ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dave Meslin - Artist and organizer
Dave Meslin is a "professional rabble-rouser." Based in Toronto, he works to make local issues engaging and even fun to get involved in.

Why you should listen

Multi-partisan and fiercely optimistic, Dave Meslin embraces ideas and projects that cut across traditional boundaries between grassroots politics, electoral politics and the arts community. In his work, in Toronto and globally, he attempts to weave elements of these communities together. (His business card reads "Dave Meslin: community choreographer," which feels about right.)

Some of his projects include 2006's City Idol contest, which put a sexy new face on council elections; co-editing Local Motion, a book about civic projects in Toronto; and Dandyhorse and Spacing magazines. And he's part of the Toronto folk/indie collective Hidden Cameras, using their worldwide touring to research voting practices in the cities where they play. He recently founded the Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto (RaBIT)

He blogs at Mez Dispenser, or find him on Facebook and Twitter, where he's @Meslin.  
More profile about the speaker
Dave Meslin | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxToronto 2010

Dave Meslin: The antidote to apathy

戴夫·梅斯兰:冷漠的解药

Filmed:
1,853,644 views

地方政治 -- 学校、分区、议会选举 -- 与我们的生活息息相关。那为什么我们中多数并没参与其中?是冷漠吗?戴夫·梅斯兰说,不是冷漠。他识别出了七个阻碍我们参与其中的障碍,即使我们真的在乎。
- Artist and organizer
Dave Meslin is a "professional rabble-rouser." Based in Toronto, he works to make local issues engaging and even fun to get involved in. Full bio

