ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kathryn Schulz - Wrongologist
Kathryn Schulz is a staff writer for the New Yorker and is the author of "Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error."

Why you should listen

Kathryn Schulz is a journalist, author, and public speaker with a credible (if not necessarily enviable) claim to being the world's leading wrongologist.  She is the author of Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error. She was previously the book critic for New York Magazine; her writing has also appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, TIME Magazine, the Boston Globe, the "Freakonomics" blog of The New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, and the New York Times Book Review, among other publications. She is the former editor of the online environmental magazine Grist, and a former reporter and editor for The Santiago Times, of Santiago, Chile, where she covered environmental, labor, and human rights issues. She was a 2004 recipient of the Pew Fellowship in International Journalism (now the International Reporting Project), and has reported from throughout Central and South America, Japan, and, most recently, the Middle East. A graduate of Brown University and a former Ohioan, Oregonian and Brooklynite, she currently lives in New York's Hudson Valley.

More profile about the speaker
Kathryn Schulz | Speaker | TED.com
TED2011

Kathryn Schulz: On being wrong

Kathryn Schulz:犯錯的價值

Filmed:
4,826,828 views

每個人都會避免犯錯,但或許避免犯錯本身就是一種錯誤?“犯錯家” Kathryn Schulz 告訴我們,或許我們不只該承認錯誤,更應該大力擁抱人性中“我錯故我在”的本質。
- Wrongologist
Kathryn Schulz is a staff writer for the New Yorker and is the author of "Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error." Full bio

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

00:15
So it's 1995,
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當時是95年
00:18
I'm in college學院,
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我在上大學
00:20
and a friend朋友 and I go on a road trip
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我和一個朋友開車去玩
00:23
from Providence普羅維登斯, Rhode羅德島 Island
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從羅德島的普羅旺斯區出發
00:25
to Portland波特蘭, Oregon俄勒岡.
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到奧勒岡州的波特蘭市
00:27
And you know, we're young年輕 and unemployed失業的,
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我們年輕,無業
00:30
so we do the whole整個 thing on back roads道路
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於是整個旅程都在鄉間小道
00:32
through通過 state parks公園
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經過州立公園
00:34
and national國民 forests森林 --
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和國家保護森林
00:37
basically基本上 the longest最長 route路線 we can possibly或者 take.
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我們盡可能繞著最長的路徑
00:41
And somewhere某處 in the middle中間 of South Dakota達科他州,
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在南達科塔州之中某處
00:44
I turn to my friend朋友
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我轉向我的朋友
00:47
and I ask her a question
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問她一個
00:49
that's been bothering困擾 me
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兩千英里路途上
00:51
for 2,000 miles英里.
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一直煩惱我的問題
00:55
"What's up with the Chinese中文 character字符 I keep seeing眼看 by the side of the road?"
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"路邊那個一直出現的中文字到底是什麼?"
01:02
My friend朋友 looks容貌 at me totally完全 blankly面無表情.
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我的朋友露出疑惑的神情
01:06
There's actually其實 a gentleman紳士 in the front面前 row
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正如現在坐在第一排的這三位男士
01:08
who's誰是 doing a perfect完善 imitation仿製 of her look.
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所露出的神情一樣
01:11
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
01:14
And I'm like, "You know,
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我說"你知道的
01:16
all the signs跡象 we keep seeing眼看
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我們一直看到的那個路牌
01:18
with the Chinese中文 character字符 on them."
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寫著中文的那個啊"
01:22
She just stares凝視 at me for a few少數 moments瞬間,
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她瞪著我的臉一陣子
01:25
and then she cracks裂縫 up,
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突然笑開了
01:28
because she figures人物 out what I'm talking about.
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因為她總算知道我所指為何
01:30
And what I'm talking about is this.
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我說的是這個
01:33
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
01:39
Right, the famous著名 Chinese中文 character字符 for picnic野餐 area.
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沒錯,這就是代表野餐區的那個中文字
01:43
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
01:45
I've spent花費 the last five years年份 of my life
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過去的五年
01:49
thinking思維 about situations情況
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我一直在思考
01:51
exactly究竟 like this --
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剛剛我所描述的狀況
01:54
why we sometimes有時 misunderstand誤解
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為什麼我們會對身邊的徵兆
01:56
the signs跡象 around us,
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產生誤解
01:58
and how we behave表現 when that happens發生,
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當誤解發生時我們作何反應
02:01
and what all of this can tell us about human人的 nature性質.
