Why You Should Embrace Mediocrity | Crispin Thurlow | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 麗玲 辛

幾年前，我因為工作 得去斯德哥爾摩一趟。

So a few years ago,

I had to make a work trip to Stockholm.

And because it was the school holidays,

因為那天學校放假， 我還得帶著我的兩個孩子。

I needed to take my two kids along with me.

And at the time they were 14 and 12.

當時他們是十二歲和十四歲。

Anyway, my local colleagues, needless to say,

總之，不用說， 我當地的同事非常幫忙。

were really very supportive.

And in fact, knowing that I do research on language and social class,

事實上，因為知道 我在研究語言和社會階層，

they'd also clearly enjoyed arranging to put us into a hotel

他們顯然地很樂意安排我們入住到

belonging by a large Swedish chain called Elite Hotels.

大型瑞典連鎖飯店「菁英酒店」。

So on the day that we arrived,

抵達那天，我們辦完 入住手續後，就直上房間，

we checked in and then we made our way straight up to our room.

But as soon as we crossed the threshold,

但我們才一跨過門檻，

my oldest son declared with genuine frustration,

我的大兒子就非常沮喪地表示：

"But this isn't elite."

「但這不菁英啊。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And I was a little bit surprised,

我有點驚訝，但也好奇 想知道他這麼說是什麼意思。

but also kind of really curious to know exactly what he meant.

So I sort of pressed him, and he quickly explained to me

所以我逼問他，而他很快向我解釋說

that the room was just not big enough to be elite.

這間房間不夠大，稱不上是菁英。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So in that moment,

那一刻，我發現我兒子 已經學到了非常重要的兩課，

I realized that my son had already learned two really important lessons

about everyday language.

關於日常語言的兩課。

First, that words are very influential,

第一，字詞很有影響力，

but their meaning can often be slippery.

但它們的意義也常很含糊。

And second, that the language of superiority and comparison

第二，優越和比較的語言

can lead to disappointment.

可能會導致失望。

But it's tough.

但這很難搞。

Nowadays we're bombarded with messages about excellence,

現今，我們不斷被關於傑出、 卓越，和成功的訊息轟炸，

distinction and success,

and we hear voices telling us you should be a top student,

我們會聽到人們說，我們應該 成為優等生、贏家、或領導者，

or a winner, or a leader, or preferably all three.

最好能集三者於一身。

And it's this that's started me to think a little bit more

這讓我開始進一步思考

這是怎麼回事？ 我們要怎麼處理這種狀況？

about what's going on here.

How do we manage this?

Because all of this leads to a profound sense

因為這一切都會造成 一種很深的感受，

of what the philosopher Alain de Botton has called status anxiety.

哲學家艾倫‧狄波頓稱之為

身分焦慮。

And for me, this is a kind of anxiety that arises through our constant worry

在我看來，會出現這種焦慮， 是因為我們經常在擔心

about not being good enough,

自己不夠好，

or always needing to be someone better,

或總是需要成為比較好的人，

or to have something better.

或要有比別人好的東西。

But the reality is this.

但現實其實是：

Not everyone can be a top student.

不是人人都成能為優等生，

Not everyone can be a winner,

不是人人都成為贏家， 也不是人人都能成為領導者。

and not everyone can be a leader.

By the simple law of averages,

根據簡單的平均法則，

most of us have to live a life more ordinary.

大部分人必須要過著 相對平凡的生活。

Well, it's for this reason that I've started to rethink

是這個理由讓我開始

重新思考、或者甚至 重新認識平庸的概念。

or perhaps even reclaim the notion of mediocrity.

And I've even been challenging myself to consider the possibility

我還挑戰自己去考量有沒有可能

of embracing mediocrity.

擁抱平庸。

Now, obviously, I understand that mediocrity has a bad reputation

當然，我知道平庸的名譽不佳，

有著品質普通或不太好的意涵。

with sort of connotations like average quality

or not very good.

