I prepared 18 minutes of presentation;

我準備了十八分鐘的演講

we are going to do in eight. So get ready.

但現在必須在八分鐘內說完。 所以，就緒了！

First off, I want to talk about danger,

首先，我要談談危險，

and I'm going to need a volunteer.

而且我需要一位自願者。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Okay, I'm kidding. But... (Laughter)

好啦！我開玩笑的。但是...

Here's the thing.

是這樣的

My wife and I wrote this book,

我太太跟我寫了這本書－

"Fifty Dangerous Things".

《五十件危險的事物 》

And if the slide guy backstage can get my speaker notes up here,

麻煩後台的幻燈片先生 幫我把演講稿拿過來

because there are a couple of numbers that I need to refer to later

因為裡面有些數字 我等一下會提到

and I've already forgotten them.

而我已經忘光了。

We wrote this book, and...

我們寫了這本書，接著

A child psychologist in Australia said

有位澳洲的兒童心理學家說

that the book was actively encouraging children

這本書積極地鼓勵小孩

to participate in activities

做些可能讓他們受傷、殘廢，甚至死亡的事。

that could scar, mame, and kill. (Laughter)

（螢幕：在澳洲差點被禁止出版）

And this is without ever having seeing the book—

這是因為他們從來沒看過這本書

never read it—

從來沒讀過

he completely missed the point

而且他完全搞錯了重點

that the book is actually about safety.

這本書實際上是關於安全的。

So, (Laughter)

所以，

let's look at topic number one

讓我們來看看這本書裡

in this book of scar, maming, and killing.

會讓你受傷、殘廢，甚至死亡的第一點。

Take something like: (Laughter)

像是：「舔顆9伏特的電池」。（笑聲）

"Lick a 9V battery".

來！曾舔過9伏特電池的人請舉手！

Now, raise your hand

（笑聲）

if you have licked a 9V battery.

OK，很棒的觀眾群！

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Okay, this is a good crowd.

今天晚上會去舔電池的舉手。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Okay, raise your hands if you are going to lick one tonight.

我們選這個做為書裡第一個主題

(Laughter)

因為我們認為 大家都可能幹過這件事。

We chose this as the first topic in the book,

錯了！

because we thought that everybody would have done it.

結果是

Wrong!

舔電池是危險的這觀念

It turns out

包括像是：

that ideas about the risk of licking a 9V battery

被電死（笑聲）

include things like:

舌頭燒焦（笑聲）

death by electrocution, (Laughter)

永久失去味覺。

burn your tongue off, (Laughter)

而真正的危險是：

permanent loss of sense of taste.

它完全沒有危險性。

And the actual risk:

根據追蹤這類家庭意外的 疾病控制中心說，

it's harmless.

他們連一件因為舔顆9伏特電池

According to the Centers for Disease Control,

而受傷的案件記錄都沒有。

who track these kinds of household accidents,

那麼這些虛構的

there has never been not one single recorded incident

錯誤認知又是從哪裡來的？

of anyone being injured by licking a 9V battery.

我想應該不難看出

So where did these kinds of

現今它們是從哪裡來的...

mythic false perceptions come from?

（笑聲）

And I think it's pretty easy

我不用告訴你

to see where they come from these days.

媒體有多喜歡報導這些

(Laughter)

小孩處於危險中的故事。

I don't have to tell you

在哈薩克斯坦的人們

how much the media loves the story

在當地時間的凌晨三點 看著這些事故發生

about a child in peril.

有沒有人想過

People in Kazakhstan

現今社會中的孩子們 是否被過度保護著？

were watching this story unfold

這種孩子們在威脅或危險中 的故事到處氾濫，

at 3AM their time.

造成一種錯覺

Is it any wonder

讓人誤以為孩子們真的是在危險中。

that children in our society are over-protected?

而我們對危險的認知，

This kind of inundation of stories

多是道聽途說

about children in peril and danger

以及新聞媒體的虛構，真的！

creates the illusion

而不是理性的分析。

that children are actually in danger.

說到這個，

And our perceptions of risk

這是給你的，Eryn，

are based more on hearsay —

我杜撰了一個新名詞：

a news media confabulation, really —

「危險主義」。

than any rational analysis.