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

00:15
How often经常 do we hear
0
0
2000
我们多久会听到
00:17
that people just don't care关心?
1
2000
2000
人们说他们毫不在乎?
00:19
How many许多 times have you been told
2
4000
2000
你多少次被告知
00:21
that real真实, substantial大量的 change更改 isn't possible可能
3
6000
3000
不可能发生真正的、实质性的变化,
00:24
because most people are too selfish自私,
4
9000
2000
因为多数人都太自私、
00:26
too stupid or too lazy
5
11000
2000
太愚蠢或是太懒惰了,
00:28
to try to make a difference区别 in their community社区?
6
13000
3000
不会试着在他们的社区内有所作为?
00:31
I propose提出 to you today今天 that apathy暮气 as we think we know it
7
16000
3000
我今天想告诉各位,那些我们自以为了解的冷漠
00:34
doesn't actually其实 exist存在,
8
19000
2000
其实并不存在,
00:36
but rather, that people do care关心,
9
21000
2000
相反,人们真的在乎,
00:38
but that we live生活 in a world世界
10
23000
2000
我们生活的世界中,
00:40
that actively积极地 discourages鼓励 engagement订婚
11
25000
2000
我们不断地在我们的前方
00:42
by constantly经常 putting obstacles障碍 and barriers障碍 in our way.
12
27000
3000
设置障碍和壁垒以阻碍参与。
00:45
And I'll give you some examples例子 of what I mean.
13
30000
2000
我会给些例子来做说明。
00:47
Let's start开始 with city hall大厅.
14
32000
2000
让我们从市政厅开始。
00:49
You ever see one of these before?
15
34000
2000
各位以前见过这类东西么?
00:51
This is a newspaper报纸 ad广告.
16
36000
2000
这是个报纸广告。
00:53
It's a notice注意 of a zoning区划 application应用 change更改 for a new office办公室 building建造
17
38000
3000
这是份新办公楼区划变更申请的通知
00:56
so the neighborhood邻里 knows知道 what's happening事件.
18
41000
2000
让邻近的人就能知道发生了什么。
00:58
As you can see, it's impossible不可能 to read.
19
43000
2000
正如各位所见,这简直没法读。
01:00
You need to get halfway down
20
45000
2000
需要半道停下来
01:02
to even find out which哪一个 address地址 they're talking about,
21
47000
2000
去弄明白他们说的地址是哪儿,
01:04
and then farther更远 down, in tiny 10-point-点 font字形,
22
49000
2000
接着往下读,用微小的10号字体
01:06
to find out how to actually其实 get involved参与.
23
51000
3000
标明了如何才能参与其中。
01:09
Imagine想像 if the private私人的 sector扇形 advertised广告 in the same相同 way --
24
54000
3000
想象一下私营机构也用同样的方式广告 --
01:12
if Nike耐克 wanted to sell a pair of shoes
25
57000
3000
试想一下,耐克想销售一双鞋
01:15
and put an ad广告 in the paper like that.
26
60000
3000
并用这样的广告在报纸上做广告。
01:18
(Applause掌声)
27
63000
3000
(掌声)
01:21
Now that would never happen发生.
28
66000
2000
这永远不会发生。
01:23
You'll你会 never see an ad广告 like that
29
68000
2000
各位永远不会看到这样的广告,
01:25
because Nike耐克 actually其实 wants you to buy购买 their shoes.
30
70000
3000
因为耐克是真的想让你们去购买他们的鞋子。
01:28
Whereas the city of Toronto多伦多
31
73000
2000
然而多伦多市
01:30
clearly明确地 doesn't want you involved参与 with the planning规划 process处理,
32
75000
2000
显然不想你们参与规划过程,
01:32
otherwise除此以外 their ads广告 would look something like this --
33
77000
2000
不然他们的广告应该是这样的 --
01:34
with all the information信息 basically基本上 laid铺设 out clearly明确地.
34
79000
2000
基本上所有的信息都清楚地列出来。
01:36
As long as the city's城市的 putting out notices通告 like this
35
81000
2000
只要市政府还在发布像这样的通知
01:38
to try to get people engaged订婚,
36
83000
2000
来让人们参与其中,
01:40
then of course课程 people aren't going to be engaged订婚.
37
85000
2000
那么人们当然不会参与。
01:42
But that's not apathy暮气;
38
87000
2000
但这不是冷漠;
01:44
that's intentional故意的 exclusion排除.
39
89000
3000
这是有意地排斥。
01:47
Public上市 space空间.
40
92000
2000
公共空间。
01:49
(Applause掌声)
41
94000
2000
(掌声)
01:51
The manner方式 in which哪一个 we mistreat虐待 our public上市 spaces空间
42
96000
2000
我们糟蹋公共空间的行为
01:53
is a huge巨大 obstacle障碍
43
98000
2000
对任何类型的进步政治变革来说
01:55
towards any type类型 of progressive进步 political政治 change更改
44
100000
3000
都是一个巨大的障碍。
01:58
because we've我们已经 essentially实质上 put a price价钱 tag标签 on freedom自由 of expression表达.
45
103000
3000
因为本质上,我们在言论自由上贴上了价格标签。
02:01
Whoever has the most money gets得到 the loudest最响亮 voice语音,
46
106000
3000
最有钱的人有最大的发言权,
02:04
dominating主导 the visual视觉 and mental心理 environment环境.
47
109000
2000
并支配着视觉和心理环境。
02:06
The problem问题 with this model模型
48
111000
