When was the last time you were called childish?

你上次被人家說「幼稚」是什麼時候？

For kids like me,

我們小孩

being called childish can be a frequent occurrence.

常被別人說「幼稚」

Every time we make irrational demands,

我們只要有不合理的要求

exhibit irresponsible behavior

做事不負責任

or display any other signs

或不過做些

of being normal American citizens,

一般美國人都會做的事

we are called childish.

我們就被別人說「幼稚」

Which really bothers me.

我真的不喜歡這樣

After all, take a look at these events:

畢竟看看以下這些例子

Imperialism and colonization,

帝國主義、殖民統治

world wars, George W. Bush.

兩次世界大戰、小布希

Ask yourself, who's responsible? Adults.

大家捫心自問，這些該怪誰？大人！

Now, what have kids done?

現在來看看孩子做了些什麼

Well, Anne Frank touched millions

女孩安妮寫下憾動人心的日記

with her powerful account of the Holocaust,

呈現猶太人遭屠殺的歷史

Ruby Bridges helped to end segregation in the United States,

黑人小女孩露比促進美國族群融合

and, most recently,

還有最近

Charlie Simpson helped to raise

英國小男孩查理幫海地募到

120,000 pounds for Haiti

十二萬英鎊

on his little bike.

他只靠騎著小腳踏車就辦到了

So, as you can see evidenced by such examples,

所以, 從這些例子可以看出

age has absolutely nothing to do with it.

年紀小根本不成問題

The traits the word childish addresses

所謂的「幼稚」

are seen so often in adults

太常在大人身上看到了

that we should abolish this age-discriminatory word

所以我們不該再用這個歧視年齡的字眼

when it comes to criticizing behavior

不應該用它來批評那些

associated with irresponsibility and irrational thinking.

不負責任和非理性思考的行為

(Applause)

（觀眾鼓掌）

Thank you.

謝謝

Then again, who's to say

還有

that certain types of irrational thinking

誰說非理性思考

aren't exactly what the world needs?

一定不會為世界所需呢？

Maybe you've had grand plans before

也許你們也曾有過遠大的夢想

but stopped yourself, thinking,

卻裹足不前

"That's impossible," or, "That costs too much,"

心想「不可能啦」或是「要花很多錢」

or, "That won't benefit me."

或是「這對我沒好處」

For better or worse, we kids aren't hampered as much

無論如何，我們小孩比較不會被綁住

when it comes to thinking about reasons why not to do things.

比較不會找藉口逃避

Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations

小孩有各式各樣的志向

and hopeful thinking.

和樂觀的想法

Like my wish that no one went hungry

比方說我希望世上沒有人挨餓

or that everything were a free kind of utopia.

所有東西都免費，像烏托邦一樣

How many of you still dream like that

你們有誰還抱有這樣的夢想？

and believe in the possibilities?

有誰認為這可能成真？

Sometimes a knowledge of history

有時候對歷史太了解

and the past failures of utopian ideals

加上有美好理想落空的經驗

can be a burden

反而會被束縛住

because you know that if everything were free,

因為你們知道如果一切都免費

then the food stocks would become depleted

那食物存量將會短缺

and scarce and lead to chaos.

然後耗竭，最後造成社會失序

On the other hand,

但另一方面

we kids still dream about perfection.

我們小孩還是夢想世上有「完美」存在

And that's a good thing because in order

這樣很好

to make anything a reality,

因為想要讓一件事成真

you have to dream about it first.

得要先有夢想的藍圖。

In many ways, our audacity to imagine

許多方面來說，小孩因為敢大膽想像

helps push the boundaries of possibility.

許多事從不可能變成可能

For instance, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington,

例如，華盛頓州塔柯馬的玻璃博物館

my home state -- yoohoo Washington!

我的家鄉-- 耶--華盛頓州！

(Applause) --

（觀眾鼓掌）

has a program called Kids Design Glass,

有一門課程叫做「孩童玻璃設計」

and kids draw their own ideas for glass art.

小孩用自己的想法來做玻璃藝術

Now, the resident artist said they got

駐館的藝術家就說

some of their best ideas through the program

他們許多很棒的點子都來自這門課

because kids don't think about the limitations

因為孩子們不會為自己設限

of how hard it can be to blow glass into certain shapes;

不會去想吹玻璃塑型有多難

they just think of good ideas.

