Zachary R. Wood: Why it's worth listening to people you disagree with
扎哈里 · R · 伍德: 為何值得聆聽那些與你意見不同的人
As the head of a student group called Uncomfortable Learning, Zachary R. Wood made a point of engaging in conversation with people he disagreed with. Full bio
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coauthored "The Bell Curve,"
and more likely to succeed than others.
也較容易成功。
explains the prominence of violent crime
能解釋為什麼大部分的暴力犯罪
are not the only people who think this.
不是唯一這樣想的人。
commentator named John Derbyshire
和政治評論員的德比夏爾
a non-black version of the talk
they have to give their kids today:
這也適用於他們的小孩:
likely to draw a lot of blacks,"
一群黑人的活動。」
to blacks in distress."
急難之中的黑人太好心。」
I invited John Derbyshire
be giving them a platform and attention
和我拒絕的想法。
不舒服學習的演變。
throughout my life.
was diagnosed with schizophrenia,
被診斷思覺失調症,
by mood swings and paranoid delusions.
特徵是情緒波動和偏執妄想。
would turn our small house
會把我們的小屋
her rage on a daily basis,
and challenging,
that I needed to live apart from her.
被判定必須和她分開住。
some of the important lessons
有關人生的重要課程。
about learning from the other side.
要從反面學習的人,
一個自由民主的家庭裡。
liberal democrats.
and the issues our world faces
及世界上正面對的問題
and ever-changing.
the phrase "affirmative action"
「平權行動」這詞,
and thoughtful explanation
at least as interesting
why people of various political views
為什麼不同政治觀點的人
supported it herself,
as a controversial one
看成一個長期的爭議、
the presence of minorities
在精英教育機構的比例,
來自富裕背景的努力人士不利。
hardworking people of different races
just write off opinions
或不喜歡的意見,
to learn from the perspectives of others,
that has been formative and uncomfortable.
感到不舒服的過程。
that I should attend a private school
the best education possible.
predominantly white private schools,
白人為主的私立學校,
that reflected racial stereotypes.
刻板印象的態度和行為。
assumed within minutes of meeting me
才見到我幾分鐘,
that my race made it harder for them
種族因素使其他人
reading, writing and speaking.
和演講難以想像。
to work tirelessly
people had assumed.
in order to put my best foot forward,
and excruciatingly well-mannered.
I had to show poise and confidence,
我要展現優雅和自信,
and listen closely.
我和他們一樣夠格待在那裡。
that I deserved to be there
and the discomfort I often felt,
of being at an elite private school
學到不同的觀點,
to explore my curiosity,
of subjects that fascinated me the most.
drive and interest in the world of ideas
帶進思想界的下一階段,
with peers and professors
a deeper understanding of myself
了解自我和他人。
peers and professors
做同樣事情的同儕和教授時,
in doing the same thing,
was also met with resistance.
也碰到了阻力。
with controversy in the real world,
真實世界的矛盾,
controversial speakers to campus.
他們邀請爭議講者進校園,
opposed this group,
and my administration.
及行政部門來的阻力。
speakers to campus could be valuable,
facing personal attacks,
要面對人身攻擊,
distorted by those around me.
controversial speakers
a war against men
一場對男人的戰爭,
traumatic experiences in their lives.
that they've worked so hard to overcome.
那些他們努力克服的創傷。
these people a platform,
舞台是弊大於利,
I listen to these points of view
doesn't make them go away,
並不會讓它消失,
agree with them.
the potential of society
and offensive ideas,
they may attract or indoctrinate.
或灌輸觀念的觀眾。
that we may reach a better understanding,
to solve problems,
if we don't talk to each other
如果不和彼此溝通
would be speaking on campus,
in fact, was so intense,
rescinded the invitation.
because, as I saw it,
that any of my peers or I could do
與校長持有相同意見的人沉默。
of our future employers.
on college campuses,
發生了什麼事時,
is that it's worth the discomfort,
不舒服是值得的,
not weaker, because of it.
更堅強而非軟弱。
with uncomfortable learning,
to change the values
我所屬知識社群的固有價值觀。
that I've been a part of.
interactions that I've been able to have
the work that I'm doing
and who do not support it.
和那些反對者。
the values of a community,
from individual interactions.
with John Derbyshire
with Charles Murray before his talk.
在演講前共進晚餐。
would be difficult.
a deeper understanding of his arguments.
更了解他的論點。
believed in creating a more just society.
相信能建造一個更公正的社會,
of what justice entailed
to understand the issue,
to approach the issue of inequality
of issues like welfare
和平權運動議題的認識
和保守信仰的理解緊密相連,
libertarian and conservative beliefs,
their presence in our society.
his viewpoints eloquently,
with a deeper understanding.
in the face of adversity,
understanding of humanity.
the depths of the views
of everyone they're representing.
每個人代表的細微差異。
involving constant learning,
to add value down the line
and understanding
去建立同理心及理解他人,
with unfamiliar perspectives.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Zachary R. Wood - Crusader for dialogueAs the head of a student group called Uncomfortable Learning, Zachary R. Wood made a point of engaging in conversation with people he disagreed with.
Why you should listen
Zachary R. Wood wants to encourage open conversations about hard topics. He is a Robert L. Bartley Fellow at The Wall Street Journal and a class of 2018 graduate of Williams College, where he served as president of Uncomfortable Learning, a student group that sparked national controversy for inviting provocative speakers to campus, from John Derbyshire to Charles Murray. Wood's defense of such conversations led him to give Senate testimony in the summer of 2017.
His recent writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Nation, The Weekly Standard, Times Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, Jet and SLAM Magazine. In 2018, he'll publish Uncensored, a book that tells his own personal story to enrich and deepen his work as an advocate for difficult conversations. You can reach him at zachwood2448@gmail.com.
Zachary R. Wood | Speaker | TED.com