2000
这一观念的问题在于
02:08
is that there are some amazing惊人 messages消息 that need to be said
49
113000
2000
有些需要传递的很棒的讯息
02:10
that aren't profitable有利可图 to say.
50
115000
2000
是无利可图的。
02:12
So you're never going to see them on a billboard广告牌.
51
117000
3000
因此,绝不会在布告板上看到它们。
02:15
The media媒体 plays播放 an important重要 role角色
52
120000
2000
在发展我们与政治变革的关系上,
02:17
in developing发展 our relationship关系 with political政治 change更改,
53
122000
3000
媒体扮演了一个重要的角色,
02:20
mainly主要 by ignoring无视 politics政治
54
125000
2000
主要是通过忽视政治,
02:22
and focusing调焦 on celebrities名人 and scandals丑闻,
55
127000
2000
专注于名流和丑闻做到这些的。
02:24
but even when they do talk about important重要 political政治 issues问题,
56
129000
3000
但甚至他们在讨论重要的政治问题时,
02:27
they do it in a way that I feel discourages鼓励 engagement订婚.
57
132000
3000
也是以一种阻碍参与的方式。
02:30
And I'll give you an example: the Now magazine杂志 from last week --
58
135000
2000
我来举个例子:上周的现在杂志 --
02:32
progressive进步, downtown市中心 weekly每周 in Toronto多伦多.
59
137000
2000
进步者,多伦多市中心每周发行。
02:34
This is the cover story故事.
60
139000
2000
这是个封面故事。
02:36
It's an article文章 about a theater剧院 performance性能,
61
141000
3000
它是一篇关于剧场演出的文章,
02:39
and it starts启动 with basic基本 information信息 about where it is,
62
144000
2000
以在哪儿演出的基本的信息开始,
02:42
in case案件 you actually其实 want to go and see it after you've read the article文章 --
63
147000
3000
在你阅读了这篇文章后,一旦你真的想去看看 --
02:45
where, the time, the website网站.
64
150000
2000
地点,时间,网址一目了然。
02:47
Same相同 with this -- it's a movie电影 review评论,
65
152000
2000
这篇也一样 -- 这是篇电影评论,
02:49
an art艺术 review评论,
66
154000
2000
一篇艺术评论,
02:51
a book review评论 -- where the reading is in case案件 you want to go.
67
156000
3000
一篇书评 --假若你想去读读,在哪儿能读到。
02:54
A restaurant餐厅 -- you might威力 not want to just read about it,
68
159000
2000
一家餐馆 -- 或许你不仅仅是想读读,
02:56
maybe you want to go to the restaurant餐厅.
69
161000
2000
也许你想去那家餐馆美餐一顿。
02:58
So they tell you where it is, what the prices价格 are,
70
163000
2000
因此他们告诉你餐馆在哪儿,价格,
03:00
the address地址, the phone电话 number, etc等等.
71
165000
2000
地址,电话,等等。
03:02
Then you get to their political政治 articles用品.
72
167000
2000
然后我们看看政治文章。
03:04
Here's这里的 a great article文章 about an important重要 election选举 race种族 that's happening事件.
73
169000
3000
这是一篇关于正在进行的重要选举的很好的文章。
03:07
It talks会谈 about the candidates候选人 -- written书面 very well --
74
172000
2000
论及候选人 -- 写的非常棒 --
03:09
but no information信息, no follow-up跟进,
75
174000
2000
但没有信息,没有寻根问底,
03:11
no websites网站 for the campaigns活动,
76
176000
2000
没有竞选者的网站,
03:13
no information信息 about when the debates辩论 are, where the campaign运动 offices办事处 are.
77
178000
3000
没有关于辩论时间,竞选办公室的地址等信息。
03:16
Here's这里的 another另一个 good article文章
78
181000
2000
这另一篇好文章
03:18
about a new campaign运动 opposing反对 privatization私有化 of transit过境
79
183000
3000
是关于反对交通运输私有化的一场新运动
03:21
without any contact联系 information信息 for the campaign运动.
80
186000
3000
其中没有任何关于这一运动的联系信息。
03:24
The message信息 seems似乎 to be
81
189000
2000
这似乎表明
03:26
that the readers读者 are most likely容易 to want to eat,
82
191000
2000
读者最有可能想去品尝美食,
03:28
maybe read a book, maybe see a movie电影, but not be engaged订婚 in their community社区.
83
193000
3000
或是读一本书,或是看一场电影,但并没在他们的社区中参与活动。
03:31
And you might威力 think this is a small thing,
84
196000
2000
各位也许会认为这是小事,
03:33
but I think it's important重要 because it sets a tone
85
198000
3000
但我认为这很重要,因为这树立了一个榜样
03:36
and it reinforces加强 the dangerous危险 idea理念
86
201000
4000
并且加强了政治是项观赏性活动
03:40
that politics政治 is a spectator观众 sport运动.
87
205000
3000
这一危险看法。
03:43
Heroes英雄: How do we view视图 leadership领导?
88
208000
2000
英雄:我们怎么看待领导力?
03:45
Look at these 10 movies电影. What do they have in common共同?
89
210000
3000
看看这10部电影。它们有什么共同之处?
03:48
Anyone任何人?
90
213000
2000
有人知道么?
03:50
They all have heroes英雄 who were chosen选择.
91
215000
2000
它们中都有被选中的英雄。
03:52
Someone有人 came来了 up to them and said, "You're the chosen选择 one.