他們只會去想些好點子

Now, when you think of glass, you might

想到玻璃

think of colorful Chihuly designs

你們可能想到藝術家奇葫里多彩的設計

or maybe Italian vases,

或是義大利式花瓶

but kids challenge glass artists to go beyond that

但小孩向玻璃藝術師下戰帖

into the realm of broken-hearted snakes

做出了超乎想像的「心碎之蛇」

and bacon boys, who you can see has meat vision.

還有「培根男孩」，注意他有「肉視」的能力喔！

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

Now, our inherent wisdom

其實，所謂的智慧

doesn't have to be insider's knowledge.

不一定是指學者專家的知識

Kids already do a lot of learning from adults,

小孩已經從大人身上學到很多了

and we have a lot to share.

我們也有很多東西想跟大人分享

I think that adults should start learning from kids.

我想大人應該要開始跟小孩學習

Now, I do most of my speaking in front of an education crowd,

我現在常在教育界人士面前演講

teachers and students, and I like this analogy:

有老師有學生，我很喜歡以下這個說法：

It shouldn't just be a teacher at the head of the classroom

不該只有老師站在教室前面

telling students, "Do this, do that."

告訴學生做這做那

The students should teach their teachers.

學生也應該來教老師

Learning between grown ups and kids

大人和小孩之間

should be reciprocal.

應該彼此學習

The reality, unfortunately, is a little different,

但現實卻和理想有些差距

and it has a lot to do with trust, or a lack of it.

這和信不信任對方有關，或可說彼此缺乏信任。

Now, if you don't trust someone, you place restrictions on them, right?

如果不信任某人，就會對那個人多加限制，對吧？

If I doubt my older sister's ability

如果我覺得我姐姐還不了

to pay back the 10 percent interest

向我借來的錢那10％利息

I established on her last loan,

這個我訂下的利率

I'm going to withhold her ability to get more money from me

我就不會再借錢給她

until she pays it back. (Laughter)

除非她把錢還我(觀眾笑聲)

True story, by the way.

對了, 這件事完全屬實。

Now, adults seem to have

大人好像

a prevalently restrictive attitude towards kids

都喜歡管小孩

from every "don't do that,

只要是任何違反校規的事

don't do this" in the school handbook

都不能做

to restrictions on school Internet use.

連學校上網也有限制

As history points out, regimes become oppressive

自古以來，許多政權之所以高壓統治

when they're fearful about keeping control.

是因為怕管不住人民

And although adults may not be quite at the level

雖然大人還說不上是

of totalitarian regimes,

完全的「極權」

kids have no, or very little say in making the rules,

但是小孩對規定也幾乎無權過問

when really the attitude should be reciprocal,

儘管態度應該是互相的

meaning that the adult population should learn

也就是說大人應該要學著

and take into account the wishes

把小孩的願望

of the younger population.

也納入考量

Now, what's even worse than restriction

有一件比管教更嚴重的事

is that adults often underestimate kids abilities.

就是大人常常低估小孩的能力

We love challenges, but when expectations are low,

我們喜歡挑戰，但大人如果期望不高

trust me, we will sink to them.

我保證，我們小孩就會爛給你看

My own parents had anything but low expectations

我的爸媽從不會看輕

for me and my sister.

我和我姊

Okay, so they didn't tell us to become doctors

他們沒有叫我們以後要當醫生

or lawyers or anything like that,

或是律師之類的

but my dad did read to us

但我爸以前會讀故事給我們聽

about Aristotle

像是亞里斯多德的故事

and pioneer germ fighters

和「抗菌先鋒」的故事。

when lots of other kids were hearing

相較之下，同齡小孩那時多半在聽

"The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round."

「哥哥爸爸真偉大」之類的

Well, we heard that one too, but "Pioneer Germ Fighters" totally rules.

其實我們也聽兒歌，但「抗菌先鋒」比較讚

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

I loved to write from the age of four,

打從四歲起，我就喜歡寫東西

and when I was six

我六歲時

my mom bought me my own laptop equipped with Microsoft Word.

