Are You an Ethical True Crime Fan? 4 Questions To Ask | Lindsey A. Sherrill | TED

翻译人员: Yip Yan Yeung 校对人员: sylvia feng

In 2015,

2015 年，

the podcast entitled “Serial”

一档名为 《连环》（Serial）的播客

[and] docuseries like “Making a Murderer” and “The Staircase”

和纪录片系列 《制造杀人犯》和《阶梯之间》

were the hottest topics in pop culture.

成为了炙手可热的流行文化话题。

I was late to the "Serial" obsession,

我没赶上《连环》热，

but when I dipped my toe in a few months after its initial release,

但我在首播几个月后试听了一下，

I quickly dove headfirst into the exploding true crime world.

就一头扎进了劲爆的真实犯罪世界。

I was obsessed.

我无法自拔。

I have written a dissertation, articles, a book,

我写了一篇论文， 写了许多文章、一本书，

and after countless hours consuming true crime,

就算在钻研真实犯罪上花了无数时间，

I'm still obsessed.

我依旧无法自拔。

As part of my research and my obsession,

作为我研究的一部分和兴趣所在，

I attempted to quantify and categorize true crime podcasts,

我试着将真实犯罪播客量化、分类，

just one tiny piece of the exploding true crime world.

而播客只是劲爆的 真实犯罪世界中的沧海一粟。

As of April 2022,

截止 2022 年 4 月，

I had identified nearly 5,000,

我已经归类了近 5000 件，

and that number keeps growing.

数字仍在增长。

Our obsession with true crime isn't new.

我们对真实犯罪的痴迷 不是什么新鲜事。

While scholars generally credit Truman Capote's 1966 "In Cold Blood"

虽然学者通常将杜鲁门·卡波特 （Truman Capote）

1966 年的作品《冷血》 （In Cold Blood）

as the birth of true crime media,

视为真实犯罪作品的鼻祖，

it's easy to find examples that predate Capote by decades.

但是，早在卡波特的几十年前 就已经有了先例。

Consider the “Transatlantic Terror” inspired by Jack the Ripper

比如 19 世纪 80 年代、90 年代 源自开膛手杰克和

and H.H. Holmes in the 1880s and '90s,

哈里·霍华德·贺姆斯（H.H. Holmes）的 《跨大西洋恐怖故事》，

or how Elizabeth Short's 1947 murder

1947 年伊丽莎白肖特 （Elizabeth Short）凶杀案

inspired lurid media frenzy and the Black Dahlia lore.

引发了恐怖作品狂潮 和黑色大丽花轶闻。

It could even be argued that public executions in the Middle Ages,

甚至可以说中世纪的公开处刑、

the witch trials, even the Inquisition,

女巫审判，还有宗教裁判所

were early examples of true crime entertainment.

都是以真实犯罪为乐的早期案例。

Then, as now, spectators would watch,

如今，观众观看、

fascinated and horrified at the intersections of good and evil,

沉迷于、受惊于善恶边缘、

justice and injustice

正邪边缘，

played out before them in grim spectacles.

恐怖的景象在他们眼前上演。

It seems there is something innate in us

似乎我们天生

that is drawn to crimes or perceived crimes

会被犯罪或主观犯罪

and the associated horrors.

和由此引发的恐惧吸引。

While I have always enjoyed both true crime and crime fiction,

虽然我一直很喜欢 真实犯罪和虚构犯罪，

my real obsession took off with the zeitgeist.

但我对此真正的兴趣 随这个时代而起。

I’m a multitasker, so podcasts felt made for me.

我擅长同时进行多项任务， 所以播客就是为我量身打造的。

As I dove deeper down the "Serial" rabbit hole,

随着我在《连环》中越陷越深，

I began to expand my attention to other true crime narratives,

我开始关注其他真实犯罪故事，

and I noticed a new pattern emerging.

发现了一个新现象。

While lots of creators were focused on entertainment,

虽然很多创作者着重娱乐性，

others were focused on criminal justice reform,

但有的创作者会关注刑事司法改革、

on wrongful convictions,

冤假错案，

on bringing attention to long-cold, unsolved cases.

让人们注意到被雪藏的悬案。

I found this elating.

我欣喜若狂。

So much so that I changed my whole research stream

兴奋到我把整个研究方向

to devote my time to better understanding

转向更好地理解

this particular type of true crime entertainment.

