The revolutionary power of diverse thought | Elif Shafak

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Nan-Kun Wu

"Can you taste words?"

「你能嚐到文字嗎？」

It was a question that caught me by surprise.

這個問題讓我措手不及。

This summer, I was giving a talk at a literary festival,

今年夏天，我受邀去 一個文學節慶演說，

and afterwards, as I was signing books,

之後，我就開始簽書，

a teenage girl came with her friend,

一名青少女和她的朋友一起來，

and this is what she asked me.

這個問題就是她問我的。

I told her that some people experience an overlap in their senses

我告訴她，有些人會 體驗到感官重疊，

so that they could hear colors

因此他們可以聽見顏色，

or see sounds,

或看見聲音，

and many writers were fascinated by this subject, myself included.

許多作家對這個題材 很著迷，包括我在內。

But she cut me off, a bit impatiently, and said, "Yeah, I know all of that.

但她打斷我，有點沒耐心， 她說：「是啊，那些我都知道。

It's called synesthesia. We learned it at school.

那叫伴生感覺，學校有教。 （譯註：也有譯連帶感覺、共同感覺）

But my mom is reading your book,

但我媽媽在讀你的書，

and she says there's lots of food and ingredients

而她說，書中有很多的食物和原料，

and a long dinner scene in it.

還有一段很長的晚餐場景。

She gets hungry at every page.

看每一頁都讓她覺得很餓。

So I was thinking,

所以，我在想，

how come you don't get hungry when you write?

為什麼你在寫的時候不會餓？

And I thought maybe, maybe you could taste words.

我心想，也許你可以嚐到文字。

Does it make sense?"

這樣合理嗎？」

And, actually, it did make sense,

事實上，那的確合理，

because ever since my childhood,

因為自從我的童年開始，

each letter in the alphabet has a different color,

在字母表上的每一個字 都有不同的顏色，

and colors bring me flavors.

而顏色能帶給我味道。

So for instance, the color purple is quite pungent, almost perfumed,

比如，紫色十分有刺激性， 幾乎是芳香的，

and any words that I associate with purple

而所有被我和紫色聯結在一起的字，

taste the same way,

嚐起來都是那個味道，

such as "sunset" -- a very spicy word.

比如「日落」就是個非常辛辣的字。

But I was worried that if I tell all of this to the teenager,

但我擔心，如果我把 這些都告訴這位青少女，

it might sound either too abstract

可能聽起來會太抽象，

or perhaps too weird,

或是太奇怪，

and there wasn't enough time anyhow,

其實也沒時間說這麼多，

because people were waiting in the queue,

因為有很多人還在排隊，

so it suddenly felt like what I was trying to convey

所以，突然間，感覺就像是 我在試著傳達的訊息

was more complicated and detailed

比當時情況下我能夠

than what the circumstances allowed me to say.

說出的訊息還要更複雜、更詳細。

And I did what I usually do in similar situations:

所以，我就做了我在 類似的情況下通常會做的：

I stammered, I shut down, and I stopped talking.

我結巴、我關上心門、我不再說話了。

I stopped talking because the truth was complicated,

我不再說話是因為真相很複雜，

even though I knew, deep within,

即使在內心深處我也知道

that one should never, ever remain silent for fear of complexity.

人永遠都不應該因為 害怕複雜就保持沉默。

So I want to start my talk today

所以，我想要用那天我無法

with the answer that I was not able to give on that day.

給予那位青少女的答案， 來做為今天演說的開頭。

Yes, I can taste words --

是的，我能嚐到文字，

sometimes, that is, not always,

有時候能，不是一直都能，

and happy words have a different flavor than sad words.

快樂的文字和悲傷的文字 有不同的味道。

I like to explore: What does the word "creativity" taste like,

我想探究的是：「創意」 這個字嚐起來像什麼，

or "equality,"

或「平等」、

"love," "revolution?"

「愛」、「革命」這些字？

And what about "motherland?"

「祖國」又如何呢？

These days, it's particularly this last word that troubles me.

現今，最後這個詞特別讓我困擾。

It leaves a sweet taste on my tongue,

它在我的舌尖留下甜甜的餘味，

like cinnamon, a bit of rose water

就像肉桂皮，加上一點玫瑰水，

and golden apples.

