that inviting a loved one, a friend or even a stranger

邀請一位愛人、朋友，甚至是陌生人，

to record a meaningful interview with you

來和你錄製一段有意義的訪談，

just might turn out to be one of the most important moments in that person's life,

這段對話可能會成為對方或是你的一生中

and in yours.

非常重要的時刻。

When I was 22 years old, I was lucky enough to find my calling

我很幸運在 22 歲的時候發現自己的天職，

when I fell into making radio stories.

當時我投入製作廣播故事。

At almost the exact same time,

幾乎就在同一時間，

I found out that my dad, who I was very, very close to, was gay.

我發現我的爸爸，那個我非常非常親密的人，

I was taken completely by surprise.

是個同性戀。

We were a very tight-knit family,

我驚訝不已。

and I was crushed.

我們是非常親密的家庭。

At some point, in one of our strained conversations,

我幾乎崩潰了。

my dad mentioned the Stonewall riots.

在一次正式的家庭談話中，

He told me that one night in 1969,

我爸爸提到了石牆暴動。

a group of young black and Latino drag queens

他告訴我，1969 年的某一晚，

fought back against the police at a gay bar in Manhattan

一群年輕黑人和拉丁裔男性的扮裝皇后

called the Stonewall Inn,

在曼哈頓的同性戀酒吧和警察發生了衝突，

and how this sparked the modern gay rights movement.

那個酒吧，叫做石牆旅館。

It was an amazing story, and it piqued my interest.

他還說這場活動如何鼓舞現代同性戀權利運動。

So I decided to pick up my tape recorder and find out more.

這是個很棒的故事，它激起了我的興趣，

With the help of a young archivist named Michael Shirker,

於是我決定拿起我的錄音機去挖掘更多故事。

we tracked down all of the people we could find

在一位年輕檔案員麥克．舍克的幫助下，

who had been at the Stonewall Inn that night.

我們找到所有能找到的當事人，

Recording these interviews,

那些當晚去過石牆旅館的人們。

I saw how the microphone gave me the license

在記錄訪談的過程中，

to go places I otherwise never would have gone

我發現麥克風給予我一種權利，

and talk to people I might not otherwise ever have spoken to.

讓我能去從沒想過要去的地方，

I had the privilege of getting to know

和我從來不會談話的人交流。

some of the most amazing, fierce and courageous human beings

我得到了一種特權，

I had ever met.

去了解我一生中見過最了不起、狂熱，

It was the first time the story of Stonewall

和富有勇氣的人們。

had been told to a national audience.

那是第一次，石牆暴動的故事

I dedicated the program to my dad,

得到全國人民關注。

it changed my relationship with him, and it changed my life.

我把這個節目歸功於我的父親，

Over the next 15 years, I made many more radio documentaries,

這件事改變了我們的關係，也改變了我的人生。

working to shine a light on people who are rarely heard from in the media.

在接下來的 15 年裡，我錄了很多廣播節目，

Over and over again,

給予在媒體上很少發言的人訴說故事的機會。

I'd see how this simple act of being interviewed

一次又一次，

could mean so much to people,

我看到這個簡單接受訪談的行為

particularly those who had been told that their stories didn't matter.

能帶給那些人非常大的意義，

I could literally see people's back straighten

尤其是對那些認為自己的故事不值一提的人們。

as they started to speak into the microphone.

我確實看見大家挺直後背，

In 1998, I made a documentary about the last flophouse hotels

開始對著麥克風傾訴。

on the Bowery in Manhattan.

1998 年，我紀錄了最後幾間廉價旅館，

Guys stayed up in these cheap hotels for decades.

在曼哈頓的包釐街。

They lived in cubicles the size of prison cells

那些人住在這種便宜的旅館裡數十年。

covered with chicken wire

他們住在斗室裡，和牢房差不多大，

so you couldn't jump from one room into the next.

覆蓋著鐵絲網，

Later, I wrote a book on the men with the photographer Harvey Wang.

