Mentalism, mind reading and the art of getting inside your head | Derren Brown | TED

譯者: Wei-Chia Huang 審譯者: Bruce Sung

We are all trapped

我們都受

大腦思維所困。

inside our own heads,

and our beliefs and our understandings about the world are limited

我們對於世界的看法及理解

by that perspective,

也因此而受限，

which means we tell ourselves stories.

也就是說，我們會自己編故事。

Right? So here we are in this infinite data source.

對吧？我們身處無盡資料源中。

There's an infinite number of things that we could think about,

我們可能思及無數東西，

but we edit and delete.

卻加以編輯和刪減。

We choose what to think about, what to pay attention to.

我們選擇性地思考、選擇性去關注。

We make up a story ...

我們自己編造故事⋯⋯

to make sense of what's going on,

來讓事情變得合理，

and we all get it wrong.

可我們都錯了。

Because we're all trying to navigate with our own skewed compasses,

因為我們都用自己 不準的指南針導航，

and we all have our own baggage,

身負自己的思想包袱，

but the stories themselves are utterly convincing.

卻編造出極具說服力的故事。

And we all do this,

大家都是如此，

and a lot of the stories that we live by aren't even our own.

許多隨我們過活的故事 甚至不是源於我們。

年輕時，最初來自於父母，

The first ones we inherit at a young age from our parents,

想當然父母有自己不準確的看法、

who of course have their own skewed beliefs,

their own frustrations, their own unlived lives.

他們自身的挫折、未完成的人生。

And for better or worse, we take all that onboard,

無論好壞，我們全盤接受，

and then we go out into the world

接著我們迎向世界，

thinking maybe we have to be successful to be loved;

想著也許我們必須成功才能受愛戴，

or that we always have to put other people's needs first;

或總得以他人需求為優先，

or that we have some big terrible secret we couldn't possible tell people.

不然就是有著難以告人的秘密。

And it's just fiction, it's just stories,

而這不過是虛構的，是故事罷了。

and we'd worry a lot less about what other people think of us

一旦知道別人根本不怎麼想起我們，

if we realized how seldom they do.

就不會那麼擔心 他人對自己的看法了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So I feel that magic is a great analogy for how we edit reality and form a story

所以我認為用魔術來類比

我們如何編造現實和故事，

與誤將故事當作事實

and then mistake that story for the truth,

再好不過了。

and I've had a 20-year career in the UK

二十年來我在英國

staging big psychological experiments on TV,

電視上表演大型心理實驗，

and now that's on Netflix.

現在在網飛播出。

I also have a stage show.

我也上舞台表演。

I've got my first Broadway show actually coming up, called "Secret."

事實上我的首場百老匯秀 《秘密》就快上演了。

只是隨口一提。 你們別覺得非去捧場不可。

Just throwing that out there. No pressure.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

That should be this year.

今年吧。

And I try to do something new with mentalism, mentalism,

我以「心靈主義」做了新嘗試，

心靈主義是一種不可信的 進入你腦袋的藝術。

which is the dubious art of getting inside your head.

So there was a heyday for this kind of stage mind-reading,

這種心靈感應表演的全盛期

which was the 1930s.

就在 1930 年代。

That's why I'm dressed like this,

所以我才穿成這樣，

in my most un-TED-like garb.

打扮得一點都不像要來 TED。

And there was an act, an act known as the Oracle Act.

還有一種表演稱作「神諭」。

And in the Oracle Act, members of the audience,

「神諭表演」中，觀眾，

as I know you have done,

正如我知道你們已經做完了，

would write down secret questions,

會寫下秘密問題，

the sort of questions you might ask a psychic,

你可能會想問通靈者的問題，

seal that question into an envelope,

將其密封於信封裡，

and on the outside of the envelope they would write their initials

信封外寫上姓名首字母，

and then roughly where they sat in the audience.

以及在觀眾席中大略的位置。

And then the Oracle, the mind reader, would take an envelope one at a time,

接著傳神諭者，也就是讀心者， 會一次拿一個信封，

he wouldn't open it,

他不會打開信封，

but he would attempt to divine what question was sealed inside.

