanje
može da nam podari zajednički svet
može da nam podari zajednički svet
00:26
of powerful human connection.
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snažne ljudske povezanosti.
00:29
But also about how that connection
is always partial.
is always partial.
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Međutim, i o tome
kako je ta veza uvek delimična.
kako je ta veza uvek delimična.
00:33
How reading is ultimately
a lonely, idiosyncratic undertaking.
a lonely, idiosyncratic undertaking.
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Kako je čitanje, naposletku,
usamljen, individualan poduhvat.
usamljen, individualan poduhvat.
00:39
The writer who changed my life
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Pisac koji mi je promenio život
00:42
was the great African American
novelist James Baldwin.
novelist James Baldwin.
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je veliki afričkoamerički
romanopisac Džejms Boldvin.
romanopisac Džejms Boldvin.
00:46
When I was growing up
in Western Michigan in the 1980s,
in Western Michigan in the 1980s,
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Dok sam odrastala
u zapadnom Mičigenu tokom 1980-ih,
u zapadnom Mičigenu tokom 1980-ih,
00:50
there weren't many Asian American writers
interested in social change.
interested in social change.
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nije bilo mnogo azijskoameričkih pisaca
zainteresovanih za društvene promene.
zainteresovanih za društvene promene.
00:55
And so I think I turned to James Baldwin
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Zato mislim da sam se okrenula
Džejmsu Boldvinu
Džejmsu Boldvinu
00:58
as a way to fill this void,
as a way to feel racially conscious.
as a way to feel racially conscious.
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kako bih ispunila prazninu,
kako bih bila rasno osvešćena.
kako bih bila rasno osvešćena.
01:03
But perhaps because I knew
I wasn't myself African American,
I wasn't myself African American,
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Međutim, možda zato što sam znala
da nisam Afroamerikanka,
da nisam Afroamerikanka,
01:07
I also felt challenged
and indicted by his words.
and indicted by his words.
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njegove reči su me izazivale i osuđivale.
01:12
Especially these words:
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Naročito ove reči:
01:15
"There are liberals
who have all the proper attitudes,
who have all the proper attitudes,
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„Postoje liberali
sa potpuno ispravnim stavovima,
sa potpuno ispravnim stavovima,
01:19
but no real convictions.
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ali bez stvarnih ubeđenja.
01:22
When the chips are down
and you somehow expect them to deliver,
and you somehow expect them to deliver,
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Kada karte padnu na sto
i nekako se ponadate se da će da deluju,
i nekako se ponadate se da će da deluju,
01:26
they are somehow not there."
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oni se nekako izgube.“
01:28
They are somehow not there.
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Nekako se izgube.
01:31
I took those words very literally.
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Ove sam reči shvatila krajnje bukvalno.
01:33
Where should I put myself?
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Gde da se smestim?
01:36
I went to the Mississippi Delta,
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Otišla sam u Deltu Misisipija,
01:38
one of the poorest regions
in the United States.
in the United States.
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jednu od najsiromašnijih oblasti
u Sjedinjenim Državama.
u Sjedinjenim Državama.
01:41
This is a place shaped
by a powerful history.
by a powerful history.
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To su mesto oblikovale jake sile istorije.
01:44
In the 1960s, African Americans
risked their lives to fight for education,
risked their lives to fight for education,
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Tokom 1960-ih, Afroamerikanci
su rizikovali živote
su rizikovali živote
da bi se izborili za obrazovanje,
01:49
to fight for the right to vote.
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da bi se izborili za pravo glasa.
01:52
I wanted to be a part of that change,
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Želela sam da budem deo te promene,
01:55
to help young teenagers graduate
and go to college.
and go to college.
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da pomognem tinejdžerima
da maturiraju i da se upišu na fakultet.
da maturiraju i da se upišu na fakultet.
02:00
When I got to the Mississippi Delta,
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Kada sam stigla u Deltu Misisipija,
02:03
it was a place that was still poor,
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mesto je i dalje bilo siromašno,
02:05
still segregated,
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i dalje rasno podeljeno,
02:07
still dramatically in need of change.
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i dalje je čeznulo za promenom.
02:10
My school, where I was placed,
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Moja škola, u koju sam smeštena,
02:14
had no library, no guidance counselor,
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nije imala biblioteku,
nije imala pedagoga,
nije imala pedagoga,
02:18
but it did have a police officer.
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ali je imala policajca.
02:21
Half the teachers were substitutes
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Polovina nastavnika su bili zamene,
02:24
and when students got into fights,
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a kada bi se đaci potukli,
02:26
the school would send them
to the local county jail.
to the local county jail.
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škola ih je slala
u lokalni okružni pritvor.
u lokalni okružni pritvor.
02:32
This is the school where I met Patrick.
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Ovo je škola u kojoj sam upoznala Patrika.
02:35
He was 15 and held back twice,
he was in the eighth grade.
he was in the eighth grade.
