ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mandy Len Catron - Writer
Mandy Len Catron explores love stories.

Why you should listen

Originally from Appalachian Virginia, Mandy Len Catron is a writer living and working in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her book How to Fall in Love with Anyone, is available for preorder on Amazon. Catron's writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Walrus, as well as literary journals and anthologies. She writes about love and love stories at The Love Story Project and teaches English and creative writing at the University of British Columbia. Her article "To Fall in Love with Anyone, Do This" was one of the most popular articles published by the New York Times in 2015.

More profile about the speaker
Mandy Len Catron | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxChapmanU

Mandy Len Catron: Falling in love is the easy part

曼蒂‧蘭‧卡朗: 愛情難的不是墜入愛河,而是…

Filmed:
3,963,490 views

你知道可以僅僅靠問對方36個問題而愛上一個人嗎?曼蒂‧蘭‧卡朗進行了這個實驗,她成功了,還為此寫了一篇如病毒般擴散的文章(你母親可能寄給你看過)。但... 那是真的愛嗎?會長久嗎?墜入愛河和維持愛情之間的差異是什麼?
- Writer
Mandy Len Catron explores love stories. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I published發表 this article文章
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這篇文章是我
00:14
in the New York紐約 Times Modern現代 Love column
in January一月 of this year.
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今年一月在《紐約時報》的
《現代愛情》專欄發表的。
00:18
"To Fall秋季 in Love With Anyone任何人, Do This."
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《想和任何人墜入愛河,就這麼做》
00:21
And the article文章
is about a psychological心理 study研究
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這篇文章是在寫一個
00:23
designed設計 to create創建 romantic浪漫 love
in the laboratory實驗室,
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設計來在實驗室裡創造
浪漫愛情的心理研究,
00:26
and my own擁有 experience經驗
trying the study研究 myself
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還有我自己進行這項研究的經驗,
00:29
one night last summer夏季.
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就在去年夏天的某個晚上。
00:31
So the procedure程序 is fairly相當 simple簡單:
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這個研究的步驟頗為簡單:
00:34
two strangers陌生人 take turns asking each other
36 increasingly日益 personal個人 questions問題
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兩個陌生人輪流問對方
36個循序漸進的私人問題,
00:41
and then they stare into each other's其他 eyes眼睛
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然後注視著對方的雙眼,
00:44
without speaking請講 for four minutes分鐘.
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維持四分鐘完全不交談。
00:47
So here are a couple一對 of sample樣品 questions問題.
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這裡有一些範例題目。
00:50
Number 12: If you could wake喚醒 up tomorrow明天
having gained獲得 any one quality質量 or ability能力,
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第12題:如果你明天醒來時
可以獲得任何特質或能力,
00:56
what would it be?
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你會希望是什麼?
00:58
Number 28: When did you last cry
in front面前 of another另一個 person?
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第28題:上一次你在
別人面前哭泣是在何時?
01:02
By yourself你自己?
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上次獨自哭泣又是何時?
01:04
As you can see, they really do
get more personal個人 as they go along沿.
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如你們所見,這些問題
真的越問越私人。
01:08
Number 30, I really like this one:
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第30題,這個我很喜歡:
01:10
Tell your partner夥伴
what you like about them;
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告訴對方,你喜歡他們的哪些部分;
01:13
be very honest誠實 this time,
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這次請試著非常誠實,
01:15
saying things you might威力 not say
to someone有人 you just met會見.
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說一些你可能不會對
初次見面的人說的事情。
01:20
So when I first came來了 across橫過 this study研究
a few少數 years年份 earlier,
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所以幾年前當我第一次
接觸這個研究時,
01:25
one detail詳情 really stuck卡住 out to me,
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有一件事情令我印象深刻,
01:27
and that was the rumor謠言
that two of the participants參與者
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就是有個傳聞,說有兩個受測者
01:30
had gotten得到 married已婚 six months個月 later後來,
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在進行測試的六個月之後結婚了,
01:33
and they'd他們會 invited邀請 the entire整個 lab實驗室
to the ceremony儀式.