他會試著感應封在裡頭的問題，

And if he got that right, he would try and answer the question

若成功了，他會嘗試回答

for the person too.

該位觀眾的問題。

And the act spread like wildfire.

這種表演迅速紅了起來。

It's a testament, I think, to the seductive appeal

我覺得這證明了一些 頗具影響力者的誘人吸引力，

of some powerful figure offering you easy, simple answers

由於他們能為你生活中

to life's complex and subtle questions

複雜而難捉摸的問題及焦慮

提供簡易的答案。

and anxieties.

So thank you all of you that wrote questions.

那麼，感謝所有寫完問題的人。

我還沒看，有人幫我保管著。

I haven't seen these. I know somebody's guarding them.

Thank you so much.

非常感謝。

現在都在我手上了。 謝謝大家的配合。

I will take those now. Thank you all of you that did this.

I should say, probably, a couple of things before I start.

開始前我可能得說幾件事。

In absolute honesty,

絕對誠實。

first of all I can't see through these envelopes.

首先我看不透這些信封，

They are sealed. They are thick black envelopes.

它們密封著，又黑又厚。

You'll know if you wrote one. I can't see through them.

你們有寫的話就會知道。 我無法透過信封看到內容。

Secondly, importantly, I don't know any of you

第二，很重要， 我不認識你們任何人。

and nobody is playing along.

沒人在底下配合我。

That's not what this is.

讀心術不會這麼做。

Thirdly ...

第三點⋯⋯

I don't believe for a second that I have any special psychological gifts,

我從不信自己有任何特殊心理天賦，

let alone any psychic ones.

更別提超能力了。

So let's begin.

那我們開始吧。

Nope.

沒有。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

OK, this --

好的，這個⋯⋯

Oh, nice.

喔，讚。

OK, this one's interesting. There's a couple here.

好，這封很有趣。這裡有幾封。

I will start with maybe this one.

我可能先從這封開始。

This one's interesting, because the writing undulates.

這封很有趣，字寫得像波浪一樣。

There's a sort of an up and down thing,

蘊含著一種波動感。

which normally -- not always -- normally means

這通常，不總是如此啦，通常代表

that the person doesn't know the answer to the question themselves,

這類人自己也不知道問題的答案，

so it's normally a question about the future, right?

所以一般是和未來 有關的問題，對吧？

That sort of suggests uncertainty.

這暗示著幾分不確定性。

所以我猜這是一位女士，

So I would say it's a lady,

age-wise it's a little difficult to tell from this minimal handwriting,

這點筆跡有點難辨別年齡，

but I would expect maybe 30s, maybe 40s, but let's find out.

但我想大概三、四十幾，來看看吧。

It says -- and a question about the future --

它說，還有個關於未來的問題，

it says, "JN, center."

它說：「JN，中心。」

So it's going to be somebody in this big central section here.

所以是某個坐在這大片中央區的人，

If you think this is you, if you wrote one,

如果你覺得是你，若你有寫，

could you make a fuss?

可以來點騷動示意一下嗎？

It's a bit difficult for me to see in the center.

我不太看得清中央區。

Hi, give us a wave.

嗨，對我們揮揮手。

So J ...

那麼 J ……

Jane? Jessica?

珍？潔西卡？

Jessica: Yes.

（潔西卡）對。

Derren Brown: Which one? Jessica: Jessica.

（達倫）哪個呢？ （潔西卡）潔西卡。

DB: Thank you. Just a guess. Little murmur of approval, thank you?

（達倫）感謝。只是猜看看。 來點認同吧，謝謝？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I'll take it.

我收下了。

Alright, so Jessica, I won't ask your age,

好的，潔西卡，我不會問妳的年齡，

but is it a question essentially about the future?

但這問題基本上和未來有關嗎？

Jessica: Mhm? DB: Yes?

（潔西卡）嗯！ （達倫）是嗎？

Jessica: Yes. DB: Yes. OK.

