TED英语演讲稿：不幸也许是个机会

Word文档TED英语演讲稿：不幸也许是个机会简介：残奥会短跑冠军AimeeMullins天生没有腓骨，从小就要学习靠义肢走路和奔跑。如今，她不仅是短跑选手、演员、模特，还是一位稳健的演讲者。她不喜爱字典中“disabled”这个词，由于负面词汇足以毁掉一个人。但是，坦然面对不幸，你会发觉等待你的是更多的机会。

IdliketosharewithyouadiscoverythatImadeafewmonthsagowhilewritinganarticleforItalianWired.IalwayskeepmythesaurushandywheneverImwritinganything,butIdalreadyfinishededitingthepiece,andIrealizedthatIhadneveronceinmylifelookeduptheworddisabledtoseewhatIdfind.

Letmereadyoutheentry.Disabled,adjective:crippled,helpless,useless,wrecked,stalled,maimed,wounded,mangled,lame,mutilated,run-down,worn-out,weakened,impotent,castrated,paralyzed,handicapped,senile,decrepit,laid-up,done-up,done-for,done-incracked-up,counted-out;seealsohurt,uselessandweak.Antonyms,healthy,strong,capable.Iwasreadingthislistoutloudtoafriendandatfirstwaslaughing,itwassoludicrous,butIdjustgottenpastmangled,andmyvoicebroke,andIhadtostopandcollectmyselffromtheemotionalshockandimpactthattheassaultfromthesewordsunleashed.

Youknow,ofcourse,thisismyraggedyoldthesaurussoImthinkingthismustbeanancientprintdate,right?But,infact,theprintdatewastheearly1980s,whenIwouldhavebeenstartingprimaryschoolandforminganunderstandingofmyselfoutsidethefamilyunitandasrelatedtotheotherkidsandtheworldaroundme.And,needlesstosay,thankGodIwasntusingathesaurusbackthen.Imean,fromthisentry,itwouldseemthatIwasbornintoaworldthatperceivedsomeonelikemetohavenothingpositivewhatsoevergoingforthem,wheninfact,todayImcelebratedfortheopportunitiesandadventuresmylifehasprocured.

So,Iimmediatelywenttolookupthe2022onlineedition,expectingtofindarevisionworthnoting.Herestheupdatedversionofthisentry.Unfortunately,itsnotmuchbetter.IfindthelasttwowordsunderNearAntonyms,particularlyunsettling:wholeandwholesome.

So,itsnotjustaboutthewords.Itswhatwebelieveaboutpeoplewhenwenamethemwiththesewords.Itsaboutthevaluesbehindthewords,andhowweconstructthosevalues.Ourlanguageaffectsourthinkingandhowweviewtheworldandhowweviewotherpeople.Infact,manyancientsocieties,includingtheGreeksandtheRomans,believedthattoutteracurseverballywassopowerful,becausetosaythethingoutloudbroughtitintoexistence.So,whatrealitydowewanttocallintoexistence:apersonwhoislimited,orapersonwhosempowered?Bycasuallydoingsomethingassimpleasnamingaperson,achild,wemightbeputtinglidsandcastingshadowsontheirpower.Wouldntwewanttoopendoorsfortheminstead?

OnesuchpersonwhoopeneddoorsformewasmychildhooddoctorattheA.I.duPontInstituteinWilmington,Delaware.HisnamewasDr.Pizzutillo,anItalianAmerican,whosename,apparently,wastoodifficultformostAmericanstopronounce,sohewentbyDr.P.AndDr.Palwaysworereallycolorfulbowtiesandhadtheveryperfectdispositiontoworkwithchildren.