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Imao je 15 godina i dva puta je ponavljao,
pohađao je osmi razred.
pohađao je osmi razred.
02:40
He was quiet, introspective,
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Bio je tih, introspektivan,
02:42
like he was always in deep thought.
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kao da je uvek duboko zamišljen.
02:45
And he hated seeing other people fight.
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I mrzeo je da gleda
druge ljude kako se svađaju.
druge ljude kako se svađaju.
02:49
I saw him once jump between two girls
when they got into a fight
when they got into a fight
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Videla sam ga jednom kako upada
između dve devojke koje su se potukle,
između dve devojke koje su se potukle,
02:53
and he got himself knocked to the ground.
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i oboren je na zemlju zbog toga.
02:57
Patrick had just one problem.
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Patrik je imao samo jedan problem.
02:59
He wouldn't come to school.
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Nije dolazio u školu.
Rekao je da ga škola
ponekad prosto suviše deprimira
ponekad prosto suviše deprimira
03:03
He said that sometimes
school was just too depressing
school was just too depressing
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jer se ljudi stalno tuku,
a nastavnici daju otkaz.
a nastavnici daju otkaz.
03:05
because people were always fighting
and teachers were quitting.
and teachers were quitting.
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03:10
And also, his mother worked two jobs
and was just too tired to make him come.
and was just too tired to make him come.
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A i njegova majka je radila dva posla
i prosto je bila suviše umorna
da ga natera da dođe.
da ga natera da dođe.
03:16
So I made it my job
to get him to come to school.
to get him to come to school.
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Pa je to postala moja obaveza
da ga navedem da dođe u školu.
da ga navedem da dođe u školu.
03:19
And because I was crazy and 22
and zealously optimistic,
and zealously optimistic,
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Kako sam bila luda 22-godišnjakinja
i žarki optimista,
i žarki optimista,
strategija mi je bila
samo da se pojavim kod njega kući
samo da se pojavim kod njega kući
03:23
my strategy was
just to show up at his house
just to show up at his house
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03:25
and say, "Hey, why don't you
come to school?"
come to school?"
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i kažem: „Hej, zašto ne bi došao u školu?“
A ova strategija je zapravo delovala,
03:28
And this strategy actually worked,
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03:30
he started to come to school every day.
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počeo je svakodnevno da dolazi u školu.
03:32
And he started to flourish in my class.
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I počeo je da blista na mom času.
03:35
He was writing poetry,
he was reading books.
he was reading books.
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Pisao je poeziju, čitao knjige.
03:38
He was coming to school every day.
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Dolazio je u školu svakodnevno.
03:43
Around the same time
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Otprilike u isto vreme
03:44
that I had figured out
how to connect to Patrick,
how to connect to Patrick,
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kad sam shvatila
kako da se povežem s Patrikom,
kako da se povežem s Patrikom,
03:47
I got into law school at Harvard.
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primljena sam na pravo na Harvardu.
03:51
I once again faced this question,
where should I put myself,
where should I put myself,
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Još jednom sam se suočila s pitanjem
na koje mesto da se stavim,
na koje mesto da se stavim,
03:54
where do I put my body?
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na koje mesto da stavim svoje telo?
03:57
And I thought to myself
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I pomislila sam u sebi
04:00
that the Mississippi Delta
was a place where people with money,
was a place where people with money,
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kako je Delta Misisipija mesto
na kom ljudi sa novcem,
na kom ljudi sa novcem,
04:03
people with opportunity,
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ljudi koji imaju šanse,
04:05
those people leave.
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da ti ljudi odlaze.
04:07
And the people who stay behind
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A ljudi koji ostaju
04:09
are the people who don't have
the chance to leave.
the chance to leave.
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su ljudi koji nemaju šansu da odu.
04:12
I didn't want to be a person who left.
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Nisam želela da budem
osoba koja je otišla.
osoba koja je otišla.
04:15
I wanted to be a person who stayed.
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Želela sam da budem osoba koja je ostala.
04:18
On the other hand, I was lonely and tired.
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S druge strane, bila sam
usamljena i umorna.
usamljena i umorna.
04:21
And so I convinced myself
that I could do more change
that I could do more change
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Pa sam ubedila samu sebe
da mogu da donesem veće promene,
da mogu da donesem veće promene,
04:26
on a larger scale if I had
a prestigious law degree.
a prestigious law degree.
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većeg obima ako steknem
prestižnu pravnu diplomu.
prestižnu pravnu diplomu.
04:31
So I left.
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Pa sam otišla.
04:34
Three years later,
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Tri godine kasnije,
04:36
when I was about
to graduate from law school,
to graduate from law school,
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kada je trebalo da diplomiram pravo,
04:38
my friend called me
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nazvao me je prijatelj
04:40
and told me that Patrick
had got into a fight and killed someone.
had got into a fight and killed someone.
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i rekao mi je da se Patrik
potukao s nekim i da je ubio nekoga.
potukao s nekim i da je ubio nekoga.
