My journey to thank all the people responsible for my morning coffee | A.J. Jacobs

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Melody Tang

So, I don't like to boast,

我不喜歡自誇，

but I am very good at finding things to be annoyed about.

但我真的非常擅長找到惱人之處。

It is a real specialty of mine.

這是我的一項專長。

I can hear 100 compliments and a single insult,

當我聽見一百個讚美和一個侮辱時，

and what do I remember?

我會記得什麼？

The insult.

那個侮辱。

And according to the research, I'm not alone.

研究指出，我並非獨一無二。

Unfortunately, the human brain is wired to focus on the negative.

不幸的是，人類的大腦天生 就是會專注在負面的地方。

Now, this might have been helpful when we were cave people,

當我們還是穴居人時， 這點可能還算有幫助，

trying to avoid predators,

讓我們避開要捕食我們的動物。

but now it's a terrible way to go through life.

但在現代，這是一種 很糟糕的生活方式。

It is a real major component of anxiety and depression.

它是造成焦慮和憂鬱的 一個主要因素。

So how can we fight the brain's negative bias?

所以，我們要如何 對抗大腦的負面偏見呢？

According to a lot of research, one of the best weapons is gratitude.

根據很多研究， 最好的方法之一就是感激。

So knowing this, I started a new tradition in our house a couple of years ago.

知道這一點之後，從幾年前開始， 我在我們家建立了一項新的傳統。

Before a meal with my wife and kids,

在我和太太與孩子們吃飯前，

I would say a prayer of thanksgiving.

我會先說一段感恩的禱告。

Prayer is not quite the right word.

禱告不算是正確的用詞。

I'm agnostic, so instead of thanking God,

我是不可知論者， 所以我不是感謝上帝，

I would thank some of the people who helped make my food a reality.

我是感謝一些讓我能吃到食物的人。

I'd say, "I'd like to thank the farmer who grew these tomatoes,

我會說：「我想要感謝 種植這些蕃茄的農夫、

and the trucker who drove these tomatoes to the store,

把這些蕃茄載到店裡的卡車司機，

and the cashier who rang these tomatoes up."

以及為這些蕃茄結帳的收銀員。」

And I thought it was going pretty well, this tradition.

我以為這個傳統一直運行得挺好的。

Then one day, my 10-year-old son said,

接著，有一天，我十歲的兒子問：

"You know, Dad, those people aren't in our apartment.

「爸，你知道嗎，那些人 並不在我們的公寓裡。

They can't hear you.

他們聽不見你說的。

If you really cared, you would go and thank them in person."

如果你真的在乎， 你就會親自去謝謝他們。」

And I thought, "Hmm. That's an interesting idea."

我心想：「嗯， 那是個很有趣的想法。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Now I'm a writer, and for my books I like to go on adventures.

我是個作家，

我喜歡為了我的書去進行冒險。

Go on quests.

去探索。

So I decided I'm going to take my son up on his challenge.

所以，我決定接受我兒子的挑戰。

It seemed simple enough.

它似乎相當簡單。

And to make it even simpler,

為了讓它更簡單，

I decided to focus on just one item.

我決定只把焦點放在一項東西上。

An item I can't live without:

我們生活不可缺的東西：

my morning cup of coffee.

我早晨的一杯咖啡。

Well, it turned out to be not so simple at all.

結果發現，它並沒有那麼簡單。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

This quest took me months.

這項探索花了我數個月。

It took me around the world.

它帶我走遍全世界。

Because I discovered that my coffee would not be possible

因為我發現，若沒有數百個

被我視為理所當然的人， 就不會有我的咖啡。

without hundreds of people I take for granted.

So I would thank the trucker

所以我要感謝開車

who drove the coffee beans to the coffee shop.

把咖啡豆載到咖啡店的卡車司機。

But he couldn't have done his job without the road.

但若沒有道路，他就做不到這件事。

So I would thank the people who paved the road.

所以我要感謝鋪路的人。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And then I would thank the people who made the asphalt for the pavement.

接著，我要感謝做瀝青鋪路的人。

And I came to realize that my coffee,

我漸漸了解，我的咖啡，

like so much else in the world,

和世界上許多東西一樣，

requires the combined work

需要結合來自各行各業

of a shocking number of people from all walks of life.

非常多人的努力才能實現。

Architects, biologists, designers, miners, goat herds,

建築師、生物學家、設計師、

礦工、牧羊人，任何你能想到的。

you name it.

I decided to call my project

我決定把我的計畫命名為

"Thanks a Thousand."