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而且還邀請整個實驗室的人參加婚禮。
01:37
So I was of course課程 very skeptical懷疑的
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所以我當然非常懷疑
01:40
about this process處理 of just
manufacturing製造業 romantic浪漫 love,
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這個就這麼製造浪漫愛情的過程,
01:43
but of course課程 I was intrigued好奇.
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但當然我也非常好奇。
01:46
And when I got the chance機會
to try this study研究 myself,
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而當我有機會自己測試這項研究時,
01:50
with someone有人 I knew知道
but not particularly尤其 well,
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我找了一個認識但不很熟的人,
01:53
I wasn't expecting期待 to fall秋季 in love.
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而我不認為我們會墜入愛河。
01:56
But then we did, and --
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但最後我們的確有,而且--
01:59
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:01
And I thought it made製作 a good story故事,
so I sent發送 it to the Modern現代 Love column
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而且我認為我們創造了不錯的故事,
所以我把它寄給《現代愛情》專欄,
02:05
a few少數 months個月 later後來.
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就在那之後幾個月。
02:07
Now, this was published發表 in January一月,
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現在,這篇文章在一月時刊出,
02:11
and now it is August八月,
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而現在是八月,
02:13
so I'm guessing揣測 that some of you
are probably大概 wondering想知道,
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所以我想你們大概在想,
02:17
are we still together一起?
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我們還在一起嗎?
02:19
And the reason原因 I think
you might威力 be wondering想知道 this
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我覺得你們大概在想這件事的原因,
02:22
is because I have been asked this question
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是因為在過去七個月以來,
02:24
again and again and again
for the past過去 seven months個月.
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我已經一次又一次又一次地
被問這個問題了。
02:28
And this question is really
what I want to talk about today今天.
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而這正是我今天想談論的事情,
02:32
But let's come back to it.
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但我們之後再回到這個問題。
02:33
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:36
So the week before the article文章 came來了 out,
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所以在那篇文章刊出前,
02:38
I was very nervous緊張.
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我非常地緊張。
02:41
I had been working加工
on a book about love stories故事
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我一直在寫一本關於愛情故事的書,
02:44
for the past過去 few少數 years年份,
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已經好幾年了。
02:46
so I had gotten得到 used to writing寫作
about my own擁有 experiences經驗
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所以已經很習慣在部落格上
02:48
with romantic浪漫 love on my blog博客.
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寫一些自己的愛情經驗。
02:51
But a blog博客 post崗位 might威力 get
a couple一對 hundred views意見 at the most,
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但部落格文章頂多有幾百個瀏覽數,
02:56
and those were usually平時
just my FacebookFacebook的 friends朋友,
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而且那些通常只是臉書上的朋友,
02:59
and I figured想通 my article文章
in the New York紐約 Times
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而我估算在《紐約時報》上的文章
03:02
would probably大概 get a few少數 thousand views意見.
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可能會有幾千個瀏覽數。
03:06
And that felt like a lot of attention注意
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這感覺是有很多眼睛在盯著
03:08
on a relatively相對 new relationship關係.
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一段相對新的愛情關係。
03:12
But as it turned轉身 out, I had no idea理念.
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但事情的結果是,我大錯特錯。
03:16
So the article文章 was published發表 online線上
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那篇文章在網路上刊出,
03:18
on a Friday星期五 evening晚間,
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是在一個週五的晚上,
03:20
and by Saturday星期六, this had happened發生
to the traffic交通 on my blog博客.
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而到週六時,我的部落格
已經出現這樣的湧入量。
03:26
And by Sunday星期日, both the Today今天 Show顯示
and Good Morning早上 America美國 had called.
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而到週日時,《今日秀》
和《早安美國》都打電話給我
03:32
Within a month, the article文章
would receive接收 over 8 million百萬 views意見,
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在一個月內,那篇文章
已經超過800萬次瀏覽,
03:37
and I was, to say the least最小,
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而我,簡而言之,
03:39
underpreparedunderprepared for this sort分類 of attention注意.