（潔西卡）是。 （達倫）是，好的。

Alright. So what did we ask? What did Jessica ask about the future?

好。那麼問題是什麼呢？ 潔西卡問了什麼關於未來的問題？

So am I OK with late-30s, early-40s?

我猜三十歲末、四十歲初可以嗎？

Jessica: I'll take it. I'm taking it.

我可以接受。我接受。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

DB: OK, so it's important,

好的，這很重要，

因為我們會依年齡提出不同問題。

because we ask different questions depending how old we are.

Just say, "I'll take it" again.

再說一次「我能接受。」

Jessica: I'll take it.

（潔西卡）我能接受。

DB: Virginia? You're from Virginia? Jessica: Yes, I am.

（達倫）維吉尼亞？ 妳來自維吉尼亞州？

（潔西卡）是，沒錯。

DB: Yeah. So --

（達倫）好，那麼⋯⋯

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I think this is a lady,

我認為這位女士，

I think this is a lady who wants to leave Virginia.

我認為這為女士想離開維吉尼亞，

I think you're looking at plans,

我想妳正在考慮，

it's whether or not things are going to come together to get out.

看時機會不會成熟。

Just show me your hands.

讓我看看妳的手。

Other sides so I can see fingernails?

換反面讓我看看指甲？

OK, I think you have a farm

好，我想妳有座農場。

and it's whether or not you're going to sell your farm and get out of Virginia?

妳想問該不該賣掉農場 離開維吉尼亞？

Is this right?

是嗎？

Jessica: Absolutely, that's the question.

（潔西卡）沒錯！我就是問這個。

DB: Alright. Great. Thank you. It's a great question!

（達倫）好的，太好了。 謝謝。這是個好問題。

What was the actual question? What did you put?

確切問題是什麼呢？妳怎麼寫的？

Jessica: "Will I sell the farm in Virginia?"

（潔西卡）我會賣掉 維吉尼亞的農場嗎？

DB: Will you sell the farm?

（達倫）妳會賣掉農場嗎？

Alright, so look, it's a great question if you are pretending to be psychic,

好，注意，這對 裝會通靈的人是個好問題，

because it's about the future,

因為這和未來相關，

which means I can give you a yes or no on this.

我可以隨意給你肯定或否定的答案。

It means nothing. You have no way of verifying it.

這毫無意義。因為你無法驗證未來。

And a dangerous thing to do --

危險的是⋯⋯

and if I say yes or no, it'll just stick in the back of your mind,

無論我回答了什麼， 都會留在你腦海，

它會開始影響你做的決定。

and it can't not start to affect decisions you make.

這很危險。但是⋯⋯

So a dangerous thing to do. However --

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Yes, I think you will sell the farm,

是的，我認為妳會賣掉農場。

because I think you're the sort of person

因為我覺得妳就是那種

that in the nicest way will get what you want.

會一切順利、得償所願的人。

I think when there are things you want, you tend to focus on them

我覺得妳只要有想要的東西， 就會專注在上面，

at the expense of other things

以犧牲其他

that you know you probably should be focusing on more,

妳更應該專注的事物為代價。

would you agree?

妳認同嗎？

Educated, you spent a few years in --

教育方面，妳花了幾年在⋯⋯

Say yes again, the word "yes" quickly? Jessica: Yes.

再說一次「是」，說快一點？ （潔西卡）是。

DB: No? Jessica: No.

（達倫）不是呢？ （潔西卡）不是。

DB: California? Berkeley? A bit of a guess, but ...

加州？柏克萊？ 猜了一點，但是⋯⋯

Jessica: I went to Berkeley, yes. Stop doing this!

（潔西卡）我在柏克萊念過書， 對。別再猜了。

DB: So it's a yes.

（達倫）所以答案是「是」。

Oh, and you've been to India recently as well.

喔，而且妳最近去了印度一趟。

There's just a tiny, tiny little thing going on there. Yes? No?

在那裡發生了件小事情， 是嗎？不是？

Jessica: Yes, I just got back from India.