所以你不能從一間房間跳進另一間房間。

I remember walking into a flophouse with an early version of the book

後來我寫了關於這群人的一本書，和攝影師王哈維合作。

and showing one of the guys his page.

我記得走進一間廉價旅館，手裡拿著這本書的初版，

He stood there staring at it in silence,

給其中一人看有他的那一頁。

then he grabbed the book out of my hand

他站在那裡安靜的盯著那一頁，

and started running down the long, narrow hallway

然後從我手中奪走那本書，

holding it over his head

快速跑過長長的窄廊，

shouting, "I exist! I exist."

高舉著書

(Applause)

大喊：「我存在這裡！我存在這裡！」

In many ways, "I exist" became the clarion call for StoryCorps,

（掌聲）

this crazy idea that I had a dozen years ago.

在很多方面，「我存在這裡」 成為故事公司號召的話語，

The thought was to take documentary work

我在 12 年前有了一個瘋狂想法，

and turn it on its head.

這個想法是，用紀實作品

Traditionally, broadcast documentary

徹底改變紀實作品。

has been about recording interviews to create a work of art or entertainment

傳統意義上，廣播紀實

or education that is seen or heard by a whole lot of people,

一向只是透過紀錄訪談

but I wanted to try something

製做藝術、娛樂或教育用途的作品，

where the interview itself was the purpose of this work,

會有很多人收看、收聽，

and see if we could give many, many, many people the chance

但是我想嘗試

to be listened to in this way.

讓訪談就是作品本身，

So in Grand Central Terminal 11 years ago,

看看能不能讓很多、很多人

we built a booth where anyone can come to honor someone else

有機會以此方式被聆聽。

by interviewing them about their life.

因此 11 年前，我們在紐約大中央車站

You come to this booth and you're met by a facilitator who brings you inside.

搭起一個小房間，每個人都能進來訪問另一個人，

You sit across from, say, your grandfather

讓他們述說自己的生命故事，以此來榮耀他們。

for close to an hour and you listen and you talk.

你們來到這個小房間，會見到一位解說員帶你們進來，

Many people think of it as, if this was to be our last conversation,

你和你的爺爺面對面坐下，

what would I want to ask of and say to this person

接下來將近一小時，你傾聽或者訴說。

who means so much to me?

很多人會想像，如果這是我們最後一次對話，

At the end of the session, you walk away with a copy of the interview

我會想對這個對我意義非凡的人

and another copy goes to the American Folklife Center

問些什麼、說些什麼？

at the Library of Congress

在結束的時候，你能拿走訪談的備份音檔，

so that your great-great-great-grandkids can someday get to know your grandfather

另外會有一份寄到美國國家民俗中心，

through his voice and story.

在國會圖書館內，

So we open this booth in one of the busiest places in the world

所以你的曾曾曾孫某天可以透過聲音和故事，

and invite people to have this incredibly intimate conversation

了解他的祖父。

with another human being.

所以我們在世界上數一數二繁忙的地方設立這個小房間，

I had no idea if it would work, but from the very beginning, it did.

邀請人們和另一個人來進行一場非常親密的對話，

People treated the experience with incredible respect,

我不知道能不能成功，但是從一開始，它就成功了。

and amazing conversations happened inside.

大家充滿敬意地面對這次經歷，

I want to play just one animated excerpt

許多令人驚訝的對話就在小房間裡展開。

from an interview recorded at that original Grand Central Booth.

我想播放一段動畫，

This is 12-year-old Joshua Littman interviewing his mother, Sarah.

引用在中央車站小房間裡的錄音訪談。

Josh has Asperger's syndrome.

這是一位 12 歲的男孩約書亞．立特曼訪問他的媽媽莎拉。

As you may know, kids with Asperger's are incredibly smart

約書亞有亞斯伯格症，

but have a tough time socially.

但如你所知，亞斯伯格症患童通常聰穎過人，

They usually have obsessions.

但難以與他人社交。

In Josh's case, it's with animals,

他們通常會沉溺於某種事物，

so this is Josh talking with his mom Sarah

對於約書亞來說，是動物。

at Grand Central nine years ago.

