How to Keep Your Hometown from Becoming a Ghost Town | John Paget | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Think about your hometown.

想想你的家鄉。

Think about the place where important things have happened in your life

想想你以及你所愛的人，人生中

and in the lives of those you love.

重大事件發生的地點，

Now, what if you woke up one day

如果有一天你醒來之後，

and it was just gone?

它就不見了呢？

My very first film was about a town that disappeared.

我的第一部電影講的 就是一個消失的小鎮。

I was 16 at the time,

當時我十六歲，

and my family was on a vacation

我們家族去渡假，

to see the great national parks of the West.

到西部去看宏偉的國家公園。

And somewhere in Wyoming we happened upon a classic tourist trap:

在懷俄明的某個地方，

我們碰巧遇見了 一個典型的觀光陷阱：

an old Western ghost town.

古老的西部鬼鎮。

And admission was five dollars a head,

入場費是一個人五塊錢美金，

and there were six of us and my dad was frugal.

我們有六個人，而我爸爸很節儉，

So his idea was

所以他的點子是，

send John in alone with the video camera,

派約翰一個人帶著攝影機進去，

and the rest of the family will just watch the videotape later.

其他家人後續再看影片就好。

So I ventured in alone

於是我隻身進去冒險，

and attempted to capture all of the mystery and mystique

試著捕捉

這個被時間遺忘的小鎮的

of this town lost to time.

所有神秘感和神秘氣氛，

Now, old Western ghost towns capture our imagination

古老的西部鬼鎮 能捕捉我們的想像力，

because they are a touchstone to America's pioneer history.

因為它們是美國先驅歷史的試金石。

But in time I would come to understand

但後來我漸漸了解，

that ghost towns still happen.

鬼鎮仍然在發生。

Wildfires rage, earthquakes strike, levees break.

野火熊熊燃燒、地震來襲、

堤防潰決；

But more commonly,

但更常見的狀況，

it is the insidious, slow-motion disaster.

是種不知不覺緩緩發生的災難。

Layoffs at the textile mill.

紡織廠裁員，

The closing of a steel plant.

鋼鐵廠關門，

Or the suburban sprawl

或郊區的蔓延，

that slowly sucks all life out of an old downtown,

緩緩地吸光舊鬧區的所有生命，

leaving it in constant decline.

讓它不斷衰退。

The COVID-19 lockdown turned every city into a temporary ghost town,

新冠肺炎疫情造成封城，

讓每個城市都暫時變成了鬼鎮，

and we’re still not sure if some communities can emerge

現在我們仍然無法確定有些社區

是否能從經濟破壞中恢復過來。

from the economic devastation.

And it also taught us that the forces that destroy cities are big and complex

我們也學到一課，

毀滅城市的力量

很強大、很複雜、

and out of our control

非我們能掌控，且有時還無法預測。

and sometimes impossible to predict.

But there is something that we can do,

但仍然有我們能做、

that we can control,

能掌控的，

that will help us navigate these challenges.

可以協助我們應對這些挑戰。

We can develop community resilience.

我們可以發展社區韌性。

We can build civic pride

我們可以建立公民自豪感，

and a strong identity for our communities

為我們的社區建立強烈的身分認同，

that will give us the determination to survive and to succeed or to rebuild,

讓我們能夠有決心

盡力存活下來並邁向成功，

或者重建，

even when rebuilding from ruins.

即使是從廢墟中重建。

And this is the power of the civic story.

這就是公民故事的力量。

I first learned that a story can change a city

最早讓我學到故事 可以改變城市的人，

from a barber.

是位理髮師。

When I was 24, I set out to make my first real film,

我二十四歲時，開始拍 我第一部真正的電影，

a feature documentary about Route 66,

關於六十六號公路的紀錄長片，

once known as the Mother Road and the Main Street of America.

這條路也曾被稱為 道路之母和美國大街。

And along this road is a tiny town in northern Arizona called Seligman.

沿著這條路，有一個小鎮， 位在北亞利桑那州，

叫做賽林格門。

And in this town is where I met the barber,

我在這個鎮上遇到那位理髮師，

Angel Delgadillo,

安傑爾‧戴爾加迪羅，

and he became one of the narrators in my film.