04:47
I was devastated.
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Bila sam razorena.
04:49
Part of me didn't believe it,
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Deo mene nije verovao u to,
04:51
but part of me also knew that it was true.
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ali deo mene je takođe znao
da je to istina.
da je to istina.
04:55
I flew down to see Patrick.
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Odletela sam da vidim Patrika.
04:58
I visited him in jail.
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Posetila sam ga u zatvoru.
05:02
And he told me that it was true.
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I rekao mi je da to jeste istina.
05:06
That he had killed someone.
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Da je ubio nekoga.
05:08
And he didn't want to talk more about it.
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I nije želeo više da govori o tome.
05:11
I asked him what had happened with school
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Upitala sam ga šta se desilo sa školom,
05:13
and he said that he had dropped out
the year after I left.
the year after I left.
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a on je odgovorio da se ispisao
godinu dana nakon što sam otišla.
godinu dana nakon što sam otišla.
05:18
And then he wanted
to tell me something else.
to tell me something else.
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A potom je želeo da mi kaže još nešto.
05:20
He looked down and he said
that he had had a baby daughter
that he had had a baby daughter
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Pogledao je u pod i rekao da ima kćerkicu
05:24
who was just born.
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koja se tek rodila.
05:25
And he felt like he had let her down.
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I da oseća kako ju je izneverio.
05:30
That was it, our conversation
was rushed and awkward.
was rushed and awkward.
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To je bilo to, naš razgovor
je bio zbrzan i nezgrapan.
je bio zbrzan i nezgrapan.
05:35
When I stepped outside the jail,
a voice inside me said,
a voice inside me said,
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Kada sam zakoračila iz zatvora,
glas u meni je govorio:
glas u meni je govorio:
05:40
"Come back.
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„Vrati se,
05:41
If you don't come back now,
you'll never come back."
you'll never come back."
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ako se sad ne vratiš,
nikad se više nećeš vratiti.“
nikad se više nećeš vratiti.“
05:48
So I graduated from law school
and I went back.
and I went back.
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Pa sam diplomirala pravo i vratila se.
05:52
I went back to see Patrick,
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Otišla sam da posetim Patrika,
05:54
I went back to see if I could help him
with his legal case.
with his legal case.
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vratila sam se da vidim da li mogu
da mu pomognem u pravnom smislu.
da mu pomognem u pravnom smislu.
05:58
And this time,
when I saw him a second time,
when I saw him a second time,
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A ovaj put, kad sam ga videla drugi put,
06:02
I thought I had this great idea, I said,
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pomislila sam kako imam
sjajnu ideju, rekla sam:
sjajnu ideju, rekla sam:
06:04
"Hey, Patrick, why don't you
write a letter to your daughter,
write a letter to your daughter,
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„Hej, Patriče, zašto ne napišeš
pismo svojoj kćerci
pismo svojoj kćerci
06:08
so that you can keep her on your mind?"
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kako bi ti bila na pameti?“
06:12
And I handed him a pen
and a piece of paper,
and a piece of paper,
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I dodala sam mu olovku i parče papira,
06:15
and he started to write.
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a on je počeo da piše.
06:18
But when I saw the paper
that he handed back to me,
that he handed back to me,
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Međutim, kad sam ugledala papir
koji mi je vratio,
koji mi je vratio,
06:21
I was shocked.
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bila sam zapanjena.
06:25
I didn't recognize his handwriting,
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Nisam prepoznala njegov rukopis,
06:27
he had made simple spelling mistakes.
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pravio je proste pravopisne greške.
06:31
And I thought to myself that as a teacher,
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I pomislila sam u sebi kao nastavnik,
06:33
I knew that a student
could dramatically improve
could dramatically improve
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znala sam da đak može
drastično da napreduje
drastično da napreduje
06:37
in a very quick amount of time,
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za veoma kratko vreme,
06:40
but I never thought that a student
could dramatically regress.
could dramatically regress.
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ali nikad mi nije palo na pamet
da đak može drastično da nazaduje.
da đak može drastično da nazaduje.
06:46
What even pained me more,
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A dodatno me je zabolelo
06:48
was seeing what he had written
to his daughter.
to his daughter.
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ono što je napisao kćerci.
06:51
He had written,
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Napisao je:
06:52
"I'm sorry for my mistakes,
I'm sorry for not being there for you."
I'm sorry for not being there for you."
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„Žao mi je zbog mojih grešaka,
žao mi je što ne mogu da budem uz tebe.“
žao mi je što ne mogu da budem uz tebe.“
06:58
And this was all he felt
he had to say to her.
he had to say to her.
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A ovo je sve što je smatrao
da ima da joj kaže.
da ima da joj kaže.
07:02
And I asked myself how can I convince him
that he has more to say,
that he has more to say,
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I zapitala sam se kako da ga ubedim
da ima više da kaže,
da ima više da kaže,
07:06
parts of himself that
he doesn't need to apologize for.
he doesn't need to apologize for.