以及金蘋果。

But underneath, there's a sharp tang,

但它底下還有強烈刺激的味道，

like nettles and dandelion.

就像蕁麻和蒲公英。

The taste of my motherland, Turkey,

我的祖國土耳其的味道，

is a mixture of sweet and bitter.

是甜味與苦味的混合。

And the reason why I'm telling you this

我之所以告訴各位這些，

is because I think there's more and more people

是因為我認為，現今全世界

all around the world today

有越來越多人，

who have similarly mixed emotions

對於他們來自的土地，

about the lands they come from.

有著類似的混合情緒。

We love our native countries, yeah?

我們愛自己的母國，對吧？

How can we not?

怎麼可能不愛？

We feel attached to the people, the culture, the land, the food.

我們對於母國的人民、文化、 土地、食物都有著依附感。

And yet at the same time,

但，同時，

we feel increasingly frustrated by its politics and politicians,

卻因為母國的政治和政客， 我們越來越感到挫折，

sometimes to the point of despair or hurt or anger.

有時甚至會到絕望、 受傷、憤怒的程度。

I want to talk about emotions

我想要談談情緒，

and the need to boost our emotional intelligence.

以及將我們情緒智商提升的必要性。

I think it's a pity

我覺得很可惜，

that mainstream political theory pays very little attention to emotions.

主流政治理論很少會注意到情緒。

Oftentimes, analysts and experts are so busy with data and metrics

通常，分析師和專家 忙著處理資料和度量，

that they seem to forget those things in life

他們似乎忘記了人生當中還有些東西

that are difficult to measure

是很難去測量的，

and perhaps impossible to cluster under statistical models.

這些東西甚至可能很難 用統計模型來分成集群。

But I think this is a mistake, for two main reasons.

但我認為這是個錯誤，原因有二。

Firstly, because we are emotional beings.

第一點，因為我們是情緒的生物。

As human beings, I think we all are like that.

身為人類，我知道我們都是那樣的。

But secondly, and this is new,

但，第二點，這點是新的，

we have entered a new stage in world history

我們進入了世界歷史的新階段，

in which collective sentiments guide and misguide politics

在這個階段，是有史以來 集體感情最會引導

more than ever before.

和誤導政治的時候。

And through social media and social networking,

透過社交媒體和社交網路，

these sentiments are further amplified,

這些感情會被進一步放大、

polarized, and they travel around the world quite fast.

極端化，且能非常快速地傳遍世界。

Ours is the age of anxiety, anger,

我們的時代充滿了焦慮、憤怒、

distrust, resentment

不信任、仇恨、以及……

and, I think, lots of fear.

我認為還有許多恐懼。

But here's the thing:

但重點是：

even though there's plenty of research about economic factors,

雖然有很多關於經濟因素的研究，

there's relatively few studies about emotional factors.

相對之下，很少有 關於情緒因素的研究。

Why is it that we underestimate feelings and perceptions?

為什麼我們會低估了感覺和感知？

I think it's going to be one of our biggest intellectual challenges,

我想，這將會是我們 最大的智力挑戰之一，

because our political systems are replete with emotions.

因為我們的政治體制充滿了情緒。

In country after country,

在一個又一個國家中，

we have seen illiberal politicians exploiting these emotions.

我們看見反自由的政客 在利用這些情緒。

And yet within the academia and among the intelligentsia,

但是在學術界和知識界，

we are yet to take emotions seriously.

我們尚未認真看待情緒。

而我認為我們應該要。

I think we should.

And just like we should focus on economic inequality worldwide,

就像我們應該要聚焦在 全球的經濟不平等一樣，

we need to pay more attention to emotional and cognitive gaps worldwide

我們也需要更注意 全球的情緒和認知落差、

and how to bridge these gaps,

以及如何彌救這些落差，

because they do matter.

因為它們是有所謂的。

Years ago, when I was still living in Istanbul,

數年前，我還住在伊斯坦堡時，

an American scholar working on women writers in the Middle East

一位在研究中東女性作家的美國學者

came to see me.

來找我。

And at some point in our exchange, she said,

當我們交流到某個時點時，她說：

"I understand why you're a feminist,

「我了解為何你是女權主義者，

because, you know, you live in Turkey."

