Lauren Zalaznick: The conscience of television

譯者: Ching-Yuan Chen 審譯者: Regina Chu

I want to say that really and truly,

我真正想說的是

after these incredible speeches

聽過這麼多精彩的演講

and ideas that are being spread,

和想法後

I am in the awkward position

我很尷尬

of being here to talk to you today

今天要跟你們討論這個

about television.

關於電視的話題

So most everyone watches TV.

幾乎人人都會看電視

We like it. We like some parts of it.

我們喜歡電視，它的部分內容

Here in America, people actually love TV.

在美國，人們其實很愛電視

The average American watches TV

他們平均一天

for almost 5 hours a day.

看將近五個小時的電視

Okay?

沒錯吧?

Now I happen to make my living these days in television,

而我剛好是靠電視為生的

so for me, that's a good thing.

所以對我來說，這是件好事

But a lot of people don't love it so much.

但很多人其實不是那麼喜歡電視

They, in fact, berate it.

他們譴責電視

They call it stupid,

認為它很愚蠢

and worse, believe me.

或更甚之，相信我

My mother, growing up,

在我小的時候，我母親

she called it the "idiot box."

就稱電視為「蠢蛋盒」

But my idea today is not to debate

而我今天不是要跟大家爭辯

whether there's such a thing as good TV or bad TV;

電視是否分好壞

my idea today

而是

is to tell you that I believe

要告訴各位我認為

television has a conscience.

電視是有意識的

So why I believe that television has a conscience

我這麼認為的原因是

is that I actually believe

我認為

that television directly reflects

電視反映出我們國家對於

the moral, political,

道德、政治

social and emotional need states of our nation --

社會和情感的需求狀態

that television is how we actually disseminate

電視其實是我們傳播

our entire value system.

整個價值觀的工具

So all these things are uniquely human,

這些都是人類才有的事物

and they all add up

他們匯流成

to our idea of conscience.

我們所說的意識

Now today, we're not talking about good and bad TV.

所以今天我們不講電視的好壞

We're talking about popular TV.

我們來聊熱門節目

We're talking about top-10 Nielsen-rated shows

我們來聊過去五十年間，尼爾森收視率調查

over the course of 50 years.

排名前十名的節目

How do these Nielsen ratings

尼爾森收視率調查

reflect not just what you've heard about,

如何反應出所謂的

which is the idea of our social, collective unconscious,

社會集體無意識?

but how do these top-10 Nielsen-rated shows

尼爾森收視率調查又是如何在

over 50 years

過去五十年中

reflect the idea

反應出

of our social conscience?

我們社會的意識?

How does television evolve over time,

電視是如何隨著時間演化的?

and what does this say about our society?

而這個演變又意味著什麼?

Now speaking of evolution,

既然講到了演化

from basic biology, you probably remember

你大概還記得基礎生物課中

that the animal kingdom, including humans,

動物，包含人類

have four basic primal instincts.

有四項基本原始本能

You have hunger; you have sex; you have power;

飢渴、性、力量

and you have the urge for acquisitiveness.

及占有慾

As humans, what's important to remember

身為人類的我們要記得

is that we've developed, we've evolved over time

我們已經隨著時間演化，是先進的

to temper, or tame,

我們能控制

these basic animal instincts.

這些動物基本的本能

We have the capacity to laugh and cry.

我們能哭、能笑

We feel awe, we feel pity.

也會感到恐懼與憐憫

That is separate and apart

這就是人類與動物

from the animal kingdom.

不同的地方

The other thing about human beings

人類的另外一個特徵就是

is that we love to be entertained.

喜歡娛樂

We love to watch TV.

人們熱愛看電視

This is something that clearly separates us

這是人類跟動物間

from the animal kingdom.

很明顯的差異

Animals might love to play,

動物可能喜歡玩耍

but they don't love to watch.