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以及這一切所告訴我們的人性
02:05
In other words, as you heard聽說 Chris克里斯 say,
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換句話說,就像 Chris 剛才說的
02:07
I've spent花費 the last five years年份
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過去五年的時間
02:09
thinking思維 about being存在 wrong錯誤.
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我都在思考錯誤的價值
02:12
This might威力 strike罷工 you as a strange奇怪 career事業 move移動,
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你可能覺得這是個奇異的專業
02:15
but it actually其實 has one great advantage優點:
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但有一項好處是不容置疑的:
02:18
no job工作 competition競爭.
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沒有競爭者。
02:20
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:22
In fact事實, most of us do everything we can
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事實上,我們大部分的人
02:25
to avoid避免 thinking思維 about being存在 wrong錯誤,
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都盡力不思考錯誤的價值
02:28
or at least最小 to avoid避免 thinking思維 about the possibility可能性
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或至少避免想到我們
02:30
that we ourselves我們自己 are wrong錯誤.
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有可能犯錯。
02:32
We get it in the abstract抽象.
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我們都知道這個模糊的概念。
02:34
We all know everybody每個人 in this room房間 makes品牌 mistakes錯誤.
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我們都知道這裡的每個人都曾經犯錯
02:37
The human人的 species種類, in general一般, is fallible易錯的 -- okay fine.
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人類本來就會犯錯 - 沒問題
02:41
But when it comes down to me, right now,
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一旦這個想法臨到我們自身
02:44
to all the beliefs信仰 I hold保持,
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我們現在所有的
02:46
here in the present當下 tense緊張,
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所有的信念
02:49
suddenly突然 all of this abstract抽象 appreciation升值 of fallibility易錯
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對人類可能犯錯的抽象概念
02:53
goes out the window窗口 --
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隨即被我們拋棄
02:56
and I can't actually其實 think of anything I'm wrong錯誤 about.
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我無法想到我有哪裡出錯
03:00
And the thing is, the present當下 tense緊張 is where we live生活.
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但是,我們活在現在
03:03
We go to meetings會議 in the present當下 tense緊張;
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我們開會,去家庭旅遊
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we go on family家庭 vacations休假 in the present當下 tense緊張;
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去投票
03:08
we go to the polls民意調查 and vote投票 in the present當下 tense緊張.
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全都是現在式
03:12
So effectively有效, we all kind of wind up traveling旅行 through通過 life,
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我們就像現在一個小泡泡裡
03:15
trapped被困 in this little bubble泡沫
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經歷人生
03:17
of feeling感覺 very right about everything.
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感覺自己總是對的
03:21
I think this is a problem問題.
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我認為這是個問題
03:23
I think it's a problem問題 for each of us as individuals個人,
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我認為這是每個人私人生活
03:26
in our personal個人 and professional專業的 lives生活,
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和職業生活中的問題
03:29
and I think it's a problem問題 for all of us collectively as a culture文化.
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我認為我們身為群體,這也造成了文化問題
03:32
So what I want to do today今天
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於是,我今天想做的是
03:34
is, first of all, talk about why we get stuck卡住
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先談談為甚麼我們會
03:37
inside this feeling感覺 of being存在 right.
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陷在這種自以為是的心態中
03:39
And second第二, why it's such這樣 a problem問題.
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第二是為甚麼這是個問題
03:42
And finally最後, I want to convince說服 you
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最後我想說服大家
03:44
that it is possible可能
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克服這種感覺
03:46
to step outside of that feeling感覺
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是可能的
03:48
and that if you can do so,
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而且一旦你做到了
03:50
it is the single greatest最大
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這將成為你道德上
03:52
moral道德, intellectual知識分子 and creative創作的 leap飛躍 you can make.
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智性上和創意上最大的進步
03:57
So why do we get stuck卡住
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為甚麼我們會陷在
03:59
in this feeling感覺 of being存在 right?
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這種自以為是的心態中?
04:01
One reason原因, actually其實, has to do with a feeling感覺 of being存在 wrong錯誤.
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事實上這和犯錯的感覺有關
04:04
So let me ask you guys something --
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我想問問你們
04:06
or actually其實, let me ask you guys something, because you're right here:
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讓我問問台上的你們
04:10
How does it feel -- emotionally感情上 --
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當你意識到自己犯錯了
04:13
how does it feel to be wrong錯誤?
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你感覺如何?
04:16
Dreadful可怕. Thumbs大拇指 down.
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糟透了。很差勁。
04:19
Embarrassing尷尬. Okay, wonderful精彩, great.
