How to Disagree with Respect — Not Hate | Spencer J. Cox | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 麗玲 辛

In 1967,

1967 年，

Ronald Reagan became the governor of the State of California.

隆納‧雷根成為加州的州長。

In his inaugural address,

在他的就職演講中，

he talked about the peaceful transfer of power,

他談到了權力的 和平轉移，他將之描述為

something he described as “the simple magic

「普遍例行程序的簡單魔力，

of the commonplace routine,

which makes it a near miracle to many of the world’s inhabitants.”

對世界許多居民而言 這幾乎就是奇蹟了。」

He then went on to utter an iconic phrase that would be repeated by politicians

他接著繼續說出了一句金句，

在後續數十年不斷被政治人物引用。

for decades to come.

"Freedom is a fragile thing," he said,

他說：「自由很脆弱，

"And it's never more than one generation away from extinction."

且只要一個世代的時間， 自由就有可能滅絕。」

Now like countless others, I have used that quote many times,

我和數不清的人一樣， 已經多次引用這個句子，

but I have a confession to make.

但我要坦承一件事。

I never really believed it.

我從來沒有真正相信過這句話。

Surely, after 250 years of this stuff,

當然，經過兩百五十年的自由， 我們不再需要擔心失去它了。

we no longer have to worry about losing it.

I'm not pleased to report that I actually believe it now.

我很不情願地說，

現在，我相信這句話了。

The first cracks in my confidence

我的信心第一次動搖發生在

came during one of those commonplace routines of transferring power

一次權力轉移的普遍例行程序期間，

as Lieutenant Governor of the State of Utah.

身為猶他州的副州長，我有責任

It was my duty to certify the votes of the electors

要為總統選舉確認選舉人的選票。

for the presidential election.

While the meeting to do so was open to the public,

雖然確認選票的會議 是對大眾公開的，

it was so commonplace and routine that no one ever showed up.

它實在太普遍且太例行了， 以致於沒有人出席。

As I walked into the room,

當我走進房間，

I was stunned to see dozens of angry protesters

我很驚訝，

因為我看到數十名憤怒的抗議者 大叫著說選舉被竊取了，

screaming that the election had been stolen

and demanding that we violate state law

並要求我們違反州法， 改變選舉人的選票。

and change the votes of the electors.

Now I know what you’re all thinking,

我知道各位在想什麼，

and you're probably wrong.

且各位可能錯了。

This was not 2020.

那時不是 2020 年，

This was 2016,

是 2016 年，

and the protesters were Hillary Clinton supporters.

抗議者是希拉蕊‧柯林頓的支持者。

Now it got far worse

不知怎麼的，四年後， 狀況變得更糟許多。

somehow, four years later.

With the election less than two months away,

選舉只剩不到兩個月，

a friend and I were talking and lamenting

我和一位朋友在談論和悲嘆 我們國家的狀態，

about the state of our our country

following a summer of destructive protests

那時剛過完一個滿是 破壞性抗議活動的夏天，

by the extreme left and an extreme right

極左和極右派都出來抗議，

that was already undermining the validity of an election

選舉都還沒實施，它的合法性 就已經開始被破壞了。

that hadn't even happened yet.

"Isn't there something you can do," she asked.

她問：「你不能做點什麼嗎？」

Well, that question haunted me all weekend,

整個週末，我都無法忘懷這個問題。

so I picked up the phone and called my opponent.

於是我拿起電話，打給我的對手，

By the way, I was running for governor at the same time

補充一下，我競選州長的時候，

that Trump and Biden were battling for the presidency.

也是川普和拜登爭奪總統職位的時候。

I called my opponent,

我打給我的對手，

a Democrat named Chris Peterson, whom I respected,

我很敬重的民主黨員 克里斯‧彼得森，

and I said, "Hey, Chris, this is Spencer Cox.

我說：「喂，克里斯，我是史賓賽‧ 考克斯，我有個瘋狂的想法。

I have a crazy idea.