「千分感謝」。

Because I ended up thanking over a thousand people.

因為我最後感謝了超過一千人。

And it was overwhelming, but it was also wonderful.

這計畫真的是讓人難以招架，

卻也非常美好。

Because it allowed me to focus

因為它讓我能把焦點放在

on the hundreds of things that go right every day,

每一天中順利進行的數百件事，

as opposed to the three or four that go wrong.

而不是出錯的那三、四件事。

And it reminded me of the astounding interconnectedness or our world.

且它提醒了我，

我們的世界中令人驚奇的緊密關係。

I learned dozens of lessons during this project,

在這個計畫中，我學到了數十課，

but let me just focus on five today.

但，今天讓我把焦點 放在其中五課就好。

The first is: look up.

第一課：抬頭看。

I started my trail of gratitude

我的感激之路始於

by thanking the barista at my local coffee shop,

感謝我們當地咖啡店裡的咖啡師，

Joe Coffee in New York.

我去的店是紐約的喬咖啡。

Her name is Chung,

她的名字叫鍾，

and Chung is one of the most upbeat people you will ever meet.

鍾非常樂觀。

Big smiler, enthusiastic hugger.

她總是帶著大大的微笑， 熱情地擁抱人。

But even for Chung, being a barista is hard.

但就算是鍾這樣的人， 做為咖啡師也很不容易。

And that's because you are encountering people in a very dangerous state.

那是因為你會遇到 處於非常危險狀態的人。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

You know what it is -- precaffeination.

你們知道的——急需咖啡因的人。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So, Chung has had people yell at her until she cried,

所以，鍾曾經遇過有人對她大吼，

直到她哭出來，

including a nine-year-old girl,

包括一位九歲女孩，

who didn't like the whipped cream design that Chung did on her hot chocolate.

她不喜歡鍾在她的熱巧克力上 做的鮮奶油拉花。

So I thanked Chung,

所以，我向鍾表示感謝，

and she thanked me for thanking her.

她謝謝我謝謝她。

I cut it off there.

我就在這裡畫上句點。

I didn't want to go into an infinite thanking loop.

我不想我們互相謝得沒完沒了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But Chung said that the hardest part

但鍾說，最辛苦的部分是，

is when people don't even treat her like a human being.

大家不把她當作人來看待。

They treat her like a vending machine.

他們把她當成販賣機來看待。

So, they'll hand her their credit card

他們把信用卡遞給她，

without even looking up from their phone.

但視線都沒離開過他們的手機。

And while she's saying this, I'm realizing I've done that.

當她這麼說的時候， 我發現我也做過這種事。

I've been that a-hole.

我也是那種混蛋。

And at that moment, I pledged:

那一刻，我立下誓言：

when dealing with people, I'm going to take those two seconds

在和人打交道時， 我要花兩秒鐘時間，

and look at them, make eye contact.

看著他們，做眼神交會。

Because it reminds you, you're dealing with a human being

因為那能提醒你， 你是在和一個人打交道，

who has family and aspirations

他有家人，有抱負，

and embarrassing high school memories.

也有尷尬的高中時期回憶。

And that little moment of connection

而那短暫的連結時刻，

is so important to both people's humanity and happiness.

對於人的人性以及快樂 都是非常重要的。

Alright, second lesson was:

好，第二課是：

smell the roses. And the dirt. And the fertilizer.

聞聞花香。還有泥土。還有肥料。

After Chung, I thanked this man.

在鍾之後，我感謝了這個人。

This is Ed Kaufmann.

他是艾德考夫曼。

And Ed is the one who chooses which coffee they serve at my local coffee shop.

艾德在我當地的那間咖啡店裡， 負責選擇要用哪種咖啡豆。

He goes around the world, to South America, to Africa,

他去世界各地，到南美，到非洲，

finding the best coffee beans.

去找最好的咖啡豆。

So I thanked Ed.

所以我感謝了艾德，

And in return, Ed showed me how to taste coffee like a pro.

而艾德則教了我 如何像專家一樣品嚐咖啡。

And it is quite a ritual.

那是個很了不起的儀式。

You take your spoon and you dip it in the coffee

你要拿起湯匙，把它浸入咖啡中，

and then you take a big, loud slurp.

接著你要喝一大口， 且要發出很大的啜飲聲。

Almost cartoonishly loud.

幾乎就像卡通裡的一樣大聲。

This is because you want to spray the coffee all over your mouth.