92
217000
3000
有人走到他们面前说,“你就是被选中的那个人。
03:55
There's a prophesy预言. You have to save保存 the world世界."
93
220000
2000
这是预言。你必须去拯救世界。”
03:57
And then someone有人 goes off and saves节省 the world世界 because they've他们已经 been told to,
94
222000
3000
接着有人动身去拯救世界,因为他们被告知要这么做,
04:00
with a few少数 people tagging标记 along沿.
95
225000
2000
身边只跟随了几个人。
04:02
This helps帮助 me understand理解
96
227000
2000
这让我理解了
04:04
why a lot of people have trouble麻烦 seeing眼看 themselves他们自己 as leaders领导者
97
229000
3000
为什么许多人很难把自己视为领导者。
04:07
because it sends发送 all the wrong错误 messages消息 about what leadership领导 is about.
98
232000
3000
因为关于什么是领导力有太多的错误信息。
04:10
A heroic英勇 effort功夫 is a collective集体 effort功夫,
99
235000
2000
英雄式的壮举是集体的努力,
04:12
number one.
100
237000
2000
第一点。
04:14
Number two, it's imperfect不完善; it's not very glamorous富有魅力的,
101
239000
3000
第二点,它不完美;它不是很迷人;
04:17
and it doesn't suddenly突然 start开始 and suddenly突然 end结束.
102
242000
2000
它不是突然开始并突然结束的。
04:19
It's an ongoing不断的 process处理 your whole整个 life.
103
244000
2000
它是个持续一生的过程。
04:21
But most importantly重要的, it's voluntary自主性.
104
246000
2000
但最重要地是,它是自愿的。
04:23
It's voluntary自主性.
105
248000
2000
它是自愿的。
04:25
As long as we're teaching教学 our kids孩子
106
250000
3000
只要我们还在教导我们的孩子
04:28
that heroism英雄主义 starts启动 when someone有人 scratches划痕 a mark标记 on your forehead前额,
107
253000
3000
英雄事迹从有人在你额头画上标记时开始,
04:31
or someone有人 tells告诉 you that you're part部分 of a prophecy预言,
108
256000
2000
或是有人告诉你,你是预言的一部分时开始,
04:33
they're missing失踪 the most important重要 characteristic特性 of leadership领导,
109
258000
3000
他们错过了领导力中最重要的特质,
04:36
which哪一个 is that it comes from within.
110
261000
2000
而这是来自于内心的。
04:38
It's about following以下 your own拥有 dreams --
111
263000
2000
最重要的是追寻自己的梦想 --
04:40
uninvited不速之, uninvited不速之 --
112
265000
2000
未经邀请地,自发地 --
04:42
and then working加工 with others其他 to make those dreams come true真正.
113
267000
3000
然后与他人一起努力实现这些梦想。
04:45
Political政治 parties派对: oh boy男孩.
114
270000
2000
政党:哇!
04:47
Political政治 parties派对 could and should be
115
272000
3000
政党能够成为并且应该是
04:50
one of the basic基本 entry条目 points
116
275000
2000
人们参与政治的
04:52
for people to get engaged订婚 in politics政治.
117
277000
2000
基本切入点之一。
04:54
Instead代替, they've他们已经 become成为, sadly可悲的是,
118
279000
2000
相反,它们已经悲哀地成为
04:56
uninspiring平淡 and uncreative缺乏创造力 organizations组织
119
281000
3000
缺乏创见的和缺乏创造性的组织
04:59
that rely依靠 so heavily严重 on market市场 research研究
120
284000
2000
它们高度依赖市场调查、
05:01
and polling轮询 and focus焦点 groups
121
286000
2000
投票和
05:03
that they end结束 up all saying the same相同 thing,
122
288000
2000
总是能最终达成一致的焦点群体,
05:05
pretty漂亮 much regurgitating反刍 back to us what we already已经 want to hear
123
290000
3000
我们总是听到我们想听的,
05:08
at the expense费用 of putting forward前锋 bold胆大 and creative创作的 ideas思路.
124
293000
3000
而不是提出切实大胆创新的观点。
05:11
And people can smell that, and it feeds供稿 cynicism玩世不恭.
125
296000
3000
人们能感觉到这些,这成了冷嘲热讽。
05:14
(Applause掌声)
126
299000
6000
(掌声)
05:20
Charitable慈善 status状态:
127
305000
2000
慈善组织:
05:22
Groups who have charitable慈善 status状态 in Canada加拿大 aren't allowed允许 to do advocacy拥护.
128
307000
3000
在加拿大,拥有慈善组织的团体不允许拥护某个候选者。
05:25
This is a huge巨大 problem问题 and a huge巨大 obstacle障碍 to change更改
129
310000
3000
这是个大问题,也是变革的巨大障碍,
05:28
because it means手段 that some of the most passionate多情 and informed通知 voices声音
130
313000
3000
因为这意味着一些最热情的最知情的声音
05:31
are completely全然 silenced沉默, especially特别 during election选举 time.
131
316000
3000
将完全消失,尤其是在选举期间。
05:34
Which哪一个 leads引线 us to the last one,
132
319000
2000
最后一点,
05:36
which哪一个 is our elections选举.
133
321000
2000
就是我们的选举。
05:38
As you may可能 have noticed注意到, our elections选举 in Canada加拿大 are a complete完成 joke玩笑.
134
323000
3000
各位或许已经注意到了,加拿大的选举完全是个笑话。
05:41
We use out-of-date外的日期 systems系统
135
326000
2000
我们使用落后的系统
05:43
