Lauren Zalaznick: The conscience of television

翻译人员: Chunxiang Qian 校对人员: Felix Chen

I want to say that really and truly,

我想说的是

after these incredible speeches

继这些非凡的演讲

and ideas that are being spread,

和广泛传播的想法之后

I am in the awkward position

我真的处于一个尴尬的境地

of being here to talk to you today

因为今天我要讲的

about television.

是电视

So most everyone watches TV.

几乎每个人都看电视

We like it. We like some parts of it.

我们喜欢看电视 至少它的一部分

Here in America, people actually love TV.

在美国，人们热爱电视

The average American watches TV

普通美国人每天

for almost 5 hours a day.

看5个小时的电视

Okay?

是吧？

Now I happen to make my living these days in television,

我恰好是靠电视吃饭的

so for me, that's a good thing.

所以对我来说，是个好事

But a lot of people don't love it so much.

但很多人并不太喜欢它

They, in fact, berate it.

实际上，痛斥电视

They call it stupid,

他们称之为愚蠢

and worse, believe me.

肯定还有更难听的

My mother, growing up,

我的母亲，在我成长过程中

she called it the "idiot box."

叫它“傻子盒子”

But my idea today is not to debate

但我今天不是要辩论

whether there's such a thing as good TV or bad TV;

电视的损益之处

my idea today

我今天

is to tell you that I believe

是向告诉诸位

television has a conscience.

电视是有良知的

So why I believe that television has a conscience

为什么我相信电视有良知

is that I actually believe

因为我相信

that television directly reflects

电视直接地反映了国民在

the moral, political,

道德，政治

social and emotional need states of our nation --

社会和情绪上的需要

that television is how we actually disseminate

因为电视是我们传播

our entire value system.

整个价值体系的方法

So all these things are uniquely human,

所以人类具有的一切特质

and they all add up

都组成了

to our idea of conscience.

我们对良知的理解

Now today, we're not talking about good and bad TV.

今天，我们不是讨论电视好坏

We're talking about popular TV.

我们谈的是流行电视

We're talking about top-10 Nielsen-rated shows

50年间在

over the course of 50 years.

尼尔森排行前十的电视节目

How do these Nielsen ratings

尼尔森排行是如何

reflect not just what you've heard about,

反映你所闻

which is the idea of our social, collective unconscious,

也就是社会性的集体潜意识

but how do these top-10 Nielsen-rated shows

同时这些50年间

over 50 years

在尼尔森排行前十的电视节目

reflect the idea

是如何反映了

of our social conscience?

我们的社会良知？

How does television evolve over time,

电视又是如何与时俱进

and what does this say about our society?

怎样反映了社会现实？

Now speaking of evolution,

说到演化

from basic biology, you probably remember

从生物学来说，你大概想到

that the animal kingdom, including humans,

动物世界，包括人类

have four basic primal instincts.

具有四种基本本能

You have hunger; you have sex; you have power;

饥饿，性欲，权利

and you have the urge for acquisitiveness.

和获取欲望

As humans, what's important to remember

作为人类，重要的是

is that we've developed, we've evolved over time

我们在漫长时间中演化

to temper, or tame,

能够驾驭

these basic animal instincts.

这些本能

We have the capacity to laugh and cry.

我们可以笑和哭

We feel awe, we feel pity.

我们感受敬畏和同情

That is separate and apart

这讲我们

from the animal kingdom.

和动物区别开来

The other thing about human beings

人类的另一特性是

is that we love to be entertained.

我们热衷于娱乐

We love to watch TV.

我们喜欢看电视

This is something that clearly separates us

这也是区别于

from the animal kingdom.

动物的

Animals might love to play,

动物也许喜欢玩耍

but they don't love to watch.

但他们不喜欢观看

So I had an ambition

所以我试图

to discover what could be understood

探索

from this uniquely human relationship

这种电视节目和

between television programs

人类良知间的独特关系

and the human conscious.

能给我们什么启示

Why has television entertainment evolved the way it has?

为什么电视娱乐以它的方式发展？

I kind of think of it

我想像它

as this cartoon devil or angel

像卡通版的天使和魔鬼一样

sitting on our shoulders.

坐在我们肩膀上

Is television literally functioning

电视是不是真的

as our conscience,

如同我们的良知

tempting us and rewarding us at the same time?

诱惑我们的同时奖励我们？

So to begin to answer these questions,

为解答这个问题

we did a research study.

我们做了一个研究

We went back 50 years

从50年前开始

to the 1959/1960 television season.

1959/1960的收视旺季

We surveyed the top-20 Nielsen shows

每一年

every year for 50 years --

我们调查尼尔森排行前20个电视节目——

a thousand shows.