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難堪。很好,是的。
04:21
Dreadful可怕, thumbs大拇指 down, embarrassing尷尬 --
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很糟糕,很差勁,很難堪。
04:23
thank you, these are great answers答案,
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謝謝你們提供這些答案
04:26
but they're answers答案 to a different不同 question.
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但這些答案沒有回答我的問題
04:29
You guys are answering回答 the question:
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你們回答的問題是:
04:31
How does it feel to realize實現 you're wrong錯誤?
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當你意識到你犯錯的時候,你的感覺如何?
04:34
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
04:38
Realizing實現 you're wrong錯誤 can feel like all of that and a lot of other things, right?
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意識到你犯錯了就會有剛剛所說的這些感覺,不是嗎?
04:41
I mean it can be devastating破壞性的, it can be revelatory啟示的,
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令人沮喪,暴露了一些真實
04:44
it can actually其實 be quite相當 funny滑稽,
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有時候甚至有些好笑
04:46
like my stupid Chinese中文 character字符 mistake錯誤.
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像我誤以為路牌是中文字
04:49
But just being存在 wrong錯誤
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但犯錯本身
04:52
doesn't feel like anything.
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事實上毫無感覺
04:54
I'll give you an analogy比喻.
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讓我給你一個例子
04:57
Do you remember記得 that Loony發狂 Tunes曲調 cartoon動畫片
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你記得卡通裡
04:59
where there's this pathetic可憐 coyote郊狼
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那個總是在追逐
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who's誰是 always chasing and never catching a roadrunner走鵑?
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卻從未抓到獵物的土狼嗎?
05:03
In pretty漂亮 much every一切 episode插曲 of this cartoon動畫片,
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幾乎在每一集裡
05:06
there's a moment時刻 where the coyote郊狼 is chasing the roadrunner走鵑
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牠的獵物 - 一隻走鵑鳥
05:08
and the roadrunner走鵑 runs運行 off a cliff懸崖,
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都會跳下懸崖
05:10
which哪一個 is fine -- he's a bird, he can fly.
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反正牠是鳥,牠可以飛
05:13
But the thing is, the coyote郊狼 runs運行 off the cliff懸崖 right after him.
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但土狼也會跟著牠一起跳崖
05:17
And what's funny滑稽 --
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那很好笑
05:19
at least最小 if you're six years年份 old --
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如果你是個六歲兒童
05:21
is that the coyote's郊狼 totally完全 fine too.
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土狼也很好
05:23
He just keeps保持 running賽跑 --
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牠就這麼繼續跑
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right up until直到 the moment時刻 that he looks容貌 down
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直到牠往下看
05:27
and realizes實現 that he's in mid-air半空.
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發現自己漫步在空中
05:30
That's when he falls下降.
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這時候他才會往下掉
05:34
When we're wrong錯誤 about something --
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在我們犯錯時
05:36
not when we realize實現 it, but before that --
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在我們意識到我們犯錯時
05:39
we're like that coyote郊狼
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我們就像那隻土狼
05:42
after he's gone走了 off the cliff懸崖 and before he looks容貌 down.
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還沒意識到自己奔出懸崖
05:46
You know, we're already已經 wrong錯誤,
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我們已經錯了
05:49
we're already已經 in trouble麻煩,
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已經惹上麻煩了
05:51
but we feel like we're on solid固體 ground地面.
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但仍然感覺像走在地上
05:55
So I should actually其實 correct正確 something I said a moment時刻 ago.
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我應該改變我之前的說法
05:58
It does feel like something to be wrong錯誤;
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犯錯的感覺就和
06:01
it feels感覺 like being存在 right.
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正確的感覺一樣
06:04
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
06:07
So this is one reason原因, a structural結構 reason原因,
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事實上我們這種自以為對的感受
06:10
why we get stuck卡住 inside this feeling感覺 of rightness正當性.
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是有構造性的原因的
06:12
I call this error錯誤 blindness失明.
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我稱之為錯誤盲點
06:14
Most of the time,
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大部份的時間裡
06:16
we don't have any kind of internal內部 cue球桿
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我們身體裡沒有任何機制
06:19
to let us know that we're wrong錯誤 about something,
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提醒我們錯了
06:21
until直到 it's too late晚了.
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直到木已成舟
06:24
But there's a second第二 reason原因 that we get stuck卡住 inside this feeling感覺 as well --
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但還有第二個理由
06:27
and this one is cultural文化.