这一特定种类的真实犯罪作品。

But when I would have conversations with other people about my obsession,

但是，当我和别人聊起我的兴趣时，

especially people outside of true crime fandom,

尤其是真实犯罪爱好者圈外的人，

the same questions would emerge.

都会出现同一个问题。

Is this OK?

这能行吗？

Doesn't this feel icky?

不难受吗？

Are they laughing about murders?

他们是在开凶案的玩笑吗？

I would shrug off those criticisms

对于这些质疑，我会置之不理，

or instead point them towards what I thought of as the good stuff:

或者把我眼中的好事放在他们眼前：

to the creators and storytellers

给他们看这些创作者、故事作者，

who were solving cases, finding new leads,

这些人在解决案件、寻找新线索、

drawing attention to long-cold cases and injustices.

呼吁对悬案和不公正现象的关注。

That's the good stuff.

这就是好事。

But when I would let myself look at the ugly side of true crime,

但当我着眼于真实犯罪的丑恶面时，

it was really, really ugly.

真是相当、相当丑恶。

In 2018, I started interviewing storytellers, journalists, advocates

2018 年，我开始采访 故事作者、记者、倡议者，

who were involved in true crime storytelling.

他们参与讲述了真实犯罪的故事。

I wanted to know how they personally navigated this dichotomy.

我想知道他们从个人角度 是如何处理这种分歧的。

I asked them to define true crime and to talk about its reputation.

我让他们定义真实犯罪， 谈一谈世人是如何看待它们的。

Obviously, they would gush about the good stuff,

显然他们会滔滔不绝地 谈论好的一面，

but other words kept coming up.

但也颇有微词。

Exploitative,

剥削、

salacious,

色情、

prurient,

淫荡、

murder porn.

凶杀色情片。

And just like the famous quote about traditional pornography,

如同对传统黄片的众口一词，

all of my interviewees told me

所有受访者都告诉我，

that while they couldn't define bad true crime,

虽然他们无法定义 蹩脚的真实犯罪，

they all knew it when they saw it.

但他们只要看到就都知道了。

So today I am here to offer those of you who, like me,

今天我来到这里， 想给我的同道中人，

might be a little obsessed,

那些有点上头的爱好者，

four questions to ask yourself

送上四个问题，请你们问问自己

about the real-world implications of your true crime consumption.

你们在欣赏真实犯罪的同时 它们又有什么现实意义。

I've based these questions from talking to people

这些问题基于 我与故事叙述者的谈话，

involved in the storytelling,

but also listening to people who have been affected

也基于聆听那些不幸受到 这些故事影响的受害者的声音。

by their tragic connections to these stories.

It is my hope that by becoming more mindful consumers

我希望如果我们可以成为

对真实犯罪作品更上心的观众，

of true crime media,

we can direct our attention, our resources, our dollars

我们就可以把关注、资源、金钱

towards the people doing the good work.

投在做好事的人身上。

So question number one, ask yourself:

第一个问题，问问自己：

"Why am I interested in this?"

“我为什么会对这个感兴趣？”

There's no right answer to this question.

这个问题没有正确答案。

Multiple studies have shown that true crime fans, particularly women,

许多研究表明真实犯罪的爱好者， 尤其是女性，

are drawn to the sense of community.

都是被归属感所吸引的。

So many of us have been ourselves survivors

我们中的很多人都是幸存者，

or know other survivors and victims of assault, harassment,

或认识其他遭受过袭击、骚扰、

甚至是谋杀的幸存者和受害者。

even murder.

Hearing the stories of others can be healing.

聆听他人的故事很治愈。

We can feel empowered to fight back and feel less alone.

我们有了反击的力量， 不再如此孤单。

On the other hand,

另一个方面，

sometimes interest in a true crime story

对真实犯罪的兴趣有时

is driven by horror or titillation or morbid curiosity.

是由恐惧、刺激或者 病态的好奇心驱使的。

While those feelings are natural and they're valid,

虽然这些感觉是正常的， 也是合理的，

if that's the only reason that you're interested in a story,

但如果这只是你对 某个故事感兴趣的唯一原因，

it might be time to find something new.

那你是时候去找点别的兴趣了。

Question number two:

第二个问题：

"How does this make me feel?"