What if we filmed a campaign ad together?"

我們一起拍攝一支競選廣告如何？」

I could almost hear the confused look forming on his face.

我幾乎可以聽到他的臉上 出現困惑的表情。

To his credit, he agreed,

值得讚賞的是，他同意了，

and one week later, we were in a studio together.

一週後，我們一起來到攝影棚。

咱們來看看。

Let's watch.

(Video) I'm Chris Peterson.

（影片）我是克里斯‧彼得森。 我是史賓賽‧考克斯。

And I'm Spencer Cox.

CP: We are currently in the final days of campaigning against each other

克：我們已經來到與彼此競選 下一任州長的最後幾天，

to be your next governor.

SC: And while I think you should vote for me --

史：雖然我認為你應該投給我—— 克：其實你應該投給我。

CP: Yeah, but really, you should vote for me.

史：有一些事是我們兩人都認同的。

SC: There are some things we both agree on.

克：我們可以在不貶損 彼此人格的前提下，辯論議題。

CP: We can debate issues without degrading each other's character.

史：我們可以抱持 不同意見，但不討厭對方。

SC: We can disagree without hating each other.

克：且不論輸贏，在猶他州， 我們都會共同努力。

CP: And win or lose, in Utah, we work together.

SC: So let's show the country that there's a better way.

史：讓我們向全國展現 還有更好的做法。

CP: My name is Chris Peterson.

克：我是克里斯‧彼得森。 史：我是史賓賽‧考克斯。

SC: And I'm Spencer Cox.

(Together) And we approve this message.

（兩人齊聲）我們贊同這個訊息。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Well, the response was instantaneous and overwhelming.

迴響來得很快，且排山倒海。

The ad went viral.

這則廣告被瘋傳。

Neither of us saw it coming.

我們兩人都沒有料到。

There were media requests from all over the world,

我們收到來自世界各地的媒體請求，

millions of views and shares.

有數百萬人點閱和分享。

Perhaps there really is an exhausted majority,

也許多數人真的已經煩透了，

I remember thinking to myself,

我記得我當時心想， 也許這就是他們想聽到的訊息。

and maybe this is the message they want to hear.

I could actually feel my faith in the American idea start to rekindle.

我真的可以感覺到 我對美國理想又開始重燃信心。

這廣告大受歡迎， 證實我的希望是對的，

The popularity of the ad validated my hope

that most people really do want their political leaders

我希望大眾真心期待他們的政治領袖

to uphold the values that we teach our kids.

能捍衞那些我們 教導給孩子的價值觀。

That we can disagree without hate and contempt,

我們可以抱持不同意見， 但不用仇恨和輕視，

even that we can find ways to treat each other with respect

即便我們意見不同， 我們仍然可以

想辦法用尊重的方式對待彼此，

even when we disagree.

It seemed like there was a hunger

似乎，大家渴望選出

for architects instead of arsonists.

建築師，而不是縱火犯。

My hunch was confirmed one year later,

我的直覺後來得到了證實，

一年後，一名教授 將我們的廣告某個版本

when a professor submitted a version of our ad

提交給史丹佛兩極化 及社會變遷實驗室，

to the Stanford Polarization and Social Change Lab

as part of a huge depolarization experiment.

供一個大型去極化實驗使用。

It was chosen as one of 25 interventions

它被選為二十五種干預手段之一，

to be tested on over 30,000 people.

有超過三萬名受試者 測試這些干預手段。

The result?

結果如何？

Our ad actually had a measurable depolarization effect,

我們的廣告確實具有 可測量的去極化效果，

including a reduction in urges towards violence.

包括

能夠減少想使用暴力的慾望。

It turns out there really are things that we can do

事實證明，

我們真的可以做些什麼 來改變美國的發展軌跡。

to alter the trajectory of the United States.

Now look, I get it.

聽著，我懂，

It's easy to feel a little hopeless

確實很容易感到有點無望，

as Americans once again barrel towards an election

因為美國人民又要再次面對選舉 沒有讓人滿意的候選人及競選活動。

with unsatisfying candidates and campaigns.