媽媽就買了裝有微軟Word作業系統的筆電給我

Thank you Bill Gates and thank you Ma.

要謝謝比爾蓋茲，也要謝謝老媽！

I wrote over 300 short stories

我寫的三百多則短篇故事

on that little laptop,

都是用那台筆電完成

and I wanted to get published.

我後來想出書

Instead of just scoffing at this heresy

我爸媽不但沒笑我

that a kid wanted to get published

說小孩子還想出書這類的話

or saying wait until you're older,

也沒要我長大再說

my parents were really supportive.

反而很支持我

Many publishers were not quite so encouraging,

但找了很多出版社都碰壁

one large children's publisher ironically saying

一家規模很大的童書出版社竟然說

that they didn't work with children --

他們不跟小孩合作

children's publisher not working with children?

童書出版社不跟孩童合作？

I don't know, you're kind of alienating a large client there.

不知道耶，但不就失去我這棵搖錢樹了。

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

Now, one publisher, Action Publishing,

有一家出版社叫「行動出版社」

was willing to take that leap and trust me

決定放手一搏，相信我

and to listen to what I had to say.

願意聽我的想法

They published my first book, "Flying Fingers," -- you see it here --

他們出版了我第一本書《飛舞的手指》，就是這本

and from there on, it's gone to speaking at hundreds of schools,

從那時起，我就受邀到上百所學校演講

keynoting to thousands of educators

在數千個教育工作者發表演說

and finally, today, speaking to you.

也才會有今天的演講

I appreciate your attention today,

很感謝你們今天的聆聽

because to show that you truly care,

因為真正在乎的人

you listen.

才懂得傾聽

But there's a problem with this rosy picture

不過問題是

of kids being so much better than adults.

小孩雖然好像比大人優秀

Kids grow up and become adults just like you.

但小孩還是會長大，不就成為像你們一樣的大人了

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

Or just like you? Really?

但真的是這樣嗎？

The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adult,

真正的目標不是要讓小孩成為你們♫

but rather better adults than you have been,

而是要超越你們

which may be a little challenging

雖然可能有點困難

considering your guys' credentials (Laughter).

畢竟你們學經歷都滿了不起的

But the way progress happens

不過世界之所以會進步

is because new generations and new eras

就是因為新的世代、新的時代

grow and develop and become better than the previous ones.

不斷成長發展，進而比上個世代更好

It's the reason we're not in the Dark Ages anymore.

這也是為什麼我們能脫離黑暗時代

No matter your position or place in life,

不論你們現在的地位為何

it is imperative to create opportunities for children

一定要幫孩子們創造機會

so that we can grow up to blow you away.

好讓我們長大後能打敗你們

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

Adults and fellow TEDsters,

所有大人和TED的成員

you need to listen and learn from kids

請傾聽小孩的聲音並向小孩學習

and trust us and expect more from us.

並且相信我們，對我們期望高一點

You must lend an ear today,

你們現在得耐心傾聽

because we are the leaders of tomorrow,

因為未來是我們小孩作主

which means we're going to be taking care of you

也就是說以後是我們要照顧你們

when you're old and senile. No, just kidding.

不然你們老了怎麼辦，好啦開玩笑的

No, really, we are going to be the next generation,

不過，我們這個世代

the ones who will bring this world forward.

將會帶領這個世界前進

And in case you don't think that this really has meaning for you,

如果還認為這不重要

remember that cloning is possible,

記得有所謂複製人的技術

and that involves going through childhood again,

你們有機會重回童年

in which case you'll want to be heard

到時你們也會希望自己的聲音不被忽視

just like my generation.

就像我們一樣

Now, the world needs opportunities

現今世界各國都需要把機會

for new leaders and new ideas.

交給未來主人翁，讓他們展現新穎的想法

Kids need opportunities to lead and succeed.

小孩需要這些機會學習領導和體驗成功的滋味

Are you ready to make the match?

你們準備好把機會交給我們了嗎？

Because the world's problems

因為當今世界上各種問題

shouldn't be the human family's heirloom.

應該不會是人類想留給子孫的遺產才對

Thank you.

謝謝

(Applause)

（觀眾鼓掌）

Thank you. Thank you.

謝謝大家