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o delovima sebe zbog kojih
ne mora da se izvinjava.
ne mora da se izvinjava.
07:10
I wanted him to feel
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Želela sam da oseti
07:12
that he had something worthwhile
to share with his daughter.
to share with his daughter.
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da ima nešto vredno deljenja
sa svojom kćerkom.
sa svojom kćerkom.
07:17
For every day the next seven months,
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Svakog dana narednih sedam meseci,
07:21
I visited him and brought books.
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posećivala sam ga i donosila knjige.
07:23
My tote bag became a little library.
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Moj ceger je postao malena biblioteka.
07:27
I brought James Baldwin,
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Donosila sam mu Džejmsa Boldvina,
07:29
I brought Walt Whitman, C.S. Lewis.
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donosila sam Volta Vitmana, K. S. Luisa.
07:34
I brought guidebooks to trees, to birds,
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Donosila sam vodiče za drveće, ptice
07:39
and what would become
his favorite book, the dictionary.
his favorite book, the dictionary.
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i knjigu koja će mu
postati omiljena, rečnik.
postati omiljena, rečnik.
07:43
On some days,
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Nekih dana,
07:45
we would sit for hours in silence,
both of us reading.
both of us reading.
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sedeli bismo satima u tišini,
oboje čitajući.
oboje čitajući.
07:50
And on other days,
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Drugih dana bismo čitali zajedno,
čitali bismo poeziju.
čitali bismo poeziju.
07:51
we would read together,
we would read poetry.
we would read poetry.
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07:55
We started by reading haikus,
hundreds of haikus,
hundreds of haikus,
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Započeli smo čitajući haikue,
na stotine haikua,
na stotine haikua,
07:59
a deceptively simple masterpiece.
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varljivo prosta remek-dela.
08:02
And I would ask him,
"Share with me your favorite haikus."
"Share with me your favorite haikus."
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I zatražila bih: „Podeli sa mnom
omiljene haikue.“
omiljene haikue.“
08:05
And some of them are quite funny.
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A neki od njih su prilično smešni.
08:08
So there's this by Issa:
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Ovaj je od Ise:
08:10
"Don't worry, spiders,
I keep house casually."
I keep house casually."
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„Ne brinite se, pauci,
održavam kuću nemarno.“
održavam kuću nemarno.“
08:14
And this: "Napped half the day,
no one punished me!"
no one punished me!"
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I ovaj: „Dremao sam pola dana,
niko me nije kaznio!“
niko me nije kaznio!“
08:20
And this gorgeous one, which is
about the first day of snow falling,
about the first day of snow falling,
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I ovaj prelepi, koji je o prvom snegu:
08:25
"Deer licking first frost
from each other's coats."
from each other's coats."
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„Jeleni ližu prvi mraz
jedan drugom s krzna.“
jedan drugom s krzna.“
08:31
There's something mysterious and gorgeous
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Ima nešto tajanstveno i očaravajuće
08:34
just about the way a poem looks.
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u samom izgledu poezije.
08:36
The empty space is as important
as the words themselves.
as the words themselves.
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Prazan prostor je jednako važan
kao i same reči.
kao i same reči.
08:43
We read this poem by W.S. Merwin,
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Čitali smo ovu pesmu od V. S. Mervina,
08:45
which he wrote after he saw
his wife working in the garden
his wife working in the garden
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koju je napisao nakon što je ugledao
suprugu kako radi u bašti
suprugu kako radi u bašti
08:50
and realized that they would spend
the rest of their lives together.
the rest of their lives together.
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i kada je shvatio da će da provedu
ostatak života zajedno.
ostatak života zajedno.
08:55
"Let me imagine that we will come again
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„Dozvoli da zamislim da ćemo opet biti tu
08:57
when we want to and it will be spring
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kad poželimo i da biće proleće.
09:00
We will be no older than we ever were
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Nećemo da budemo stariji
nego što smo ikad bili.
nego što smo ikad bili.
09:04
The worn griefs will have eased
like the early cloud
like the early cloud
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Izlizani bol će da popusti
poput ranog oblaka
poput ranog oblaka
09:08
through which morning
slowly comes to itself"
slowly comes to itself"
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kroz kojeg jutro polako dolazi sebi."
09:11
I asked Patrick what his favorite
line was, and he said,
line was, and he said,
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Upitala sam Patrika koji mu je
omiljeni stih, a on je rekao:
omiljeni stih, a on je rekao:
09:15
"We will be no older than we ever were."
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„Nećemo da budemo stariji
nego što smo ikad bili.“
nego što smo ikad bili.“
09:20
He said it reminded him
of a place where time just stops,
of a place where time just stops,
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Rekao je kako ga podseća na mesto
na kom vreme prosto stoji,
na kom vreme prosto stoji,
09:24
where time doesn't matter anymore.
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na kom vreme više nije važno.
