I'd like to introduce you to someone.

哈囉。

This is Jomny.

我想介紹一個人給大家。

That's "Jonny" but spelled accidentally with an "m,"

這是喬姆尼（Jomny）。

in case you were wondering,

若有人在納悶，原本是「喬尼 （Jonny）」，不小心拼錯了，

because we're not all perfect.

因為我們都不是完美的。

Jomny is an alien

喬姆尼是外星人，

who has been sent to earth with a mission to study humans.

被派來地球執行研究人類的任務。

Jomny is feeling lost and alone and far from home,

喬姆尼感到失落、 孤單、離家很遠，

and I think we've all felt this way.

我想我們都曾有過這種感受。

Or, at least I have.

至少，我有過。

I wrote this story about this alien at a moment in my life

我寫下這個外星人故事時，

when I was feeling particularly alien.

是人生中特別感到自己像外星人 一樣隔隔不入的時候。

I had just moved to Cambridge and started my doctoral program at MIT,

那時我剛搬到劍橋， 開始在麻省理工學院讀博士班，

and I was feeling intimidated and isolated and very much like I didn't belong.

我感到害怕、孤立，

But I had a lifeline of sorts.

且好像我不屬於那裡。

See, I was writing jokes for years and years

但我還有救命仙丹。

and sharing them on social media,

我寫了很多年的笑話，

and I found that I was turning to doing this more and more.

在社交媒體上分享，

Now, for many people, the internet can feel like a lonely place.

我發現我開始越寫越多。

It can feel like this,

對很多人來說， 網路是個孤單的地方。

a big, endless, expansive void

大家可能會覺得網路是 巨大、無邊際、遼闊的虛無，

where you can constantly call out to it but no one's ever listening.

在那裡，你可以經常對它大喊， 但從來沒有人會聽。

But I actually found a comfort in speaking out to the void.

但我竟然在對著虛無講出 心聲的過程中找到慰藉。

I found, in sharing my feelings with the void,

我發現，當我和虛無 分享我的感受時，

eventually the void started to speak back.

最終，虛無會回話。

And it turns out that the void isn't this endless lonely expanse at all,

最後發現，這虛無其實完全 不是無盡、孤單的廣闊區域,

but instead it's full of all sorts of other people,

反之，虛無中有著各式各樣的人，

also staring out into it and also wanting to be heard.

也都盯著它看，想要被聽見。

Now, there have been many bad things that have come from social media.

過去，有不少鳥事 來自於社交媒體。

I'm not trying to dispute that at all.

我完全沒有想要爭執這一點。

To be online at any given point is to feel so much sadness

在任何時候上網， 都會感受到大量的悲傷、

and anger and violence.

憤怒，和暴力。

It can feel like the end of the world.

感覺可能就像是世界末日。 但，同時，我也很矛盾，因為

Yet, at the same time, I'm conflicted

我無法否認，事實上， 我最親的朋友當中有許多

because I can't deny the fact that so many of my closest friends

一開始都是我在網路上認識的。

are people that I had met originally online.

我想，有部分原因是因為社交媒體

And I think that's partly because there's this confessional nature

有種告解的本質。

to social media.

感覺就像是你在寫 一本親密的個人日記，

It can feel like you are writing in this personal, intimate diary

完全是私人的，

that's completely private,

同時，你又希望 全世界的人都能讀它。

yet at the same time you want everyone in the world to read it.

我認為，這當中的喜悅

And I think part of that, the joy of that

是來自於我們能夠從和我們自己

is that we get to experience things from perspectives from people

完全不同的人的視角來體驗事物，

who are completely different from ourselves,

有時，這是件好事。

and sometimes that's a nice thing.

比如，我剛加入推特時，

For example, when I first joined Twitter,

我發現我關注的人當中有許多

I found that so many of the people that I was following

在談論心理健康和接受治療時，

were talking about mental health and going to therapy

並沒有我們面對面談論這些議題時

in ways that had none of the stigma that they often do

所帶有的負面印象。

when we talk about these issues in person.

透過他們，關於心理健康的 談話變得很正常，

Through them, the conversation around mental health was normalized,

他們協助我了解到， 去接受治療是對我有幫助的。

and they helped me realize that going to therapy was something

對許多人來說，

that would help me as well.