“这让我有何感受？”

True crime fans know that true crime is rarely a feel-good story.

真实犯罪爱好者都知道真实犯罪 不太可能是个令人舒适的故事。

And yet, we still seek out that content.

但我们还是会执着于追寻这些内容。

For some people,

对于有些人来说，

the excitement and the motivation are in learning about a new topic.

刺激和动力在于了解新话题。

For others,

对于其他人来说，

there’s what media psychologists call a “eudaimonic motivation.”

媒体心理学家称之为 “自我实现动机”。

That is,

即我们会出于一些 超越娱乐或享乐的动机。

we are interested for reasons beyond pleasure or hedonic motivations.

For example, in my own listening,

比如，在我自己听播客的时候，

I've known myself to finish a victim's story

我通常会听完受害者的故事，

not because it was well told

不是因为讲得有多好，

or even necessarily interesting to me,

甚至不是因为我觉得很有趣，

but because I felt like I owed attention to this person's tragedy,

而是因为我觉得我早该 重视这个人遭遇的不幸，

especially in the case of victims

尤其是在受害者

who are less likely to receive coverage in mainstream press

不太有机会 被主流媒体报道的情况下，

like Black men or Indigenous girls.

比如黑人或土著女孩。

On the other hand,

另一方面，

sometimes the interest is driven

有些时候兴趣来源于

because it's exciting,

故事很刺激，

because the story is thrilling,

故事惊心动魄，

it's well-produced, it's filled with fascinating characters.

精心编纂，充满了迷人的角色。

While those hedonic motivations are not inherently problematic,

虽然这种追求享乐的动机 本身没什么问题，

again, if that's the only reason you're interested in a story,

但如果这是你对故事 感兴趣的唯一原因，

it might be time to reevaluate that consumption.

你就该重新评估一下这种爱好了。

Question number three,

第三个问题，

and this is a big one:

也是个重要的问题：

"How might the people involved in this story feel?"

“这个故事涉及的人会有什么感受？”

This can be a complicated question.

这可能是个复杂的问题。

Take, for example, the ubiquitous "Serial" case.

比如《连环》中的著名案件。

Advocates for Adnan Syed,

阿德南·赛义德（Adnan Syed），

the man that many believe is a victim of wrongful conviction,

许多人认为他是错案的受害者，

have written books, produced documentaries

他的支持者们就此案写了书， 制作了纪录片，

and recorded hours and hours of podcast about the case.

录制了数小时的播客。

They frame their arguments

他们声称

in that they are searching justice not only for Adnan,

他们不只是在为阿德南声张正义，

but also for Hae Min Lee,

也是在为李海敏 （Hae Min Lee）声张正义，

the young girl whose death is at the center of the story.

故事围绕着这位年轻女孩的死亡展开。

And yet, while these are noble causes,

虽然有这些冠冕堂皇的理由，

Hae's family is famously absent from the narratives.

众所周知，在这些故事中 并没有李海敏家人的踪影。

And they've issued statements saying that there are deep wounds

他们发表了声明称重温她的故事

that this remediation of her story opens.

揭开了他们深深的伤疤。

Does that make telling Hae's story inherently unethical?

那说出李海敏的故事 本身就是不道德的吗？

Not necessarily.

未必。

True crime storytelling, much like traditional journalism,

真实犯罪的叙事， 与传统新闻工作十分类似，

delves into painful subjects.

会挖掘令人痛苦的内容。

Sometimes that means private citizens' public lives --

有时是平民百姓人生的公开一面，

or private citizens' lives become public information.

或者是将平民百姓的人生公之于众。

Sometimes that means wounds are reopened.

有时是揭开伤疤。

Criminologist Elizabeth Yardley has written extensively

犯罪学家伊丽莎白·亚德利 （Elizabeth Yardley）

就犯罪叙事的伦理 撰写了许多文章。

about the ethics of crime storytelling.

She urges true crime fans to remember,

她敦促真实犯罪爱好者记住，

in the words of a Reddit post made by Hae Min Lee's brother,

这句来自李海敏兄弟的 Reddit 帖文中的话：

"To us, it's real life."

“对我们来说，这就是现实生活。”

Lee has criticized "Serial" producers

李先生斥责《连环》的制作组

for leaving his family out of these narratives.