I upitala sam ga da li on ima
neko slično mesto
neko slično mesto
09:27
And I asked him
if he had a place like that,
if he had a place like that,
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09:29
where time lasts forever.
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na kom vreme traje zauvek.
09:32
And he said, "My mother."
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A on je rekao: „Moja majka.“
09:35
When you read a poem
alongside someone else,
alongside someone else,
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Kada čitate pesmu s nekim drugim,
09:40
the poem changes in meaning.
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pesma promeni smisao.
09:43
Because it becomes personal
to that person, becomes personal to you.
to that person, becomes personal to you.
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Jer postaje lična za tu osobu,
postaje lična za vas.
postaje lična za vas.
09:49
We then read books, we read so many books,
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Potom smo čitali knjige,
pročitali smo toliko knjiga,
pročitali smo toliko knjiga,
09:52
we read the memoir of Frederick Douglass,
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pročitali smo memoare Frederika Daglasa,
09:55
an American slave who taught
himself to read and write
himself to read and write
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američkog roba koji je samog sebe
naučio da čita i piše
naučio da čita i piše
09:59
and who escaped to freedom
because of his literacy.
because of his literacy.
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i koji se domogao slobode
zahvaljujući svojoj pismenosti.
zahvaljujući svojoj pismenosti.
10:03
I had grown up thinking
of Frederick Douglass as a hero
of Frederick Douglass as a hero
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Odrastala sam smatrajući
Frederika Daglasa herojem
Frederika Daglasa herojem
10:06
and I thought of this story
as one of uplift and hope.
as one of uplift and hope.
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i ovu priču sam shvatala
kao optimističnu i punu nade.
kao optimističnu i punu nade.
10:10
But this book put Patrick
in a kind of panic.
in a kind of panic.
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Međutim, njegova knjiga
je uspaničila Patrika.
je uspaničila Patrika.
10:14
He fixated on a story Douglass told
of how, over Christmas,
of how, over Christmas,
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Opterećivala ga je priča koju je Daglas
ispričao o tome kako su za vreme Božića
ispričao o tome kako su za vreme Božića
10:19
masters give slaves gin
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gospodari davali robovima džin
10:23
as a way to prove to them
that they can't handle freedom.
that they can't handle freedom.
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kako bi im dokazali
da ne mogu da podnesu slobodu.
da ne mogu da podnesu slobodu.
10:26
Because slaves would be
stumbling on the fields.
stumbling on the fields.
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Jer bi se robovi teturali po poljima.
10:31
Patrick said he related to this.
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Patrik je rekao kako se pronalazi u tome.
10:34
He said that there are people in jail
who, like slaves,
who, like slaves,
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Rekao je kako postoje ljudi u zatvoru
koji, poput robova,
koji, poput robova,
10:37
don't want to think about their condition,
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ne žele da razmišljaju o svom usudu
10:40
because it's too painful.
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jer je suviše bolan.
10:41
Too painful to think about the past,
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Suviše je bolno misliti na prošlost,
10:44
too painful to think
about how far we have to go.
about how far we have to go.
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suviše je bolno misliti
o tome koliko još vremena preostaje.
o tome koliko još vremena preostaje.
10:48
His favorite line was this line:
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Omiljena rečenica mu je bila sledeća:
10:51
"Anything, no matter what,
to get rid of thinking!
to get rid of thinking!
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„Bilo šta, šta god,
samo da se otarasim razmišljanja!
samo da se otarasim razmišljanja!
10:55
It was this everlasting thinking
of my condition that tormented me."
of my condition that tormented me."
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Trajno razmišljanje
o mom usudu me je mučilo.“
o mom usudu me je mučilo.“
11:01
Patrick said that Douglass was brave
to write, to keep thinking.
to write, to keep thinking.
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Patrik je rekao kako je Daglas bio hrabar
jer je pisao i nastavio da razmišlja.
jer je pisao i nastavio da razmišlja.
11:07
But Patrick would never know
how much he seemed like Douglass to me.
how much he seemed like Douglass to me.
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Međutim, Patrik nikada neće saznati
koliko me je podsećao na Daglasa.
koliko me je podsećao na Daglasa.
11:12
How he kept reading,
even though it put him in a panic.
even though it put him in a panic.
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Jer je nastavio da čita,
iako je zbog toga bio uspaničen.
iako je zbog toga bio uspaničen.
11:17
He finished the book before I did,
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Pročitao je knjigu pre mene,
11:20
reading it in a concrete
stairway with no light.
stairway with no light.
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čitajući je na betonskom
stepeništu bez svetla.
stepeništu bez svetla.
11:25
And then we went on
to read one of my favorite books,
to read one of my favorite books,
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A onda smo pročitali
jednu od mojih omiljenih knjiga,
jednu od mojih omiljenih knjiga,
11:28
Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead,"
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„Galad“ od Merilin Robinson,
11:30
which is an extended letter
from a father to his son.
from a father to his son.
