How to revive your belief in democracy | Eric Liu

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Bighead Ge

I bring you greetings

我從地球上自由程度排名 第 52 的國家帶問候來給各位。

from the 52nd-freest nation on earth.

As an American, it irritates me that my nation keeps sinking

身為美國人，我很受不了我的國家

在自由之家所公佈的 年度排行榜中不斷下滑。

in the annual rankings published by Freedom House.

I'm the son of immigrants.

我是移民者的孩子。

My parents were born in China during war and revolution,

我的父母生在中國， 那是戰亂和革命的時代，

went to Taiwan and then came to the United States,

他們先到台灣，接著又前往美國，

which means all my life,

意思就是，我一生中，

I've been acutely aware just how fragile an inheritance freedom truly is.

我其實一直都很清楚， 繼承來的自由有多麼脆弱。

That's why I spend my time teaching, preaching and practicing democracy.

那就是為什麼，我把時間 花在教導、講授、實踐民主。

I have no illusions.

我沒有幻想。

All around the world now,

現在，世界各地，大家都在懷疑，

people are doubting whether democracy can deliver.

民主是否能實現。

Autocrats and demagogues seem emboldened,

獨裁者和煽動者似乎很大膽，

even cocky.

甚至狂妄自大。

The free world feels leaderless.

感覺像是沒有人在領導自由世界。

And yet, I remain hopeful.

但，我仍然抱有希望。

I don't mean optimistic.

我不是指樂觀。

Optimism is for spectators.

旁觀者才會樂觀。

Hope implies agency.

希望意味著能動性。

It says I have a hand in the outcome.

意思是，我對於結果 有部分的責任。

Democratic hope requires faith

民主的希望需要信念，

not in a strongman or a charismatic savior

不是相信鐵腕人物 或有魅力的救星，

but in each other,

而是相信彼此，

and it forces us to ask: How can we become worthy of such faith?

它強迫我們去問這個問題：我們 要怎麼做，才能值得這種信念？

I believe we are at a moment of moral awakening,

我相信，我們正處於 道德覺醒的時刻，

the kind that comes when old certainties collapse.

在過去的肯定性崩壞時 會出現的那種覺醒。

At the heart of that awakening is what I call "civic religion."

覺醒的核心則是 我所謂的「公民宗教」。

And today, I want to talk about what civic religion is,

今天，我想要談談 公民宗教是什麼，

how we practice it,

我們要如何實踐它，

and why it matters now more than ever.

以及為什麼它在此時特別重要。

Let me start with the what.

讓我從「它是什麼」談起。

I define civic religion as a system of shared beliefs and collective practices

我把公民宗教定義為一種體制， 共同信念及集體實踐的體制，

by which the members of a self-governing community

透過這種體制，自治社區的成員

choose to live like citizens.

選擇像公民一樣地過生活。

Now, when I say "citizen" here, I'm not referring to papers or passports.

我這裡說的「公民」指的 並不是文件或護照。

I'm talking about a deeper, broader, ethical conception

我在談的是更深、 更廣的倫理觀念：

of being a contributor to community, a member of the body.

成為對社區有貢獻的人， 成為團體的成員。

To speak of civic religion as religion is not poetic license.

把公民宗教當成宗教來講， 並不是詩意的特許。

That's because democracy

那是因為，民主是最需要 信念支撐的人類活動之一。

is one of the most faith-fueled human activities there is.

Democracy works only when enough of us believe democracy works.

只有當有足夠的人相信 民主行得通時，民主才行得通。

It is at once a gamble and a miracle.

它既是賭博又是奇蹟。

Its legitimacy comes not from the outer frame of constitutional rules,

它的正當性不是來自 憲法規定的外框架，

but from the inner workings of civic spirit.

而是來自公民精神的內在運作。

Civic religion, like any religion,

公民宗教和任何宗教一樣，

contains a sacred creed, sacred deeds and sacred rituals.

都有神聖的教義、神聖的作為， 以及神聖的儀式。

My creed includes words like "equal protection of the laws"

我的教義包含了這些文字： 「對法律的平等保護」

and "we the people."

及「我們人民」。

My roll call of hallowed deeds includes abolition, women's suffrage,

我可以點出的神聖作為包括： 廢除黑奴制度、

女性投票、民權運動，

the civil rights movement,

the Allied landing at Normandy,

同盟國部隊在諾曼第登陸，

the fall of the Berlin Wall.