将他的家人排除在叙事之外。

In that Reddit post, he goes on to say,

在那条 Reddit 帖文中， 紧接着他说道：

"To you, it's another murder mystery,

“对你来说，这只是 另一个凶杀谜团、

a crime drama, an episode of CSI.

一部犯罪剧、《犯罪现场调查》 （CSI）中的一集。

You weren't there to see your mom crying every night.

你不会看到你母亲夜夜流泪。

Shame on you.

真可耻。

I hope that what happens to us never happens to you

但愿你不会遇到 发生在我们身上的事，

and you have to have your story blasted to five million listeners."

也不会有五百万听众 对你的故事指指点点。”

When discovering new true crime narratives, ask yourself,

搜索其他真实犯罪故事的时候， 问问你自己，

are the people in this story being hurt?

故事中的人物有没有受到伤害？

And if so, is there a justifiable reason to inflict that harm?

如果受到了伤害， 那这种伤害是否是正当的？

Can some good come from retelling the story?

重述这个故事有什么好处吗？

Or is it just for entertainment?

还是只是娱乐？

If the answer is the latter, again,

如果答案是后者，同样地，

may be time to find something new.

你就该找点别的了。

And finally,

最后，

my last question to ask yourself to make you more aware

最后一个要问你自己的问题， 让你更了解

of the real-world impacts of your true crime consumption is this:

你消费真实犯罪的现实影响，

"Am I motivated to act?"

“我有没有因此受到鼓舞， 愿意采取行动？”

In my experience, my favorites,

就我自己的经历而言， 我最喜欢的作品，

the things I consider the really good stuff,

我认为它们真是好东西，

things like “In The Dark”

比如《暗中》（In the Dark）、

and “Truth and Justice” and the inimitable “Undisclosed” podcast,

《真相与正义》 （Truth and Justice）

和独树一帜的播客 《保密》（Undisclosed），

they leave listeners with a mission.

它们都为听众留下了任务。

To donate, to contact a member of Congress,

捐款、联系议员、

to work within our own communities for healing,

加入我们的康复社区，

for ourselves and for others.

为自己，也为他人。

On the other hand,

另一方面，

most of the true crime that I find really questionable

有很多我认为有问题的真实犯罪

leaves me feeling helpless or afraid.

都让我感到无助、害怕。

It focuses too much on the horrors or the injustices

它们过度关注恐怖效果或恶劣行为，

and not enough on healing or solutions.

却缺乏慰藉或解决方案。

There's a world of difference between a creator who plays a 911 call

播放一通报警电话，

to horrify his audience with anguished screams,

用痛苦的尖叫声吓观众的创作者，

and the one who plays a call in hopes that someone will hear a clue,

和满怀希望拨通报警电话的人之间 有着天壤之别，

他/她希望有人能听出暗示，

maybe a passing truck or rushing water

也许是飞驰而过的卡车或者流水声，

that helps find where a missing victim disappeared.

这通电话就是找到一名 失踪受害者的救命稻草。

The ethical creators will draw these lines around their motivations.

有道德的创作者 会明确界定他们的动机。

They will remind their listeners

他们会提醒听众，

that looking through court transcripts could be helpful

翻阅庭审记录可能有用，

but harassing victims, family members or suspects online is not.

但在线骚扰受害者及其家属 或嫌疑人无济于事。

While these four questions:

虽然这四个问题：

how does this make me feel;

这让我有何感受；

why am I interested in this;

我为什么会对此感兴趣；

how might the people involved feel;

牵涉其中的人有何感受；

and does this motivate me to act;

它有没有鼓励我采取行动；

cannot alone create a world

仅凭这四个问题无法建立一个

of less exploitative, more ethical true crime,

真实犯罪不那么剥削、 更符合伦理的世界，

our individual consumption has impacts.

但是，我们个人 对真实犯罪的消费会产生影响。

It is my hope

我希望，

that by directing our attention to the people doing the good stuff,

让人们更关注做好事的人，

that we can turn our time and our dollars and our resources,

我们就可以改变我们消耗时间、 金钱和资源的方式，

we can use that ourselves as murderinos, as fans,

作为凶杀案爱好者、粉丝的我们，

and amplify the potential for good in our true crime obsession.

可以更好地发挥出我们对 真实犯罪的兴趣中的行善潜力。

(Applause)

（掌声）