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文化性的理由
06:30
Think back for a moment時刻 to elementary初級 school學校.
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回想小學時代
06:33
You're sitting坐在 there in class,
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你坐在課堂裡
06:35
and your teacher老師 is handing移交 back quiz測驗 papers文件,
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你的老師發回小考考卷
06:38
and one of them looks容貌 like this.
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像這樣的小考考卷
06:40
This is not mine, by the way.
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雖然這張不是我的
06:42
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
06:44
So there you are in grade年級 school學校,
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你從小學時代
06:47
and you know exactly究竟 what to think
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就知道該對拿這張考卷的同學
06:49
about the kid孩子 who got this paper.
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下甚麼評語
06:52
It's the dumb kid孩子, the troublemaker麻煩製造者,
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笨蛋,搗蛋鬼
06:55
the one who never does his homework家庭作業.
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從不做功課的壞學生
06:58
So by the time you are nine years年份 old,
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你不過才九歲
07:01
you've already已經 learned學到了, first of all,
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你已經懂得,首先
07:03
that people who get stuff東東 wrong錯誤
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那些犯錯的人
07:05
are lazy, irresponsible不負責任 dimwits愚笨的人類 --
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都是懶惰、不負責任的傻瓜
07:08
and second第二 of all,
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第二
07:10
that the way to succeed成功 in life
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想要在人生中成功
07:12
is to never make any mistakes錯誤.
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就不要犯錯
07:16
We learn學習 these really bad lessons教訓 really well.
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我們很早就得到這些錯誤訊息
07:21
And a lot of us --
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而我們
07:23
and I suspect疑似, especially特別 a lot of us in this room房間 --
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尤其是這個大廳裡的許多人
07:27
deal合同 with them by just becoming變得
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都因此成為好學生
07:29
perfect完善 little A students學生們,
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拿全A
07:31
perfectionists完美主義者, over-achievers過成就.
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完美主義、永不滿意
07:34
Right,
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不是嗎?
07:36
Mr先生. CFO首席財務官, astrophysicist天體物理學家, ultra-marathoner超馬拉松?
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財務長、天體物理學家、超級馬拉松先生們?
07:40
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
07:47
You're all CFO首席財務官, astrophysicists天體物理學家, ultra-marathoners超馬拉松, it turns out.
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結果是你們全成了財務長、天體物理學家、跑超級馬拉松
07:51
Okay, so fine.
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那很好
07:53
Except that then we freak怪物 out
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但一旦我們發現有可能犯錯
07:56
at the possibility可能性 that we've我們已經 gotten得到 something wrong錯誤.
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就開始手足無措
07:58
Because according根據 to this,
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因為依照規定
08:01
getting得到 something wrong錯誤
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犯錯
08:03
means手段 there's something wrong錯誤 with us.
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代表我們一定也有甚麼不對勁
08:06
So we just insist咬定 that we're right,
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於是我們堅持己見
08:08
because it makes品牌 us feel smart聰明 and responsible主管
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因為那讓我們感覺聰明、得體
08:10
and virtuous and safe安全.
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安全和可靠
08:14
So let me tell you a story故事.
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讓我告訴你們一個故事
08:16
A couple一對 of years年份 ago,
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幾年前
08:18
a woman女人 comes into Beth貝絲 Israel以色列 Deaconess女執事 Medical Center中央 for a surgery手術.
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一個女人到 Beth Israel Deaconess 診所做手術
08:21
Beth貝絲 Israel's以色列 in Boston波士頓.
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Beth Israel 在波士頓
08:23
It's the teaching教學 hospital醫院 for Harvard哈佛 --
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是哈佛大學的教學附屬醫院
08:25
one of the best最好 hospitals醫院 in the country國家.
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全國數一數二的醫療中心
08:27
So this woman女人 comes in and she's taken採取 into the operating操作 room房間.
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這個女人被送進開刀房
08:30
She's anesthetized麻醉, the surgeon外科醫生 does his thing --
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麻醉,外科醫生做完手術
08:32
stitches her back up, sends發送 her out to the recovery復甦 room房間.
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縫合,將她送進恢復室
08:35
Everything seems似乎 to have gone走了 fine.
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一切看上去都很好
08:38
And she wakes醒來 up, and she looks容貌 down at herself她自己,
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她醒來,往自己身上一看
08:41
and she says, "Why is the wrong錯誤 side of my body身體 in bandages繃帶?"
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說“為甚麼我的左腿綁著繃帶?”