這是約書亞和他的媽媽莎拉，

(Video) Josh Littman: From a scale of one to 10,

九年前在大中央車站的談話。

do you think your life would be different without animals?

（影片）約書亞．立特曼：從 1 到 10 來評分，

Sarah Littman: I think it would be an eight without animals,

你覺得如果世界上沒動物，生活會多不同？

because they add so much pleasure to life.

莎拉．立特曼：我覺得會是 8。

JL: How else do you think your life would be different without them?

因為動物帶給我們太多歡樂和喜悅。

SL: I could do without things like cockroaches and snakes.

約書亞：你的生活還會有什麼不同？

JL: Well, I'm okay with snakes as long as they're not venomous

莎拉：我可以接受沒有蟑螂和蛇的世界。

or constrict you or anything.

約書亞：嗯，我可以接受有蛇，只要蛇沒毒，

SL: Yeah, I'm not a big snake person --

或是不會纏住你之類的。

JL: But cockroach is just the insect we love to hate.

莎拉：好吧，我並不喜歡蛇…

SL: Yeah, it really is.

約書亞：但是所有人都會討厭蟑螂。

JL: Have you ever thought you couldn't cope with having a child?

莎拉：是的，這是真的。

SL: I remember when you were a baby, you had really bad colic,

約書亞：你有沒有過對小孩無能為力的時候？

so you would just cry and cry.

莎拉：哈，我記得當你還小的時候有很嚴重的腹絞痛，

JL: What's colic? SL: It's when you get this stomach ache

所以你哭個不停。

and all you do is scream for, like, four hours.

約書亞：什麼是腹絞痛？莎拉：就是胃痛。

JL: Even louder than Amy does?

然後你就會尖叫，說不定有四小時。

SL: You were pretty loud, but Amy's was more high-pitched.

約書亞：甚至比艾米叫得都大聲？

JL: I think it feels like everyone seems to like Amy more,

莎拉：你真的叫很大聲，但是艾米的叫聲更尖銳一點。

like she's the perfect little angel.

約書亞：我覺得大家都比較喜歡艾米。

SL: Well, I can understand why you think that people like Amy more,

就像她是個完美的小天使一樣。

and I'm not saying it's because of your Asperger's syndrome,

莎拉：好吧，我可以理解為什麼你會覺得大家都比較喜歡艾米。

but being friendly comes easily to Amy,

但我不是要說這是因為你有亞斯伯格症，

whereas I think for you it's more difficult,

而是因為大家對艾米好比較簡單，

but the people who take the time to get to know you love you so much.

不過我想對你就會比較難。

JL: Like Ben or Eric or Carlos? SL: Yeah --

但是那些花時間了解你的人都很愛你。

JL: Like I have better quality friends but less quantity? (Laughter)

約書亞：比如阿班、艾瑞克或是查爾斯？莎拉：是的──

SL: I wouldn't judge the quality, but I think --

約書亞：意思是我的朋友品質較好，但是數量比較少？（笑聲）

JL: I mean, first it was like, Amy loved Claudia, then she hated Claudia,

莎拉：我不會評論朋友品質的問題，但是…

she loved Claudia, then she hated Claudia.

約書亞：我的意思是一開始艾米很愛小婭，後來又討厭小婭，

SL: Part of that's a girl thing, honey.

她愛小婭，然後又討厭小婭。

The important thing for you is that you have a few very good friends,

莎拉：部分原因就是女孩子氣，親愛的。

and really that's what you need in life.

重要的是，你有一些很要好的朋友，

JL: Did I turn out to be the son you wanted when I was born?

他們才是你人生中不可或缺的一部分。

Did I meet your expectations?

約書亞：我出生的時候是你夢想中的兒子嗎？

SL: You've exceeded my expectations, sweetie,

我有達到你的期待嗎？

because, sure, you have these fantasies of what your child's going to be like,

莎拉：你的優秀已經遠遠超出我的期望了，親愛的。

but you have made me grow so much as a parent, because you think --

因為，當然，你會對自己的小孩有一些不切實際的想法，

JL: Well, I was the one who made you a parent.