Ilovedalmosteverythingaboutmytimespentatthishospital,withtheexceptionofmyphysicaltherapysessions.Ihadtodowhatseemedlikeinnumerablerepetitionsofexerciseswiththesethick,elasticbands--differentcolors,youknow--tohelpbuildupmylegmuscles,andIhatedthesebandsmorethananything--Ihatedthem,hadnamesforthem.Ihatedthem.And,youknow,Iwasalreadybargaining,asafiveyear-oldchild,withDr.Ptotrytogetoutofdoingtheseexercises,unsuccessfully,ofcourse.And,oneday,hecameintomysession--exhaustiveandunforgiving,thesesessions--andhesaidtome,Wow.Aimee,youaresuchastrongandpowerfullittlegirl,Ithinkyouregoingtobreakoneofthosebands.Whenyoudobreakit,Imgoingtogiveyouahundredbucks.

Now,ofcourse,thiswasasimpleployonDr.PsparttogetmetodotheexercisesIdidntwanttodobeforetheprospectofbeingtherichestfive-year-oldinthesecondfloorward,butwhatheeffectivelydidformewasreshapeanawfuldailyoccurrenceintoanewandpromisingexperienceforme.AndIhavetowondertodaytowhatextenthisvisionandhisdeclarationofmeasastrongandpowerfullittlegirlshapedmyownviewofmyselfasaninherentlystrong,powerfulandathleticpersonwellintothefuture.

Thisisanexampleofhowadultsinpositionsofpowercanignitethepowerofachild.But,inthepreviousinstancesofthosethesaurusentries,ourlanguageisntallowingustoevolveintotherealitythatwewouldallwant,thepossibilityofanindividualtoseethemselvesascapable.Ourlanguagehasntcaughtupwiththechangesinoursociety,manyofwhichhavebeenbroughtaboutbytechnology.Certainly,fromamedicalstandpoint,mylegs,lasersurgeryforvisionimpairment,titaniumkneesandhipreplacementsforagingbodiesthatareallowingpeopletomorefullyengagewiththeirabilities,andmovebeyondthelimitsthatnaturehasimposedonthem--nottomentionsocialnetworkingplatformsallowpeopletoself-identify,toclaimtheirowndescriptionsofthemselves,sotheycangoalignwithglobalgroupsoftheirownchoosing.So,perhapstechnologyisrevealingmoreclearlytousnowwhathasalwaysbeenatruth:thateveryonehassomethingrareandpowerfultoofferoursociety,andthatthehumanabilitytoadaptisourgreatestasset.

Thehumanabilitytoadapt,itsaninterestingthing,becausepeoplehavecontinuallywantedtotalktomeaboutovercomingadversity,andImgoingtomakeanadmission:Thisphraseneversatrightwithme,andIalwaysfeltuneasytryingtoanswerpeoplesquestionsaboutit,andIthinkImstartingtofigureoutwhy.Implicitinthisphraseofovercomingadversityistheideathatsuccess,orhappiness,isaboutemergingontheothersideofachallengingexperienceunscathedorunmarkedbytheexperience,asifmysuccessesinlifehavecomeaboutfromanabilitytosidesteporcircumnavigatethepresumedpitfallsofalifewithprosthetics,orwhatotherpeopleperceiveasmydisability.But,infact,wearechanged.Wearemarked,ofcourse,byachallenge,whetherphysically,emotionallyorboth.AndImgoingtosuggestthatthisisagoodthing.Adversityisntanobstaclethatweneedtogetaroundinordertoresumelivingourlife.Itspartofourlife.AndItendtothinkofitlikemyshadow.SometimesIseealotofit,sometimestheresverylittle,butitsalwayswithme.And,certainly,Imnottryingtodiminishtheimpact,theweight,ofapersonsstruggle.

Thereisadversityandchallengeinlife,anditsallveryrealandrelativetoeverysingleperson,butthequestionisntwhetherornotyouregoingtomeetadversity,buthowyouregoingtomeetit.So,ourresponsibilityisnotsimplyshieldingthosewecareforfromadversity,butpreparingthemtomeetitwell.Andwedoadisservicetoourkidswhenwemakethemfeelthattheyrenotequippedtoadapt.TheresanimportantdifferenceanddistinctionbetweentheobjectivemedicalfactofmybeinganamputeeandthesubjectivesocietalopinionofwhetherornotImdisabled.And,truthfully,theonlyrealandconsistentdisabilityIvehadtoconfrontistheworldeverthinkingthatIcouldbedescribedbythosedefinitions.