但是牠們不喜歡只是看

So I had an ambition

所以我有個很大願望

to discover what could be understood

我想知道

from this uniquely human relationship

我們從人類與

between television programs

電視節目

and the human conscious.

和人類意識間能學到什麼

Why has television entertainment evolved the way it has?

為什麼電視節目是這樣演化的?

I kind of think of it

我認為電視就像是

as this cartoon devil or angel

卡通裡面的天使與魔鬼

sitting on our shoulders.

它就坐在我們的肩膀上

Is television literally functioning

電視真的扮演著

as our conscience,

我們的意識

tempting us and rewarding us at the same time?

同時誘惑我們又獎勵著我們嗎?

So to begin to answer these questions,

為了回答這些問題

we did a research study.

我們做了一個研究

We went back 50 years

我們倒轉時光五十年

to the 1959/1960 television season.

來到1959/1960年的電視季

We surveyed the top-20 Nielsen shows

我們研究過去五十年間每一年的

every year for 50 years --

尼爾森收視排名前二十名

a thousand shows.

總共一千個節目

We talked to over 3,000 individuals --

我們訪談人數超過3,000--

almost 3,600 --

幾乎到3600人--

aged 18 to 70,

年齡從18到70歲都有

and we asked them how they felt emotionally.

我們問他們對於電視的感覺

How did you feel

當他們在收看排行榜中的每個節目時

watching every single one of these shows?

他們的感覺是怎麼樣的?

Did you feel a sense of moral ambiguity?

他們有感到道德的灰色地帶嗎?

Did you feel outrage? Did you laugh?

感到憤怒或者開心呢?

What did this mean for you?

而這對他們的意義為何?

So to our global TED audiences,

我想對TED全球的觀眾聲明

I want to say that this was a U.S. sample.

這個調查是以美國為調查對象

But as you can see,

但很顯然的

these emotional need states are truly universal.

這些情感的需求狀態是全球性的

And on a factual basis,

根據事實顯示

over 80 percent of the U.S.'s most popular shows

美國最熱門的節目中有百分之八十

are exported around the world.

在其他國家也可以收看得到

So I really hope our global audiences

所以我希望全球的觀眾都能

can relate.

體認

Two acknowledgments

在給你們看數據前

before our first data slide:

我想感謝兩個人

For inspiring me

第一位激發我

to even think about the idea of conscience

想出電視的意識

and the tricks that conscience can play on us on a daily basis,

以及它在生活中對我們的影響

I thank legendary rabbi, Jack Stern.

謝謝傳奇性的拉比捷克·史登

And for the way in which I'm going to present the data,

下一位幫助我想出呈現我的數據的方式

I want to thank TED community superstar Hans Rosling,

謝謝TED社群的超級巨星韓施·洛施琳

who you may have just seen.

她就是你們剛才所見到的那位

Okay, here we go.

好，我們來看數據

So here you see,

這裡是

from 1960 to 2010,

1960年到2010年間

the 50 years of our study.

我們研究的五十年間

Two things we're going to start with --

我們從兩件事開始

the inspiration state and the moral ambiguity state,

激勵狀態和道德不確定狀態

which, for this purpose,

為了研究的目的

we defined inspiration

我們將激勵狀態定義為

as television shows that uplift me,

鼓舞人心的節目

that make me feel much more positive about the world.

這類節目讓我們更正面的看待這個世界

Moral ambiguity are televisions shows

道德不確定狀態的節目是那些

in which I don't understand

讓我無法清楚界定

the difference between right and wrong.

是非對錯的節目

As we start, you see in 1960

在1960年

inspiration is holding steady.

激勵狀態是穩定的

That's what we're watching TV for.

那就是我們在電視中尋求的

Moral ambiguity starts to climb.

道德不確定狀態開始攀升

Right at the end of the 60s,

就在60年代末

moral ambiguity is going up,

道德不確定狀態開始上升

inspiration is kind of on the wane.