他成了我電影的旁白之一。

Now, hundreds of towns along Route 66 became 21st-century ghost towns

六十六號公路沿路有數百個小鎮

變成了二十一世紀的鬼鎮，

when they were bypassed by the interstate freeway system.

因為州際高速公路系統繞過了它們。

And Angel told me about the day

安傑爾跟我談到那一天，

that they opened Interstate 40 across Arizona

他們開通了跨越亞利桑那的 四十號州際公路，

and bypassed his town of Seligman.

繞過他的小鎮，賽林格門。

Up until that day,

在那天之前，

hundreds or even thousands of cars would pass by his barber shop window

每天都會有數百甚至 數千輛汽車經過他的

every day.

理髮廳窗戶。

He told me that the minute they open the lanes of I-40,

他告訴我，四十號 州際公路開通的那一刻，

the traffic stopped.

交通流量就沒了。

And it was as if they had gone to the edge of town

感覺就彷彿

他們到小鎮的邊緣， 建起柵門不讓人進入鎮內，

and put up a gate and forbidden people to come into town,

like somebody had turned off a faucet.

好像有人關上了水龍頭。

For years after this,

這一天的幾年後， 他坐在他的理髮椅上，

he sat in his barber chair and stared out at the empty streets

向外看著空蕩蕩的街道，

and realized Seligman was dying.

領悟到賽林格門正在步向死亡。

And he grew bitter, and he grew angry.

他變得越來越痛苦，越來越憤怒。

And then he realized something important.

接著他有了重要的領悟。

雖然賽林格門可能 不再位在熱鬧的路上，

While Seligman may be off the beaten path,

it wasn't obsolete.

它並沒有被淘汰。

It had something special.

它有特別之處。

Route 66 was an important part of American history,

六十六號公路是美國歷史中 很重要的一部分，

and Seligman was part of that story.

而賽林格門是那故事的一部分。

And he had a hunch that if the entire community embraced that heritage,

他有個預感，如果 整個社區都能擁抱那遺產，

it would lead to a future.

他們還是會有未來。

So they swept the sidewalks and painted and cleaned up

所以他們打掃了人行道、油漆、清潔，

and petitioned the state of Arizona to mark the old road,

向亞利桑那州提出請願，

希望能將穿過小鎮的 這條老道路納入為

the route through town, as a historic highway.

歷史公路。

And it took ten years, but eventually they did it.

雖然花了十年， 最終他們還是辦到了。

And the state of Arizona made the stretch from Williams

而亞利桑那州

把從威廉斯通過賽林格門 延伸到金曼的這段路

through Seligman to Kingman an official historic Route 66 Highway,

正式訂為歷史古道六十六號公路，

and the iconic 66 Highway shield signs returned.

代表性的六十六號公路 盾牌形路標也被放回來了。

And that's when I met him.

我在那時遇到了他。

By then, his barbershop had morphed into a visitor center,

那時，他的理髮廳 已經轉變為遊客中心，

and he was selling maps and souvenirs and mugs and fridge magnets

他在賣地圖、紀念品、馬克杯，

以及冰箱磁鐵，偶爾還會 幫人刮鬍鬚和剪頭髮，

and occasionally still giving a shave and a haircut.

But mostly he was telling the story of Route 66 and posing for photos.

但他主要是在說 六十六號公路的故事，

以及為拍照擺姿勢。

And this story, their story, eventually revived Seligman.

而這個故事，他們的故事，

最後讓賽林格門恢復了生機。

And not just Seligman,

不只是賽林格門，從芝加哥 到洛杉磯有數十個小鎮

but dozens of towns, from Chicago to LA, were inspired by Angel and Seligman,

受到安傑爾和賽林格門的鼓舞，

and they also embraced their heritage and found a way forward.

它們也都擁抱了自己的遺產， 找到了向前邁進的路。

On a recent trip there,

最近去那裡的時候，

the Seligman visitor center told me

賽林格門遊客中心告訴我，他們平均

they were averaging 160,000-200,000 visitors per year

每年有十六萬到二十萬名遊客，

and Angel is still posing for photos 24 hours a day,

而安傑爾仍然在為拍照擺姿勢，

以理髮廳內的等身人形立牌， 一天二十四小時服務。

as a life-sized cutout in his barber shop.