that are unfair不公平 and create创建 random随机 results结果.
136
328000
2000
这会产生一些不公平且随意的结果。
05:45
Canada's加拿大 currently目前 led by a party派对
137
330000
2000
加拿大当前正由一个
05:47
that most Canadians加拿大人 didn't actually其实 want.
138
332000
3000
多数加拿大人并不认可的政党领导着。
05:50
How can we honestly老老实实 and genuinely真正的 encourage鼓励 more people to vote投票
139
335000
3000
当在加拿大投票并不算数时,
05:53
when votes don't count计数 in Canada加拿大?
140
338000
2000
我们如何能诚实地真诚地鼓励更多的人去投票呢?
05:55
You add all this up together一起
141
340000
2000
把所有这些放在一起
05:57
and of course课程 people are apathetic麻木不仁.
142
342000
2000
人们当然缺乏兴趣。
05:59
It's like trying to run into a brick wall.
143
344000
2000
这就像试着玩儿穿墙术。
06:01
Now I'm not trying to be negative
144
346000
2000
我现在列举出这些障碍,
06:03
by throwing投掷 all these obstacles障碍 out and explaining说明 what's in our way.
145
348000
2000
说明我们面对的困难并不是想变得消极。
06:05
Quite相当 the opposite对面: I actually其实 think people are amazing惊人 and smart聪明
146
350000
3000
恰恰相反:我确实认为人们很棒很聪明
06:08
and that they do care关心.
147
353000
3000
而且他们真的在乎。
06:11
But that, as I said, we live生活 in this environment环境
148
356000
3000
但正如我说过的,我们生活在一个
06:14
where all these obstacles障碍 are being存在 put in our way.
149
359000
4000
充满坎坷的环境之中。
06:18
As long as we believe that people, our own拥有 neighbors邻居,
150
363000
3000
只要我们还在认为人们,我们的邻居,
06:21
are selfish自私, stupid or lazy,
151
366000
4000
是自私的、愚蠢的或是懒惰的,
06:25
then there's no hope希望.
152
370000
2000
就没有希望。
06:27
But we can change更改 all those things I mentioned提到.
153
372000
2000
但我们能改变所有这些我所提到的事情。
06:29
We can open打开 up city hall大厅.
154
374000
2000
我们能敞开市政厅。
06:31
We can reform改革 our electoral systems系统.
155
376000
2000
我们能改良我们的选举系统。
06:33
We can democratize民主化 our public上市 spaces空间.
156
378000
2000
我们能使我们的公共空间民主化。
06:35
My main主要 message信息 is,
157
380000
2000
我的主旨是,
06:37
if we can redefine重新定义 apathy暮气,
158
382000
2000
如果我们重新定义冷漠,
06:39
not as some kind of internal内部 syndrome综合征,
159
384000
2000
不把它视作某种内在症状,
06:41
but as a complex复杂 web卷筒纸 of cultural文化 barriers障碍
160
386000
2000
而是把它视为阻止我们参与的
06:43
that reinforces加强 disengagement解脱,
161
388000
3000
文化障碍的复杂网络,
06:46
and if we can clearly明确地 define确定, we can clearly明确地 identify鉴定,
162
391000
3000
如果我们能清晰地定义它,我们就能清晰地识别出
06:49
what those obstacles障碍 are,
163
394000
2000
哪些是障碍,
06:51
and then if we can work together一起 collectively to dismantle拆除 those obstacles障碍,
164
396000
3000
而后,如果我们能一起协作去除这些障碍,
06:54
then anything is possible可能.
165
399000
2000
一切皆有可能。
06:56
Thank you.
166
401000
2000
谢谢。
06:58
(Applause掌声)
167
403000
2000
(掌声)
Translated by Felix Chen
Reviewed by Angelia King

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dave Meslin - Artist and organizer
Dave Meslin is a "professional rabble-rouser." Based in Toronto, he works to make local issues engaging and even fun to get involved in.

Why you should listen

Multi-partisan and fiercely optimistic, Dave Meslin embraces ideas and projects that cut across traditional boundaries between grassroots politics, electoral politics and the arts community. In his work, in Toronto and globally, he attempts to weave elements of these communities together. (His business card reads "Dave Meslin: community choreographer," which feels about right.)

Some of his projects include 2006's City Idol contest, which put a sexy new face on council elections; co-editing Local Motion, a book about civic projects in Toronto; and Dandyhorse and Spacing magazines. And he's part of the Toronto folk/indie collective Hidden Cameras, using their worldwide touring to research voting practices in the cities where they play. He recently founded the Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto (RaBIT)

He blogs at Mez Dispenser, or find him on Facebook and Twitter, where he's @Meslin.  
More profile about the speaker
Dave Meslin | Speaker | TED.com