激勵狀態則稍微下滑

Why?

為什麼?

The Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK is shot,

古巴導彈危機、約翰甘迺迪被刺殺

the Civil Rights movement,

民權運動

race riots, the Vietnam War,

種族暴動、越戰

MLK is shot, Bobby Kennedy is shot,

馬丁路德．金被刺殺、羅伯甘迺迪被刺殺

Watergate.

水門案

Look what happens.

你們再看後續

In 1970, inspiration plummets.

1970年時激勵狀態急速下降

Moral ambiguity takes off.

道德不確定狀態開始上升

They cross,

它們交叉了

but Ronald Reagan, a telegenic president, is in office.

但很上相的雷根總統開始執政

It's trying to recover.

線性試著回復

But look, it can't:

但失敗了

AIDS, Iran-Contra,

愛滋病、伊朗軍售案

the Challenger disaster, Chernobyl.

挑戰者號爆炸、車諾比核災

Moral ambiguity becomes the dominant meme in television

在1990年起的往後20年中

from 1990 for the next 20 years.

道德不確定狀態成為電視節目的主導型態

Take a look at this.

看看這個

This chart is going to document a very similar trend.

這張表也會呈現非常類似的趨勢

But in this case, we have comfort -- the bubble in red --

但在這個例子中，我們加入了安撫狀態，也就是圖中的紅點

social commentary and irreverence

社會輿論狀態及反諷狀態

in blue and green.

分別為藍點和綠點

Now this time on TV

當時電視上播放的有

you have "Bonanza," don't forget, you have "Gunsmoke,"

《牧野風雲》、還有別忘了，《荒野大鏢客》

you have "Andy Griffith,"

《安迪格里菲斯秀》

you have domestic shows all about comfort.

及其他安慰人心的本土節目

This is rising. Comfort stays whole.

反諷狀態急升，安撫狀態變化不大

Irreverence starts to rise.

反諷狀態持續上升

Social commentary is all of a sudden spiking up.

社會輿論狀態突然急遽上升

You get to 1969, and look what happens.

看看到了1969年發生什麼了

You have comfort, irreverence, and social commentary,

安撫性、無禮性及社會輿論性節目

not only battling it out in our society,

爭相在社會中搶出頭

but you literally have two establishment shows --

但是有兩個節目卻絲毫不被影響

"Gunsmoke" and "Gomer Pyle" --

《荒野大鏢客》和喜劇《高摩·派爾》

in 1969 are the number-two- and number-three-rated television shows.

它們在1969年的收視率分別為二、三名

What's number one?

誰是第一名呢?

The socially irreverent hippie show,

反諷社會的嬉皮節目

"Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In."

《羅文和馬丁來說笑》

They're all living together, right.

它們都是同一個時期的節目，對吧?

Viewers had responded dramatically.

觀眾的反應是很戲劇化的

Look at this green spike in 1966

請看1966年綠色的上升線型

to a bellwether show.

這是很具指標性的

When you guys hear this industry term, a breakout hit,

當你們聽到電視產業的術語「突破性節目」

what does that mean?

你們知道它的涵義嗎?

It means in the 1966 television season,

這代表在1966年的電視季中

The "Smothers Brothers" came out of nowhere.

《史莫瑟兄弟》這齣喜劇突然大受歡迎

This was the first show

這是第一個

that allowed viewers to say,

讓觀眾能在節目上說

"My God,

天哪！

I can comment on how I feel about the Vietnam War,

我可以在電視上發表我對越戰

about the presidency, through television?"

及總統的看法耶！

That's what we mean by a breakout show.

這就是我們所說的突破性電視節目

So then, just like the last chart, look what happens.

再來，就像上一張圖一樣

In 1970,

1970年時

the dam bursts. The dam bursts.

整個趨勢都變了，完全不一樣了

Comfort is no longer why we watch television.