But the sociolinguist in me insists on digging just a little bit deeper,

但我內在的社會語言學家 堅持要再挖深一點，

maybe listening to some of the word's origins

也許去聽聽這個詞的某些來源 典故，發掘它的其他可能意義。

and unearthing some of its other meaning potentials.

In actual fact,

實際上，

the word mediocre has its roots in the Indo-European "medial,"

平庸一詞的根源來自 印歐語系的 "medial,"

meaning "middle."

意思是「中間」。

So essentially then, mediocrity is just about existing

所以，本質上，平庸指的 只是位在兩個極端之間，

between two extremes,

hence middling or average

所以會是中等的、普通的，

or otherwise unexceptional or ordinary.

也可以說不特別或平凡。

So, as I say, statistically speaking,

所以，如我所言，就統計上來說，

life in the middle is inevitable and unavoidable for most of us.

在中間的生活

對大部分人而言 是必然且不可避免的。

And in fact, it seems to me

事實上，在我看來，

that the middle is not such a terrible place to be.

待在中間並沒有很糟糕。 事實上，還算滿幸運的。

In fact, it's quite a privileged place to be.

It may not be as good as being at the top,

可能不像待在頂層那麼好，

but it's surely not as bad as being at the bottom.

但肯定也沒有待在底層那麼糟。

And the trick, I suppose, is to learn to recognize our mediocrity,

而我認為，竅門在於 學習去認可我們的平庸，

or at least our averageness or our ordinariness,

或至少我們的普通或平凡狀況，

without allowing other people to make us feel like failures or losers.

不容許他人讓我們感覺 自己像是失敗者或魯蛇。

Needless to say, this is quite a bit harder to do than it is to say.

當然，做起來可沒有說得那麼容易。

And I think especially so nowadays.

我認為現今更是難做到。

When we’re surrounded by these voices pressuring us to be the best

當我們周圍都是這類聲音， 逼迫我們要成為最好的，

and to be better,

要比別人好，

we find ourselves, I think, in a world that is bombarded

我認為，我們所處的世界

or confronted constantly with what I've come to think of

受到我所謂優越和比較的

as a relentless language of superiority and comparison.

殘酷語言不斷地轟炸或衝擊。

And it's as a sociolinguist

身為社會語言學家，我已經 追蹤這種語言好一段時間了。

that I've been tracking this language for quite some time.

And in this work, what I've been trying to do

我做這項研究的目的是說明 這並不只是一種殘酷的語言，

is show that this is not just a relentless language,

也是一種狡猾、鬼祟的語言。

but it's also often a very sneaky, surreptitious language.

And it's with this in mind that I want to just share with you

知道這些之後，我想跟大家分享

a couple of my favorite examples of what this looks like.

幾個我最喜歡的例子，說明 這種語言是什麼樣子的。

These are my two favorite case studies.

這兩個例子是我最喜歡的個案研究。

And the first of these is the word “elite” itself.

第一個例子是「菁英」這個詞本身。

And this is a word that circulates everywhere in our lives,

在我們的生活中，這個詞無所不在，

就像我兒子在斯德哥爾摩所發現的。

which is, as my son discovered in Stockholm.

But take a look at a few of the many examples that I've also been collecting.

但，看看另外幾個 也是我收集來的例子。

So here we have an elite grocery store in Denmark,

在丹麥，有一間菁英雜貨店，

we have an elite nail salon in Seattle,

在西雅圖有一間菁英美甲店， 在英國有一間菁英手機行，

we've got an elite phone shop in the UK,

an elite electrician's in Switzerland, actually in Bern,

在瑞士伯恩有一間菁英水電行，

and then an elite pastry shop or bakery in Poland.

在波蘭有一間菁英糕點店或烘焙坊。

And all of these, I can assure you,

我可以向各位保證，這些店都 出現在明顯非菁英的地點。

appear in decidedly non-elite spaces.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But when I say that elite crops up everywhere, I mean really everywhere.