因為，你知道的，你住在土耳其。」

And I said to her,

我對她說：

"I don't understand why you're not a feminist,

「我不了解為何你不是女權主義者，

because, you know, you live in America."

因為，你知道的，你住在美國。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And she laughed.

她笑了。

She took it as a joke,

她把這話當玩笑話，

and the moment passed.

那個時刻就過去了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But the way she had divided the world into two imaginary camps,

但她的方式是把世界 分割成兩個想像的陣營，

into two opposite camps --

兩個對立的陣營──

it bothered me and it stayed with me.

這點讓我不舒服，且揮之不去。

According to this imaginary map,

根據這張想像出來的地圖，

some parts of the world were liquid countries.

世界有些部份是液態（不穩定）國家。

They were like choppy waters not yet settled.

它們就像是波浪起伏的水， 還沒有平靜下來。

Some other parts of the world, namely the West,

世界上的其他部份，也就是西方，

were solid, safe and stable.

則是固態，是安全和穩定的。

So it was the liquid lands that needed feminism

是液態土地才需要女權主義、

and activism and human rights,

行動主義、人權。

and those of us who were unfortunate enough

而非常不幸來自

to come from such places

這類地方的人，

had to keep struggling for these most essential values.

就必須為這些最重要的價值 而不斷掙扎。

But there was hope.

但還是有希望。

Since history moved forward,

因為歷史會向前行，

even the most unsteady lands would someday catch up.

即使是最不安定的土地， 也有一天會趕上來。

And meanwhile, the citizens of solid lands

而這期間，固態土地的公民

could take comfort in the progress of history

可以從歷史的進展

and in the triumph of the liberal order.

和自由秩序的勝利中得著安慰。

They could support the struggles of other people elsewhere,

他們可以支持其他地方、 其他人的掙扎，

but they themselves did not have to struggle

但他們自己本身不再需要

for the basics of democracy anymore,

為了民主的基礎而掙扎，

because they were beyond that stage.

因為他們已經過了那個階段。

I think in the year 2016,

我認為，在 2016 年，

this hierarchical geography was shattered to pieces.

這種階層式的地理學被粉碎了。

Our world no longer follows this dualistic pattern

我們的世界不再遵循這種 學者腦中的二元的模式，

in the scholar's mind, if it ever did.

如果它真的曾經存在過的話。

Now we know that history does not necessarily move forward.

現在，我們知道， 歷史不見得會向前走。

Sometimes it draws circles,

有時候它會原地打轉，

even slides backwards,

甚至後退，

and that generations can make the same mistakes

而且各世代都可能會再犯

that their great-grandfathers had made.

曾祖父母就犯過的錯誤。

And now we know that there's no such thing

現在，我們知道，沒有所謂的

as solid countries versus liquid countries.

固態國家 vs. 液態國家。

In fact, we are all living in liquid times,

事實上，我們都生在液態的時代，

just like the late Zygmunt Bauman told us.

就如同已逝的齊格蒙鮑曼告訴我們的。

And Bauman had another definition for our age.

對我們的時代，鮑曼還另有一個定義。

He used to say we are all going to be walking on moving sands.

他曾說我們都將走在流沙中。

And if that's the case, I think,

我認為，如果真的是這樣，

it should concern us women more than men,

那麼女性受到的影響會比男性大，

because when societies slide backwards into authoritarianism,

因為當社會向後滑動 回到專制主義、

nationalism or religious fanaticism,

民族主義、宗教狂熱，

women have much more to lose.

女性的損失比男性要大得多。

That is why this needs to be a vital moment,

那就是為什麼現在是很關鍵的時刻，

not only for global activism,

不僅是對全球行動主義而言，

but in my opinion, for global sisterhood as well.

依我所見，對全球姊妹情誼 而言亦是如此。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

But I want to make a little confession before I go any further.

但在進一步談下去之前， 我要先做個小小的告解。

Until recently, whenever I took part in an international conference or festival,

直到最近，每當我參加 國際會議或是慶祝活動，

I would be usually one of the more depressed speakers.

我通常是比較沮喪的講者之一。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Having seen how our dreams of democracy and how our dreams of coexistence

我見到我們的民主夢想以及共存夢想

were crushed in Turkey,

在土耳其被摧毀，

both gradually but also with a bewildering speed,

有時是漸漸地被摧毀， 有時是以讓人混亂的速度被摧毀，

over the years I've felt quite demoralized.