安撫狀態不再是我們看電視的原因了

Social commentary and irreverence

社會輿論及反諷狀態

rise throughout the 70s.

在70年代一直上升

Now look at this.

請看這裡

The 70s means who? Norman Lear.

70年代的代表是誰?節目製作人諾曼·里爾

You have "All in the Family," "Sanford and Son,"

《全家福》、《桑福德和兒子》

and the dominant show --

和最熱門的節目

in the top-10 for the entire 70s --

在70年代一枝獨秀的節目

"MAS*H."

《風流軍醫俏護士》

In the entire 50 years

在我們研究的

of television that we studied,

五十年電視史中

seven of 10 shows

十大反諷型節目中

ranked most highly for irreverence

就有七個節目是出現在

appeared on air during the Vietnam War,

越戰期間

five of the top-10 during the Nixon administration.

這當中有五個出現在尼克森執政期間

Only one generation, 20 years in,

只需一個世代，短短20年的時間

and we discovered,

然後我們發現

Wow! TV can do that?

哇！電視可以這樣?

It can make me feel this?

它可以讓我有這樣的感受?

It can change us?

它可以改變我們?

So to this very, very savvy crowd,

我想對在場非常優秀的各位說

I also want to note

我也想指出

the digital folks did not invent disruptive.

破壞並不是數位時代的產物

Archie Bunker was shoved out of his easy chair

對於喜劇演員亞奇·方克的節目

along with the rest of us

在四十年前被比下去

40 years ago.

我們同樣感到傻眼

This is a quick chart. Here's another attribute:

這張圖很容易懂。裡面有另一個狀態

fantasy and imagination,

奇幻想像狀態

which are shows defined as,

這類節目的定義是

"takes me out of my everyday realm"

「帶我脫離現實生活」

and "makes me feel better."

「讓我感到更好」

That's mapped against the red dot, unemployment,

和它對照的紅點是失業率

which is a simple Bureau of Labor Department statistic.

根據簡易的勞工部統計局數據所做的

You'll see

可以看出

that every time fantasy and imagination shows rise,

每次奇幻想像狀態上升時

it maps to a spike in unemployment.

都會遇到失業率上升

Do we want to see shows

我們想看

about people saving money and being unemployed?

人們失業和努力存錢的節目嗎?

No. In the 70s

才不要。70年代的

you have the bellwether show "The Bionic Woman"

指標節目是《無敵女金剛》

that rocketed into the top-10 in 1973,

它的收視率在1973年飆升至前十名

followed by the "Six Million-Dollar Man" and "Charlie's Angels."

接著是《無敵金剛》和《霹靂嬌娃》

Another spike in the 1980s --

另一個急遽的上升是在80年代

another spike in shows about control and power.

當時是關於權勢的節目的高峰

What were those shows?

代表性節目有那些?

Glamorous and rich.

紙醉金迷的

"Dallas," "Fantasy Island."

《朱門恩怨》、《夢幻成真》

Incredible mapping of our national psyche

它們呈現了國人的心理狀態

with some hard and fast facts:

而且證據確鑿

unemployment.

就是失業率

So here you are, in my favorite chart,

再來是我最喜歡的表

because this is our last 20 years.

它顯示過去二十年

Whether or not you're in my business,

不論你們是不是跟我同業

you have surely heard or read

你們一定聽過不然也會讀過

of the decline of the thing called the three-camera sitcom

三機拍攝的情境喜劇的沒落

and the rise of reality TV.

以及實境節目的崛起

Well, as we say in the business,

行話會說

X marks the spot.

叉叉是關鍵

The 90s -- the big bubbles of humor --

而90年代中，大的藍點表示幽默狀態

we're watching "Friends," "Frasier," "Cheers" and "Seinfeld."

如《六人行》、《歡樂一家親》、《歡樂酒店》和《歡樂單身派對》

Everything's good, low unemployment.

一切都很順利，失業率很低

But look: X marks the spot.