（潔西卡）是，我剛從印度回來。

DB: It's a yes from me, I just don't want to say it like it's written in the stars

（達倫）我的回答是「是」， 我只是不想說得像命運的安排，

因為並非如此，你也得負上責任。 這樣回答了你的問題嗎？是嗎？

because it isn't, and you need to take responsibility for it.

（潔西卡）是。

DB: Have a seat. Thank you. Let's do another one.

（達倫）太棒了！ 請坐，謝謝。我們來試試另一個。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

AH, also in the center? AH.

AH，也是在中間？AH。

This will be a man, a little older, maybe late 40s, I would say from this.

這是一位先生，有點年紀， 約四十歲末，我由此而言。

AH, center, stand up for me if you think this is you.

AH，中間的，若覺得是你請站起來。

AH. Hi, let's get a microphone to this guy.

AH。嗨，幫他拿支麥克風好嗎？

Quick as we can, on camera would be amazing.

我們盡快，鏡頭上才會上相。

Oh, look at that! Freeze. Don't move. Don't move.

喔！看哪！停住。別動，別動。

Keep absolutely still.

就這樣別動。

Are you standing? Where are you?

你站著嗎？你在哪？

Man: I am standing. I'm not that short.

（男士）我站著呢！我沒那麼矮。

DB: OK.

好。

Alright, now you changed that.

好的，你現在變換了。

There was just something you did as you got up.

你起身時做了某件事。

Yes or no, have you put something on here --

你是否在這放下了什麼？

you're not doing it now, but you did it as you stood up --

不是現在，是你起身時做的。

to do with your left or your left leg or your left foot, yes or no?

和你的左側、左腿或左腳 有關，是不是？

Man: Yes.

（男士）是。

DB: Alright. He was giving us a nice clear signal as he stood up.

（達倫）好，他起身時 給了我們一個非常明確的信號。

我會盡量快些。 重心放在左側並說「是」。

Put your weight on your left-hand side and say "yes."

Man: Yes.

（男士）是。

DB: Take your hand out of that pocket, put your weight on the other side,

（達倫）手從口袋 拿出來，重心換邊。

換手拿麥克風並再說一次「是」。

change hands with the mic and say "yes" again.

（男士）是。

Man: Yes.

（達倫）（嘆息）你有…… 你有……你有……你骨頭有錯位，

DB: You have a dislocation

in the big toe on your left-hand side?

左腳大拇指是嗎？

Man: Yes.

（男士）是。

DB: Thank you so much. Great. Good one! Take a seat. Take a seat.

（達倫）非常感謝你。 太好了！很棒！請坐，請坐。

Can I get the microphone? I'm going to change microphone for this.

能給我麥克風嗎？我要換支麥克風。

Can I grab a mic up? Thank you.

拿麥克風上來。謝謝。

Thank you so much. That would be great there.

謝謝你。放這就好。

I'm going to change mic because,

我換麥克風是因為⋯⋯

hopefully you can now still hear me?

但願你們現在都還能聽見我聲音。

So I'm going to blindfold myself.

我要蒙住自己的雙眼。

And I'm doing this now so I don't have the clues as you stand up.

這樣你們起身時我便無跡可尋了。

I can't see where you put your hands.

我看不見你們手放哪。

I can't see how you respond to what I'm saying.

看不見你們對我話語的反應。

I can't see what the people next to you are doing either.

也看不見你隔壁的人在做什麼。

If they know the answers to the question, that's always very helpful.

若他們知道問題的答案會很有幫助。

I won't have those advantages,

我沒有那些優勢，

but strangely,

但這卻不可思議地

this frees me up,

解放了我，

and I want this to free you up as well,

我也希望能解放你們，

so if you didn't write a question

所以若你們沒寫問題

but you wish that you had done,

後悔了，

you can still take part.

你們還是能參與。

The point of writing the question is only that it just kind of gets

寫下問題的目的只是為了

讓你們腦中有漂亮、 清晰及簡潔的措辭。

a nice, clear, succinct wording in your head.