08:45
Well the wrong錯誤 side of her body身體 is in bandages繃帶
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她應該接受治療的是右腿
08:48
because the surgeon外科醫生 has performed執行 a major重大的 operation手術
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但為他做手術的外科醫生
08:50
on her left leg instead代替 of her right one.
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卻把刀開在左腿
08:54
When the vice president主席 for health健康 care關心 quality質量 at Beth貝絲 Israel以色列
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當副院長出來為醫院的醫療品質
08:57
spoke about this incident事件,
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和這次意外做出解釋時
09:00
he said something very interesting有趣.
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他說了句很有趣的話
09:03
He said, "For whatever隨你 reason原因,
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他說“無論如何
09:06
the surgeon外科醫生 simply只是 felt
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這位外科醫生感覺
09:08
that he was on the correct正確 side of the patient患者."
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他開下的刀是在正確的一側”
09:10
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
09:15
The point of this story故事
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故事的重點是
09:17
is that trusting信任的 too much in the feeling感覺
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相信自己的判斷力
09:20
of being存在 on the correct正確 side of anything
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相信自己站在對的一邊
09:23
can be very dangerous危險.
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是非常危險的
09:26
This internal內部 sense of rightness正當性
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我們心中時常感覺到的
09:29
that we all experience經驗 so often經常
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理直氣壯的感覺
09:31
is not a reliable可靠 guide指南
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在真實世界中
09:33
to what is actually其實 going on in the external外部 world世界.
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並不是個可靠的嚮導。
09:36
And when we act法案 like it is,
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當我們依此行事
09:38
and we stop entertaining娛樂 the possibility可能性 that we could be wrong錯誤,
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不再思考我們是否犯錯
09:42
well that's when we end結束 up doing things
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我們就有可能
09:44
like dumping傾銷 200 million百萬 gallons加侖 of oil into the Gulf海灣 of Mexico墨西哥,
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把兩百灣加侖的石油倒進墨西哥灣
09:48
or torpedoing魚雷 the global全球 economy經濟.
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或是顛覆世界經濟
09:52
So this is a huge巨大 practical實際的 problem問題.
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這是個很實際的問題
09:55
But it's also a huge巨大 social社會 problem問題.
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這也是個很大的社會問題
09:58
Think for a moment時刻 about what it means手段 to feel right.
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“感覺對”究竟是什麼意思
10:02
It means手段 that you think that your beliefs信仰
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這代表著你認為你的信念
10:04
just perfectly完美 reflect反映 reality現實.
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和真實是一致的
10:07
And when you feel that way,
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當你有這種感覺的時候
10:09
you've got a problem問題 to solve解決,
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你的問題就大了
10:11
which哪一個 is, how are you going to explain說明
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因為如果你是對的
10:13
all of those people who disagree不同意 with you?
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為甚麼還有人和你持不同意見?
10:16
It turns out, most of us explain說明 those people the same相同 way,
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於是我們往往用同一種
10:19
by resorting訴諸 to a series系列 of unfortunate不幸的 assumptions假設.
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思考方式去解釋這些異議
10:23
The first thing we usually平時 do when someone有人 disagrees不同意 with us
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第一是當他人不同意我們的說法
10:26
is we just assume承擔 they're ignorant愚昧.
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我們便覺得他們無知
10:29
They don't have access訪問 to the same相同 information信息 that we do,
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他們不像我們懂得這麼多
10:31
and when we generously慷慨 share分享 that information信息 with them,
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當我們慷慨地和他們分享我們的知識
10:34
they're going to see the light and come on over to our team球隊.
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他們便會理解,並加入我們的行列
10:37
When that doesn't work,
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如果不是這樣
10:40
when it turns out those people have all the same相同 facts事實 that we do
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如果這些人和我們獲得的資訊一樣多
10:42
and they still disagree不同意 with us,
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卻仍然不認同我們
10:44
then we move移動 on to a second第二 assumption假設,
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我們便有了下一個定論
10:46
which哪一個 is that they're idiots白痴.
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那就是他們是白癡
10:48
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
10:50
They have all the right pieces of the puzzle難題,
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他們已經有了所有的資訊
10:52
and they are too moronic魯鈍的 to put them together一起 correctly正確地.
