The world's largest family reunion ... we're all invited! | A.J. Jacobs

譯者: Fred Lee 審譯者: Bighead Ge

Six months ago, I got an email

六個月前，我收到了一封電子郵件，

from a man in Israel

來自一位在以色列的男士，

who had read one of my books,

他讀了我的其中一本書，

and the email said,

他在這封郵件裡提到：

"You don't know me,

「你不認識我，但是我是你第12個表兄弟」，

but I'm your 12th cousin."

「你不認識我，但是我是你第12個表兄弟」，

And it said, "I have a family tree

他又說：「我有一份記載了8萬個人的族譜，

with 80,000 people on it, including you,

他又說：「我有一份記載了8萬個人的族譜，

Karl Marx,

其中包括你，卡爾．馬克思，

and several European aristocrats."

以及一些歐洲貴族。」

Now I did not know what to make of this.

我不知道該做何反應。

Part of me was like, okay,

當他叫我匯1萬美金到 他在奈吉利亞銀行的賬戶的時候，

when's he going to ask me to wire

一部份的我大概會做出

10,000 dollars to his Nigerian bank, right?

「好吧」這樣的反應，對吧？

I also thought, 80,000 relatives,

我也思考著，8萬個親戚

do I want that?

我需要他們嗎？

I have enough trouble with some of the ones

我和一些現在已經有的幾個親戚 都有一些問題了，

I have already.

已經有些問題了。

And I won't name names, but you know who you are.

我不想指名道姓，但你們知道我在說你們。

But another part of me said, this is remarkable.

但是另一部份的我會說：「這值得關注」

Here I am alone in my office, but I'm not alone at all.

我獨自在我的辦公室裡面，但我根本不孤單。

I'm connected to 80,000 people around the world,

我和 8 萬個人有連結，

and that's four Madison Square Gardens

那可是整整四個麥迪遜廣場花園

full of cousins.

的親戚。

And some of them are going to be great,

他們有些人很棒，

and some of them are going to be irritating,

有些很惱人，

but they're all related to me.

但他們全都跟我有關係。

So this email inspired me to dive into genealogy,

這封郵件讓我一頭鑽進宗譜

which I always thought was a very staid and proper field,

這個我一直覺得一成不變的領域，

but it turns out it's going through a fascinating

結果它卻經歷了一場令人著迷

revolution, and a controversial one.

且具有爭議性的革命。

Partly, this is because of DNA and genetic testing,

一方面由於 DNA 檢測，

but partly, it's because of the Internet.

另一方面則由於網際網路。

There are sites that now take

現在有些網站

the Wikipedia approach to family trees,

把維基百科應用在家族樹，

collaboration and crowdsourcing,

並透過合作與眾包，

and what you do is,

你所要做的就是

you load your family tree on,

上傳你的家族樹，

and then these sites search

然後這些網站會去搜尋，

to see if the A.J. Jacobs in your tree

看你家族樹上的 A.J. 雅各

is the same as the A.J. Jacobs in another tree,

和另一個家族樹上的 A.J. 雅各是否相同，

and if it is, then you can combine,

如果是同一個人的話， 兩個家族樹就可以合併，

and then you combine and combine and combine

經過不斷的合併再合併，

until you get these massive,

最後你會得到一個龐大

mega-family trees

無比的家族樹，

with thousands of people on them,

上面會有幾千，

or even millions.

甚至數百萬人。

I'm on something on Geni called

我被列在 Geni 網站上一種叫做

the world family tree,

世界家族樹的東西。

which has no less than a jaw-dropping

它包含了超過令人瞠目結舌的

75 million people.

7千500萬人。

So that's 75 million people connected by blood

意味著這7千500萬人有血緣關係

or marriage, sometimes both.

或是婚姻關係，有時候兩者都有。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

It's in all seven continents, including Antarctica.

它橫跨了七大洲，包括南極洲。

I'm on it. Many of you are on it,

我被列在上面， 你們很多人也被列在上面，

whether you know it or not,

卻可能不知道，

and you can see the links.

你可以看到這些連結。

Here's my cousin Gwyneth Paltrow.

這是我的表親葛妮絲．派特洛。

She has no idea I exist,

她根本不知道有我這個人存在，

but we are officially cousins.

但我們確實是表親。

We have just 17 links between us.

我們之間有17個連結。

And there's my cousin Barack Obama.

這裡是我的表親巴拉克．歐巴馬。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And he is my aunt's fifth great-aunt's husband's

他是我阿姨的第15個姨媽的老公的

father's wife's seventh great-nephew,

父親的老婆的第7個甥孫。

so practically my old brother.

基本上可以說是我的哥哥。

And my cousin, of course,

然後是我的表親，當然囉，

the actor Kevin Bacon --

演員凱文．貝肯

(Laughter) —

（笑聲）

who is my first cousin's twice removed's

他是我第一表親的孫子的

wife's niece's husband's first cousin once removed's

老婆的外甥的老公的表親的小孩的

niece's husband.

