TED2010
Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids
邹奇奇(Adora Svitak)：大人能从小孩身上学到什么
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神童邹奇奇说，世界需要“童稚”的思维方式，因为它拥有着大胆、狂野以及乐天的特性，而后者尤为重要。她说小孩的异想天开值得人们期待，但大人得乐意向小孩学习。
Adora Svitak - Child prodigy
A prolific short story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak (now 12) speaks around the United States to adults and children as an advocate for literacy. Full bio
A prolific short story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak (now 12) speaks around the United States to adults and children as an advocate for literacy. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:15
Now, I want to start with a question:
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首先我要问大家一个问题：
00:17
When was the last time you were called childish?
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上一回别人说你幼稚是什么时候？
00:20
For kids like me,
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像我这样的小孩，
00:22
being called childish can be a frequent occurrence.
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可能经常会被人说成是幼稚。
00:25
Every time we make irrational demands,
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每一次我们提出不合理的要求，
00:28
exhibit irresponsible behavior
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做出不负责任的行为，
00:30
or display any other signs
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或者展现出有别于
00:32
of being normal American citizens,
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普通美国公民的惯常行为之时，
00:34
we are called childish.
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我们就被说成是幼稚。
00:36
Which really bothers me.
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这让我很不服气。
00:38
After all, take a look at these events:
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首先，让我们来回顾下这些事件：
00:40
Imperialism and colonization,
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帝国主义和殖民主义，
00:43
world wars, George W. Bush.
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世界大战，小布什。
00:46
Ask yourself, who's responsible? Adults.
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请你们扪心自问下：这些该归咎于谁？是大人。
00:49
Now, what have kids done?
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而小孩呢，做了些什么？
00:52
Well, Anne Frank touched millions
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安妮·弗兰克(Anne Frank)对大屠杀强有力的叙述
00:54
with her powerful account of the Holocaust,
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打动了数百万人的心。
00:57
Ruby Bridges helped to end segregation in the United States,
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鲁比·布里奇斯为美国种族隔离的终结作出了贡献。
01:00
and, most recently,
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另外，最近还有一个例子，
01:02
Charlie Simpson helped to raise
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查理·辛普森（Charlie Simpson）骑自行车
01:04
120,000 pounds for Haiti
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为海地募得
01:06
on his little bike.
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12万英镑。
01:08
So, as you can see evidenced by such examples,
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所以，这些例子证明了
01:11
age has absolutely nothing to do with it.
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年龄与行为完全没有关系。
01:14
The traits the word childish addresses
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"幼稚"这个词所对应的特点
01:16
are seen so often in adults
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是常常可以从大人身上看到，
01:18
that we should abolish this age-discriminatory word
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由此我们在批评
01:20
when it comes to criticizing behavior
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不负责和非理性的相关行为时，
01:22
associated with irresponsibility and irrational thinking.
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应停止使用这个年龄歧视的词。
01:25
(Applause)
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（掌声）
01:31
Thank you.
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谢谢！
01:33
Then again, who's to say
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话说回来，谁能说
01:35
that certain types of irrational thinking
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我们这个世界不正是需要
01:37
aren't exactly what the world needs?
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某些类型的非理性思维吗？
01:40
Maybe you've had grand plans before
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也许你以前有过宏大的计划，
01:42
but stopped yourself, thinking,
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但却半途而废，心想：
01:44
"That's impossible," or, "That costs too much,"
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这个不可能，或代价太高
01:46
or, "That won't benefit me."
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或这对我不利。
01:48
For better or worse, we kids aren't hampered as much
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不管是好是坏，我们小孩子
01:51
when it comes to thinking about reasons why not to do things.
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在思考不做某事的理由时，不太受这些考量的影响。
01:54
Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations
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小孩可能会有满脑子的奇思妙想
01:56
and hopeful thinking.
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和积极的想法，
01:58
Like my wish that no one went hungry
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例如我希望没有人挨饿
02:00
or that everything were a free kind of utopia.
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或者所有东西都是免费的，有点像乌托邦的理念。
02:03
How many of you still dream like that
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你们当中有多少人还会有这样的梦想
02:05
and believe in the possibilities?