但我說菁英無所不在，

是真的無所不在。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I promise that after this talk,

我保證，聽完這場演說後，

各位也會走到哪裡都注意到菁英。

you are going to start noticing elite everywhere too.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And I've never been quite sure what we're supposed to think

我真的不知道說醃漬食品 或衛生紙是菁英

when we're being told that our pickles are elite or our tissues.

到底是什麼意思。

What exactly, I wonder, does an elite condom offer?

我很納悶，到底菁英 保險套能提供什麼？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And I don't know about you,

不知道大家怎麼想， 但絕對不可能只靠菁英一詞

but it's going to take a lot more than the word elite

就說服我一個尿壺 在任何層面上會很傑出。

to convince me that a urinal is in any way prestigious.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But the use of the word “elite” like this

但現今，這樣使用菁英一詞 是種十分常見的語言遊戲。

is a very, very common language game nowadays.

We see this word attached to all sorts of goods and services,

我們會看到這個詞和 各種商品、服務連結在一起，

kind of meaning everything and nothing at the same time.

它的意涵可說是無所不包 同時又什麼都不包。

And in some ways I suppose it's all perfectly harmless,

在某些層面上我想這完全 是無害的，甚至有點好玩。

a bit playful even.

But I can't help but think,

但我忍不住會想， 事實上，我真心相信，

and in fact, I genuinely believe that these ubiquitous,

這些無所不在且持續不斷的菁英訴求

constant appeals to eliteness

are trying to persuade us that superiority really does matter

是在試圖說服我們， 優越是很重要的，

and that status is something

且我們應該要時時刻刻 都想著身分地位。

that we should be thinking about all the time.

And these little one-word messages also suggests to us

這些小小的單詞訊息

也暗示，優越是很容易取得的。

that superiority is easily obtained.

To be very clear,

讓我說清楚，

the language of superiority and comparison

優越和比較的語言

is really good for business.

對生意很有好處。

All of these relentless little one-word messages,

所有這些不斷出現的 單詞訊息及類似的訊息

and ones like them,

are trying to keep us aspiring upwards all the time.

目的是讓我們一直保持 追求向上的動力。

And if we're aspiring, we're also acquiring.

如果我們要追求，我們就會去獲取。

In other words, we're shopping.

換言之，我們會去購物。

And for this, they don't even need us aspiring to be the best.

為此，我們甚至不需要追求成為最好。

Just aspiring to be better is often enough.

通常，光是追求成為比較好就夠了。

Which brings me to my second little case study.

這就要帶到我的第二個個案研究。

The one little, one-word message that I'm talking about

在這個例子中，我要談的 單詞訊息是「豪華」，

in this instance is “premium,”

and a good example of this appears

有一個很好的例子就是 所謂的豪華經濟艙服務，

in the so-called premium economy services

offered by most major international airlines nowadays.

現今大部分主要的 國際航空公司都有提供。

And it's no coincidence that premium economy

對航空公司而言， 豪華經濟艙比商務艙獲利更高，

can be more profitable for airlines than business class.

這並不是巧合。

But what's interesting about this little one-word message

這個單詞訊息很有趣的地方

is that it's precisely not about being the best.

在於它的重點就是它不是最好的。

Premium is all about having just a little bit extra

豪華（Premium）的原意 是一點額外的，

or a little bit more,

或多一點點，

and especially a little bit extra or a little bit more

特別是和其他人相比， 有一點額外的或有多一點點。

compared with others.

And to be sure, marketers know only too well

可以肯定，行銷人員非常清楚

that people will pay good money for feeling better off.

人們願意花大錢 讓自己感覺過得比別人好，

Even that is when this comparison doesn't make us feel

即使這種比較帶來的 良好感覺無法維持很久。

very good for very long.