外甥的老公。

So six degrees of Kevin Bacon,

所以是六個貝肯數，

plus or minus several degrees.

正負幾個貝肯數。

Now, I'm not boasting, because all of you

我不是在誇大，你們全部

have famous people and historical figures

都有名人或是歷史人物

in your tree, because we are all connected,

在家族樹裡面， 因為我們全被連結在一起，

and 75 million may seem like a lot,

7千500萬聽起來很多，

but in a few years, it's quite likely

但是幾年過後很可能

we will have a family tree

我們的家族樹

with all, almost all, seven billion people on Earth.

會包含所有在地球上的75億人。

But does it really matter?

但是這有意義嗎？

What's the importance?

這有什麼重要？

And I do think it is important,

我確實認為這很重要，

and I'll give you five reasons why, really quickly.

我會很快速的給你們五個理由，

First, it's got scientific value.

第一，這有科學上的價值。

This is an unprecedented history of the human race,

這在人類史上史無前例，

and it's giving us valuable data

這給了我們重要的資訊，

about how diseases are inherited,

包括疾病如何傳播，

how people migrate,

人類如何遷移，

and there's a team of scientists at MIT right now

而現在 MIT 有個科學家團隊正在

studying the world family tree.

研究這個世界家族樹。

Number two, it brings history alive.

第二，它讓歷史活躍於眼前。

I found out I'm connected to Albert Einstein,

我發現我和亞伯特．愛因斯坦有連結，

so I told my seven-year-old son that,

我把這件事我告訴我七歲大的兒子，

and he was totally engaged.

他完全被吸引住了。

Now Albert Einstein is not some dead white guy

現在亞伯特．愛因斯坦不再只是個

with weird hair.

有著可笑髮型的作古白人。

He's Uncle Albert. (Laughter)

而是亞伯特叔叔了。（笑聲）

And my son wanted to know,

然後我兒子想知道：

"What did he say? What is E = MC squared?"

「他說了什麼？」「什麼是 E=MC 平方？」

Also, it's not all good news.

但也不全是好消息。

I found a link to Jeffrey Dahmer, the serial killer,

我發現我跟連續殺人犯 傑弗瑞．達莫有關係，

but I will say that's on my wife's side.

不過他是在我老婆那邊的。

(Laughter) (Applause)

（笑聲）（掌聲）

So I want to make that clear. Sorry, honey.

我得說明清楚。抱歉，親愛的。

Number three, interconnectedness.

第三，互聯性。

We all come from the same ancestor,

我們全都來自於同一個祖先，

and you don't have to believe the literal Bible version,

你不需要相信聖經上所說的，

but scientists talk about Y chromosomal Adam

但是科學家把 Y 染色體比喻成亞當，

and mitochondrial Eve,

粒腺體比喻成夏娃，

and these were about 100,000 to 300,000 years ago.

這大概是十萬到三十萬年前發生的。

We all have a bit of their DNA in us.

我們體內都有著他們的 DNA。

They are our great-great-great-great-great-great --

他們是你們的曾曾曾曾.......祖父母

continue that for about 7,000 times --

大概有

grandparents,

7千個曾，

and so that means we literally all are

這也意味著我們是

biological cousins as well,

生物學上的表親，

and estimates vary, but probably

預測可能有出入，但是很可能

the farthest cousin you have on Earth

你在地球上

is about a 50th cousin.

最遠房的表親有大約 50 等。

Now, it's not just ancestors we share, descendants.

好，現在不光是祖先， 我們的後代也有關係。

If you have kids, and they have kids,

如果你有小孩，他們也有小孩，

look how quickly the descendants accumulate.

看看後代累積的速度有多快。

So in 10, 12 generations,

所以10代，12代之後，

you're going to have thousands of offspring,

你們會有著數千，

and millions of offspring.

甚至數百萬的後代。

Number four, a kinder world.

第四，更美好的世界。

Now, I know that there are family feuds.

我知道現在很多家庭之間都有爭執。

I have three sons, so I see how they fight.

我有三個兒子，我知道他們怎麼吵架的。

But I think that there's also a human bias

但是我認為人類在 對待自己家人比對待陌生人

to treat your family a little better than strangers.

要來的好這點是有偏見的。

I think this tree is going to be bad news for bigots,

我覺得家族樹 對固執的人來說是個壞消息，

because they're going to have to realize

因為他們會發現

that they are cousins with thousands of people

他們竟然是和自己有問題

in whatever ethnic group they happen

的那個族群

to have issues with,

的表親，

and I think you look back at history,

而當你們回顧歷史，

and a lot of the terrible things we've done to each other

很多我們對彼此做的壞事

is because one group thinks another group is sub-human,

都是因為我們認為 另外一群人比我們低等，

and you can't do that anymore.

現在你不能再這麼做了。

We're not just part of the same species.

我們不止是同一個物種。

We're part of the same family.

我們是一個家族的一部份。

We share 99.9 percent of our DNA.