是从一千个电视节目里挑出来的

We talked to over 3,000 individuals --

我们向三千余名

almost 3,600 --

几乎是三千六百名——

aged 18 to 70,

18到70岁的

and we asked them how they felt emotionally.

观众征询他们的情绪上的感受

How did you feel

他们对观看这每一个电视节目的

watching every single one of these shows?

感受如何？

Did you feel a sense of moral ambiguity?

有觉得一种道德的不确定吗？

Did you feel outrage? Did you laugh?

有觉得愤怒吗？笑了吗？

What did this mean for you?

对你意义何在？

So to our global TED audiences,

所以对全球的TED观众

I want to say that this was a U.S. sample.

我想说这是个美国标本

But as you can see,

但是

these emotional need states are truly universal.

这些感情需求是共通的

And on a factual basis,

另外一个实事是

over 80 percent of the U.S.'s most popular shows

超过百分之八十的美国流行电视节目

are exported around the world.

出口到全世界

So I really hope our global audiences

所以我真心希望全球观众

can relate.

能有同感

Two acknowledgments

在展示数据前

before our first data slide:

首先要感谢两个人：

For inspiring me

一位启发了

to even think about the idea of conscience

我去思考良知这个问题

and the tricks that conscience can play on us on a daily basis,

以及良知是如何影响我们的日常生活

I thank legendary rabbi, Jack Stern.

谢谢传奇牧师，杰克･斯特恩

And for the way in which I'm going to present the data,

另外关于公布数据方法

I want to thank TED community superstar Hans Rosling,

我得谢谢TED社区的明星汉斯･罗斯林

who you may have just seen.

你们也许刚刚见过

Okay, here we go.

好，我们开始吧

So here you see,

这里看到的

from 1960 to 2010,

就是从1960年到2010年

the 50 years of our study.

50年的研究

Two things we're going to start with --

我们从两点着手－

the inspiration state and the moral ambiguity state,

启发性和道德不确定性

which, for this purpose,

为此

we defined inspiration

我们定义启发性为

as television shows that uplift me,

电视节目提升我们

that make me feel much more positive about the world.

使我们更积极面对世界

Moral ambiguity are televisions shows

道德不确定性是指那些

in which I don't understand

我不明白

the difference between right and wrong.

是非分界的电视节目

As we start, you see in 1960

你看到1960年开端

inspiration is holding steady.

启发性比较稳定

That's what we're watching TV for.

那是我们看电视的原因

Moral ambiguity starts to climb.

道德不确定性开始爬升

Right at the end of the 60s,

六十年代末

moral ambiguity is going up,

道德不确定性在上升

inspiration is kind of on the wane.

启发性则在衰落

Why?

为什么

The Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK is shot,

古巴导弹危机，肯尼迪总统遇刺

the Civil Rights movement,

美国民权运动

race riots, the Vietnam War,

种族暴动，越战

MLK is shot, Bobby Kennedy is shot,

马丁·路德·金遇刺，鲍勃･肯尼迪遇刺

Watergate.

水门事件

Look what happens.

看看有什么变化

In 1970, inspiration plummets.

70年代，启发性下滑

Moral ambiguity takes off.

道德不确定性上升

They cross,

二者交叉而过

but Ronald Reagan, a telegenic president, is in office.

但罗纳德･里根，最上镜的总统上任

It's trying to recover.

试图纠正

But look, it can't:

但是看，不行

AIDS, Iran-Contra,

艾滋病，伊朗门

the Challenger disaster, Chernobyl.

更严重的灾难，切尔诺贝利核事故

Moral ambiguity becomes the dominant meme in television

道德不确定性成为电视的主导模因

from 1990 for the next 20 years.

从1990年开始持续了20年

Take a look at this.

再来看看这个

This chart is going to document a very similar trend.

这个图表将要展现的是非常相似的趋势

But in this case, we have comfort -- the bubble in red --

但在这个表上，有舒适性－红点

social commentary and irreverence

社会评论以及不敬

in blue and green.

是蓝点和绿点

Now this time on TV

这个时候的电视上

you have "Bonanza," don't forget, you have "Gunsmoke,"

可以看到《大淘金》，别忘了《荒野大镖客》（均为西部片）

you have "Andy Griffith,"

还有安迪·格里菲斯

you have domestic shows all about comfort.

国内的电视节目都令人愉快

This is rising. Comfort stays whole.

舒适性在上升，在主导地位

Irreverence starts to rise.

不敬呈上升趋势

Social commentary is all of a sudden spiking up.