在網路上如此公開、 開放地談論這些主題

Now, for many people,

似乎是種很可怕的想法。

it sounds like a scary idea to be talking about all these topics

我覺得有很多人認為，

so publicly and so openly on the internet.

在你還不是完全成形之前就上網， 那是很可怕的大事。

I feel like a lot of people think that it is a big, scary thing

但我認為，網路的未知性 反而是很棒的，

to be online if you're not already perfectly and fully formed.

我認為我們能帶著興奮去看待它，

But I think the internet can be actually a great place to not know,

因為，對我來說， 重要的是要將你的不完美、

and I think we can treat that with excitement,

你的缺乏安全感、 你的脆弱分享出去

because to me there's something important about sharing your imperfections

分享給其他人。

and your insecurities and your vulnerabilities

（笑聲）

with other people.

比如，當某個人分享說

(Laughter)

他很悲傷、害怕，或孤單，

Now, when someone shares that they feel sad or afraid

其實會讓我覺得沒有那麼孤單了，

or alone, for example,

並不是因為我擺脫了 我的任何孤單，

it actually makes me feel less alone,

而是因為在感到孤單 這件事情上，我並不孤單。

not by getting rid of any of my loneliness

身為作家和藝術家，

but by showing me that I am not alone in feeling lonely.

我非常在乎要把這種 坦承脆弱的舒適感變成是

And as a writer and as an artist,

一種公共的東西， 我們能和彼此分享的東西。

I care very much about making this comfort of being vulnerable a communal thing, something that we can share with each other.

我很興奮能夠把內在的東西外化，

I'm excited about externalizing the internal,

把那些我無法用言語 形容的無形感受

about taking those invisible personal feelings that I don't have words for,

帶到陽光底下，賦予它們字詞，

holding them to the light, putting words to them,

再把它們跟其他人分享，

and then sharing them with other people

希望也能夠幫助其他人 找到言語來形容他們的感受。

in the hopes that it might help them find words to find their feelings as well.

我知道這聽起來像是件大事，

Now, I know that sounds like a big thing,

但，最終，我感興趣的 是把上述所有這些

but ultimately I'm interested in putting all these things

通通放入容易取得的小包裝當中，

into small, approachable packages,

因為如果我們能把它們藏在 這些比較小的東西當中，

because when we can hide them into these smaller pieces,

就比較容易取得它們，比較好玩。

I think they are easier to approach, I think they're more fun.

它們就能更容易協助我們 了解我們共有的人性。

I think they can more easily help us see our shared humanness.

比如，有時用的形式是短篇故事，

Sometimes that takes the form of a short story,

有時，用的形式是 可愛的圖畫故事書。

sometimes that takes the form of a cute book of illustrations, for example.

有時，用的形式是我 丟到網路上的愚蠢笑話。

And sometimes that takes the form

比如，幾個月前， 我張貼了一個想法，

of a silly joke that I'll throw on the internet.

是一個溜狗服務的應用程式，

For example, a few months ago, I posted this app idea

當狗出現在你家門口時， 你就得要走出門

for a dog-walking service

去散散步。

where a dog shows up at your door and you have to get out of the house

（笑聲）

and go for a walk.

如果觀眾當中有 應用程式開發工程師，

(Laughter)

請在演講結束後來找我。

If there are app developers in the audience,

或者，每當我對於寄送電子郵件 感到焦慮時，我就會分享。

please find me after the talk.

我在信末寫「祝好（best）」，

Or, I like to share every time I feel anxious about sending an email.

其實是「我在盡力做好 （best）」的簡寫，

When I sign my emails "Best,"

也就是「請不要恨我， 我保證我在盡力而為！」的簡寫。

it's short for "I am trying my best,"

或者我對於傳統破冰方式的回應，

which is short for "Please don't hate me, I promise I'm trying my best!"

如果我能和任何人共進晚餐， 不論死活，我都願意。

Or my answer to the classic icebreaker,

我非常寂寞。

if I could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, I would.

（笑聲）

I am very lonely.