Inourdesiretoprotectthosewecareaboutbygivingthemthecold,hardtruthabouttheirmedicalprognosis,or,indeed,aprognosisontheexpectedqualityoftheirlife,wehavetomakesurethatwedontputthefirstbrickinawallthatwillactuallydisablesomeone.Perhapstheexistingmodelofonlylookingatwhatisbrokeninyouandhowdowefixit,servestobemoredisablingtotheindividualthanthepathologyitself.

Bynottreatingthewholenessofaperson,bynotacknowledgingtheirpotency,wearecreatinganotherillontopofwhatevernaturalstruggletheymighthave.Weareeffectivelygradingsomeonesworthtoourcommunity.Soweneedtoseethroughthepathologyandintotherangeofhumancapability.And,mostimportantly,theresapartnershipbetweenthoseperceiveddeficienciesandourgreatestcreativeability.Soitsnotaboutdevaluing,ornegating,thesemoretryingtimesassomethingwewanttoavoidorsweepundertherug,butinsteadtofindthoseopportunitieswrappedintheadversity.SomaybetheideaIwanttoputoutthereisnotsomuchovercomingadversityasitisopeningourselvesuptoit,embracingit,grapplingwithit,touseawrestlingterm,maybeevendancingwithit.And,perhaps,ifweseeadversityasnatural,consistentanduseful,werelessburdenedbythepresenceofit.

Thisyearwecelebratethe200thbirthdayofCharlesDarwin,anditwas150yearsago,whenwritingaboutevolution,thatDarwinillustrated,Ithink,atruthaboutthehumancharacter.Toparaphrase:Itsnotthestrongestofthespeciesthatsurvives,norisitthemostintelligentthatsurvives;itistheonethatismostadaptabletochange.Conflictisthegenesisofcreation.FromDarwinswork,amongstothers,wecanrecognizethatthehumanabilitytosurviveandflourishisdrivenbythestruggleofthehumanspiritthroughconflictintotransformation.So,again,transformation,adaptation,isourgreatesthumanskill.And,perhaps,untilweretested,wedontknowwhatweremadeof.Maybethatswhatadversitygivesus:asenseofself,asenseofourownpower.So,wecangiveourselvesagift.Wecanre-imagineadversityassomethingmorethanjusttoughtimes.Maybewecanseeitaschange.Adversityisjustchangethatwehaventadaptedourselvestoyet.

Ithinkthegreatestadversitythatwevecreatedforourselvesisthisideaofnormalcy.Now,whosnormal?Theresnonormal.Therescommon,therestypical.Theresnonormal,andwouldyouwanttomeetthatpoor,beigepersoniftheyexisted?(Laughter)Idontthinkso.Ifwecanchangethisparadigmfromoneofachievingnormalcytooneofpossibility--orpotency,tobeevenalittlebitmoredangerous--wecanreleasethepowerofsomanymorechildren,andinvitethemtoengagetheirrareandvaluableabilitieswiththecommunity.

Anthropologiststellusthattheonethingweashumanshavealwaysrequiredofourcommunitymembersistobeofuse,tobeabletocontribute.TheresevidencethatNeanderthals,60,000yearsago,carriedtheirelderlyandthosewithseriousphysicalinjury,andperhapsitsbecausethelifeexperienceofsurvivalofthesepeopleprovedofvaluetothecommunity.Theydidntviewthesepeopleasbrokenanduseless;theywereseenasrareandvaluable.