這些年來，我覺得相當洩氣，

And at these festivals there would be some other gloomy writers,

在這些慶祝活動上， 會有一些其他憂鬱的作家，

and they would come from places such as Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan,

他們來自埃及、 奈及利亞、巴基斯坦、

Bangladesh, Philippines, China, Venezuela, Russia.

孟加拉共和國、菲律賓、 中國、委內瑞拉、俄國等地。

And we would smile at each other in sympathy,

我們會帶著同情，對彼此微笑，

this camaraderie of the doomed.

受厄運者的同志情誼。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And you could call us WADWIC:

你們可以稱我們為 WADWIC：

Worried and Depressed Writers International Club.

憂心沮喪作家國際俱樂部。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But then things began to change,

但接著，事情開始改變了，

and suddenly our club became more popular,

突然間，我們的俱樂部變熱門了，

and we started to have new members.

我們開始有新成員。

I remember --

我記得……

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I remember Greek writers and poets joined first, came on board.

我記得希臘作家和詩人最先加入。

And then writers from Hungary and Poland,

接著是來自匈牙利和波蘭的作家，

and then, interestingly, writers from Austria, the Netherlands, France,

很有趣的是，再接下來是來自 奧地利、荷蘭、法國的作家，

and then writers from the UK, where I live and where I call my home,

再來是來自英國的作家，我自己 就住在英國且稱英國為我的家，

and then writers from the USA.

再來是來自美國的作家。

Suddenly, there were more of us

突然間，我們人數變多了，

feeling worried about the fate of our nations

我們都在擔心我們國家的命運、

and the future of the world.

以及世界的未來。

And maybe there were more of us now

也許，現在我們當中有越來越多人

feeling like strangers in our own motherlands.

在自己的祖國裡，卻覺得格格不入。

And then this bizarre thing happened.

接著發生了一件怪異的事。

Those of us who used to be very depressed for a long time,

我們當中那些本來沮喪了 很長一段時間的人，

we started to feel less depressed,

反而開始感覺比較不那麼沮喪了，

whereas the newcomers, they were so not used to feeling this way

而新來的人， 他們很不習慣有這樣的感覺，

that they were now even more depressed.

以致於他們現在變得更沮喪。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So you could see writers from Bangladesh or Turkey or Egypt

所以你們可以發現，來自 孟加拉、土耳其或埃及的作家

trying to console their colleagues

在試圖安撫那些來自脫歐的英國

from Brexit Britain or from post-election USA.

或來自選舉後的美國的作家同行。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But joking aside,

但把玩笑放到一旁，

I think our world is full of unprecedented challenges,

我認為，我們的世界 充滿了空前的挑戰，

and this comes with an emotional backlash,

而這是會有情緒後座力的，

because in the face of high-speed change,

因為在面對高速改變時，

many people wish to slow down,

許多人會希望慢下來，

and when there's too much unfamiliarity,

且，當有太多不熟悉時，

people long for the familiar.

人們會渴望熟悉。

And when things get too confusing,

當事物變得太讓人困惑時，

many people crave simplicity.

許多人會期盼簡單。

This is a very dangerous crossroads,

這是個非常危險的十字路口，

because it's exactly where the demagogue enters into the picture.

因為群眾煽動者就是在這裡出現的。

The demagogue understands how collective sentiments work

群眾煽動者了解集體感情如何運作、

and how he -- it's usually a he -- can benefit from them.

以及他──通常是男性的 「他」──能如何從中獲利。

He tells us that we all belong in our tribes,

他告訴我們， 我們都屬於我們的部落，

and he tells us that we will be safer if we are surrounded by sameness.

他告訴我們，如果我們周圍 都是相同性，我們會比較安全。

Demagogues come in all sizes and in all shapes.

群眾煽動者有各種形狀跟大小。

This could be the eccentric leader of a marginal political party

可能會是歐洲某地一個小政黨的

somewhere in Europe,

古怪領導者，

or an Islamist extremist imam preaching dogma and hatred,

或是伊斯蘭極端主義伊瑪目， 在鼓吹教義和仇恨，

or it could be a white supremacist Nazi-admiring orator somewhere else.