請記住這個名詞。

And to talk about this —

這是由「肉食主義」這個名詞延伸而來 出自於梅樂妮．喬伊的書－

and this is for you, Eryn —

《為什麼我們吃豬、騎馬、且養狗》

I've coined a new term.

書名好像有點搞錯！ 不好意思，梅樂妮

Dangerism.

但事實上是

I want you to remember this term.

我們的家族歷史、文化背景、

This is based on the word carnism, which was coined by Melanie Joy

以及我們童年時的個人經驗等

in her book, "Why We Eat Pigs, Ride Horses and... Pet Dogs".

比實際能測量的風險， 和我們對危險認知更有關係。

I've screwed that up. Sorry, Melanie.

例如我們對食用哪些動物的恐懼與選擇，

But it turns out

可能並沒有理性的根據基礎，

that our family histories and our cultural context,

而這已經到了某種程度是

and our personal experiences in childhood and so forth

我們的恐懼是如此地 遭到媒體曝光的渲染

have more to do with how we perceive danger

以致於家長最擔心的 前五大項兒童安全憂慮

than the actual measurable risks involved.

而且你們會發現忍者 根本也不在此列

And like our phobias and our choices

（笑聲）

about which animals to eat,

跟真正致死美國小孩的

there may be no rational basis for this,

前五大項原因完全不同。

and this has gotten to the point

很罪惡的是

where our fears are so tainted

數千個小時我們花在 跟孩子們談這些異常危險，

by this exposure to the media,

能更有意義地用在

that the top five things parents are worried about

鼓勵他們走出戶外，

in regards to their children —

與家人互動、教他們游泳。

and you'll notice ninjas aren't on here —

這些都不是扣人心懸的頭條新聞。

(Laughter)

因此，為了要對抗這些大量的杞人憂天

do not overlap at all

並武裝你的孩子們更能應付

with the five things that children in America

現實世界的真實風險。

are actually dying of.

我呈現給各位

And what is so criminal about this

「五件更危險且該讓孩子們做的事」。

is that the thousands of hours we spend talking to children

我們可以打擊這些猖狂的恐懼散佈，

about stranger danger

藉由刻意製造機會 讓孩子們去學習、認識、並減輕風險。

would be so much better spent

列舉如下：

encouraging them to get outside,

第一：走路上學。

doing family interventions,

車禍 －

teaching them how to swim.

是美國孩童的第一死因。

None of these things make for glamorous news stories.

你只要減低在車上的時間， 便可大幅度地降低這風險。

So to combat this avalanche of unfounded fears

現今這國家裡，家長們的頭號恐懼是綁架。

and equip children to better handle

被非家族成員綁架

the real risks of the real world,

甚至不在兒童傷害事件的前五千名之內，

I present for you:

但是研究顯示走路上學的孩童

"Five More Dangerous Things you should let your children do."

較能判斷他人的人格，

We can counter this rampant fear-mongering

有較好的狀態認知能力，

by deliberately creating opportunities for children

因此成為受害者的可能性較低。

to learn to recognize and mitigate risk.

並且，走路上學的習慣 可以終身受益，

And here they come.

增進記憶力、持續的運動習慣、

Number one: walk to school.

獨立及長期的身心健康。

Car accidents

第二：爬樹。

are the number one cause of death for children in the United States.

當孩子們參與自然的遊戲架構，

And you can reduce that risk greatly

他們表現出更多的認知性參與，

simply by reducing the amount of time spent in cars.

這是一個德國做的經典研究，

The number one fear of parents in this country

（他們）對活動付出較多的注意力。

is kidnapping.

與叢林健身房不一樣的是

Kidnapping by a non family member

爬樹迫使你及時想出如何走下一步，

doesn't even make the top five thousand things

樹的每一處都不同

that harm children,

且呈現出一系列獨特的挑戰。

but study showed that children who walk to school

孩童也必須承擔、並展現 他們對自己的責任感

are better judges of character,

在他們往上爬 並漸漸遠離父母時能有所展現。

have better situational awareness,

還有，站在樹頂能 令你感受到一種特殊的自由。

and so are therefore less likely to be victimized.