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並沒有做好面對這麼多關注的準備。
03:43
It's one thing to work up
the confidence置信度 to write honestly老老實實
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提起信心真實地寫出
03:46
about your experiences經驗 with love,
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自己的戀愛經驗是一回事,
03:48
but it is another另一個 thing to discover發現
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但發現你的愛情生活
03:51
that your love life
has made製作 international國際 news新聞 --
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已經變成國際新聞則是另一回事。
03:54
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
03:55
and to realize實現
that people across橫過 the world世界
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還有發現全世界的人
03:59
are genuinely真正的 invested投資
in the status狀態 of your new relationship關係.
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真的非常投入在你新戀情的狀態。
04:04
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
04:06
And when people called or emailed電子郵件,
which哪一個 they did every一切 day for weeks,
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而當人們打電話或寄信給你,
連續好幾週這種事情每天都發生,
04:11
they always asked the same相同 question first:
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他們總是先問一樣的問題:
04:14
are you guys still together一起?
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你們還在一起嗎?
04:17
In fact事實, as I was preparing準備 this talk,
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事實上,在準備這場演說時,
04:19
I did a quick search搜索 of my email電子郵件 inbox收件箱
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我快速搜尋了電子郵件的收件匣,
04:21
for the phrase短語 "Are you still together一起?"
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尋找「你們還在一起嗎?」的關鍵字,
04:23
and several一些 messages消息
popped膨化 up immediately立即.
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立即跳出許多搜尋結果。
04:26
They were from students學生們 and journalists記者
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這些信來自學生、專欄作家、
04:29
and friendly友善 strangers陌生人 like this one.
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還有像這個友善的陌生人。
04:32
I did radio無線電 interviews面試 and they asked.
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我做廣播訪談的時候,他們也問了。
04:34
I even gave a talk, and one woman女人
shouted喝道 up to the stage階段,
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我在演講時,甚至
有位女士對著講台大喊:
04:38
"Hey Mandy曼迪, where's哪裡 your boyfriend男朋友?"
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「嘿,曼蒂,你的男朋友在哪裡?」
04:42
And I promptly及時 turned轉身 bright red.
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我馬上漲紅了臉。
04:45
I understand理解 that this
is part部分 of the deal合同.
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我瞭解這有點像是交易條件的一部份,
04:48
If you write about your relationship關係
in an international國際 newspaper報紙,
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當你在一間國際報社
寫出自己的戀情時,
04:51
you should expect期望 people
to feel comfortable自在 asking about it.
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就該預期大家會很自在地問這個問題。
04:55
But I just wasn't prepared準備
for the scope範圍 of the response響應.
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但我就是沒準備好
面對這種規模的回應。
05:00
The 36 questions問題 seem似乎
to have taken採取 on a life of their own擁有.
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這36個問題似乎已經
活出各自的生命了。
05:04
In fact事實, the New York紐約 Times
published發表 a follow-up跟進 article文章
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事實上,《紐約時報》之後
還刊出了一篇後續文章,
05:07
for Valentine's情人節 Day,
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就在情人節的時候,
05:09
which哪一個 featured精選 readers'讀者 experiences經驗
of trying the study研究 themselves他們自己,
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針對一些讀者自己進行測試的經驗,
05:13
with varying不同 degrees of success成功.
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和各種不同成功程度的結果。
05:16
So my first impulse衝動
in the face面對 of all of this attention注意
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所以面臨這一切關注,我的直覺反應
05:21
was to become成為 very protective保護的
of my own擁有 relationship關係.
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是變得非常保護自己的戀情。
05:25
I said no to every一切 request請求
for the two of us
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我拒絕每一個邀請我們兩個
05:28
to do a media媒體 appearance出現 together一起.
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一起在媒體上露面的請求。
05:31
I turned轉身 down TV電視 interviews面試,
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我取消了電視訪談、
05:33
and I said no to every一切 request請求
for photos相片 of the two us.
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拒絕每一個希望能有我們合照的請求。
05:37
I think I was afraid害怕 that we would become成為
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我想我是在怕我們會不小心成為
05:39
inadvertent非故意的 icons圖標
for the process處理 of falling落下 in love,
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這個讓人墜如愛河程序的象徵,
05:43
a position位置 I did not at all
feel qualified合格 for.