但是你幫助我成為一個稱職的家長，因為你想──

SL: You were the one who made me a parent. That's a good point. (Laughter)

約書亞：好吧，我是讓你變成家長的那個人。

But also because you think differently

莎拉：你是讓我變成家長的人，說的沒錯。（笑聲）

from what they tell you in the parenting books,

但也因為你的想法與眾不同，

I really had to learn to think out of the box with you,

和我在父母指導手冊上學到的東西不同，

and it's made me much more creative as a parent and as a person,

所以我有時候需要跳出常規來思考，

and I'll always thank you for that.

而這讓我成為更創新的母親和成人，

JL: And that helped when Amy was born?

我會永遠因此而感激你。

SL: And that helped when Amy was born, but you are so incredibly special to me

約書亞：這點有沒有在艾米出生之後幫上忙？

and I'm so lucky to have you as my son.

莎拉：有。但是你對我而言太特別了，

(Applause)

我真的很開心能有你這樣的兒子。

David Isay: After this story ran on public radio,

（掌聲）

Josh received hundreds of letters

大衛：這個故事在廣播上播出來的時候，

telling him what an amazing kid he was.

約書亞收到了上千封信，

His mom, Sarah, bound them together in a book,

告訴他，他是多麼棒的孩子。

and when Josh got picked on at school, they would read the letters together.

他的媽媽，莎拉，把這些信做成一本書，

I just want to acknowledge that two of my heroes

當約書亞放學的時候，他們會一起讀那些信。

are here with us tonight.

我想要告訴大家，這兩位英雄

Sarah Littman and her son Josh, who is now an honors student in college.

今晚就和我們一起坐在台下。

(Applause)

莎拉和她的兒子約書亞，他現在是大學榮譽學生。

You know, a lot of people talk about crying when they hear StoryCorps stories,

（掌聲）

and it's not because they're sad.

很多人說他們聽故事公司的故事會哭，

Most of them aren't.

不是因為悲傷，

I think it's because you're hearing something authentic and pure

大部分不是。

at this moment, when sometimes it's hard to tell

我覺得是因為你所傾聽的是真實而純粹的情感，

what's real and what's an advertisement.

尤其是現在，因為有時候你很難分辨

It's kind of the anti-reality TV.

什麼是真實的，而什麼只是廣告。

Nobody comes to StoryCorps to get rich.

這就像是一種反真人實境秀的節目。

Nobody comes to get famous.

沒有人會來故事公司賺大錢，

It's simply an act of generosity and love.

沒有人為了變有名而來，

So many of these are just everyday people

只是出於慷慨和愛的舉動。

talking about lives lived with kindness, courage, decency and dignity,

很多參與者都只是普通人，

and when you hear that kind of story,

講述他們充滿善意、勇氣、禮貌和尊嚴的生活，

it can sometimes feel like you're walking on holy ground.

當你聽到這種故事的時候，

So this experiment in Grand Central worked,

有時候會覺得自己走在聖地上。

and we expanded across the country.

這個實驗在中央車站成功了，

Today, more than 100,000 people in all 50 states

於是我們拓展到整個國家。

in thousands of cities and towns across America

目前，有超過十萬人，來自 50 州，

have recorded StoryCorps interviews.

在成千上萬個城市和鄉鎮

It's now the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered.

錄製故事公司的訪談。

(Applause)

這是有史以來數量最多的人類錄音收藏。

We've hired and trained hundreds of facilitators

（掌聲）

to help guide people through the experience.

我們僱用、訓練了上千名解說員，

Most serve a year or two with StoryCorps

引導大家講出他們的故事，

traveling the country, gathering the wisdom of humanity.

很多人會在故事公司工作一兩年，

They call it bearing witness,

走遍全國，收集人類的智慧結晶。

and if you ask them,

他們稱此為「見證」。

all of the facilitators will tell you that the most important thing

如果你問他們，

they've learned from being present during these interviews

所有的解說員都會說他們在訪談現場學到

is that people are basically good.