我發現，當我在網路上 張貼這些東西，

(Laughter)

得到的反應都很類似。

And I find that when I post things like these online,

大家齊聚一堂，分享歡笑，

the reaction is very similar.

在那樣的感覺中分享， 然後就一哄而散。

People come together to share a laugh,

（笑聲）

to share in that feeling,

是的，又再次丟下我一個人。

and then to disburse just as quickly.

但我認為，有時這些 小小相聚是很有意義的。

(Laughter)

比如，當我從建築學校畢業時，

Yes, leaving me once again alone.

我搬到劍橋，我貼出了這個問題：

But I think sometimes these little gatherings can be quite meaningful.

「你人生中有多少人，

For example, when I graduated from architecture school

你已經結束了和他們 最後的交談？」

and I moved to Cambridge,

我在想的是我自己過去， 那些搬到其他城市、

I posted this question:

甚至其他國家的朋友，

"How many people in your life have you already had

以及我和他們保持聯絡有多困難。

your last conversation with?"

但其他人開始回應， 分享他們自己的經歷。

And I was thinking about my own friends who had moved away

有人談到他們失和的家人。

to different cities and different countries, even,

有人談到突然 未預期就過世的愛人。

and how hard it would be for me to keep in touch with them.

也有人談到學校認識的朋友 後來搬家離開。

But other people started replying and sharing their own experiences.

但，接著，好事開始發生了。

Somebody talked about a family member they had a falling out with.

大家不只是回覆我， 也開始回覆彼此，

Someone talked about a loved one who had passed away quickly and unexpectedly.

開始和彼此交談， 分享他們自己的經歷，

Someone else talked about their friends from school

並安慰彼此，

who had moved away as well.

鼓勵彼此去聯絡那位他們 很久沒有交談的朋友，

But then something really nice started happening.

或者和他們失和的那位家人。

Instead of just replying to me,

最終，我們成了小型的微社區。

people started replying to each other,

感覺這個支持團體是由

and they started to talk to each other and share their own experiences

各式各樣的人所組成的。

and comfort each other

每當我們在網路上發文，

and encourage each other to reach out to that friend

每當我們這麼做， 就有機會形成這種微社區。

that they hadn't spoken to in a while

有可能各式各樣的不同生物

or that family member that they had a falling out with.

會聚在一起，被吸引在一起。

And eventually, we got this little tiny microcommunity.

有時，透過網路的淤泥，

It felt like this support group formed

你會找到一個志同道合的人。

of all sorts of people coming together.

有時，是在閱讀別人的回應

And I think every time we post online,

以及留言區，找到特別親切、

every time we do this, there's a chance

有洞見，或有趣的回覆。

that these little microcommunities can form.

有時，是去關注某人，

There's a chance that all sorts of different creatures

接著發現他們也同樣在關注你。

can come together and be drawn together.

有時，是看著真實 人生中你認識的人，

And sometimes, through the muck of the internet,

看著你寫的東西及他們寫的東西，

you get to find a kindred spirit.

發現你和他們有這麼多共同興趣，

Sometimes that's in the reading the replies

縮短了他們與你之間的距離。

and the comments sections and finding a reply that is particularly kind or insightful or funny.

有時，如果你很幸運，

Sometimes that's in going to follow someone

你會遇見另一位外星人。

and seeing that they already follow you back.

〔當兩個外星人 在奇怪的地方找到彼此，

And sometimes that's in looking at someone that you know in real life

那地方就會更像家一點。〕

and seeing the things that you write and the things that they write

但，我也會擔心， 因為我們都知道，

and realizing that you share so many of the same interests as they do,

大多數的情況下， 網路感覺並不是這樣子的。

and that brings them closer together to you.

我們都知道，大多數的 情況下，網路感覺是

Sometimes, if you're lucky,

一個讓我們誤解彼此的地方，

you get to meet another alien.

在那裡，我們和彼此產生衝突，

[when two aliebns find each other in a strange place,

在那裡有各種困惑、 尖叫、吶喊、吼叫，

it feels a litle more like home]

且感覺起來什麼都太多了。

But I am worried, too, because as we all know,

感覺很混亂，我不知道要如何 用好的部分來處理壞的部分，

the internet for the most part doesn't feel like this.