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卻笨到無法拼湊出正確的圖像
10:55
And when that doesn't work,
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一旦第二個定論也不成立
10:57
when it turns out that people who disagree不同意 with us
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當這些反對我們的人
11:00
have all the same相同 facts事實 we do
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和我們有一樣的資訊
11:02
and are actually其實 pretty漂亮 smart聰明,
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又聰明
11:05
then we move移動 on to a third第三 assumption假設:
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我們便有了第三個結論
11:08
they know the truth真相,
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他們知道事實是甚麼
11:11
and they are deliberately故意 distorting扭曲 it
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但卻為了自己的好處
11:13
for their own擁有 malevolent壞心腸的 purposes目的.
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故意曲解真實。
11:17
So this is a catastrophe災難.
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這真是個大災難
11:19
This attachment附件 to our own擁有 rightness正當性
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我們的自以為是
11:22
keeps保持 us from preventing防止 mistakes錯誤
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讓我們在最需要的時候
11:24
when we absolutely絕對 need to
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無法預防犯錯
11:26
and causes原因 us to treat對待 each other terribly可怕.
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更讓我們互相仇視
11:30
But to me, what's most baffling莫名其妙
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對我來說
11:32
and most tragic悲慘 about this
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最大的悲劇是
11:35
is that it misses錯過 the whole整個 point of being存在 human人的.
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它讓我們錯失了身為人的珍貴意義
11:39
It's like we want to imagine想像
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那就像是想像
11:41
that our minds頭腦 are just these perfectly完美 translucent半透明 windows視窗
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我們的心靈之窗完全透明
11:44
and we just gaze凝視 out of them
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我們向外觀看
11:46
and describe描述 the world世界 as it unfolds展開.
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描述在我們之前展開的世界
11:49
And we want everybody每個人 else其他 to gaze凝視 out of the same相同 window窗口
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我們想要每個人和我們有一樣的窗子
11:51
and see the exact精確 same相同 thing.
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對世界做出一樣的觀察
11:53
That is not true真正,
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那不是真的
11:55
and if it were, life would be incredibly令人難以置信 boring無聊.
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如果是,人生將會多麼無聊
11:58
The miracle奇蹟 of your mind心神
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心靈的神奇之處
12:01
isn't that you can see the world世界 as it is.
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不在你懂得這個世界是甚麼樣子
12:05
It's that you can see the world世界 as it isn't.
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而是去理解那些你不懂的地方
12:09
We can remember記得 the past過去,
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我們記得過去
12:11
and we can think about the future未來,
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思考未來
12:14
and we can imagine想像 what it's like
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我們想像
12:16
to be some other person in some other place地點.
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自己成為他人,在他方
12:19
And we all do this a little differently不同,
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我們的想像都有些不同
12:21
which哪一個 is why we can all look up at the same相同 night sky天空
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於是當我們抬頭看同一個夜空
12:23
and see this
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我們看到這個
12:25
and also this
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這個
12:27
and also this.
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和這個
12:30
And yeah, it is also why we get things wrong錯誤.
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這也是我們搞錯事情的原因
12:34
1,200 years年份 before Descartes笛卡爾 said his famous著名 thing
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在笛卡兒說出那句有名的”我思故我在“
12:36
about "I think therefore因此 I am,"
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的一千兩百年前
12:38
this guy, St. Augustine奧古斯丁, satSAT down
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聖奧古斯丁,坐下來
12:40
and wrote "FallorFallor ergoERGO sum" --
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寫下"Fallor ergo sum"
12:43
"I err therefore因此 I am."
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"我錯故我在"
12:47
Augustine奧古斯丁 understood了解
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奧古斯丁懂得
12:49
that our capacity容量 to screw up,
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我們犯錯的能力
12:51
it's not some kind of embarrassing尷尬 defect缺陷
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這並不是人性中
12:53
in the human人的 system系統,
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一個令人難堪的缺陷
12:55
something we can eradicate根除 or overcome克服.
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不是我們可以克服或消滅的
12:58
It's totally完全 fundamental基本的 to who we are.
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這是我們的本質
13:01
Because, unlike不像 God,
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因為我們不是上帝
13:03
we don't really know what's going on out there.
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我們不知道我們之外究竟發生了甚麼
13:06
And unlike不像 all of the other animals動物,
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而不同於其它動物的是
13:09
we are obsessed痴迷 with trying to figure數字 it out.
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我們都瘋狂地想找出解答
13:13
To me, this obsession困擾
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對我來說
13:15
is the source資源 and root
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這種尋找的衝動
13:17
of all of our productivity生產率 and creativity創造力.
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就是我們生產力和創造力的來源
13:20
Last year, for various各個 reasons原因,
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因為一些緣故
13:23
I found發現 myself listening to a lot of episodes發作
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去年我在廣播上
13:25
of the Public上市 Radio無線電 show顯示 This American美國 Life.