拆除柏林圍牆。

And I have a new civic ritual that I'll tell you about in a moment.

等一下我會告訴各位 一種新的公民儀式。

Wherever on earth you're from,

不論你來自世界的何處，

you can find or make your own set of creed, deed and ritual.

你都可以找到或創造一組 你自己的教義、作為，以及儀式。

The practice of civic religion is not about worship of the state

公民宗教的實踐， 重點不在於崇拜國家

or obedience to a ruling party.

或是順從主政的黨派。

It is about commitment to one another

重點在於對彼此的承諾 以及我們共同的理想。

and our common ideals.

And the sacredness of civic religion is not about divinity or the supernatural.

而公民宗教的神聖，重點 並不是神性或超自然的東西。

It is about a group of unlike people

重點是讓一群不同的人，

speaking into being our alikeness,

透過談話表達 而找到我們的相似處，

our groupness.

成為群體。

Perhaps now you're getting a little worried

現在各位可能有點擔心 我是在試圖推銷某種宗教。

that I'm trying to sell you on a cult.

Relax, I'm not.

放心，並不是。

I don't need to sell you.

我不需要推銷給你們。

As a human, you are always in the market for a cult,

身為人類，你們一直 都在宗教的市場中，

for some variety of religious experience.

尋求一些宗教體驗的多樣性。

We are wired to seek cosmological explanations,

我們天生就會尋找宇宙的解釋，

to sacralize beliefs that unite us in transcendent purpose.

讓那些用超然目的將我們 團結起來的信念能夠被神聖化。

Humans make religion because humans make groups.

人類會創造宗教， 是因為人類會創造團體。

The only choice we have is whether to activate that groupness for good.

我們唯一的選擇，就是是否 要將這種群體性用在好的用途上。

If you are a devout person, you know this.

如果你是虔誠的人， 你就知道這一點。

If you are not,

如果你不是，

if you no longer go to prayer services

如果你已經不再去禱告儀式 或從來沒有去過，

or never did,

then perhaps you'll say that yoga is your religion,

那，有可能你會說 瑜伽是你的宗教，

or Premier League football,

或者英格蘭足球超級聯賽，

or knitting, or coding or TED Talks.

或者編織，或者寫程式， 或者 TED 演說。

But whether you believe in a God or in the absence of gods,

但，不論你相信神或是不相信有神，

civic religion does not require you to renounce your beliefs.

公民宗教並不會要求你 要聲明放棄你的信念。

It requires you only to show up as a citizen.

它只要求你要以公民的身分出席。

And that brings me to my second topic:

這就帶到了我的第二個主題：

how we can practice civic religion productively.

我們要如何用很有生產力的 方式實踐公民宗教？

Let me tell you now about that new civic ritual.

現在，讓我告訴各位 剛才提到的新公民儀式。

It's called "Civic Saturday,"

它叫做「公民星期六」，

and it follows the arc of a faith gathering.

它遵循著信念聚會的軌跡。

We sing together,

我們一起唱歌，

we turn to the strangers next to us to discuss a common question,

我們轉向身邊的陌生人， 討論共同的問題，

we hear poetry and scripture,

我們會聽詩歌和經文，

there's a sermon that ties those texts

會有布道，將那些文字 和我們這個時代的

to the ethical choices and controversies of our time,

倫理選擇以及爭論連結起來，

but the song and scripture and the sermon

但那些歌曲、經文，和佈道

are not from church or synagogue or mosque.

並不是來自禮拜堂、 猶太教堂，或清真寺。

They are civic,

它們是公民的，

drawn from our shared civic ideals

源自我們共同的公民理想，

and a shared history of claiming and contesting those ideals.

以及索求、爭取 那些理想的共同歷史。

Afterwards, we form up in circles to organize rallies, register voters,

之後，我們會圍成圓圈，

來組織集會、登記投票者、

join new clubs, make new friends.

加入新社團、交新朋友。

My colleagues and I started organizing Civic Saturdays

2016 年，我和我同事在西雅圖

in Seattle in 2016.

開始組織「公民星期六」。

Since then, they have spread across the continent.