Afewyearsago,IwasinafoodmarketinthetownwhereIgrewupinthatredzoneinnortheasternPennsylvania,andIwasstandingoverabusheloftomatoes.Itwassummertime:Ihadshortson.Ihearthisguy,hisvoicebehindmesay,Well,ifitisntAimeeMullins.AndIturnaround,anditsthisolderman.Ihavenoideawhoheis.

AndIsaid,Imsorry,sir,havewemet?Idontremembermeetingyou.

Hesaid,Well,youwouldntremembermeetingme.Imean,whenwemetIwasdeliveringyoufromyourmotherswomb.(Laughter)Oh,thatguy.And,butofcourse,actually,itdidclick.

ThismanwasDr.Kean,amanthatIhadonlyknownaboutthroughmymothersstoriesofthatday,because,ofcourse,typicalfashion,Iarrivedlateformybirthdaybytwoweeks.Andsomymothersprenatalphysicianhadgoneonvacation,sothemanwhodeliveredmewasacompletestrangertomyparents.And,becauseIwasbornwithoutthefibulabones,andhadfeetturnedin,andafewtoesinthisfootandafewtoesinthat,hehadtobethebearer--thisstrangerhadtobethebearerofbadnews.

Hesaidtome,Ihadtogivethisprognosistoyourparentsthatyouwouldneverwalk,andyouwouldneverhavethekindofmobilitythatotherkidshaveoranykindoflifeofindependence,andyouvebeenmakingliaroutofmeeversince.(Laughter)(Applause)

Theextraordinarythingisthathesaidhehadsavednewspaperclippingsthroughoutmywholechildhood,whetherwinningasecondgradespellingbee,marchingwiththeGirlScouts,youknow,theHalloweenparade,winningmycollegescholarship,oranyofmysportsvictories,andhewasusingit,andintegratingitintoteachingresidentstudents,medstudentsfromHahnemannMedicalSchoolandHersheyMedicalSchool.AndhecalledthispartofthecoursetheXFactor,thepotentialofthehumanwill.Noprognosiscanaccountforhowpowerfulthiscouldbeasadeterminantinthequalityofsomeoneslife.AndDr.Keanwentontotellme,hesaid,Inmyexperience,unlessrepeatedlytoldotherwise,andevenifgivenamodicumofsupport,iflefttotheirowndevices,achildwillachieve.

See,Dr.Keanmadethatshiftinthinking.Heunderstoodthattheresadifferencebetweenthemedicalconditionandwhatsomeonemightdowithit.Andtheresbeenashiftinmythinkingovertime,inthat,ifyouhadaskedmeat15yearsold,ifIwouldhavetradedprostheticsforflesh-and-bonelegs,Iwouldnthavehesitatedforasecond.Iaspiredtothatkindofnormalcybackthen.Butifyouaskmetoday,Imnotsosure.AnditsbecauseoftheexperiencesIvehadwiththem,notinspiteoftheexperiencesIvehadwiththem.AndperhapsthisshiftinmehashappenedbecauseIvebeenexposedtomorepeoplewhohaveopeneddoorsformethanthosewhohaveputlidsandcastshadowsonme.

See,allyoureallyneedisonepersontoshowyoutheepiphanyofyourownpower,andyoureoff.Ifyoucanhandsomebodythekeytotheirownpower--thehumanspiritissoreceptive--ifyoucandothatandopenadoorforsomeoneatacrucialmoment,youareeducatingtheminthebestsense.Youreteachingthemtoopendoorsforthemselves.Infact,theexactmeaningofthewordeducatecomesfromtherootwordeduce.Itmeanstobringforthwhatiswithin,tobringoutpotential.Soagain,whichpotentialdowewanttobringout?

Therewasacasestudydonein1960sBritain,whentheyweremovingfromgrammarschoolstocomprehensiveschools.Itscalledthestreamingtrials.WecallittrackinghereintheStates.ItsseparatingstudentsfromA,B,C,Dandsoon.AndtheAstudentsgetthetoughercurriculum,thebestteachers,etc.Well,t