第三：利用放大鏡燒東西。

And the habit of walking pays dividents over a lifetime:

（笑聲）

improved memory, consistent exercise habits,

孩子們很早就知道太陽是 地球上絕大部份生物的能量來源

independence, and a long-lasting sense of well-being.

我們初中就知道了。 但在有機會去利用或導引它前，

Number two: climb trees.

他們很難理解陽光內 到底含有多少能量。

When children engage with natural play structures,

而它也是個良好的自我學習法

they exhibit greater cognitive engagement —

讓他們探索和發現什麼可燃，什麼不可燃。

this is a classic study out of Germany —

如果，你擔心會引起火災，

more attention is paid to the activity.

就給他們一瓶水吧！

And unlike a jungle gym,

折射比反射更難被直接察覺，

the tree requires you to figure out

而且玩玩透鏡，

how to climb each moment of it.

能幫助孩子整合這些概念。

Each spot in a tree is unique

第四：在袋子裡做個炸彈。

and presents a unique set of challenges.

（笑聲）

The child must also take and demonstrate

我們是由化學化合物組成的

responsibility for themselves

被化學化合物包圍著

as they ascend up there,

而且消耗著化學化合物

out of reach of their parents.

但是我們不常有機會試試化學作用

And there's this unique sense of freedom

就只是為了探索而做

that comes from being up in the top of a tree.

一個可以讓我們實驗的簡易化學反應

Number three: burn things with a magnifying glass.

能提供我們對天地間事物的本質 一個較深的概念基礎

(Laughter)

家庭化學實驗包現已消失

Children learn early

而且學校現在禁止做小蘇打醋火山實驗

that the sun is the source of power

所以你必須為孩子在家裡製造這些機會。

for almost all life on Earth.

做些小小的爆炸

We get that in grammar school.

是個讓孩子們學習化學概念的好方法，

But until they have a chance to harness and direct it,

而且攪亂比例 也是體驗科學原理的好方式。

it's really difficult to build an intuitive sense

最後一點，但也很重要的

of just how much power there is in sunlight.

第五：用強力膠黏住你的手指

It's also a great self-directed way

（笑聲）

for them new explore —

一個暫時性的殘障

discover what burns and what doesn't —

可以幫助我們更珍惜 我們的身體狀況

and if you're worried about fire,

需求是發明之母

give them a water bottle.

而必須想出如何 不用大拇指打開一瓶花生醬

Refraction is less intuitive than reflection,

強迫我們必須發揮創意。

and playing with the lens

做超過一小時，

helps children integrate that concept.

你的大腦便能建立 一個新的肌能動覺圖

Number four: make a bomb in a bag.

幫助你適應這種不便。

(Laughter)

然後當強力膠掉了之後，

We are composed of chemical compounds,

會有個瞬間

surrounded by chemical compounds,

平凡的能力這時對孩子來說 似乎也變得不平凡了。

and consuming chemical compounds.

保護兒童最有效的辦法就是

But we don't often have the chance to play with chemistry

讓他們嚐一點危險的味道。

just for the sake of exploration.

謝謝大家！

A simple chemical reaction

（掌聲）

that we can experiment with

provides the conceptual foundation

for deeper understanding

of the elemental nature of our world.

Home chemistry sets have all but disappeared,

and schools right now are banning

the baking soda vinegar volcano,

so you have to create this opportunity for your children at home.

Making a small explosion

is a great way

for kids to get a handle on the concepts of chemistry,

and messing with the proportions is a great way

to experience the scientific method.

And last but not least,

number five: super-glue your fingers together.

(Laughter)

A temporary disability

can help us better appreciate

our physical condition.

Necessity is the mother of invention,

and having to figure out

how to open a jar of peanut butter

without your thumb (Laughter)

forces us to be creative.

Done for an hour or more,

your brain actually

builds a new kinesthetic map of your abilities

to accommodate this limitation.

And when the glue comes off,

there will be this moment

where their usual abilities seem unusual to the child.

The most effective way to keep children safe

is to give them a little taste of danger.

Thank you so much. (Applause)

(Applause)