從此之後，公民星期六 就散播整個大陸。

Sometimes hundreds attend, sometimes dozens.

有時，會有數百人出席， 有時則是幾十人。

They happen in libraries and community centers

舉辦的地點包括圖書館、 社區中心、共同工作的空間，

and coworking spaces,

under festive tents and inside great halls.

在節慶的帳篷下，以及大會堂內。

There's nothing high-tech about this social technology.

這項社群技術並不用什麼高科技。

It speaks to a basic human yearning for face-to-face fellowship.

它強調的是人類基本的渴望， 渴望面對面的交情。

It draws young and old, left and right,

它能吸引年輕人和老年人， 左派和右派，

poor and rich, churched and unchurched,

貧窮人和有錢人， 上教堂和不上教堂的人，

of all races.

所有的種族。

When you come to a Civic Saturday and are invited to discuss a question

當你來到公民星期六， 你會被邀請討論問題，

like "Who are you responsible for?"

比如「你為誰負責？」

or "What are you willing to risk or to give up for your community?"

或「你願意為你的社區

冒什麼樣的風險或放棄什麼？」

When that happens, something moves.

這個狀況發生時，會有改變產生。

You are moved.

你會被感動。

You start telling your story.

你會開始訴說你的故事。

We start actually seeing one another.

我們會真正開始看見彼此。

You realize that homelessness, gun violence, gentrification,

你會了解到，無家可歸、 槍枝暴力、中產階級化、

terrible traffic, mistrust of newcomers, fake news --

糟糕的交通、 不相信新來者、假新聞——

these things aren't someone else's problem,

這些都不是別人的問題，

they are the aggregation of your own habits and omissions.

它們是你自己的習慣 和疏忽的集成體。

Society becomes how you behave.

你的行為造成了社會現在的樣子。

We are never asked to reflect on the content of our citizenship.

從來沒有人要我們去反思，

我們公民身分的內容是什麼？

Most of us are never invited to do more or to be more,

我們大部分的人從來沒有被邀請

去做更多、成為更多，

and most of us have no idea how much we crave that invitation.

且大部分人並不知道我們 有多麼渴望得到那樣的邀請。

We've since created a civic seminary

因此，我們創立了一間公民學院，

to start training people from all over to lead Civic Saturday gatherings

開始訓練來自各地的人， 讓他們在自己的鎮上，

靠自己領導公民星期六的聚會。

on their own, in their own towns.

In the community of Athens, Tennessee,

在田納西州雅典市的社區中，

a feisty leader named Whitney Kimball Coe

有位活躍的領導人 叫做惠妮金柏柯，

leads hers in an art and framing shop

在一間藝術及錶框商店中 領導她的聚會，

with a youth choir and lots of little flags.

還有一個青年合唱團 以及許多小旗幟。

A young activist named Berto Aguayo

一位年輕的激進分子柏托厄瓜尤

led his Civic Saturday on a street corner

在芝加哥「後院」社區中的一個街角

in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago.

領導他的公民星期六。

Berto was once involved with gangs.

柏托過去曾經和幫派有關係。

Now, he's keeping the peace

現在他在維護和平

and organizing political campaigns.

及組織政治活動。

In Honolulu, Rafael Bergstrom,

檀香山的拉斐爾柏斯卓姆

a former pro baseball player turned photographer and conservationist,

過去曾是職業棒球選手，後來 成了攝影師與天然資源保護論者，

leads his under the banner "Civics IS Sexy."

他負責領導擁護公民的 「公民學很性感」。

It is.

是很性感沒錯。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Sometimes I'm asked, even by our seminarians:

有時我會被問，甚至被學院學生問：

"Isn't it dangerous to use religious language?

「用宗教語言不會很危險嗎？」

Won't that just make our politics even more dogmatic and self-righteous?"

這樣不會讓我們的政治顯得 更武斷且自以為是嗎？」

But this view assumes that all religion is fanatical fundamentalism.

但，這個觀點已經假設了 所有的宗教都是狂熱的基要主義。

It is not.

並不是這樣的。

Religion is also moral discernment,

宗教也是道德的洞察、

an embrace of doubt,

對懷疑的擁抱、

a commitment to detach from self and serve others,

承諾分離自我，去服務他人、

a challenge to repair the world.