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并相信其可能性？
02:08
Sometimes a knowledge of history
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有时候对历史
02:10
and the past failures of utopian ideals
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及对乌托邦的了解，
02:12
can be a burden
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可能是一种负担，
02:14
because you know that if everything were free,
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因为你知道假如所有东西都是免费的，
02:16
then the food stocks would become depleted
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食物储备会被清空，
02:18
and scarce and lead to chaos.
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而缺失将会导致混乱。
02:20
On the other hand,
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另一方面，
02:22
we kids still dream about perfection.
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我们小孩还对完美抱有希望。
02:24
And that's a good thing because in order
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这是件好事，因为
02:26
to make anything a reality,
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要将任何事情变为现实，
02:28
you have to dream about it first.
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你首先得心怀梦想。
02:30
In many ways, our audacity to imagine
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在很多方面，我们的大胆想象
02:33
helps push the boundaries of possibility.
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拓宽了可能性的疆界。
02:36
For instance, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington,
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例如，华盛顿州塔可马市的玻璃博物馆，
02:39
my home state -- yoohoo Washington!
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我的家乡华盛顿州——你好！
02:41
(Applause) --
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（掌声）
02:44
has a program called Kids Design Glass,
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这个博物馆里有一个项目叫“儿童玻璃设计”，
02:46
and kids draw their own ideas for glass art.
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小孩们自由创作自己的玻璃作品。
02:48
Now, the resident artist said they got
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后来，驻馆艺术家说
02:50
some of their best ideas through the program
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他们所有的一些极佳灵感就来自这个项目，
02:52
because kids don't think about the limitations
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因为小孩不去理会
02:54
of how hard it can be to blow glass into certain shapes;
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吹出不同形状玻璃的难度限制
02:56
they just think of good ideas.
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他们只是构思好的点子。
02:58
Now, when you think of glass, you might
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当说到玻璃的时候，你们可能
03:00
think of colorful Chihuly designs
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想到的是奇胡利(Chihuly)色彩丰富的玻璃设计
03:03
or maybe Italian vases,
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或意大利花瓶，
03:05
but kids challenge glass artists to go beyond that
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但小孩子敢于挑战玻璃艺术家，并超越他们
03:08
into the realm of broken-hearted snakes
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进入心碎蛇
03:10
and bacon boys, who you can see has meat vision.
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和火腿男孩的领地——看到了吗，火腿男孩有“肉视力”哦
03:13
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
03:15
Now, our inherent wisdom
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我们先天的智慧
03:17
doesn't have to be insider's knowledge.
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堪比内行人的知识。
03:20
Kids already do a lot of learning from adults,
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小孩已经从大人身上学到许多，
03:23
and we have a lot to share.
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而我们也有很多东西可以和大人共享。
03:25
I think that adults should start learning from kids.
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我认为大人应该开始向小孩学习。
03:29
Now, I do most of my speaking in front of an education crowd,
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听我演讲的观众大都是教育圈子里的，
03:32
teachers and students, and I like this analogy:
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这其中有老师和学生。我喜欢这个类比。
03:34
It shouldn't just be a teacher at the head of the classroom
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不应该只是老师站在教室讲台上
03:36
telling students, "Do this, do that."
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告诉学生做这个做那个。
03:38
The students should teach their teachers.
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学生亦应教育他们的老师。
03:41
Learning between grown ups and kids
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成人和儿童之间
03:43
should be reciprocal.
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应该互相学习。
03:45
The reality, unfortunately, is a little different,
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不幸的是，于现实里，情况是截然不同的。
03:48
and it has a lot to do with trust, or a lack of it.
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这跟信任的关系很大，或者说是缺乏信任的结果。
03:51
Now, if you don't trust someone, you place restrictions on them, right?
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如果你不信任某人，你就给他们设限，对吧。
03:54
If I doubt my older sister's ability
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如果我怀疑我姐姐没有能力
03:56
to pay back the 10 percent interest
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偿还我给她的上一笔贷款的
03:58
I established on her last loan,
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百分之十的利息时，
04:00
I'm going to withhold her ability to get more money from me
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我将要限制她再向我借钱，
04:03
until she pays it back. (Laughter)
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直到她还清借款为止。（笑声）
04:05
True story, by the way.