As a filmmaker focused on telling the stories of cities and towns,

身為電影製作人，我把焦點 放在訴說城市與小鎮的故事，

I've observed something firsthand.

而我直接觀察到了一個現象，

Communities that are successful,

有些社區很成功，

that are managing to stage a comeback

想辦法上演了捲土重來的戲碼，

or revitalize after an era of demise

或者沉寂一個時代之後又重新振興，

are places where people of the towns seem to know their story.

這些小鎮的居民似乎 知道他們的故事，

They know where they've been and where they're going.

知道他們走過什麼路， 以及要朝哪裡邁進。

Now why is this?

為什麼會這樣？

Why does story matter?

為什麼故事很重要？

Well, here's a clue.

有一條線索：

It comes from a groundbreaking psychological study

它來自一項開創性的

心理研究，由埃默里大學

done by Emory University

and the Emory Center for the Study of Myth and Ritual in American Life.

以及埃默里美國生活神話 與儀式研究中心所做，

And in this study, they determined

研究中，根據他們的判斷，

that the single biggest predictor of a child's emotional strength

最能夠用來預測 兒童的情感力量、健康，

及韌性的因素，

and health and resilience was story.

就是故事。

The more a child knew about their family history,

越是了解家族歷史的兒童就越堅強。

the stronger they were.

Somehow, the stories of their ancestors and relatives,

基於某種原因，

他們祖先與親戚的故事、他們如何

how they overcame obstacles and endured hardship,

克服障礙並撐過艱苦時刻，似乎能

seem to infuse children with confidence and courage and grit.

讓兒童充滿信心、勇氣，及膽量。

Well, as it turns out, what's true for a child

結果發現，不僅兒童是如此，

is true for a community.

社區亦是如此。

Tenino, Washington is a small town

華盛頓的特奈諾是個小鎮，

about 15 miles from my hometown of Olympia, Washington.

離我的家鄉，華盛頓的 奧林匹亞，大約十五哩。

It’s [has] a population of about 2,000 people.

人口大約兩千人。

It was founded as a sandstone city.

它是以砂岩為基礎建立的城市。

Sandstone from the quarries in Tenino

特奈諾採石場開採的砂岩

were used to build some of the West Coast’s grandest buildings:

被用來建造西岸一些宏偉的建築：

churches and libraries and railroad stations.

教堂、圖書館，及火車站。

And if you walk Tenino's Main Street today,

如果你現在去特奈諾的主街 走走，會看到許多建築

you'll see many buildings built from this sandstone.

是用這種砂岩建造的，事實上，

As a matter of fact, the city council recently passed a law

市議會最近通過法案，要求

requiring that any new building in Tenino in the central district

特奈諾中心地區的任何新建築

must use a certain percentage of sandstone in its construction.

建材有一定比例必須要是砂岩。

And this gives the town a unique look

這讓小鎮有獨一無二的外觀，

and a physical and visual connection to their own story.

並和他們自己的故事建立了 視覺可見的實體連結。

I recently traveled to Tenino to create a short film about this community

我不久前去特奈諾，

為這個社區及他們與故事的 連結拍攝一支短片。

and their connection to their story.

Tenino's toughest time was the Great Depression.

特奈諾最辛苦的時期是

經濟大蕭條。

The only bank in town closed, and they ran out of money.

鎮上唯一的銀行關門了，

他們也沒錢了，搶著擠兌實體貨幣，

There was a run on physical currency,

and the city leaders at the time decided,

那時小鎮的領導階層決定， 嗯，我們為什麼不自己印？

well, why don't we just print our own?

And they devised a way to print wooden dollars,

他們想辦法印製了美金木幣，

and they distributed this throughout the community

在社區內發行，

to allow commerce to continue.

讓商業能持續。

Fast forward, the year 2020,

快轉到 2020 年，

the COVID pandemic hits, another economic crisis.

新冠肺炎疫情襲擊，

又是一場經濟危機。

Well, everybody in Tenino remembered the Great Depression

特奈諾的居民都記得

大蕭條以及美金木幣，

and the wooden dollars,

and they thought, why don't we just do it again?