But there is good news.

但，有好消息。

Over the past six months,

在過去的六個月，

20 governors from all across the country

來自全國各地的二十位州長 都拍攝了類似的廣告，

have filmed similar ads,

most of them with a public servant from the opposing party.

大部分都是搭配一名 對立黨派的公務員拍攝的。

And the data continues to show that people really are hungry

資料持續顯示， 人民真的渴望有所不同。

for something different.

According to polling from More in Common,

根據 More in Common 所做的民意調查，

70 percent of Americans

70％ 的美國人

hate the divisiveness in politics.

厭惡政治中的分裂性。

And it also turns out that ...

結果也發現……

Americans aren't as far apart as we think we are.

美國人之間的分歧並沒有 我們想像的那麼大。

The problem isn't how far apart the average Republican

問題並不在於

普通共和黨人和普通民主黨人 在實際議題上有多分歧。

and the average Democrat is on the actual issues.

In fact, we're not much different than other Western democracies.

事實上，我們與其他 西方民主政體差不多。

The problem is how far apart we think we are.

問題在於我們認為 我們之間有多分歧。

Due in large part to conflict entrepreneurs

主要因為

政治圈和媒體圈的衝突企業家，

in both the media and politics,

both sides overestimate the extremism on the other side

造成雙方都高估了對方的極端主義，

by about 30 percent.

高估了約 30％。

Now interestingly,

有趣的是，

this perception gap is actually strongest

最大的感知差距出現在

amongst progressive activists on the left

左派的進步改革活動家之間，

and amongst extreme conservatives on the right.

以及右派的極端保守分子中。

So the people most engaged in the political process

因此，投入政治過程最多的人，

also have the most inaccurate views of the other side.

對於對方的看法也是最不正確的。

But perhaps the best news of all

但，也許，最好的消息是，

is that there are very practical things

我們每個人每天也可以 做一些非常實際的事情，

that every one of us can do every day

to help heal the divides in our nations and our neighborhoods.

來協助消除我們國家 和鄰里中的分裂。

First, we can start by turning off and tuning out

我們首先可以做的是

不再關注並忽略一些衝突企業家。

some of those conflict entrepreneurs.

My wife and I,

我和我妻子從十一年前 就不再看有線新聞，

we stopped watching cable news 11 years ago

and immediately saw an improvement in our marriage, our family,

馬上，就發現我們的婚姻、 家庭，及心理健康都有所改善。

and our mental health.

(Laughter and applause)

（笑聲和掌聲）

Now that always elicits a laugh, but we’re not alone.

這件事總能博君一笑， 但不只有我們如此。

Studies have found that more time spent on the latest headlines,

研究發現，

不論是透過社群媒體 或傳統媒體管道，

whether through social media or traditional media outlets,

只要花更多時間在最新的頭條上，

就會對我們的心理健康有害。

is really bad for our mental health.

Psychologists refer to this phenomenon in different ways,

心理學家用不同的名詞 來稱呼這種現象，如：

like media saturation overload

媒體飽和過載、

or doomscrolling or headline anxiety.

末日狂刷，

或頭條焦慮。

要知道，隨時都在關注新聞 並沒有讓我們變更聰明，

You see, more news, on all the time, isn’t making us smarter,

it's just stressing us out.

只是讓我們倍感壓力。

Second, we can spend more time, preferably offline,

第二，

我們可以花更多時間， 且最好是不要在網路上，

with real people who are different than us.

和與我們不同的真人相處，

In the words of Bryan Stevenson, proximity will empower you.

引用布萊恩‧史蒂文森的話，

接近會賦予你力量。

You see, it's just harder to hate up close.

從近處就更難仇恨。

"Tell me more about why you feel that way" is a magical request.

「多跟我談談你為什麼會有 那種感覺」是個有魔法的請求。

Twenty years ago,

二十年前，

we rarely identified each other by our political identities first.