也可能是其他地方的一名 崇拜納粹的至上主義白人演說家。

All these figures, at first glance -- they seem disconnected.

乍看之下，所有這些人物 似乎都沒有關聯。

But I think they feed each other,

但我認為他們以彼此為能源，

and they need each other.

他們需要彼此。

And all around the world,

在全世界，

when we look at how demagogues talk and how they inspire movements,

當我們去看群眾煽動者如何說話， 以及他們如何激勵運動，

I think they have one unmistakable quality in common:

我想，他們有一項共通的明確特質：

they strongly, strongly dislike plurality.

他們非常非常不喜歡多重性。

They cannot deal with multiplicity.

他們無法處理多樣性。

Adorno used to say,

德國社會學家阿多諾說過：

"Intolerance of ambiguity is the sign of an authoritarian personality."

「無法忍受模糊， 是專制獨裁人格的徵兆。」

But I ask myself:

但我問我自己，

What if that same sign,

如果同樣這個徵兆，

that same intolerance of ambiguity --

對模糊無法容忍──

what if it's the mark of our times, of the age we're living in?

如果它正是我們的時代、 我們所生活的年代的標記呢？

Because wherever I look, I see nuances withering away.

因為不論在哪，可以看到 細微差別減少而趨向兩極化。

On TV shows, we have one anti-something speaker

在電視節目上， 我們有反某樣東西的發言者，

situated against a pro-something speaker.

在對抗贊成某樣東西的發言者。

Yeah? It's good ratings.

對吧？收視率很好。

It's even better if they shout at each other.

如果他們能對吼，收視率更高。

Even in academia, where our intellect is supposed to be nourished,

即使在學術界這個 應該是栽培知識份子的地方，

you see one atheist scholar competing with a firmly theist scholar,

仍然會看到無神論學者 和堅定的有神論學者互爭，

but it's not a real intellectual exchange,

但那並不是知識的交流，

because it's a clash between two certainties.

而是兩個無庸置疑性之間的衝突。

I think binary oppositions are everywhere.

我認為，二元對立無所不在。

So slowly and systematically,

所以，很緩慢地、系統化地，

we are being denied the right to be complex.

我們的「複雜權」漸漸被否認了。

Istanbul, Berlin, Nice, Paris, Brussels,

伊斯坦堡、柏林、尼斯、 巴黎、布魯塞爾、

Dhaka, Baghdad, Barcelona:

達卡、巴格達、巴賽隆納：

we have seen one horrible terror attack after another.

可怕恐怖攻擊一波接一波。

And when you express your sorrow, and when you react against the cruelty,

當你表示哀傷、 當你對殘酷行為做出反對，

you get all kinds of reactions,

你就會在社交媒體上得到

messages on social media.

各種反應、各種訊息。

But one of them is quite disturbing,

但其中一項讓人很不舒服，

only because it's so widespread.

只因為它傳播得非常廣。

They say, "Why do you feel sorry for them?

他們說：「為什麼你要同情那些人？

Why do you feel sorry for them?

為什麼你要同情那些人？

Why don't you feel sorry for civilians in Yemen

為什麼你不同情葉門的平民、

or civilians in Syria?"

或敘利亞的平民？」

And I think the people who write such messages

我認為，寫這類訊息的人

do not understand

並不了解

that we can feel sorry for and stand in solidarity with

我們可以平等地、同時地去同情

victims of terrorism and violence in the Middle East, in Europe,

並共同關心在中東、 歐洲、亞洲、美國、

in Asia, in America, wherever, everywhere,

任何地方的恐怖主義受害者

equally and simultaneously.

及暴力受害者。

They don't seem to understand that we don't have to pick one pain

他們似乎不了解， 我們不是只能從各地

and one place over all others.

所有的痛苦當中擇一來在乎。

But I think this is what tribalism does to us.

但我認為，這就是 部落意識對我們的影響。

It shrinks our minds, for sure,

它肯定會讓我們的思維縮小，

but it also shrinks our hearts,

同時它也會讓我們的心胸縮小，

to such an extent that we become numb to the suffering of other people.

縮小到讓我們對於他人 受到的苦難都麻木無感。

And the sad truth is, we weren't always like this.