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而我認為自己並不具備這個條件。
05:48
And I get it:
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我也懂啦:
05:51
people didn't just want to know
if the study研究 worked工作,
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大家不只想知道這個研究是否可行,
05:54
they wanted to know if it really worked工作:
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他們還想知道它的成果是否真的成功:
05:57
that is, if it was capable
of producing生產 love that would last,
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也就是,它是否能
製造可以長久的愛情,
06:01
not just a fling一扔, but real真實 love,
sustainable可持續發展 love.
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不只是一時的,而是真正的愛情,
可以持續下去的愛情。
06:07
But this was a question
I didn't feel capable of answering回答.
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但這不是個我自認有能力回答的問題。
06:11
My own擁有 relationship關係
was only a few少數 months個月 old,
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我自己的戀情才開始幾個月,
06:13
and I felt like people were asking
the wrong錯誤 question in the first place地點.
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而我覺得大家好像
一開始就問錯問題了。
06:20
What would knowing會心 whether是否 or not
we were still together一起 really tell them?
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我們還在一起與否,
能真正說明什麼呢?
06:24
If the answer回答 was no,
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如果答案是否定的,
06:25
would it make the experience經驗
of doing these 36 questions問題
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這是否會讓做這36個問題的實驗
06:29
any less worthwhile合算?
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看起來沒那麼有價值?
06:32
Dr博士. Arthur亞瑟 Aron阿隆 first wrote
about these questions問題
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亞瑟‧艾倫博士第一次寫出這些問題,
06:35
in this study研究 here in 1997,
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是在1997年的這篇研究裡,
06:40
and here, the researcher's研究者的 goal目標
was not to produce生產 romantic浪漫 love.
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而在此,研究員的目的
並不是製造浪漫愛情,
06:44
Instead代替, they wanted to foster培育
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而是想培養
06:46
interpersonal人際交往 closeness親近
among其中 college學院 students學生們,
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大學生彼此之間的親密,
06:50
by using運用 what Aron阿隆 called
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透過艾倫所說的
06:52
"sustained持續, escalating不斷升級, reciprocal倒數,
personalisticpersonalistic self-disclosure自我揭露."
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「永續、增進、互惠、
人格上的自我揭露」
06:57
Sounds聲音 romantic浪漫, doesn't it?
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聽起來很浪漫,不是嗎?
07:01
But the study研究 did work.
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但那研究確實有用。
07:03
The participants參與者
did feel closer接近 after doing it,
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受測者在測試後感覺彼此更緊密了,
07:06
and several一些 subsequent隨後 studies學習 have also
used Aron's阿隆 fast快速 friends朋友 protocol協議
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而後來的幾個研究
也用艾倫的「快速交友模式」
07:11
as a way to quickly很快 create創建
trust相信 and intimacy親密關係 between之間 strangers陌生人.
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做為快速建立陌生人之間
信任和親密的方式,
07:15
They've他們已經 used it between之間 members會員
of the police警察 and members會員 of community社區,
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他們將它用在警察成員之間、
社區成員之間,
07:19
and they've他們已經 used it between之間 people
of opposing反對 political政治 ideologies意識形態.
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還用在政治意識形態
彼此對立的人之間。
07:23
The original原版的 version of the story故事,
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這個故事的初始版本,
07:25
the one that I tried試著 last summer夏季,
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也就是我去年夏天嘗試的版本,
07:28
that pairs the personal個人 questions問題
with four minutes分鐘 of eye contact聯繫,
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彼此問私人問題和
四分鐘眼神接觸的版本,
07:32
was referenced引用 in this article文章,
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是參考自這篇文章的,
07:34
but unfortunately不幸 it was never published發表.
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可惜的是它從來沒有被發表。
07:38
So a few少數 months個月 ago, I was giving a talk
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所以幾個月前,
我在一間小型的人文教育大學
07:41
at a small liberal自由主義的 arts藝術 college學院,
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演說的時候,
07:44
and a student學生 came來了 up to me afterwards之後
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一個學生演講後跑來找我,
07:46
and he said, kind of shyly害羞地,
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他有點害羞地說:
07:49
"So, I tried試著 your study研究,
and it didn't work."