So if you can just find a question in your head,

所以若你腦中想到了問題，

make it clear and succinct, just send it to me,

弄得更清楚簡潔，傳遞給我。

and I'll try and do this now without anything written down.

現在我會在沒書面的 情況下嘗試回答。

So just start to form questions but send me your name as well.

那麼開始想問題，也把 名字給我吧！那很重要。

"My name is," whatever that last guy was,

「我的名字是」隨便什麼人名，

and "what's strange about my feet," or whatever the question was.

和「我的腳哪裡不對勁」 或任何問題。

So name and question.

那麼名字和問題。

There is somebody already, I'm guessing you're quite near the front,

已經有人囉，我猜你跟前排很近，

because your name is quite clear.

因為你的名字非常清楚。

Feels like you're in the center at the front.

感覺你在中央前排。

OK, let me just ... Allan?

好的，讓我⋯⋯艾倫？

Feels like there's an Allan.

感覺有個叫艾倫的。

And you're going to be quite near the front, vaguely central, I think.

而且你離前排相當近，依稀在中央。

Feels like it's coming from right there.

感覺在那兒。

There's like a man, maybe early 60s, something like that.

一名男士，大概六十出頭，之類的。

Allan: Yes.

（艾倫）是的。

DB: You've got a mic? Great, thank you.

（達倫）你拿 麥克風了嗎？很好，謝謝。

Allan, just say "stop" when I get to you so that I know where you are,

艾倫，我指到你就說「停」，

where to face.

我就知道你在哪，要面向哪。

Allan: Stop.

（艾倫）停。

DB: You a Capricorn? Allan: Yes.

（達倫）你是摩羯座？ （艾倫）是的。

DB: So Allan has something in his head.

（達倫）艾倫腦中有某事物。

Now, did you hear it, hear the reserve in his voice?

現在，聽見了嗎？他語帶保留。

It's going to be something really tricky.

是某件挺棘手的事物。

I think with you ... Just say "yes" again for me?

我想⋯⋯再說一次「是」好嗎？

Allan: Yes.

（艾倫）是。

DB: It's going to be either --

（達倫）它會是⋯⋯

no it's not.

不，不對。

It's access, it's a password or access to something.

是門路，密碼或通往某事物的門路。

Have you got something, just yes or no, with a password in your head?

你腦中是否有密碼 相關事物，是或否？

Allan: Yes.

（艾倫）是。

DB: A computer password, that sort of thing?

（達倫）是個電腦密碼之類的？

Allan: Yes.

（艾倫）是的。

DB: Excellent!

（達倫）好極了！

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

In that case, I'm going to finish on this one. Let me ---

達倫：既然如此， 我把這個完成吧。讓我⋯⋯

If I get this right,

如果我對了，

they're all going to know what it is, and millions of people potentially.

他們就會知道密碼了， 其他數百萬人可能也是。

You will change it, won't you?

你會改密碼的，對吧？

Allan: Of course.

（艾倫）當然。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

DB: Just say "of course" again? Allan: Of course.

（達倫）再說一次「當然」？ （艾倫）當然。

DB: Alright. If it's a word -- I imagine it's a word, right --

（達倫）好，若它是一個字⋯⋯ 我想它是一個字，好⋯⋯

just see the password written in front of you,

知道寫在你前面的密碼了，

big clear block capital letters,

清晰明瞭的大寫字母，

and as you look at it, think for me of a letter somewhere in the middle,

你思索它時，幫我 想一下中間的字母。

don't say it out loud,

別說太大聲。

just get a letter in your head that's in the middle.

接收到你腦中一個字母了，中間的。

Have you got one? Allan: Yeah.

（達倫）你好了嗎？ （艾倫）是。

DB: OK, stick with that for me.

（達倫）好，幫我想著它。

Ah, you changed it, OK.

啊，你改了，好吧。

You changed your mind there.

你改變主意了。

I think you settled on a --

我想你決定了一個⋯⋯

I think that's a "B", yes?