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koji je prošireno pismo oca sinu.
11:34
He loved this line:
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Svidela mu se ova rečenica:
11:37
"I'm writing this in part to tell you
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„Pišem delimično da ti kažem
11:39
that if you ever wonder
what you've done in your life ...
what you've done in your life ...
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da, ako se ikad zapitaš
šta si postigao u životu [...]
šta si postigao u životu [...]
11:42
you have been God's grace to me,
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2018
za mene si bio božja milost,
11:44
a miracle, something more than a miracle."
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čudo, nešto više od čuda.“
11:49
Something about this language,
its love, its longing, its voice,
its love, its longing, its voice,
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5643
Nešto u vezi s ovim jezikom,
ljubav, čežnja, njegov glas,
ljubav, čežnja, njegov glas,
11:55
rekindled Patrick's desire to write.
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probudili su u Patriku želju da piše.
11:58
And he would fill notebooks upon notebooks
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I ispisivao je svesku za sveskom
12:01
with letters to his daughter.
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pismima za svoju kćerku.
12:04
In these beautiful, intricate letters,
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U ovim prelepim, detaljnim pismima,
12:07
he would imagine him and his daughter
going canoeing down the Mississippi river.
going canoeing down the Mississippi river.
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zamišljao je sebe i kćerku
kako u kanuima plove niz reku Misisipi.
kako u kanuima plove niz reku Misisipi.
12:13
He would imagine them
finding a mountain stream
finding a mountain stream
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Zamišljao je kako pronalaze
planinski potok
planinski potok
12:16
with perfectly clear water.
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sa savršeno bistrom vodom.
12:20
As I watched Patrick write,
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Dok sam posmatrala Patrika kako piše,
12:23
I thought to myself,
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pomislila sam u sebi,
12:25
and I now ask all of you,
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a sada pitam sve vas
12:27
how many of you have written a letter
to somebody you feel you have let down?
to somebody you feel you have let down?
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koliko vas je napisalo pismo nekome
za koga ste osećali da ste ga izneverili?
za koga ste osećali da ste ga izneverili?
12:34
It is just much easier
to put those people out of your mind.
to put those people out of your mind.
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Prosto je mnogo lakše
otarasiti se svih tih ljudi iz glave.
otarasiti se svih tih ljudi iz glave.
12:40
But Patrick showed up every day,
facing his daughter,
facing his daughter,
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Međutim, Patrik je svakodnevno
bio prisutan, suočavajući se sa kćerkom,
bio prisutan, suočavajući se sa kćerkom,
12:44
holding himself accountable to her,
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pozivajući se na odgovornost pred njom,
12:47
word by word with intense concentration.
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reč po reč, intenzivnom usredsređenošću.
12:54
I wanted in my own life
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I sama sam želela u svom životu
12:58
to put myself at risk in that way.
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da rizikujem na taj način.
13:01
Because that risk reveals
the strength of one's heart.
the strength of one's heart.
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Jer taj rizik otkriva snagu nečijeg srca.
13:08
Let me take a step back
and just ask an uncomfortable question.
and just ask an uncomfortable question.
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Dozvolite za trenutak da odstupim
i samo da vam postavim neprijatno pitanje.
i samo da vam postavim neprijatno pitanje.
13:12
Who am I to tell this story,
as in this Patrick story?
as in this Patrick story?
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Ko sam ja da pričam ovu priču,
u smislu Patrikove priče?
u smislu Patrikove priče?
13:18
Patrick's the one who lived with this pain
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Patrik je taj koji je živeo s ovim bolom,
13:21
and I have never been hungry
a day in my life.
a day in my life.
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a ja u životu ni dana nisam gladovala.
13:27
I thought about this question a lot,
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Mnogo sam razmišljala o ovom pitanju,
13:29
but what I want to say is that this story
is not just about Patrick.
is not just about Patrick.
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ali želim da kažem da ova priča
nije samo o Patriku.
nije samo o Patriku.
13:32
It's about us,
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Ova priča je o nama,
13:34
it's about the inequality between us.
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o nejednakosti među nama.
13:37
The world of plenty
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Svet izobilja
13:40
that Patrick and his parents
and his grandparents
and his grandparents
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3643
iz kog su Patrik, njegovi roditelji
i njegovi baka i deka
i njegovi baka i deka
13:44
have been shut out of.
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bili isključeni.
13:45
In this story, I represent
that world of plenty.
that world of plenty.
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U ovoj priči, ja predstavljam
taj svet izobilja.
taj svet izobilja.
13:49
And in telling this story,
I didn't want to hide myself.
I didn't want to hide myself.
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A pripovedajući je,
nisam želela da se skrivam.
nisam želela da se skrivam.
13:53
Hide the power that I do have.
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Da skrivam moć koju imam.