修復世界的挑戰。

In this sense, politics could stand to be a little more like religion,

就這種意義上來說， 政治是更像宗教一點，

not less.

而非更不像。

Thus, my final topic today:

因此，今天我最後的主題是：

why civic religion matters now.

為什麼現在公民宗教很重要？

I want to offer two reasons.

我想要提出兩個理由。

One is to counter the culture of hyperindividualism.

第一，是要對抗 超級個人主義的文化。

Every message we get from every screen and surface

我們從每個螢幕 及現代商業界的表面

of the modern marketplace

所取得的每個訊息

is that each of us is on our own,

都指出我們每個人 都靠自己，都是自由人，

a free agent,

free to manage our own brands,

可以自由地管理我們自己的品牌，

free to live under bridges,

自由地住在橋底下，

free to have side hustles,

自由地打工，

free to die alone without insurance.

自由地在沒有保險的 情況下孤獨死亡。

Market liberalism tells us we are masters beholden to none,

市場自由主義告訴我們， 我們是主人，不對誰有任何義務，

but then it enslaves us

但接著，它奴役了我們，

in the awful isolation of consumerism and status anxiety.

讓我們處在消費主義 和地位焦慮的嚴重孤立中。

(Audience) Yeah!

（觀眾）是啊！

Millions of us are on to the con now.

我們數百萬人現在槓上了這個騙局。

We are realizing now

現在，我們了解到

that a free-for-all is not the same as freedom for all.

人人自由放任 並不等同大家都有自由。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

What truly makes us free is being bound to others

真正讓我們自由的， 是受到他人的束縛，

in mutual aid and obligation,

有互相的支助和義務，

having to work things out the best we can in our neighborhoods and towns,

必須要在我們的鄰里和鄉鎮中 盡我們所能解決問題，

as if our fates were entwined --

彷彿我們的命運交織在一起——

because they are --

因為確實如此——

as if we could not secede from one another,

彷彿我們不能夠脫離彼此，

because, in the end, we cannot.

因為，最終，我們的確不能。

Binding ourselves this way actually liberates us.

用這種方式束縛我們， 其實是解放了我們。

It reveals that we are equal in dignity.

它呈現出的是我們在尊嚴上的平等。

It reminds us that rights come with responsibilities.

它提醒我們權利都有附帶的責任。

It reminds us, in fact,

它提醒我們，事實上，

that rights properly understood are responsibilities.

妥善了解的權利，就是責任。

The second reason why civic religion matters now

現在公民宗教 很重要的第二個理由：

is that it offers the healthiest possible story of us and them.

它提供的關於我們和他們的 故事，是最健康的。

We talk about identity politics today as if it were something new,

現今，我們會談身分認同政治，

講得好像它是新東西一樣，

but it's not.

但並不是。

All politics is identity politics,

所有的政治都是身分認同政治，

a never-ending struggle to define who truly belongs.

永無止境的掙扎， 要定義出誰才是一分子。

Instead of noxious myths of blood and soil that mark some as forever outsiders,

不用血統和出生地將一個人 永遠標記為外來者的不良迷思，

civic religion offers everyone a path to belonging

公民宗教提供給每個人的， 是一條歸屬的道路，

based only a universal creed of contribution, participation,

考量的只有通用的信條：

貢獻、參與、包容。

inclusion.

In civic religion, the "us" is those who wish to serve,

在公民宗教中，

「我們」指的是想要服務大家的人，

volunteer, vote, listen, learn, empathize, argue better,

想要自願參與、投票、傾聽、 學習、強調、做更好的立論、

circulate power rather than hoard it.

讓權力循環，而不是聚藏它。

The "them" is those who don't.

「他們」指的是不做這些事的人。

It is possible to judge the them harshly,

的確是可以很嚴厲地評斷他們，

but it isn't necessary,

但沒必要這麼做，

for at any time, one of them can become one of us,

因為任何時候，他們之中的人 都有可能變成我們的一員，

simply by choosing to live like a citizen.

只要他們選擇過著 像公民的生活即可。

So let's welcome them in.

所以，讓我們歡迎他們進來。

Whitney and Berto and Rafael are gifted welcomers.

惠妮、柏托，和拉斐爾 都是有才華的歡迎者。

Each has a distinctive, locally rooted way

他們都有深根在當地的獨特方法

to make faith in democracy relatable to others.