因為，如我們所知、所見，

We all know that for the most part,

壞的部分真的真的能夠傷害我們。

the internet feels like a place where we misunderstand each other,

我覺得，我們用來 經營這些網路空間的平台，

where we come into conflict with each other,

不論是有意或無意，都是被設計來

where there's all sorts of confusion and screaming and yelling and shouting,

允許騷擾和辱罵、傳播錯誤資訊、

and it feels like there's too much of everything.

讓怨恨和仇恨言論以及它們 所造成的暴力都成為可能，

It feels like chaos,

感覺好像目前所有的平台

and I don't know how to square away the bad parts with the good,

都不夠努力去處理、修復這些。

because as we know and as we've seen,

也許這是很不幸的事，但我仍然

the bad parts can really, really hurt us.

和許多人一樣會被 這些網路空間所吸引，

It feels to me that the platforms that we use to inhabit these online spaces

因為，有時，感覺好像 所有的人都在那裡。

have been designed either ignorantly or willfully

有時我會覺得自己 很愚蠢、很愚笨，

to allow for harassment and abuse, to propagate misinformation,

因為我很珍惜這種 小小的人類連結時刻。

to enable hatred and hate speech and the violence that comes from it,

但我在做的時候， 都不忘一個想法，

and it feels like none of our current platforms

這些人性的小小時刻並非多餘的。

are doing enough to address and to fix that.

它們完全不是在躲避世界，

But still, and maybe probably unfortunately,

反而是我們來到這些空間的理由。

I'm still drawn to these online spaces, as many others are,

它們很重要、至關重要， 它們肯定、給了我們人生。

because sometimes it just feels like that's where all the people are.

它們是小小的臨時避難所，

And I feel silly

讓我們知道，我們並沒有 自己所想的那麼孤單。

and stupid sometimes

所以，是的，雖然人生很糟， 且人人都很悲傷，

for valuing these small moments of human connection in times like these.

且有我們遲早都會死去——

But I've always operated under this idea

〔聽著。人生很糟。 人人都很悲傷。

that these little moments of humanness are not superfluous.

我們都會死去，但我已經 買下了這充氣城堡，

They're not retreats from the world at all,

所以你要不要把你的鞋子脫掉？〕

but instead they're the reasons why we come to these spaces.

我認為，在這個例子中， 充氣城堡的比喻

They are important and vital and they affirm and they give us life.

其實就是我們的關係， 我們和他人的連結。

And they are these tiny, temporary sanctuaries

有一天晚上，

that show us that we are not as alone as we think we are.

我感到特別悲傷，對世界絕望，

And so yes, even though life is bad and everyone's sad

我對著虛無、孤單的黑暗大叫，

and one day we're all going to die --

我說：「在這個時點登入社交媒體

[look. life is bad. everyones sad.

感覺就像是在世界的盡頭 握住某個人的手。」

We're all gona die, but i alredy bought this inflatable bouncey castle

這次，回應的並不是虛無，

so are u gona take Ur shoes off or not]

而是在那裡出現的人，

I think the inflatable metaphorical bouncy castle in this case

他們開始回應我， 接著開始和彼此交談，

is really our relationships and our connections to other people.

慢慢地，這個小社區就形成了。

And so one night,

大家都來了，手牽著手。

when I was feeling particularly sad and hopeless about the world,

在這危險、不確定的時代，

I shouted out to the void,

在所有的事物當中，

to the lonely darkness.

我認為我們要抓住 不放的，是其他人。

I said, "At this point, logging on to social media

我知道這是由小時刻 所形成的小東西，

feels like holding someone's hand at the end of the world."

但，我認為它是在所有的黑暗中

And this time, instead of the void responding,

一絲小小的銀光。

it was people who showed up,

謝謝。

who started replying to me and then who started talking to each other,

（掌聲）

and slowly this little tiny community formed.

謝謝。

Everybody came together to hold hands.

（掌聲）

And in these dangerous and unsure times,

in the midst of it all,

I think the thing that we have to hold on to is other people.

And I know that is a small thing made up of small moments,

but I think it is one tiny, tiny sliver of light

in all the darkness.

Thank you.

(Applause)

Thank you.

(Applause)