社会评论突然激增

You get to 1969, and look what happens.

看看1969年的情况

You have comfort, irreverence, and social commentary,

舒适性，不敬和社会评论

not only battling it out in our society,

同时占据社会

but you literally have two establishment shows --

当时有两大电视节目－

"Gunsmoke" and "Gomer Pyle" --

《荒野大镖客》和《傻子派尔》－

in 1969 are the number-two- and number-three-rated television shows.

在1969年是分别排行第二和第三的电视节目

What's number one?

第一是什么呢？

The socially irreverent hippie show,

藐视社会的嬉皮士节目

"Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In."

《鲁旺和马丁搞笑集》

They're all living together, right.

他们都同时存在

Viewers had responded dramatically.

观众对此反映强烈

Look at this green spike in 1966

看看1966年的这个

to a bellwether show.

对于一个人气节目的反应突起

When you guys hear this industry term, a breakout hit,

当你听到这个行业术语，突破

what does that mean?

这意味着什么？

It means in the 1966 television season,

意味着1966年收视旺季里

The "Smothers Brothers" came out of nowhere.

《窒息兄弟》横空出世

This was the first show

这是第一个电视剧

that allowed viewers to say,

让观众惊叹

"My God,

“天哪

I can comment on how I feel about the Vietnam War,

我能通过电视对越战

about the presidency, through television?"

还有总统执政评论？”

That's what we mean by a breakout show.

这就是我所说的突破

So then, just like the last chart, look what happens.

最后一部分

In 1970,

1970年

the dam bursts. The dam bursts.

如溃堤一般

Comfort is no longer why we watch television.

舒适性不再是我们看电视的原因

Social commentary and irreverence

社会评论和不敬

rise throughout the 70s.

在70年代不断上升

Now look at this.

看看这个

The 70s means who? Norman Lear.

70年代的代表人物是谁？诺曼･李尔

You have "All in the Family," "Sanford and Son,"

有《全家福》，《桑福德和儿子》

and the dominant show --

和人气剧－

in the top-10 for the entire 70s --

整个70年代稳居前十的

"MAS*H."

《风流医生俏护士》

In the entire 50 years

在我们研究过的50年的

of television that we studied,

电视节目中

seven of 10 shows

七成高居

ranked most highly for irreverence

不敬的分类榜单的节目

appeared on air during the Vietnam War,

开播于越战期间

five of the top-10 during the Nixon administration.

前十里有5个是出现于尼克松执政期

Only one generation, 20 years in,

只是短短一代人时间，20年

and we discovered,

我们发现

Wow! TV can do that?

哇！电视能做到这些？

It can make me feel this?

能让我们感受到这些？

It can change us?

它能改变我们？

So to this very, very savvy crowd,

对于这群聪明人

I also want to note

我也想指出

the digital folks did not invent disruptive.

数码时代并没有颠覆时代

Archie Bunker was shoved out of his easy chair

40年前

along with the rest of us

亚奇･邦克连同我们

40 years ago.

被推下了安乐椅

This is a quick chart. Here's another attribute:

这个图表比较精简 这是另一个要素

fantasy and imagination,

幻想和想像

which are shows defined as,

它被定义为

"takes me out of my everyday realm"

“逃离平庸日常生活”

and "makes me feel better."

和“让我感觉更美好”

That's mapped against the red dot, unemployment,

这个标记跟红点，即失业率相对

which is a simple Bureau of Labor Department statistic.

失业率是单纯从劳动部获得的数据

You'll see

可以看到

that every time fantasy and imagination shows rise,

每次幻想／想像的节目增加

it maps to a spike in unemployment.

与失业率的上升相对应

Do we want to see shows

我们想看节目里

about people saving money and being unemployed?

人们省吃俭用还是无业状态吗？

No. In the 70s

不 70年代

you have the bellwether show "The Bionic Woman"

有热门剧《无敌女金刚》

that rocketed into the top-10 in 1973,

1973年这个剧升到前十的榜单

followed by the "Six Million-Dollar Man" and "Charlie's Angels."

跟在后面的是《无敌金刚》和《女探俏娇娃》

Another spike in the 1980s --

另一个增长是在80年代

another spike in shows about control and power.

这个增长是关于控制和权利的节目的增加

What were those shows?

是什么电视剧呢？

Glamorous and rich.

关于荣誉和财富的

"Dallas," "Fantasy Island."

《达拉斯》《梦幻岛》

Incredible mapping of our national psyche

（这些剧）与一个冷硬的现实

with some hard and fast facts:

共同标记了国民的精神状态：

unemployment.