他們心想，為什麼不再做一次？

The 1870s-era printing press that had printed money back then

1870 年代的印刷機，

常年用來印錢的印刷機，

was still down at the local history museum.

還放在當地的歷史博物館裡。

So they poured the ink and fired it up

所以他們置入墨水， 讓機器重新啟動，

and started printing 25-dollar COVID relief funds.

開始印製二十五美金的 新冠肺炎紓困金。

And they distributed this to residents.

他們把這些紓困金發給居民。

Now, Walmart and Amazon do not accept this.

沃爾瑪和亞馬遜不收這種錢。

But that’s OK.

但，沒關係。

In fact, that's the point.

事實上，那才是重點。

Tenino businesses do.

特奈諾的企業接受這種錢。

And so in addition to being a relief program,

所以，除了是紓困 方案的一部分之外，

it is an economic stimulus for the local economy,

它也是一種對當地經濟的經濟刺激，

encouraging people to spend their money at local shops,

鼓勵大家把他們的錢花在

當地的商店、企業，和餐廳，

businesses and restaurants,

他們的家人、朋友， 和鄰居所經營的事業。

the ones owned by their family, friends and neighbors.

Now, I noticed there was a strange Latin phrase on this money,

我注意到在這種鈔票上 有一個奇怪的拉丁句子，

and I asked the mayor what it meant.

我問市長它是什麼意思。

And he said, “Loosely translated,

他說：「大致上可翻譯為

it means 'We got this.'"

『我們行的。』」

And I thought, there is another example of a community

我心想，這又是另一個例子， 同樣也是一個社區

that summoned confidence in the face of a crisis

在面臨危機時喚起了信心，

empowered by their civic story.

也是他們的公民故事 讓他們得以辦到。

Now, sometimes we get stuck in a cynical and self-defeating narrative.

有時，我們會被困在

一種憤世嫉俗、對自己 不利的敘事視角當中，

Welcome to Buffalo, New York.

歡迎來到紐約的水牛城。

In all fairness,

說句公道話，

Buffalo has had a bit of a streak of bad luck.

水牛城的運氣一直不太好。

Shortly after being founded,

才剛建立，就被英國人毀滅。

we were burned to the ground by the British.

The Erie Canal made us one of the richest,

伊利運河讓我們成為美國 最富有且最重要的城市之一。

most important cities in America.

But when shipping was replaced by trains and trucking,

但當海運被火車和卡車給取代時，

we went from indispensable to obsolete.

我們從必不可少變成被淘汰。

And in the 1950s, a mass exodus began,

1950 年代，開始發生大規模移居，

and we've lost roughly half our population.

我們的人口少了約一半。

The great blizzard of '77 made us a constant punchline

1977 年的大雪暴讓我們經常成為

喜劇演員的笑料和攻擊目標。

and punching bag of national comedians.

The Christmastime closing of Bethlehem Steel in 1983

1983 年，伯利恆鋼鐵 在聖誕節期間關閉，

and then four straight Super Bowl losses in the 1990s.

接著，1990 年代 連續四次輸掉超級盃。

I won’t go into the details, just Google: “wide right.”

我不打算談細節，可以去

搜尋「wide right （偏右沒進門）」。

By the time I arrived in Buffalo in 2005,

2005 年我到水牛城時， 你實在也無法責怪

you really can't blame people here for feeling like,

這裡的人會覺得： 「我們永遠不會贏了。」

"You know, we're just never going to win."

Matter of fact, I remember my first trip to Coles,

事實上，我記得我第一次去

當地居民很喜歡的酒吧 Coles。

a beloved neighborhood bar.

I told some of the local folks that I had just moved here

我告訴一些當地居民， 我剛從西雅圖地區搬過來。

from the Seattle area.

And instead of saying, “Welcome to our city,”

他們說的不是 「歡迎來到我們的城市」，

they said, "What happened? Did you lose a bet?"

他們說：「怎麼了？你賭輸了嗎？」

This was Buffalo then,

這是那時的水牛城，

a city walking through life with a "kick me" sign on its back.