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「我試了你的研究,但沒有成功。」
07:54
He seemed似乎 a little mystified迷惑 by this.
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他看起來對此有點困惑。
07:57
"You mean, you didn't fall秋季 in love
with the person you did it with?" I asked.
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「你是說,你並沒有和對方
墜入愛河嗎?」我問他。
08:02
"Well..." He paused暫停.
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「嗯...」他停頓了一下。
08:04
"I think she just wants to be friends朋友."
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「我想她只想和我當朋友。」
08:09
"But did you become成為
better friends朋友?" I asked.
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「但你們有變成更好的朋友嗎?」我問,
08:13
"Did you feel like you got to really
know each other after doing the study研究?"
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「你們有覺得在實驗過後
變得真正瞭解對方嗎?」
08:16
He nodded點頭.
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他點頭。
08:18
"So, then it worked工作," I said.
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「所以,那有成功啊。」我說。
08:21
I don't think this is the answer回答
he was looking for.
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我想這應該不是他想要的答案。
08:25
In fact事實, I don't think this is the answer回答
that any of us are looking for
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事實上,我不認為在談論愛情時,
08:29
when it comes to love.
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這是大家想要的答案。
08:32
I first came來了 across橫過 this study研究
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我29歲時第一次接觸這個研究
08:33
when I was 29
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08:35
and I was going through通過
a really difficult breakup分手.
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當時我正經歷一次非常痛苦的分手。
08:38
I had been in the relationship關係
since以來 I was 20,
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那段戀情從我20歲就開始了,
08:41
which哪一個 was basically基本上 my entire整個 adult成人 life,
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基本上是我整個成年人生,
08:44
and he was my first real真實 love,
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而他是我的第一個真愛,
08:46
and I had no idea理念 how or if
I could make a life without him.
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沒有他,我不知道該如何活下去、
不知道我能否活下去。
08:51
So I turned轉身 to science科學.
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所以我轉向科學尋求答案,
08:53
I researched研究 everything I could find
about the science科學 of romantic浪漫 love,
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我研究了所有我能找到的、
關於愛情的科學,
08:58
and I think I was hoping希望 that it might威力
somehow不知何故 inoculate接種 me from heartache心痛.
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而我想我當時希望的是
它能讓我免於心碎。
09:03
I don't know if I realized實現
this at the time --
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我不知道當時我是否意識到這點 --
09:07
I thought I was just doing research研究
for this book I was writing寫作 --
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我以為我只是在為
正在寫的這本書進行研究 --
09:10
but it seems似乎 really obvious明顯 in retrospect回想起來.
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但事後回想其實還滿明顯的。
09:13
I hoped希望 that if I armed武裝 myself
with the knowledge知識 of romantic浪漫 love,
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我希望如果用愛情的知識來武裝自己,
09:18
I might威力 never have to feel
as terrible可怕 and lonely孤獨 as I did then.
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或許就不會再次感到如此糟糕和孤單。
09:24
And all this knowledge知識
has been useful有用 in some ways方法.
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某種程度上這些知識確實有用。
09:28
I am more patient患者 with love.
I am more relaxed輕鬆.
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對於愛情,我更有耐心、也更加放鬆。
09:31
I am more confident信心
about asking for what I want.
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我更有信心追求我想要的。
09:35
But I can also see myself more clearly明確地,
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但我也能更清楚地看見自己,
09:39
and I can see that what I want
is sometimes有時 more
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也可以瞭解有時自己想要的,
09:43
than can reasonably合理 be asked for.
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比能夠合理要求的更多。
09:46
What I want from love is a guarantee保證,
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我希望從愛情中得到的,是個保證,
09:50
not just that I am loved喜愛 today今天
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不是只有今天被愛著,
09:52
and that I will be loved喜愛 tomorrow明天,
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或是明天仍然被愛著,
09:54
but that I will continue繼續 to be loved喜愛
by the person I love indefinitely無限期.