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聽了很多集的"我們的美國人生"
13:27
And so I'm listening and I'm listening,
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我聽著聽著
13:30
and at some point, I start開始 feeling感覺
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突然發現
13:33
like all the stories故事 are about being存在 wrong錯誤.
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這些故事全和犯錯有關
13:37
And my first thought was,
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我的第一個念頭是
13:39
"I've lost丟失 it.
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“我完了
13:41
I've become成為 the crazy wrongness不正當 lady淑女.
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我寫書寫瘋了
13:43
I just imagined想像 it everywhere到處,"
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四處都看到有關犯錯的幻覺”
13:45
which哪一個 has happened發生.
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說真的是這樣
13:47
But a couple一對 of months個月 later後來,
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但幾個月後
13:49
I actually其實 had a chance機會 to interview訪問 Ira艾拉 Glass玻璃, who's誰是 the host主辦 of the show顯示.
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我訪問了那個廣播節目的主持人 Ira Glass
13:51
And I mentioned提到 this to him,
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我向他提到這件事
13:53
and he was like, "No actually其實, that's true真正.
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他回答我“事實上
13:56
In fact事實," he says,
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你是對的”他說
13:58
"as a staff員工, we joke玩笑
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“我們這些工作人員總是
14:00
that every一切 single episode插曲 of our show顯示
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開玩笑說每集節目之中的
14:02
has the same相同 crypto-theme加密主題.
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祕密主題都是一樣的
14:05
And the crypto-theme加密主題 is:
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這個祕密主題就是
14:07
'I thought this one thing was going to happen發生
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"我以為這件事會這樣發生
14:10
and something else其他 happened發生 instead代替.'
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結果其它事情發生了"
14:13
And the thing is," says Ira艾拉 Glass玻璃, "we need this.
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他說“但是,這就是我們需要的
14:16
We need these moments瞬間
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我們需要這些意外
14:18
of surprise and reversal翻轉 and wrongness不正當
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這些顛倒和錯誤
14:20
to make these stories故事 work."
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這些故事才能成立。"
14:22
And for the rest休息 of us, audience聽眾 members會員,
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而我們身為觀眾
14:24
as listeners聽眾, as readers讀者,
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聽眾、讀者
14:27
we eat this stuff東東 up.
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我們吸收這些故事
14:29
We love things like plot情節 twists曲折
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我們喜歡故事轉折
14:32
and red herrings鯡魚 and surprise endings結局.
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令人驚訝的結局
14:35
When it comes to our stories故事,
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我們喜歡在故事裡
14:38
we love being存在 wrong錯誤.
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看到犯錯
14:41
But, you know, our stories故事 are like this
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但,故事會這樣寫
14:43
because our lives生活 are like this.
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是因為人生就是這樣
14:46
We think this one thing is going to happen發生
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我們以為某些事情會這樣發生
14:49
and something else其他 happens發生 instead代替.
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發生的卻是其它事
14:52
George喬治 Bush襯套 thought he was going to invade入侵 Iraq伊拉克,
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小布希以為他入侵伊拉克
14:54
find a bunch of weapons武器 of mass destruction毀壞,
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會找到大規模毀滅性武器
14:56
liberate解放 the people and bring帶來 democracy民主 to the Middle中間 East.
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解放中東百姓,為他們帶來民主自由
15:00
And something else其他 happened發生 instead代替.
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但卻不是這樣
15:03
And Hosni胡斯尼 Mubarak穆巴拉克
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穆巴拉克以為
15:05
thought he was going to be the dictator獨裁者 of Egypt埃及 for the rest休息 of his life,
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他到死都會是埃及的獨裁者
15:07
until直到 he got too old or too sick生病
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一直到他年老或臥病
15:09
and could pass通過 the reigns統治 of power功率 onto his son兒子.
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再把他的權力交給下一代
15:12
And something else其他 happened發生 instead代替.
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但卻不是這樣
15:16
And maybe you thought
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或許你想過
15:18
you were going to grow增長 up and marry結婚 your high school學校 sweetheart愛人
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你會長大、嫁給你的初戀情人
15:20
and move移動 back to your hometown家鄉 and raise提高 a bunch of kids孩子 together一起.
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搬回老家,生一群孩子
15:24
And something else其他 happened發生 instead代替.