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顺便提一下，这是个真实的例子。
04:07
Now, adults seem to have
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大人呢，似乎普遍地
04:10
a prevalently restrictive attitude towards kids
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对小孩持限制性的态度，
04:13
from every "don't do that,
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从学校手册里的
04:15
don't do this" in the school handbook
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“不能做这个”、“不能做那个”
04:17
to restrictions on school Internet use.
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到学校互联网使用的各种限制性规定。
04:20
As history points out, regimes become oppressive
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历史告诉我们，当政体害怕统治失控时，
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when they're fearful about keeping control.
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它就会变得暴虐。
04:25
And although adults may not be quite at the level
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虽然大人可能不会
04:27
of totalitarian regimes,
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像独裁政权一样心狠手辣，
04:29
kids have no, or very little say in making the rules,
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但小孩在制定规则方面是几乎没有话语权的。
04:32
when really the attitude should be reciprocal,
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而正确的态度应该是两者相互尊重的，
04:34
meaning that the adult population should learn
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也就是说成人群体应该了解
04:36
and take into account the wishes
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并认真对待年幼群体的
04:38
of the younger population.
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愿望。
04:40
Now, what's even worse than restriction
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然而比限制更糟糕的是，
04:42
is that adults often underestimate kids abilities.
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大人常常低估小孩的能力。
04:45
We love challenges, but when expectations are low,
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我们喜欢挑战，但假如大人对我们期望很低的话，
04:48
trust me, we will sink to them.
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说真的，我们就会不思进取。
04:51
My own parents had anything but low expectations
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我自己的父母对我和姐姐
04:54
for me and my sister.
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抱很高的期望。
04:56
Okay, so they didn't tell us to become doctors
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当然，他们没有让我们立志成为医生
04:59
or lawyers or anything like that,
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或律师诸如此类的，
05:01
but my dad did read to us
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但我爸经常读
05:03
about Aristotle
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关于亚里斯多德
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and pioneer germ fighters
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和先锋细菌斗士的故事给我们听，
05:07
when lots of other kids were hearing
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而其他小孩大多听的是
05:09
"The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round."
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《公车的轮子转呀转》。
05:11
Well, we heard that one too, but "Pioneer Germ Fighters" totally rules.
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其实我们也有听这个，但《先锋细菌斗士》实在是比那个强多了。
05:14
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
05:16
I loved to write from the age of four,
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四岁的时候我就喜欢上写作，
05:18
and when I was six
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六岁的时候，
05:20
my mom bought me my own laptop equipped with Microsoft Word.
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我妈给我买了台装有微软Word软件的个人手提电脑。
05:23
Thank you Bill Gates and thank you Ma.
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谢谢你比尔·盖茨！也谢谢你，妈咪！
05:25
I wrote over 300 short stories
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我用那个小手提电脑
05:27
on that little laptop,
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写了300多篇短篇故事，
05:29
and I wanted to get published.
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而且我想发表我的作品。
05:32
Instead of just scoffing at this heresy
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一个小孩想发表作品
05:34
that a kid wanted to get published
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这简直是天方夜谭，但我父母没有嘲笑我，
05:36
or saying wait until you're older,
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也没有说等你长大点儿再说，
05:38
my parents were really supportive.
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他们非常支持我。
05:40
Many publishers were not quite so encouraging,
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但是很多出版社的回应让人失望。
05:44
one large children's publisher ironically saying
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颇具讽刺意味的是，一个很大的儿童出版社说，
05:47
that they didn't work with children --
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他们不跟儿童打交道。
05:49
children's publisher not working with children?
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儿童出版社不跟儿童打交道？
05:52
I don't know, you're kind of alienating a large client there.
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怎么说呢，你这是在怠慢一个大客户嘛。
05:55
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
05:57
Now, one publisher, Action Publishing,
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有一个出版商，行动出版社
06:00
was willing to take that leap and trust me
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愿意给我一个机会，
06:03
and to listen to what I had to say.
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并倾听我想说的话。
06:05
They published my first book, "Flying Fingers," -- you see it here --
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他们出版了我的第一本书《飞舞的手指》——就是这个——
06:08
and from there on, it's gone to speaking at hundreds of schools,
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那以后，我到数百个学校去演讲，
06:12
keynoting to thousands of educators
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给数千个老师作主题演讲，
06:14
and finally, today, speaking to you.