讓對民主的信念變成 是大家都可以連結的。

Their slang might be Appalachian or South Side or Hawaiian.

他們可能說著阿巴拉契亞山脈的、 南邊的，或夏威夷的俚語。

Their message is the same:

但他們的訊息是相同的：

civic love, civic spirit, civic responsibility.

公民的愛、公民的精神、 公民的責任。

Now you might think that all this civic religion stuff

現在，各位可能在想， 這些公民宗教的一切

is just for overzealous second-generation Americans like me.

適用對象只是像我這種 過度熱心的第二代美國人。

But actually, it is for anyone, anywhere,

但，事實上，對象是 任何地方的任何人，

who wants to kindle the bonds of trust,

只要想要點燃信任的聯結、

affection and joint action

感情，以及聯合行動，

needed to govern ourselves in freedom.

都是在自由中 管理我們自己必備的。

Now maybe Civic Saturdays aren't for you.

也許公民星期六並不適合你。

That's OK.

那也沒關係。

Find your own ways to foster civic habits of the heart.

找到你自己的方法， 去培養出真心的公民習慣

Many forms of beloved civic community are thriving now,

現在，在這個覺醒的時代，

被深愛的公民社區 以許多形式在茁壯。

in this age of awakening.

Groups like Community Organizing Japan,

像是「日本社區組織」這樣的團體

which uses creative performative rituals of storytelling

採用有創意、表演式的說故事儀式

to promote equality for women.

來推動女性平權。

In Iceland, civil confirmations,

在冰島有「公民堅振禮」儀式，

where young people are led by an elder

一名長者會引領年輕人

to learn the history and civic traditions of their society,

去學習他們社會的 歷史和公民傳統，

culminating in a rite-of-passage ceremony

在類似教堂堅振禮的 人生大事及其慶祝儀式中

akin to church confirmation.

達到最高點。

Ben Franklin Circles in the United States,

在美國的班富蘭克林圈，

where friends meet monthly

朋友每個月會聚會，

to discuss and reflect upon the virtues that Franklin codified

討論和反思富蘭克林

編纂在他的自傳中的美德，

in his autobiography,

like justice and gratitude and forgiveness.

比如正義、感激，以及寬恕。

I know civic religion is not enough

我知道公民宗教不足以

to remedy the radical inequities of our age.

補救我們這個時代的極端不平等。

We need power for that.

我們需要權力才能做到。

But power without character is a cure worse than the disease.

但沒有高尚品德的權力， 是比疾病還要糟糕的解藥。

I know civic religion alone can't fix corrupt institutions,

我知道單靠公民宗教 無法修補腐敗的體制，

but institutional reforms without new norms will not last.

但沒有新規範的 制度改革不會持久。

Culture is upstream of law.

文化是法律的上游。

Spirit is upstream of policy.

精神是政策的上游。

The soul is upstream of the state.

靈魂是國家的上游。

We cannot unpollute our politics if we clean only downstream.

如果我們只清理下游， 無法消除政治中的污染。

We must get to the source.

我們必須要回到源頭。

The source is our values,

源頭就是我們的價值觀，

and on the topic of values, my advice is simple: have some.

至於價值觀這個主題， 我的建議很簡單：

要有點價值觀。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Make sure those values are prosocial.

要確保那些價值觀是親社會的。

Put them into practice,

實踐它們，

and do so in the company of others,

且要在他人的陪伴之下去實踐，

with a structure of creed, deed and joyful ritual

用教條、作為， 及快樂儀式的結構來實踐，

that'll keep all of you coming back.

才會讓大家持續回來。

Those of us who believe in democracy and believe it is still possible,

我們這些相信民主且相信 民主仍然有可能實現的人，

we have the burden of proving it.

我們要背負證明它的重擔。

But remember, it is no burden at all

但，別忘了，它完全 不會是個負擔，

to be in a community where you are seen as fully human,

如果在你所處的社區中， 你被視為完全的人類，

where you have a say in the things that affect you,

對於會影響你的事物，你有發言權，

where you don't need to be connected to be respected.

你不需要被連結，也可以被尊重。

That is called a blessing,

那就是福氣，

and it is available to all who believe.

只要相信的人，都可以得到的。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）