我們的 DNA 有 99.9% 相同。

Now the final one is number five,

最後是第五點，

a democratizing effect.

對民主化的影響。

Some genealogy has an elitist strain,

有些族譜有著菁英血脈，

like people say, "Oh, I'm descended

有人會說：「喔，我是

from Mary Queen of Scots

瑪莉皇后的後代，

and you're not, so you cannot join my country club."

而你不是，所以你不能加入我的鄉村俱樂部。」

But that's really going to be hard to do now,

但是這些現在已經成為過去式了，

because everyone is related.

因為每個人都是有親戚關係的。

I'm descended from Mary Queen of Scots --

我是瑪莉皇后的後代，

by marriage, but still.

是由於婚姻關係，但總歸是的。

So it's really a fascinating time

所以，從家庭的觀點來看，

in the history of family,

這真是一個令人訝異的時刻，

because it's changing so fast.

因為它改變得如此迅速。

There is gay marriage and sperm donors

同性婚姻、捐精者、

and there's intermarriage on an unprecedented scale,

有史以來最大規模的通婚，

and this makes some of my more conservative cousins

都讓我一些比較保守的表親

a little nervous,

有點緊張，

but I actually think it's a good thing.

但事實上我覺得這是件好事。

I think the more inclusive the idea of family is,

我認為家族的概念越包羅萬象

the better,

越好，

because then you have more potential caretakers,

這樣一來你就有了更多潛在的看管人，

and as my aunt's eighth cousin twice removed

如同我阿姨的八等表親的孫女

Hillary Clinton says --

希拉蕊．柯林頓所說的--

(Laughter) —

（笑聲）

it takes a village.

需要一整村的人。

So I have all these hundreds and thousands,

而我擁有這些數百數千，

millions of new cousins.

甚至數百萬個表親。

I thought, what can I do with this information?

我在想，我能夠用這些資訊做些什麼呢？

And that's when I decided,

於是我決定，

why not throw a party?

為何不辦個派對呢？

So that's what I'm doing.

這就是我現在正在做的。

And you're all invited.

你們所有人都被邀請了。

Next year, next summer,

明年，明年夏天，

I will be hosting what I hope is

我將會主辦一個

the biggest and best family reunion in history.

我希望是有史以來最大的家族聚會。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Thank you. I want you there.

謝謝，我希望你們來。

I want you there.

我希望你們來。

It's going to be at the New York Hall of Science,

我會辦在紐約科學館，

which is a great venue,

那是個很棒的場地，

but it's also on the site of the former World's Fair,

那裡也是上次世界博覽會的舉辦場地，

which is, I think, very appropriate,

我覺得那裡是個很合適的地方，

because I see this as a family reunion

因為我把這個家族聚會

meets a world's fair.

看作是一次世界博覽會。

There's going to be exhibits and food, music.

聚會裡會有展覽、食物、音樂。

Paul McCartney is 11 steps away,

保羅．麥卡尼在11層關係之外，

so I'm hoping he brings his guitar.

我希望他會帶著他的吉他來。

He hasn't RSVP'd yet, but fingers crossed.

他還沒有答覆，就讓我們祈禱吧。

And there is going to be a day of speakers,

會有一天的時間留給演講者，

of fascinating cousins.

或是很吸引人的表親。

It's early, but I've already,

現在還早，但是已經，

I've got some lined up.

已經有人在排隊了。

Cass Sunstein, my cousin who is perhaps

凱斯．桑斯坦（Cass Sunstein）或許是

the most brilliant legal scholar, will be talking.

我最厲害的法學家表親，將會在聚會上演講。

He was a former member of the Obama administration.

他曾是歐巴馬政府的一員。

And on the other side of the political spectrum,

在政界成員的另一邊，

George H.W. Bush, number 41, the father,

喬治 H.W. 布希， 美國第 41 任總統，老布希，

he has agreed to participate,

他已經答應會參加，

and Nick Kroll, the comedian,

喜劇演員尼克．科羅爾（Nick Kroll）、

and Dr. Oz, and many more to come.

奧茲醫師（Dr. Oz），還有更多人都將出席。

And, of course, the most important is that you,

當然，最重要的就是你們，

I want you guys there,

我希望你們能出席，

and I invite you to go to GlobalFamilyReunion.org

同時我邀請你們造訪 GlobalFamilyReunion.org

and figure out how you're on the family tree,

試著找出你在家族樹的位置，

because these are big issues, family and tribe,

這是個很龐大的家族架構，

and I don't know all the answers,

我也不知道答案，

but I have a lot of smart relatives,

但是我有很多聰明的親戚，

including you guys,

包括你們各位，

so together, I think we can figure it out.

所以讓我們合力吧， 我認為我們能找出答案。

Only together can we solve these big problems.

只有合力我們才能 解決這些大問題。

So from cousin to cousin,

所以我的表親們，

I thank you. I can't wait to see you.

謝謝你們。我等不及要見到你們了。

Goodbye.

再會。

(Applause)

（掌聲）