我們很少會優先透過 政治認同來認識彼此。

As for me, I'm a father.

我嘛，我是個父親，

I'm an NBA fan.

我很迷 NBA，

I'm a terrible aspiring bassist in a band.

我是樂團的貝斯手， 很糟糕但很有抱負，

I'm a Utahn.

我是猶他人，

I'm an American.

我是美國人。你呢？

How about you?

You see, if we look beyond our political tribes,

如果我們能超越我們的政治群體，

we can actually find shared identities and friendships

我們其實可以找到 共同的身分和友誼，

that unite instead of divide.

讓我們團結，而不是分裂。

Now third, we can serve others.

第三，我們可以服務他人。

Service and volunteering help build up communities

服務和志願工作有助於建立社區，

and improve our outlook on life and the people around us.

並改善我們對生活 及周遭其他人的看法。

Some forms of regular volunteering

某些形式的定期志願工作 甚至與降低血壓有關聯。

have even been associated with lower blood pressure.

There is nothing better for the soul or society than giving back.

對靈魂或社會最有益的就是回饋了。

Aristotle really was on to something

亞里斯多德對於 生命本質的描述和總結

when he described and summed up the essence of life as:

真的蠻有道理：

“Serve others

「服務他人，

and do good.”

並做好事。」

Fourth, and finally,

第四，也是最後一點，

we can work to develop the classical political virtues

我們可以努力培養古典政治美德，

of humility, patience and moderation,

即謙遜、耐心，和節制。

without which, as John Adams explained,

根據約翰‧亞當斯的解釋， 若沒有這些美德，

we all become ravenous beasts of prey.

我們都會變成貪婪的捕食性野獸。

Now look, I know it’s almost laughable

我知道在政治相關的談論中， 扯到謙卑這類的詞

to talk about words like humility in political discourse,

幾乎可說是很可笑的，

but I truly believe that it is the only way for us

但我真心相信， 我們只能透過這種方式

to remember how to disagree without hate and contempt.

才能記住如何在抱持不同的 意見時不要帶著仇恨和輕視。

In the words of Judge Learned Hand, who so eloquently stated,

引用勒恩德‧漢德法官 非常優雅的說法：

“The true spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure it is right.

「自由的真正精神

就是『不太肯定是對的』的精神。

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand

自由的精神

就是尋求了解他人思想的精神。」

the minds of other men and women.”

And I started with a quote from Ronald Reagan.

我一開始引述了隆納‧雷根的話。

He went on to say that freedom is not ours by way of inheritance.

他後來接著說，自由

不是我們繼承而來的。

It must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation,

每個世代都必須不斷 為它而戰，並守護它，

for it comes only once to a people

因為它只會降臨在一個民族一次，

and those in history who have known freedom

在歷史上，曾經有過自由

and then lost it

接著失去自由的民族

have never known it again.

都從未再次獲得自由。

Ladies and gentlemen,

各位先生女士，

在我們這一代，我們有神聖的責任，

it is our solemn duty in our generation

to once again secure the freedoms

要再一次

捍衛上天賦予我們所有人的自由。

endowed to all of us from on high.

We cannot wait for politicians or the media to do it.

我們不能等政治人物或媒體來做。

It will take real work,

這需要我們每個人 真正辛苦地付出努力。

hard work by each of us.

But we must remember how to disagree without hate.

但我們必須切記如何 抱持不同意見，但不要仇恨。

We must rise up

我們必須站起來，

and meet that radical call to love our enemies --

響應「去愛我們的敵人」 這個激進的呼籲——

even, especially,

甚至是，

特別是，

our political opponents.

我們的政治對手。

It's ...

這是……

It's not an ...

這不是一個……

It's not an easy answer, but it is a simple one.

這不是一個容易的答案，

但這是一個簡單的答案。

If we really want to change the world,

如果我們真的想改變世界，

we have to start by changing our own hearts.

我們必須從改變我們自己的心開始。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）