悲傷的真相是， 我們以前並不是這樣的。

I had a children's book out in Turkey,

我有一本童書在土耳其出版了，

and when the book was published, I did lots of events.

出版時，我做了很多活動。

I went to many primary schools,

我去了很多所小學，

which gave me a chance to observe younger kids in Turkey.

讓我有機會能觀察土耳其的小朋友。

And it was always amazing to see how much empathy, imagination

他們的大量同理心、 想像力、膽量，總是讓我

and chutzpah they have.

感到很驚艷。

These children are much more inclined to become global citizens

對那個年紀的孩子來說， 變成全球公民的傾向

than nationalists at that age.

絕對遠高過變成民族主義者的傾向。

And it's wonderful to see, when you ask them,

很美好的是，當你問他們將來

so many of them want to be poets and writers,

想做什麼，好多孩子 想要當詩人和作家，

and girls are just as confident as boys,

且女孩們和男孩們一樣有自信，

if not even more.

有時還更自信。

But then I would go to high schools,

但接著，我會去拜訪高中，

and everything has changed.

一切就改變了。

Now nobody wants to be a writer anymore,

沒有人想要當作家了，

now nobody wants to be a novelist anymore,

沒有人想要當小說家了，

and girls have become timid,

女孩們變得很羞怯，

they are cautious, guarded,

她們很小心，有防衛心，

reluctant to speak up in the public space,

不願在公共場合發言，

because we have taught them --

因為我們教導他們──

the family, the school, the society --

家庭、學校、社會

we have taught them to erase their individuality.

都教導他們要抹除他們的個人特徵。

I think East and West,

我認為，東方和西方，

we are losing multiplicity,

我們在失去多樣性，

both within our societies and within ourselves.

包括社會中， 以及我們自己內在的多樣性。

And coming from Turkey, I do know that the loss of diversity

我來自土耳其，我知道失去多樣性

is a major, major loss.

是非常非常重大的損失。

Today, my motherland became the world's biggest jailer

如今我的祖國變成了 世界上最大的記者監獄。

for journalists,

surpassing even China's sad record.

甚至超過了中國的可悲紀錄。

And I also believe that what happened over there in Turkey

我也相信，在土耳其發生的事，

can happen anywhere.

也會發生在任何地方。

It can even happen here.

甚至可能發生在這裡。

So just like solid countries was an illusion,

就如同固態國家是種假象，

singular identities is also an illusion,

單一身份也是一種假象，

because we all have a multiplicity of voices inside.

因為我們內在都有多樣化的聲音。

The Iranian, the Persian poet, Hafiz,

伊朗的波斯詩人哈菲茲說過：

used to say, "You carry in your soul every ingredient necessary

「要將你的存在轉變成喜悅 所必要的所有原料，

to turn your existence into joy.

其實都已經在你的靈魂中了，

All you have to do is to mix those ingredients."

你只需要將那些原料混合在一起。」

And I think mix we can.

我認為我們可以做混合。

I am an Istanbulite,

我是伊斯坦堡人，

but I'm also attached to the Balkans,

但我也歸屬巴爾幹半島、

the Aegean, the Mediterranean,

愛琴海、地中海、

the Middle East, the Levant.

中東、黎凡特。 （註：地中海東部諸島及沿岸諸國）

I am a European by birth, by choice,

根據我的出生地、我的選擇、

the values that I uphold.

我持有的價值觀，我是歐洲人。

I have become a Londoner over the years.

這些年來我變成了倫敦人。

I would like to think of myself as a global soul, as a world citizen,

我認為我自己是全球人、 是世界公民、

a nomad and an itinerant storyteller.

是流浪者、也是巡迴說故事者。

I have multiple attachments, just like all of us do.

我和所有人都一樣，有多重的連結。

And multiple attachments mean multiple stories.

多重的連結就意味著多重的故事。

As writers, we always chase stories, of course,

身為作家，當然， 我們總是在追逐故事，

but I think we are also interested in silences,

但我認為我們也對沉默、

the things we cannot talk about,

我們無法談論的事物、

political taboos, cultural taboos.

政治禁忌、文化禁忌都感興趣。

We're also interested in our own silences.