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而是能夠持續地被我愛著的人愛著,
不管那個人是誰。
10:01
Maybe it's this possibility可能性 of a guarantee保證
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或許這種保證的機會有多大,
10:04
that people were really asking about
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就是人們在問我們是否仍在一起時
10:06
when they wanted to know
if we were still together一起.
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真正想知道的答案。
10:10
So the story故事 that the media媒體 told
about the 36 questions問題
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所以關於這36個問題,
媒體想說的故事
10:14
was that there might威力 be
a shortcut捷徑 to falling落下 in love.
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是可能有種能讓人墜如愛河的捷徑。
10:18
There might威力 be a way to somehow不知何故
mitigate減輕 some of the risk風險 involved參與,
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可能有種方法,
某種程度上可以降低其中的風險,
10:21
and this is a very appealing吸引人的 story故事,
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而這會是個非常吸引人的故事,
10:24
because falling落下 in love feels感覺 amazing驚人,
184
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因為墜入愛河是如此美妙的感覺,
10:27
but it's also terrifying可怕的.
185
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但又同時令人膽怯。
10:30
The moment時刻 you admit承認 to loving愛心 someone有人,
186
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當你允許自己愛上某人時,
10:33
you admit承認 to having a lot to lose失去,
187
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也同時下定決心失去許多東西,
10:36
and it's true真正 that these questions問題
do provide提供 a mechanism機制
188
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而這些問題確實提供了一種機制,
10:40
for getting得到 to know someone有人 quickly很快,
189
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得以快速認識某人
10:43
which哪一個 is also a mechanism機制 for being存在 known已知,
190
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同時也快速地被認識,
10:45
and I think this is the thing
that most of us really want from love:
191
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所以我認為這是我們大部分人
希望從愛情中獲得的東西:
10:50
to be known已知, to be seen看到, to be understood了解.
192
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被認識、被看見、被瞭解。
10:55
But I think when it comes to love,
193
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1936
但我想當我們談到愛情時,
10:57
we are too willing願意 to accept接受
the short version of the story故事.
194
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都太想要接受短版的故事。
11:01
The version of the story故事 that asks,
"Are you still together一起?"
195
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「你們還在一起嗎?」
這個問題的故事版本,
11:05
and is content內容 with a yes or no answer回答.
196
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只能用一個是或不是的答案來滿足。
11:09
So rather than that question,
197
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1936
所以與其這個問題,
11:11
I would propose提出 we ask
some more difficult questions問題,
198
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我會建議問一些更難的問題,
11:15
questions問題 like:
199
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像是:
11:17
How do you decide決定 who deserves值得 your love
200
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你如何決定誰值得你去愛,
11:20
and who does not?
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而誰不值得?
11:22
How do you stay in love
when things get difficult,
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你如何在事情不順利時維持愛情,
11:26
and how do you know
when to just cut and run?
203
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還有如何知道何時要落荒而逃?
11:29
How do you live生活 with the doubt懷疑
204
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1896
還有你如何
11:31
that inevitably必將 creeps蠕動
into every一切 relationship關係,
205
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與無可避免會悄悄溜進
每一段關係的懷疑共處?
11:34
or even harder更難,
206
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或是更難的問題,
11:36
how do you live生活 with your partner's夥伴 doubt懷疑?
207
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你如何和對方的懷疑共處?
11:39
I don't necessarily一定 know
the answers答案 to these questions問題,
208
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我不一定要知道這所有問題的解答,
11:43
but I think they're an important重要 start開始
at having a more thoughtful周到 conversation會話
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但我認為要讓對於愛上某人的意義
這件事情有更深入的對談,
11:48
about what it means手段 to love someone有人.
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這些問題會是很重要的開始。
11:52
So, if you want it,
211
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所以,如果你真的想知道,
11:54
the short version of the story故事
of my relationship關係 is this:
212
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我戀情的短版故事是:
11:58
a year ago, an acquaintance熟人
and I did a study研究
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一年前,我和一位友人做了這項
12:01
designed設計 to create創建 romantic浪漫 love,
214
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為創造愛情設計的研究,
12:04
and we fell下跌 in love,
215
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而我們愛上對方,
12:06
and we are still together一起,
216
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現在也還在一起,
12:08
and I am so glad高興.