但請注意: 叉叉是關鍵

In 2001,

2001年時

the September 2001 television season,

2001年9月的電視季

humor succumbs to judgment once and for all.

幽默狀態被評判型超越了

Why not?

有何不可?

We had a 2000 presidential election

2000年時最高法院決定了

decided by the Supreme Court.

總統大選的結果

We had the bursting of the tech bubble.

科技泡泡破滅

We had 9/11.

911事件

Anthrax becomes part of the social lexicon.

炭疽菌成為基本單字

Look what happens when we keep going.

接下來

At the turn of the century, the Internet takes off,

在2000年初，網路起飛了

reality television has taken hold.

實境節目的改變不大

What do people want in their TV then?

人們想看什麼樣的節目?

I would have thought revenge

我原本猜復仇

or nostalgia.

或是復古型的節目

Give me some comfort; my world is falling apart.

至少可以給我些安撫，因為世界一團亂

No, they want judgment.

我錯了，觀眾想要是評判性節目

I can vote you off the island.

我能投票把人趕出島

I can keep Sarah Palin's daughter dancing.

我可以讓裴林的女兒在舞蹈比賽中晉級

I can choose the next American Idol. You're fired.

我可以選出下一屆的美國偶像，或是將人開除

That's all great, right?

很棒，對吧？

So as dramatically different as these television shows,

過去五十年間的變化就如同這些電視節目

pure entertainment, have been over the last 50 years --

這些純娛樂一樣劇烈

what did I start with? --

記得我一開始所說的嗎?

one basic instinct remains.

有一個本能還在

We're animals, we need our moms.

就是我們都是動物，我們都需要媽媽

There has not been a decade of television

電視一直以來

without a definitive, dominant TV mom.

都沒有一個明確的母親的角色

The 1950s:

50年代時

June Cleever in the original comfort show, "Leave it to Beaver."

當安撫性節目的始祖《豪門恩怨》中的艾麗·克希絲

Lucille Ball kept us laughing

及露西·兒鮑爾在逗我們笑時

through the rise of social consciousness in the 60s.

60年代的社會意識正在興起

Maude Findlay,

默德·芬迪

the epitome of the irreverent 1970s,

70年代反諷節目的象徵

who tackled abortion, divorce,

大膽的在電視上談論墮胎

even menopause on TV.

離婚、更年期

The 1980s,

80年代時的

our first cougar was given to us

女性象徵是

in the form of Alexis Carrington.

艾麗克希絲·卡琳頓

Murphy Brown took on a vice president

再來是與副總統在單親議題上

when she took on the idea of single parenthood.

爭鋒相對的墨菲·布朗

This era's mom,

這個年代的母親

Bree Van de Kamp.

雷克斯·范迪坎

Now I don't know if this is the devil or the angel

我不知道坐在電視機上

sitting on our conscience,

左右我們意識的

sitting on television's shoulders,

是天使還是惡魔

but I do know that I absolutely love this image.

但我知道我熱愛這個畫面

So to you all,

我想對各位說

the women of TEDWomen, the men of TEDWomen,

TEDWomen的女性及男性們

the global audiences of TEDWomen,

以及全世界的觀眾

thank you for letting me present my idea

謝謝你們讓我分享

about the conscience of television.

我對電視的意識的看法

But let me also thank the incredible creators

同時也讓我對這些傑出的演員致意

who get up everyday

感謝她們每天辛勤的

to put their ideas on our television screens

將她們的想法呈現在電視螢幕上

throughout all these ages of television.

以及在電視上陪伴我們這麼久

They give it life on television, for sure,

她們給了電視生命，這是無庸置疑的

but it's you as viewers,

而身為觀眾的各位

through your collective social consciences,

你們的集合社會意識

that give it life, longevity,

給了電視節目生命力

power or not.

以及能否繼續存在的權利

So thanks very much.

謝謝各位

(Applause)

【掌聲】