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但卻不是這樣
15:27
And I have to tell you
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我必須說
15:29
that I thought I was writing寫作 an incredibly令人難以置信 nerdy書呆子 book
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我以為我寫的是一本很冷僻的書
15:31
about a subject學科 everybody每個人 hates
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有關一個人人討厭的主題
15:33
for an audience聽眾 that would never materialize物質化.
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為一些從不存在的讀者
15:36
And something else其他 happened發生 instead代替.
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但卻不是這樣
15:38
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
15:40
I mean, this is life.
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我們的人生
15:42
For good and for ill生病,
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無論好壞
15:44
we generate生成 these incredible難以置信 stories故事
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我們創造了啦
15:47
about the world世界 around us,
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那包圍我們的世界
15:49
and then the world世界 turns around and astonishes讓人驚訝 us.
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而世界轉過頭來,令我們大吃一驚
15:55
No offense罪行, but this entire整個 conference會議
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說真的,這整個會議
15:58
is an unbelievable難以置信的 monument紀念碑
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充斥著這樣難以置信的時刻
16:00
to our capacity容量 to get stuff東東 wrong錯誤.
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我們一次又一次地意識到自己的錯誤
16:02
We just spent花費 an entire整個 week
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我們花了整整一週
16:04
talking about innovations創新 and advancements進步
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討論創新,進步
16:06
and improvements改進,
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和改善
16:08
but you know why we need all of those innovations創新
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你知道我們為甚麼需要這些創新
16:11
and advancements進步 and improvements改進?
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進步和改善嗎?
16:13
Because half the stuff東東
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因為其中有一半
16:15
that's the most mind-boggling令人難以置信 and world-altering世界改變 --
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來自最應該改變世界的
16:18
TEDTED 1998 --
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98年的TED
16:20
eh.
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16:22
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
16:26
Didn't really work out that way, did it?
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真是出人意料之外啊,不是嗎
16:28
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
16:30
Where's哪裡 my jet噴射 pack, Chris克里斯?
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我的逃生火箭在哪,Chris?
16:33
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
16:37
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
16:42
So here we are again.
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於是我們又在這裡
16:45
And that's how it goes.
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事情就是這樣
16:47
We come up with another另一個 idea理念.
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我們重新想出其它點子
16:49
We tell another另一個 story故事.
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我們有了新的故事
16:52
We hold保持 another另一個 conference會議.
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我們開了另一個會議
16:55
The theme主題 of this one,
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這次的主題是
16:57
as you guys have now heard聽說 seven million百萬 times,
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如果你還沒有聽到耳朵出油的話
16:59
is the rediscovery重新發現 of wonder奇蹟.
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是重新找到想像的力量
17:01
And to me,
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對我來說
17:03
if you really want to rediscover重新發現 wonder奇蹟,
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如果你真的想重新找到想像的力量
17:06
you need to step outside
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你需要離開
17:08
of that tiny, terrified space空間 of rightness正當性
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那個小小的、自我感覺良好的小圈圈
17:14
and look around at each other
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看看彼此
17:17
and look out at the vastness廣大
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看看宇宙的
17:20
and complexity複雜 and mystery神秘
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廣大無垠
17:23
of the universe宇宙
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複雜神祕
17:26
and be able能夠 to say,
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然後真正地說
17:29
"Wow, I don't know.
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“哇,我不知道
17:33
Maybe I'm wrong錯誤."
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或許我錯了。”
17:35
Thank you.
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謝謝各位
17:37
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
17:40
Thank you guys.
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謝謝
17:42
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
Translated by Coco Shen
Reviewed by Geoff Chen

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kathryn Schulz - Wrongologist
Kathryn Schulz is a staff writer for the New Yorker and is the author of "Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error."

Why you should listen

Kathryn Schulz is a journalist, author, and public speaker with a credible (if not necessarily enviable) claim to being the world's leading wrongologist.  She is the author of Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error. She was previously the book critic for New York Magazine; her writing has also appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, TIME Magazine, the Boston Globe, the "Freakonomics" blog of The New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, and the New York Times Book Review, among other publications. She is the former editor of the online environmental magazine Grist, and a former reporter and editor for The Santiago Times, of Santiago, Chile, where she covered environmental, labor, and human rights issues. She was a 2004 recipient of the Pew Fellowship in International Journalism (now the International Reporting Project), and has reported from throughout Central and South America, Japan, and, most recently, the Middle East. A graduate of Brown University and a former Ohioan, Oregonian and Brooklynite, she currently lives in New York's Hudson Valley.

More profile about the speaker
Kathryn Schulz | Speaker | TED.com