这个现实就是失业率

So here you are, in my favorite chart,

这里是我最喜欢的部分

because this is our last 20 years.

因为这是最后的20年

Whether or not you're in my business,

无论如何你肯定是其中一部分

you have surely heard or read

你肯定听过或者读到过

of the decline of the thing called the three-camera sitcom

三位摄像系统的情景喜剧的衰落

and the rise of reality TV.

和真人秀的崛起

Well, as we say in the business,

行业内所称

X marks the spot.

X标记点

The 90s -- the big bubbles of humor --

90年代－幽默的泡沫期

we're watching "Friends," "Frasier," "Cheers" and "Seinfeld."

我们看《六人行》《欢乐一家亲》《干杯酒吧》和《宋飞传》

Everything's good, low unemployment.

一起都很美好，低失业率

But look: X marks the spot.

但是看：X标记点

In 2001,

2001年

the September 2001 television season,

2001年九月的收视旺季中

humor succumbs to judgment once and for all.

幽默一下子转变为评论

Why not?

为什么？

We had a 2000 presidential election

2000年总统大选

decided by the Supreme Court.

最后又最高法庭判决

We had the bursting of the tech bubble.

科技泡沫的破碎

We had 9/11.

911事件

Anthrax becomes part of the social lexicon.

炭疽热称为新热门词

Look what happens when we keep going.

看看后面是什么？

At the turn of the century, the Internet takes off,

随着新世纪的到来，互联网普及

reality television has taken hold.

真人秀开始占主导

What do people want in their TV then?

人们希望在电视上看到什么？

I would have thought revenge

我认为是报复

or nostalgia.

或者怀旧

Give me some comfort; my world is falling apart.

给我点舒适的东西，我的世界破碎不堪

No, they want judgment.

不，他们要公平

I can vote you off the island.

我要通过投票让你离开小岛

I can keep Sarah Palin's daughter dancing.

我要让莎拉･佩林的女儿继续跳舞

I can choose the next American Idol. You're fired.

我来定下一个美国偶像 你被炒了

That's all great, right?

非常爽 是吧？

So as dramatically different as these television shows,

所以如同这些悬殊不同的电视剧

pure entertainment, have been over the last 50 years --

过去50年间的纯娱乐

what did I start with? --

该怎么说？－

one basic instinct remains.

有一个本能留下来了

We're animals, we need our moms.

我们是动物，需要母亲

There has not been a decade of television

还没有一个年代的电视剧

without a definitive, dominant TV mom.

没有一个强大的有利的电视母亲

The 1950s:

50年代：

June Cleever in the original comfort show, "Leave it to Beaver."

欢乐剧《反斗小宝贝》里的朱恩･克里夫

Lucille Ball kept us laughing

露西･鲍尔让我们欢笑

through the rise of social consciousness in the 60s.

在60年代的社会意识觉醒里

Maude Findlay,

莫德･芬德利

the epitome of the irreverent 1970s,

是无敬畏的70年代典型

who tackled abortion, divorce,

荧屏上的她经历过流产，离婚

even menopause on TV.

甚至是绝经

The 1980s,

80年代

our first cougar was given to us

艾丽克希丝·卡琳顿（《豪门恩怨》）

in the form of Alexis Carrington.

带来第一个冲击

Murphy Brown took on a vice president

墨菲･布朗因为她单身母亲的身份

when she took on the idea of single parenthood.

而被一位副总统（丹･奎尔）批判

This era's mom,

这个时代的母亲

Bree Van de Kamp.

Bree Van de Kamp

Now I don't know if this is the devil or the angel

现在我也不确定是那个魔鬼还是天使

sitting on our conscience,

坐在我们的良知上

sitting on television's shoulders,

坐在电视的肩膀上

but I do know that I absolutely love this image.

但我知道我喜欢这个图片

So to you all,

所以向左右人

the women of TEDWomen, the men of TEDWomen,

TEDWomen的女士们，TEDWomen的男士们

the global audiences of TEDWomen,

TEDWomen的全球观众

thank you for letting me present my idea

谢谢给我这个机会说出我的

about the conscience of television.

关于电视良知的观点

But let me also thank the incredible creators

也请允许我感谢了不起的制作人

who get up everyday

在电视时代的这么多年里

to put their ideas on our television screens

他们每一天

throughout all these ages of television.

将新点子放到电视荧屏上去

They give it life on television, for sure,

他们将生命献给电视事业

but it's you as viewers,

但，是作为观众的你们

through your collective social consciences,

通过社会的集体意识

that give it life, longevity,

给予了电视生命，存在

power or not.

力量，

So thanks very much.

非常感谢

(Applause)

（鼓掌）