我們也對我們自己的沉默感興趣。

I have always been very vocal about and written extensively

對於弱勢族群權力、女權、 同性雙性跨性者權力，

about minority rights, women's rights,

我向來都很直言不諱，

LGBT rights.

也寫了很多相關文章。

But as I was thinking about this TED Talk,

但當我在思考這場 TED 演說時，

I realized one thing:

我想通了一件事：

I have never had the courage to say in a public space

我從來沒有勇氣在公共場合上說出

that I was bisexual myself,

我自己是雙性戀者，

because I so feared the slander

因為我很害怕誹謗、

and the stigma and the ridicule

汙名、嘲笑、

and the hatred that was sure to follow.

以及仇恨都會接踵而來。

But of course, one should never, ever, remain silent

但，當然我們都不應該因為害怕複雜

for fear of complexity.

而保持沉默。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And although I am no stranger to anxieties,

雖然對於焦慮，我並不陌生，

and although I am talking here about the power of emotions --

雖然我在這裡談論著情緒的力量──

I do know the power of emotions --

我確實知道情緒的力量──

I have discovered over time

但隨著時間，我發現到，

that emotions are not limitless.

情緒並不是沒有限制的。

You know? They have a limit.

情緒是有限制的。

There comes a moment --

會有一個時刻

it's like a tipping point or a threshold --

像是臨界點或是門檻，

when you get tired of feeling afraid,

你會厭倦了感到害怕，

when you get tired of feeling anxious.

你會厭倦了感到焦慮。

And I think not only individuals,

我認為不只是個人會如此，

but perhaps nations, too, have their own tipping points.

也許國家也會有它們自己的臨界點。

So even stronger than my emotions

所以，我的意識比我的情緒更強大，

is my awareness

that not only gender, not only identity,

不僅是性別、不僅是身份，

but life itself is fluid.

人生本身就是液態的。

They want to divide us into tribes,

他們想把我們分裂成部落，

but we are connected across borders.

但我們跨越國界連結在一起。

They preach certainty,

他們鼓吹肯定性，

but we know that life has plenty of magic

但我們知道，人生充滿了魔法，

and plenty of ambiguity.

也充滿了模糊。

And they like to incite dualities,

且他們喜歡煽動二元性，

but we are far more nuanced than that.

但我們遠比二元性 有更多的細微差異。

So what can we do?

所以，我們能怎麼做？

I think we need to go back to the basics,

我想，我們得要回到基礎，

back to the colors of the alphabet.

回到字母的顏色。

The Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran used to say,

黎巴嫩詩人哈利勒紀伯倫說過：

"I learned silence from the talkative

「我從愛說話的人身上學到沉默，

and tolerance from the intolerant

從不包容的人身上學到包容，

and kindness from the unkind."

從不仁的人身上學到仁慈。」

I think it's a great motto for our times.

我認為這句格言很適合 用在我們的時代。

So from populist demagogues, we will learn

所以，從平民主義的群眾煽動者身上，

我們會學到民主的不可缺。

the indispensability of democracy.

And from isolationists, we will learn the need for global solidarity.

從孤立主義者身上，

我們會學到全球團結的必要性。

And from tribalists, we will learn the beauty of cosmopolitanism

從部落意識者身上，

我們會學到世界主義的美麗，

and the beauty of diversity.

以及多元化的美麗。

As I finish, I want to leave you with one word, or one taste.

最後，我想留給大家一個字， 或是說，一個味道。

The word "yurt" in Turkish means "motherland."

「Yurt」這個土耳其字， 它的意思是「祖國」。

It means "homeland."

它的意思是「家園」。

But interestingly, the word also means

但有趣的是，這個字也意指：

"a tent used by nomadic tribes."

「遊牧部落用的帳篷」。

And I like that combination, because it makes me think

我喜歡這樣的組合， 因為它會讓我覺得

homelands do not need to be rooted in one place.

家園並不需要紮根在一個地方。

They can be portable.

家園是可攜式的。

We can take them with us everywhere.

我們能把家園隨身帶到任何地方。

And I think for writers, for storytellers,

我想，對作家而言， 對說故事者而言，

at the end of the day,

到頭來，

there is one main homeland,

只有一個主要的家園，

and it's called "Storyland."

它叫做「故事之地」。

And the taste of that word

而這個字的味道，

is the taste of freedom.

就是自由的味道。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）