我想是「B」是嗎？

Allan: No.

（艾倫）不是。

I didn't.

（艾倫）我沒有。

DB: Then it's an "I"? Allan: Correct.

（達倫）那有個「Ｉ」？ （艾倫）沒錯。

DB: But you had a B. Allan: Yes.

（達倫）但你有一個 B？ （艾倫） 對。

DB: Yeah, he changed his mind. He changed his mind.

（達倫）他改變主意，改變想法了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So see it written there.

看吧就寫在那。

Just keep saying it to yourself in your head.

繼續在腦海中對自己說。

Oh, you play drums, don't you.

喔，你會打鼓，是嗎？

Allan: I do.

（艾倫）是的。

DB: Just get that out of your head, get that out of your head,

（達倫）把鼓從你腦中 甩出去，把它丟出去。

just focus on this one thing for me.

幫我專注在這件事上。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

My job is to sell you a story, right?

我的任務就是讓你們相信故事對吧？

I try and do this to all of you, to get you to pay attention

我試著為所有人這麼做， 來吸引你們的注意。

to one thing that I want you to find important,

有件重要的事希望你們知道，

ignore other things that I want you to ignore,

忽略掉我讓你們忽略的，

and then join up those narrative dots

接著連結那些敘述點

to tell yourself a certain story about what I'm doing,

告訴自己一個肯定的故事， 關於我的所作所為。

and this only works because we are story-forming creatures,

這之所以可行不過是因為 我們是會編故事的生物。

which means we do this every day.

也就是說我們每天都這麼做。

We go out into this complex and subtle world

我們步向複雜難解的世界，

full of a complex and subtle people like you and me, Allan,

滿是複雜難捉摸的人， 如同你我，艾倫。

and we reduce them to these neat characters

我們將之簡化為有條理的事物，

that fit whatever story we're telling ourselves,

適用於任何我們告訴自己的故事。

and we say, "She's insecure," "He's arrogant," "They can't be trusted."

我們說：「她缺乏安全感、 他很傲慢、他們不可信。」

And these are just stories like the story that I can somehow read your mind.

而這不過是編織的故事， 與我的讀心術道理相似。

You're thinking of selling your company as well, aren't you, at the moment.

你此刻也在考慮賣掉公司是嗎？

Allan: Correct.

（艾倫）沒錯。

DB: Which is something to do with skin?

（達倫）公司業務和皮膚有關？

Allan: Yes.

（艾倫）對。

DB: Skin care or something like this.

（達倫）護膚之類的？

（艾倫）呃，對。

Allan: Uh, yes.

（達倫）我想我之所以喜歡這麼做

DB: And I think the reason why I love doing this

是因為它提醒了我起碼去嘗試

is that it reminds me at least to try and be more alive and alert

變得更有活力、更靈活

來應對現實的複雜難解，

to the complexity and the subtlety of what's real,

我們總有其他不知道的事，

that there's always other stuff going on that we don't know about,

這意味著我們可以少些束縛，

and it means we can get less stuck, we can be kinder to people

對他人寬容些，

因為我們知道他們 壓力的背後總有恐懼，

because we can recognize there's always fear behind their stress,

所以我們不必太防備，

so we don't need to meet it as defensively,

開始正視故事本身，

and we can start to see the stories for what they are

並瞭解生活並非只圍繞著我們。

and recognize that life isn't all about us.

Oh!

喔！

Your password, where are you? Where are you? Where is he?

你的密碼，你在哪？ 你在哪呢？他在哪？

Allan: Right here.

（艾倫）在這。

DB: Stand up for me. Your password is "ariboy."

（達倫）請站起來， 你的密碼是「ariboy」。

A-r-i-b-o-y? Is that right? Allan: That's correct.

a-r-i-b-o-y？對嗎？ （艾倫） 正確。

DB: Then thank you so much. Thank you very much indeed.

（達倫）那麼非常感謝你。 真的謝謝你。

Thank you.

謝謝！

(Applause)

（掌聲）