這是因為你想要讓咖啡 噴灑在你整個嘴巴裡。

You have taste buds in the side of your cheeks,

在你的臉頰內側都有味蕾，

in the roof of your mouth,

嘴巴的頂上也有，

you've got to get them all.

你要咖啡觸及它們全部。

So Ed would do this

所以，艾德會這麼做，

and he would --

而且他會——

his face would light up and he would say,

他的臉會亮起來，然後說：

"This coffee tastes of Honeycrisp apple

「這種咖啡嚐起來有蜜脆蘋果的味道，

and notes of soil and maple syrup."

以及土壤以及楓糖漿。」

And I would take a sip and I'd say,

我會啜飲一小口，說：

"I'm picking up coffee.

「我嚐到咖啡。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

It tastes to me like coffee."

我覺得它嚐起來就像咖啡。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But inspired by Ed, I decided to really

但，受到艾德的鼓舞，我決定真的

let the coffee sit on my tongue for five seconds --

讓咖啡在我的舌頭上 停留五秒鐘——

we're all busy, but I could spare five seconds,

雖然我們都很忙， 但我能騰出五秒鐘，

and really think about the texture and the acidity and the sweetness.

真的去思考它的質地、酸度、甜度。

And I started to do it with other foods.

我開始在吃其他食物時也這麼做。

And this idea of savoring is so important to gratitude.

這個品嚐的做法， 對於感激是非常重要的。

Psychologists talk about how gratitude

心理學家說，感激就是

is about taking a moment and holding on to it as long as possible.

抓住那個瞬間， 盡可能留住它久一點。

And slowing down time.

讓時間慢下來。

So that life doesn't go by in one big blur, as it often does.

這樣，人生才不會像平常那樣， 模模糊糊地就過去了。

Number three is:

第三課：

find the hidden masterpieces all around you.

在你身邊找找隱藏的傑作。

Now, one of my favorite conversations during this year

今年我最喜歡的對話之一，

was with the guy who invented my coffee cup lid.

對象是發明了咖啡杯蓋的那個人。

And until this point,

在那之前，

I had given approximately zero thought to coffee cup lids.

我幾乎從來沒有想過咖啡杯蓋。

But I loved talking to this inventor, Doug Fleming,

但我很喜歡和這位發明家 道格佛萊明談話，

because he was so passionate.

因為他充滿了熱情。

And the blood and sweat and tears he put into this lid,

他放在這個杯蓋中的血汗及眼淚，

and that I had never even considered.

我從來沒有想過。

He says a bad lid can ruin your coffee.

他說，不好的杯蓋 可以毀掉你的咖啡。

That it can block the aroma,

它會阻擋香味，

which is so important to the experience.

香味對於咖啡體驗來說是很重要的。

So he -- he's very innovative.

所以他——他很擅長創新。

He's like the Elon Musk of coffee lids.

他就像是咖啡杯蓋的伊隆馬斯克。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So he designed this lid that's got an upside-down hexagon

他設計的這個杯蓋 有個上下顛倒的六角形，

so you can get your nose right in there and get maximum aroma.

所以你可以把你的鼻子放到那裡，

聞到最多的香味。

And so I was delighted talking to him,

我很高興能和他談話，

and it made me realize there are hundreds of masterpieces all around us

那經驗讓我了解到， 我們身邊就有數百件傑作，

that we totally take for granted.

但都被我們視為理所當然。

Like the on-off switch on my desk lamp has a little indentation for my thumb

就像我的桌燈的開關，

上面有個小凹陷處 正好方便讓我用大拇指按壓，

that perfectly fits my thumb.

And when something is done well,

當一樣事物被做得很好時，

the process behind it is largely invisible.

它背後的過程大部分我們都看不到。

But paying attention to it

但多去留意它，

can tap into that sense of wonder and enrich our lives.

就能發掘出來驚奇感， 讓我們的生活更充實。

Number four is: fake it till you feel it.

第四課：先假裝， 直到你能真正感受到。

By the end of the project, I was just in a thanking frenzy.

在這個計畫到達尾聲時， 我陷入一種感謝的狂熱當中。

So I was -- I would get up and spend a couple hours,

所以我——我會起床之後 花幾個小時的時間，

I'd write emails, send notes,

寫電子郵件，發送訊息，

make phone calls, visit people

打電話，親自造訪，

to thank them for their role in my coffee.

謝謝他們在我的咖啡中 所扮演的角色。

And some of them, quite honestly --

而當中有些人，很老實說——

not that into it.

對我的計畫沒那麼有興趣。

They would be like, "What is this?

他們會說：「這是幹嘛？

Is this a pyramid scheme, what do you want, what are you selling?"