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最后，在今天，给你们作演讲。
06:16
I appreciate your attention today,
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我感谢你们今天听我演讲，
06:18
because to show that you truly care,
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因为你们会倾听我，
06:20
you listen.
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这证明你们真的在乎。
06:22
But there's a problem with this rosy picture
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但小孩比大人强得多的这幅乐观图景
06:25
of kids being so much better than adults.
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是存在一个问题的。
06:28
Kids grow up and become adults just like you.
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小孩会长大并变成像你们一样的大人。
06:31
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
06:33
Or just like you? Really?
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跟你们一样，真的吗？
06:35
The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adult,
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我们的目标不是让小孩变成你们这样的大人，
06:38
but rather better adults than you have been,
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而是比你们强的大人。
06:41
which may be a little challenging
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考虑到你们都这么了不起，
06:43
considering your guys' credentials (Laughter).
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这可能颇具挑战性。
06:45
But the way progress happens
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但进步
06:47
is because new generations and new eras
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是因新的一代人和新的时期而发生，
06:50
grow and develop and become better than the previous ones.
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不断的进步和发展，并超越之前的年代。
06:53
It's the reason we're not in the Dark Ages anymore.
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这就是为什么我们不再处于黑暗时代。
06:56
No matter your position or place in life,
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不管在生活中你的位置在哪里，
06:59
it is imperative to create opportunities for children
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你必须给孩子创造机会。
07:02
so that we can grow up to blow you away.
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这样他们才能成长并让你扬眉吐气。
07:05
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
07:08
Adults and fellow TEDsters,
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大人和TED观众们，
07:10
you need to listen and learn from kids
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你们需要倾听并向小孩学习，
07:12
and trust us and expect more from us.
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信任我们和对我们怀有更高的期望。
07:16
You must lend an ear today,
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今天你们需要聆听，
07:18
because we are the leaders of tomorrow,
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因为我们是明天的领导，
07:20
which means we're going to be taking care of you
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这意味着当你们年老体衰时，
07:22
when you're old and senile. No, just kidding.
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我们会照顾你们。哈，只是开玩笑了。
07:25
No, really, we are going to be the next generation,
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确实，我们将成为推动世界前进
07:28
the ones who will bring this world forward.
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的下一代人。
07:31
And in case you don't think that this really has meaning for you,
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而且，假如你认为这对你没有意义的话，
07:34
remember that cloning is possible,
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不要忘了克隆是可能的，
07:36
and that involves going through childhood again,
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而这意味着童年可以重来，
07:38
in which case you'll want to be heard
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这种情况下，像我们这一代人一样，
07:40
just like my generation.
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你也会希望大人倾听你们的心声。
07:42
Now, the world needs opportunities
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世界需要产生新的领导人
07:45
for new leaders and new ideas.
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和新想法的机会。
07:48
Kids need opportunities to lead and succeed.
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小孩需要机会去领导和取得成功。
07:51
Are you ready to make the match?
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你准备好去促成这一切了吗？
07:53
Because the world's problems
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因为这个世界的问题，
07:55
shouldn't be the human family's heirloom.
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不应该是人类家庭的传家宝。
07:58
Thank you.
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谢谢你们！
08:00
(Applause)
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（掌声）
08:03
Thank you. Thank you.
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谢谢！谢谢！
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Adora Svitak - Child prodigyA prolific short story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak (now 12) speaks around the United States to adults and children as an advocate for literacy.
Why you should listen
A voracious reader from age three, Adora Svitak's first serious foray into writing -- at age five -- was limited only by her handwriting and spelling. (Her astonishing verbal abilities already matched that of young adults over twice her age.) As her official bio says, her breakthrough would soon come "in the form of a used Dell laptop her mother bought her." At age seven, she typed out over 250,000 words -- poetry, short stories, observations about the world -- in a single year.
Svitak has since fashioned her beyond-her-years wordsmithing into an inspiring campaign for literacy -- speaking across the country to both adults and kids. She is author of Flying Fingers, a book on learning.
Adora Svitak | Speaker | TED.com