217
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而且我非常開心。
12:11
But falling落下 in love is not
the same相同 thing as staying in love.
218
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但墜入愛河不等同於維持愛情。
12:16
Falling落下 in love is the easy簡單 part部分.
219
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墜入愛河只是簡單的部分。
12:20
So at the end結束 of my article文章, I wrote,
"Love didn't happen發生 to us.
220
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所以在文章的最後,我寫著:
「愛情並不是碰巧在我們身上發生。
12:24
We're in love because we each
made製作 the choice選擇 to be."
221
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我們相愛是因為我們都選擇這麼做。」
12:28
And I cringe低三下四 a little
when I read that now,
222
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而現在讀到這句話讓我有點難為情,
12:32
not because it isn't true真正,
223
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不是因為這並非事實,
12:34
but because at the time,
I really hadn't有沒有 considered考慮
224
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而是因為在那時候,
我並沒有真正想到
這個選擇所包含的每一件事。
12:37
everything that was contained
in that choice選擇.
225
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12:41
I didn't consider考慮 how many許多 times
we would each have to make that choice選擇,
226
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我並沒有想到,有多少次
我們必須做出這個選擇,
12:46
and how many許多 times I will continue繼續
to have to make that choice選擇
227
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未來有多少次我必須
繼續做出這樣的選擇,
12:50
without knowing會心 whether是否 or not
he will always choose選擇 me.
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儘管不知道對方是否總是會選擇我。
12:54
I want it to be enough足夠 to have asked
and answered回答 36 questions問題,
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我多希望問出並回答那36個問題,
12:59
and to have chosen選擇 to love someone有人
so generous慷慨 and kind and fun開玩笑
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選擇一個如此慷慨、體貼、有趣的人,
13:04
and to have broadcast廣播 that choice選擇
in the biggest最大 newspaper報紙 in America美國.
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5000
然後在全美最大的報紙上廣播
這個決定,一切就已足夠。
13:10
But what I have doneDONE instead代替
is turn my relationship關係
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但我最後做的
卻是將我的戀情轉化為
那種我不太相信的神話。
13:14
into the kind of myth神話
I don't quite相當 believe in.
233
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13:18
And what I want, what perhaps也許
I will spend my life wanting希望,
234
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而我想要的、可能會終其一生追求的,
13:22
is for that myth神話 to be true真正.
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卻是讓那個神話成真。
13:25
I want the happy快樂 ending結尾
implied默示 by the title標題 to my article文章,
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我想要文章標題暗示的那個完美結局,
13:30
which哪一個 is, incidentally順便,
237
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也就是,順帶一提,
13:31
the only part部分 of the article文章
that I didn't actually其實 write.
238
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唯一我沒有真正寫在文章裡的部分。
13:35
(Laughter笑聲)
239
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(笑聲)
13:38
But what I have instead代替 is the chance機會
to make the choice選擇 to love someone有人,
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但取而代之的,我擁有的是
做出選擇愛誰的機會,
13:43
and the hope希望 that he will choose選擇
to love me back,
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還有他也會愛我的希望,
13:46
and it is terrifying可怕的,
242
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這令人感到害怕,
13:49
but that's the deal合同 with love.
243
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但愛情就是這麼一回事。
13:51
Thank you.
244
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謝謝各位。
Translated by Allen Kuo
Reviewed by Adrienne Lin

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mandy Len Catron - Writer
Mandy Len Catron explores love stories.

Why you should listen

Originally from Appalachian Virginia, Mandy Len Catron is a writer living and working in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her book How to Fall in Love with Anyone, is available for preorder on Amazon. Catron's writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Walrus, as well as literary journals and anthologies. She writes about love and love stories at The Love Story Project and teaches English and creative writing at the University of British Columbia. Her article "To Fall in Love with Anyone, Do This" was one of the most popular articles published by the New York Times in 2015.

More profile about the speaker
Mandy Len Catron | Speaker | TED.com

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