這是老鼠會嗎？ 你要幹嘛？你想推銷什麼？」

But most people were surprisingly moved.

但大部分的人都出乎意料的感動。

I remember, I called the woman who does the pest control

我記得，我打電話給這名女子，

她在煮我的咖啡的倉庫 負責做除蟲——

for the warehouse where my coffee is served --

I'm sorry -- where my coffee is stored.

對不起——我是指 儲存我的咖啡的倉庫裡。

And I said,

我說：

"This may sound strange,

「這可能聽起來很奇怪，

but I want to thank you for keeping the bugs out of my coffee."

但我想要謝謝你 讓蟲子遠離我的咖啡。」

And she said, "Well, that does sound strange,

她說：「嗯，聽起來的確很怪，

but you just made my day."

但你讓我十分開心。」

And it was like an anti-crank phone call.

這就像是一種反騷擾電話。

And it didn't just affect her, it affected me.

受到影響的不只是她，還有我。

Because I would wake up every morning in my default mood, which is grumpiness,

因為每天早上起床， 我通常情緒很不好，

but I would force myself to write a thank-you note

但我會強迫我自己寫一張感謝字條，

and then another and then another.

然後再寫一張，再寫一張。

And what I found was that if you act as if you're grateful,

我發現，如果你在行為上 先假裝你很感恩，

you eventually become grateful for real.

最終，你會真的變得很感恩。

The power of our actions to change our mind is astounding.

透過我們的行為來改變 我們的心的力量是很驚人的。

So, often we think that thought changes behavior,

通常，我們會認為， 思想能改變行為，

but behavior very often changes our thought.

但行為經常會改變我們的想法。

And finally, the last lesson I want to tell you about is:

我想告訴各位的最後一課是：

practice six degrees of gratitude.

練習六度感激。

And every place, every stop on this gratitude trail

在這條感恩之路上， 每個地方，每個停靠站，

would give birth to 100 other people that I could thank.

都會產生出另外一百個 我能夠去感謝的人。

So I went down to Colombia to thank the farmers who grow my coffee beans.

所以我跑到哥倫比亞

去感謝種植我的咖啡豆的農夫。

And it was in a small mountain town,

那是一個山區小鎮，

and I was driven there along these curvy, cliffside roads.

我搭車前往，

車開在懸崖邊的彎曲道路上。

And every time we went around a hairpin turn

每次車開過一個髮夾彎，

the driver would do the sign of the cross.

駕駛就會畫一個十字。

And I was like, "Thank you for that.

我心想：「謝謝你這麼做。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But can you do that while keeping your hands on the wheel?

但你在這麼做的時候， 能不能把雙手放在方向盤上？

Because I am terrified."

因為我好怕啊。」

But we made it.

但我們到了。

And I met the farmers, the Guarnizo brothers.

我見到這些農夫，葛瓦尼佐兄弟。

It's a small farm, they make great coffee,

那是個小農場， 他們種的咖啡很棒，

they're paid above fair-trade prices for it.

他們能賣到比公平交易價 高一點的價格。

And they showed me how the coffee is grown.

他們帶我去看咖啡怎麼種出來的。

The bean is actually inside this fruit called the coffee cherry.

豆子其實是長在果實中， 這種果實叫做咖啡果。

And I thanked them.

我感謝了他們。

And they said, "Well, we couldn't do our job

他們說：「若沒有另外一百人，

我們也無法完成這些工作。」

without 100 other people."

The machine that depulps the fruit is made in Brazil,

用來去除果肉的機器是巴西製的，

and the pickup truck they drive around the farm,

而他們在農場中 開來開去的收成卡車，

that is made from parts from all over the world.

組成零件來自世界各地。

In fact, the US exports steel to Colombia.

事實上，美國出口鋼鐵到哥倫比亞。

So I went to Indiana, and I thanked the steel makers.

所以，我去了印第安納州， 感謝了製造鋼鐵的人。

And it just drove home

我更清楚了一件事，

that it doesn't take a village to make a cup of coffee.

要泡一杯咖啡， 需要的不只是一個村子的人，

It takes the world to make a cup of coffee.

要做一杯咖啡， 需要的是全世界的人。

And this global economy, this globalization,

這種全球經濟，這種全球化，

it does have downsides.

它也有不好的面向。

But I believe the long-term upsides are far greater,

但我相信，長遠來看， 好的面向絕對大勝，

that progress is real.

進步是真的。

We have made improvements in the last 50 years,

在過去五十年間，我們做出了改善，

poverty worldwide has gone down.