最重要的東西，

And I think for the first years of StoryCorps, you could argue

是人性本善。

that there was some kind of a selection bias happening,

我回憶起故事公司的頭幾年，

but after tens of thousands of interviews with every kind of person

你會覺得在選擇中絕對會有偏見，

in every part of the country --

但是在幾萬個訪談過後，遇到了各種各樣的人，

rich, poor, five years old to 105,

在國內各地，

80 different languages, across the political spectrum --

無論是富裕、貧窮、5 歲或 105 歲，

you have to think that maybe these guys are actually onto something.

80 種不同語言、跨越政治光譜，

I've also learned so much from these interviews.

你就會覺得也許這些人其實都置身在某個地方。

I've learned about the poetry and the wisdom and the grace

我也從這些訪談中學到了很多很多，

that can be found in the words of people all around us

我學到了每個人心中都有

when we simply take the time to listen,

一份詩意、智慧和優雅，

like this interview

而我們只需要花點時間聆聽。

between a betting clerk in Brooklyn named Danny Perasa

像是這個訪談，

who brought his wife Annie to StoryCorps to talk about his love for her.

他是布魯克林的一位彩票投注員，丹尼．帕瑞薩，

(Audio) Danny Perasa: You see, the thing of it is,

他帶妻子到故事公司，告訴她他有多麼愛她。

I always feel guilty when I say "I love you" to you.

（播音）丹尼：重點是

And I say it so often. I say it to remind you

每次我對你說「我愛你」都有罪惡感。

that as dumpy as I am, it's coming from me.

我常這樣對你說是為了提醒你，

It's like hearing a beautiful song from a busted old radio,

儘管我看起來又矮又醜，但我是真心的。

and it's nice of you to keep the radio around the house.

這就像從破爛收音機裡聽到動人的歌。

Annie Perasa: If I don't have a note on the kitchen table,

你願意讓「收音機」放在房裡真好。

I think there's something wrong.

安妮．帕瑞薩：如果我沒在餐桌上看到便條，

You write a love letter to me every morning.

我會覺得不對勁。

DP: Well, the only thing that could possibly be wrong

你每天早晨都會寫情書給我。

is I couldn't find a silly pen.

丹尼：嗯，問題只會出在

AP: To my princess:

我找不到那可惡的筆。

The weather outside today is extremely rainy.

安妮：『給我的公主：

I'll call you at 11:20 in the morning.

今天外面下著大雨。

DP: It's a romantic weather report.

我會在早晨 11 點 20 分打電話給你。』

AP: And I love you. I love you. I love you.

丹尼：這是浪漫的氣象報導。

DP: When a guy is happily married, no matter what happens at work,

安妮：我愛你。我愛你。我愛你。

no matter what happens in the rest of the day,

丹尼：如果有人婚姻幸福，不管工作多麼不順，

there's a shelter when you get home,

不管那一天有多麼不順，

there's a knowledge knowing that you can hug somebody

家總是一個避難的港灣。

without them throwing you downstairs and saying, "Get your hands off me."

你知道你可以擁抱一個人，

Being married is like having a color television set.

而不會被扔下樓梯，還被罵：「把你的手拿開！」

You never want to go back to black and white.

結婚就像擁有彩色電視機，

(Laughter)

你永遠不會想看黑白電視了。

DI: Danny was about five feet tall

（笑聲）

with crossed eyes and one single snaggletooth,

大衛：丹尼大概 150 公分高，

but Danny Perasa had more romance in his little pinky

眼睛斜視，還有一顆暴牙。

than all of Hollywood's leading men put together.

但是丹尼．帕瑞薩小小的身體裡每個毛孔都充斥著浪漫，

What else have I learned?

甚至比好萊塢電影所有男主角加在一起都要多。

I've learned about the almost unimaginable capacity

我還學到了什麼？

for the human spirit to forgive.

我還學到人類不可思議的

I've learned about resilience and I've learned about strength.

寬恕雅量。