13:57
In telling this story,
I wanted to expose that power
I wanted to expose that power
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Pričajući ovu priču,
želela sam da razotkrijem tu moć
želela sam da razotkrijem tu moć
14:00
and then to ask,
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i da onda pitam
14:03
how do we diminish
the distance between us?
the distance between us?
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kako da umanjimo razdaljine među nama.
14:08
Reading is one way to close that distance.
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Čitanje je jedan od načina
da se premosti ta razdaljina.
da se premosti ta razdaljina.
14:11
It gives us a quiet universe
that we can share together,
that we can share together,
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Pruža nam tihi svemir
koji možemo da delimo zajedno,
koji možemo da delimo zajedno,
14:16
that we can share in equally.
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koji možemo da delimo jednako.
14:20
You're probably wondering now
what happened to Patrick.
what happened to Patrick.
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Verovatno se sad pitate
šta se desilo sa Patrikom.
šta se desilo sa Patrikom.
14:23
Did reading save his life?
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Da li mu je čitanje spasilo život?
14:26
It did and it didn't.
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I jeste i nije.
14:29
When Patrick got out of prison,
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Kada je Patrik izašao iz zatvora,
14:32
his journey was excruciating.
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njegov put je bio iscrpljujući.
14:36
Employers turned him away
because of his record,
because of his record,
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Poslodavci su ga odbijali
zbog njegovog dosijea,
zbog njegovog dosijea,
14:39
his best friend, his mother,
died at age 43
died at age 43
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njegov najbolji prijatelj, njegova majka,
umrla je sa 43 godine
umrla je sa 43 godine
14:42
from heart disease and diabetes.
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od srčane bolesti i dijabetesa.
14:45
He's been homeless, he's been hungry.
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Bio je beskućnik, bio je gladan.
14:50
So people say a lot of things
about reading that feel exaggerated to me.
about reading that feel exaggerated to me.
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Dakle, ljudi govore razne stvari o čitanju
koje se meni čine preteranim.
koje se meni čine preteranim.
14:55
Being literate didn't stop him
form being discriminated against.
form being discriminated against.
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Pismenost nije sprečila
da ga diskriminišu.
da ga diskriminišu.
14:59
It didn't stop his mother from dying.
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Nije sprečila smrt njegove majke.
15:03
So what can reading do?
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Dakle, šta čitanjem postižemo?
15:07
I have a few answers to end with today.
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Imam nekoliko odgovora
kojima ću danas da završim.
kojima ću danas da završim.
15:12
Reading charged his inner life
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Čitanje je obogatilo
njegov unutrašnji život
njegov unutrašnji život
15:17
with mystery, with imagination,
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tajanstvenošću, maštom,
15:20
with beauty.
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lepotom.
15:22
Reading gave him images that gave him joy:
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Čitanje mu je podarilo slike
koje su ga veselile:
koje su ga veselile:
15:27
mountain, ocean, deer, frost.
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planine, okeane, jelene, mraz.
15:33
Words that taste of a free, natural world.
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Reči koje imaju ukus
slobode prirodnog sveta.
slobode prirodnog sveta.
15:39
Reading gave him a language
for what he had lost.
for what he had lost.
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Čitanje mu je podarilo jezik
za ono što je izgubio.
za ono što je izgubio.
15:43
How precious are these lines
from the poet Derek Walcott?
from the poet Derek Walcott?
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Koliko su dragoceni ovi stihovi
od pesnika Dereka Volkota?
od pesnika Dereka Volkota?
15:47
Patrick memorized this poem.
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Patrik je napamet naučio ovu pesmu.
15:50
"Days that I have held,
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„Dani koje sam grlio,
15:52
days that I have lost,
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dani koje sam izgubio,
15:54
days that outgrow, like daughters,
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dani koji su prerasli, poput kćerki,
15:57
my harboring arms."
264
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moje brižne ruke.“
16:00
Reading taught him his own courage.
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Čitanje ga je podučilo ličnoj hrabrosti.
16:03
Remember that he kept reading
Frederick Douglass,
Frederick Douglass,
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3309
Setite se da je nastavio da čita
Frederika Dagalsa,
Frederika Dagalsa,
16:07
even though it was painful.
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iako je bilo bolno.
16:09
He kept being conscious,
even though being conscious hurts.
even though being conscious hurts.
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Nastavio je da bude svestan,
iako svesnost boli.
iako svesnost boli.
16:14
Reading is a form of thinking,
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Čitanje je oblik razmišljanja,
16:16
that's why it's difficult to read
because we have to think.
because we have to think.
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zato je teško čitati
jer moramo da razmišljamo.
jer moramo da razmišljamo.
16:20
And Patrick chose to think,
rather than to not think.
rather than to not think.
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A Patrik je odabrao da misli,
a ne da ne misli.
a ne da ne misli.
16:28
And last, reading gave him a language
to speak to his daughter.
to speak to his daughter.
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I, konačno, čitanje mu je podarilo jezik
da razgovara sa svojom kćerkom.
da razgovara sa svojom kćerkom.