全世界的貧困已經下降了。

And that we should resist the temptation

我們應該要抗拒誘惑，

to retreat into our silos.

不要縮回到自己的小圈圈。

And we should resist this upsurge

我們應該要抗拒孤立主義

in isolationism and jingoism.

和侵略主義的高漲。

Which brings me to my final point.

這就帶到了這場演說的 最後一個論點。

Which is my hope that we use gratitude as a spark to action.

那就是，我希望我們 以感恩引發行動。

Some people worry that gratitude has a downside.

有些人擔心，感恩有不好的一面。

That we'll be so grateful, that we'll be complacent.

擔心我們會太感恩而感到自滿。

We'll be so, "Oh, everything's wonderful, I'm so grateful."

我們會變成：「喔， 一切都很美好，我好感激。」

Well, it turns out, the opposite is true.

結果發現，事實完全相反。

The research shows

研究指出，

that the more grateful you are, the more likely you are to help others.

你越是懂得感恩， 你越有可能去協助他人。

When you're in a bad state,

當你處在不好的狀態時，

you're often more focused on your own needs.

你通常比較會把焦點 放在你自己的需求上。

But gratitude makes you want to pay it forward.

但感恩讓你想要把它再傳出去。

And I experienced this personally.

我有親身的體驗。

I mean, I'm not Mother Teresa,

我並不是德蕾莎修女，

I'm still a selfish bastard a huge amount of the time.

大部分的時候， 我仍然是個自私的渾球。

But I'm better than I was before this project.

但我已經比在這個計畫 之前的自己更好了。

And that's because it made me aware

那是因為這個計畫讓我知道了

of the exploitation on the supply chain.

供應鏈上的剝削壓榨。

It reminded me that what I take for granted

它提醒了我，全世界 有數百萬人得不到

is not available to millions of people around the world.

那些我認為理所當然的事物。

Like water.

比如水。

Coffee is 98.8 percent water.

咖啡有 98.8% 是水。

So I figured I should go and thank the people at the New York reservoir,

所以我想我應該要去 謝謝紐約水庫的人，

hundreds of them, who provide me water,

這數百人提供水給我，

and this miracle that I can turn a lever and get safe water.

造成了我轉一下控制桿 就有安全用水的這個奇蹟。

And that millions of people around the world don't have this luxury

而全世界各地有數百萬人 都無法享受這樣的奢華，

and have to walk hours to get safe water.

他們得要走數小時的路 才能取得安全用水。

It inspired me to see what I could do to help people get more access,

這鼓舞了我，讓我想試試看 能否協助人們更容易取得用水，

and I did research and found a wonderful group

我做了些研究， 發現了一個很棒的團體，

called Dispensers for Safe Water.

叫做「安全用水發放者」。

And I got involved.

我參加了。

And I'm not expecting the Nobel Prize committee

我並不期待諾貝爾獎委員會 會來我家敲門，

to knock down my door,

but it's a baby step, it's a little something.

但這是一小步，它是有意義的。

And it's all because of gratitude.

這全都是因為感恩。

And it's why I encourage people, friends, family,

這就是為什麼我會鼓勵 人們、朋友、家人，

to follow gratitude trails of their own.

循著他們自己的感恩之路走下去。

Because it's a life-transforming experience.

因為那是一種會轉變人生的體驗。

And it doesn't have to be coffee.

不一定要是咖啡。任何東西都可以。

It could be anything.

It could be a pair of socks, it could be a light bulb.

可以是一雙襪子，可以是一個燈泡。

And you don't have to go around the world, you can just do a little gesture,

你不需要跑到全世界， 你可以只要做出一點表示，

like make eye contact or send a note to the designer of a logo you love.

比如做到眼神交會，或是發個訊息 給你喜愛的商標的設計師。

It's more about a mindset.

比較重要的是心態。

Being aware of the thousands of people involved in every little thing we do.

要知道我們所做的每一件小事， 都涉及到數千人。

Remembering that there's someone in a factory

要記得，在工廠有某個人做了布料，

who made the fabric for the chairs you're sitting in right now.

才會有你現在所坐的椅子。

That someone went into a mine and got the copper for this microphone

有某個人進入礦坑

取得銅礦，才會有這支麥克風，

so that I could say my final thank you,

我才能夠說我最後的感謝，

which is to thank you.

就是要謝謝你們。

Thank you a thousand for listening to my story.

「千分感謝」你們傾聽我的故事。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

(Cheering)

（歡呼）