But the most striking thing about the word premium

但「豪華」一詞最引人注目的

is that it really crops up in way more banal spaces.

是它其實會出現在更尋常的空間中。

And I'm offering you a few more examples than before,

我這次舉的例子比之前更多， 因為我想讓各位印象深刻，

because I really want to impress upon you

just how far-reaching this one-word message is.

見識一下這個單詞訊息 出現的地方有多廣泛。

So we have premium chocolates in Sweden (not Switzerland),

在瑞典（不是瑞士）有豪華巧克力，

we have premium chips in Spain, premium coffee in Australia,

在西班牙有豪華薯片， 在澳洲有豪華咖啡，

premium tomatoes in New Zealand and burgers in Denmark.

在紐西蘭有豪華蕃茄，

在丹麥有豪華漢堡。

在瑞士可以看到的則是 豪華香菸和豪華烤肉木炭。

What we seem to have in Switzerland are premium cigarettes

and premium barbecue charcoal.

Elsewhere, we've got premium puzzles, premium haircuts

在其他地方還有 豪華拼圖、豪華剪髮，

最近我在波蘭碰到的 是豪華嬰兒尿布。

and my most recent encounter in Poland, premium baby diapers.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Again, premium is just about having a little bit more

剛才說過，

豪華的重點就只是 比別人擁有多一點點

or a little bit extra compared with others.

或額外多一些。

And as I say, these comparisons are usually built on illusions,

正如我所說的，這些比較 通常都建立在幻覺上，

and these comparisons just don't make us feel good for very long.

且這些比較帶給我們的 良好感覺不會很持久。

In fact, all of these silly little language games

事實上，這些可笑的 語言小把戲是很完美的例子，

are a perfect example

of what the famous sociologist Pierre Bourdieu called symbolic violence.

證明知名社會學家 皮耶‧布赫迪厄所謂的

「象徵暴力」。

And in a nutshell,

簡言之，這指的是我們 允許語詞操縱我們，

this is about the way that we allow words to manipulate us,

even when it's against our own best interests.

即使違背了我們自己的最佳利益。

So while social comparison may indeed be in our nature,

雖然「社會比較」 可能的確是人的本性，

it invariably leaves us feeling insecure, inadequate, unsatisfied.

但它一定會導致我們感到不安全、

不夠格、不滿意。

There will always be something more or something better.

總會有更多、更好的東西，

And there will always be someone better and better off.

一定會有境況更好的人。

So the question for me is this:

所以，我想問的是：

how can we avoid doing symbolic violence to ourselves?

我們要如何避免 對自己施加象徵暴力？

Well, personally,

就我個人來說，

I find myself returning once again

我再次發現可能

to the possibility that mediocrity might hold the key or a key.

平庸就是關鍵，

Now I understand that embracing mediocrity

現在我明白，

擁抱平庸可能會讓一些人覺得

might feel just a little bit extreme or uncomfortable for some people,

有點極端或不舒服， 我也認為很合理。

which I think is fair enough.

But the point is really just about coming to terms

但重點其實只是

去接受我們的平凡是無可避免的，

with the inevitability of our averageness

and maybe finding a way

也許還可以想辦法

to find the value and perhaps the privilege in being unexceptional.

找到自己平凡不出眾的價值，

或幸運之處。

And for this, we've got to keep reminding ourselves that it really is OK

為此，我們得不斷提醒自己， 沒成為最好的真的沒關係。

not to be the best.

沒有時時刻刻都想成為更好的人

And it's certainly OK not to always want to be someone better

或擁有比較好的東西，也真的沒關係。

or to have something better.

But I think that nowadays,

但我認為，現今，

especially when we are surrounded by this relentless language

特別是周圍總是有這種 優越和比較語言不停出現，

of superiority and comparison,

it takes determination

我們必須要有決心、

and it also takes real courage to be ordinary.

也要有真正的勇氣，

才能當個平凡的人。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）