16:33
Reading inspired him to want to write.
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Čitanje ga je inspirisalo da piše.
16:36
The link between reading
and writing is so powerful.
and writing is so powerful.
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Veza između čitanja i pisanja
je toliko moćna.
je toliko moćna.
16:40
When we begin to read,
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Kada počnemo da čitamo,
16:42
we begin to find the words.
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počinjemo da nalazimo reči.
16:45
And he found the words
to imagine the two of them together.
to imagine the two of them together.
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A on je pronašao reči
da zamisli njih dvoje zajedno.
da zamisli njih dvoje zajedno.
16:50
He found the words
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Pronašao je reči
16:53
to tell her how much he loved her.
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da joj kaže koliko je voli.
16:58
Reading also changed
our relationship with each other.
our relationship with each other.
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Čitanje je takođe izmenilo naš odnos.
17:02
It gave us an occasion for intimacy,
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Pružilo nam je priliku za prisnost,
17:04
to see beyond our points of view.
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da vidimo izvan naših tačaka gledišta.
17:07
And reading took an unequal relationship
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I čitanje je ukinulo nejednakost
17:09
and gave us a momentary equality.
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i pružilo nam trenutnu jednakost.
17:14
When you meet somebody as a reader,
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Kada upoznate nekog kao čitaoca,
17:17
you meet him for the first time,
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upoznajete ga prvi put,
17:19
newly, freshly.
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na nov, svež način.
17:21
There is no way you can know
what his favorite line will be.
what his favorite line will be.
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Ne postoji način da znate
koja će da mu bude omiljena rečenica.
koja će da mu bude omiljena rečenica.
17:26
What memories and private griefs he has.
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Kakva sećanja i lični bol nosi.
17:30
And you face the ultimate privacy
of his inner life.
of his inner life.
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I suočavate se sa krajnjom privatnošću
njegovog unutrašnjeg života.
njegovog unutrašnjeg života.
A onda počinjete da se pitate: „Pa,
od čega je sačinjen moj unutrašnji život?
od čega je sačinjen moj unutrašnji život?
17:35
And then you start to wonder,
"Well, what is my inner life made of?
"Well, what is my inner life made of?
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17:39
What do I have that's worthwhile
to share with another?"
to share with another?"
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Šta ja to posedujem što je vredno
deljenja s drugima?“
deljenja s drugima?“
17:45
I want to close
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Želim da završim
17:48
on some of my favorite lines
from Patrick's letters to his daughter.
from Patrick's letters to his daughter.
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nekim od meni omiljenih rečenica
iz Patrikovih pisama njegovoj kćerci.
iz Patrikovih pisama njegovoj kćerci.
17:53
"The river is shadowy in some places
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„Reka je senovita na nekim mestima,
17:56
but the light shines
through the cracks of trees ...
through the cracks of trees ...
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ali svetlost prosijava
kroz pukotine drveća [...]
kroz pukotine drveća [...]
17:59
On some branches
hang plenty of mulberries.
hang plenty of mulberries.
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Sa nekih grana visi obilje dudinja.
18:03
You stretch your arm
straight out to grab some."
straight out to grab some."
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Ispružiš skroz ruke da zgrabiš neke.“
18:08
And this lovely letter, where he writes,
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I ovo ljupko pismo u kom piše:
18:10
"Close your eyes and listen
to the sounds of the words.
to the sounds of the words.
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„Zatvori oči i oslušni zvuk reči.
18:14
I know this poem by heart
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Ovu pesmu znam napamet
18:17
and I would like you to know it, too."
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i želeo bih da je znaš i ti.“
18:21
Thank you so much everyone.
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Hvala vam svima.
18:23
(Applause)
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(Aplauz)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Michelle Kuo - Teacher, writer, lawyerMichelle Kuo believes in the power of reading to connect us with one another, creating a shared universe.
Why you should listen
Michelle Kuo is a teacher, lawyer, writer and passionate advocate of prison education. She has taught English at an alternative school for kids who were expelled from other schools in rural Arkansas, located in the Mississippi Delta. While at Harvard Law School, she received the National Clinical Association's award for her advocacy of children with special needs. Later, as a lawyer for undocumented immigrants in Oakland, Kuo helped tenants facing evictions, workers stiffed out of their wages and families facing deportation. She has also volunteered at a detention center in south Texas, helping families apply for asylum, and taught courses at San Quentin Prison. Currently, she teaches in the History, Law, and Society program at the American University of Paris, where she works to inspire students on issues of migrant justice and criminal justice. This fall, she is helping to start a prison education program in France.
In 2017, Kuo released Reading with Patrick, a memoir of teaching reading in a rural county jail in Arkansas. A runner-up for the Goddard Riverside Social Justice Prize and Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the book explores questions of what it is we owe each other and how starkly economic and racial inequality determine our life outcomes.
(Photo: Jasmine Cowen)
Michelle Kuo | Speaker | TED.com