這個城市彷彿是背著 「踢我」標誌走過人生。

And since making Buffalo home,

自從水牛城成了我的家，

I have made several short films

我拍了幾部短片，

that, along with other artists and authors and photographers and bloggers,

和其他藝術家、作家、 攝影師，及部落客協力，

have helped to change the conversation.

改變了大家關於水牛城的談話內容。

In particular,

特別是，

the film "Buffalo: America's Best Designed City,"

《水牛城：美國設計 最好的城市》這部片子

helped to reframe things.

協助重新定義了事物。

The film tells the story of why Frederick Law Olmsted,

該電影講的是為什麼 弗雷德里克‧奧姆斯德曾經

once called Buffalo

把水牛城稱為「全美，甚至 全世界，規劃最好的城市」。

"the best planned city in America, if not the world."

And then it tells how he went on to design and build the first

接著訴說他如何接著去設計和建造

美國第一個也是最棒的公園系統，

and best park system in America right here.

就建在這裡。

It then honestly recounts how we squandered that legacy

再來，電影誠實地講述 我們如何揮霍那遺產，

by making a series of mistakes that did severe damage to the city

我們犯了一連串的錯誤，

對城市和我們的鄰里 造成嚴重的傷害。

and to our neighborhoods.

But in the final act,

但最後一幕

it tells the story of how today's generation is rediscovering

所訴說的故事是現今的世代如何

重新發現並擁抱水牛城的

and embracing Buffalo's exquisite urban design and the historic neighborhoods,

精緻都市設計和歷史性的鄰坊，

and are committing themselves to the long and difficult task

並投身進行漫長且困難的工作，

of fixing and restoring it.

將之修復及復原。

If the old story in Buffalo was “we’re unlucky,”

如果水牛城的舊故事 是「我們很不幸運」，

the new story is "we'll make our own luck."

新故事就是「我們會自己創造運氣」。

If the old story was "we're doomed,"

如果舊故事是「我們注定失敗」，

the new story is "we're destined."

新故事就是「我們注定要做這件事」。

I think one of my favorite things about Buffalo

我想我最愛水牛城的其中一點

is that it is a city with a true narrative arc.

就是它有真正的敘事弧度， 有清楚的故事可以呈現。

I mean, we've got highs and lows and wins and losses

我們經歷過高潮和低潮、

勝利和失敗，以及挫折和振作。

and setbacks and comebacks.

And I think it is this narrative arc and our deep connection to it

我認為這種敘事弧度

以及我們和它的深刻連結，

that is our city's secret weapon and strange appeal.

是這個城市的武器以及奇特的魅力。

I mean, to be in Buffalo

身在水牛城，

is to live in a city that has embarked on the hero's journey.

就是生活在一個已經展開 英雄旅程的城市裡。

What about your town?

你的小鎮呢？

Has it set foot on that journey?

它踏上了英雄旅程了嗎？

I hate to say it,

我很不想這樣說，但，

but I think one of the biggest threats to our cities is our own apathy.

我認為我們城市最大的威脅 之一是我們自己的冷漠。

In too many places we have given up

在太多地方，我們已放棄了，

or given in or grown to accept things the way they are.

或屈服了，

或漸漸接受一切就是這樣的。

A well-told civic story

說得很好的公民故事，

can be the spark that rekindles love for our place.

能夠扮演火花，

重新點燃對於我們家鄉地的熱愛。

It can be the spark that rekindles our pride.

它可以扮演點燃我們驕傲的火花。

The civic story, as we have learned, is not just about history.

如我們已經知道的， 公民故事的重點不只是歷史，

It's also about the future, about what our cities are becoming.

還有未來，以及我們的 城市會變成什麼樣子。

And that's the story that we live and participate in every day.

那就是我們每天親身 經歷、參與的故事。

I’m a filmmaker, and I love to tell the civic story of a place

我是電影製作人，我熱愛 訴說一個地方的公民故事，

through the medium which I consider the modern-day campfire,

使用的媒體是我心目中的現代營火，

that flickering light in the dark that can gather a hushed crowd

在黑暗中閃爍著亮光，

能夠聚集寂靜的群眾，

to experience something together.

一起去體驗。

But there are many ways to tell the civic story,

但訴說公民故事的方式很多， 不論你擅長什麼技能。

no matter your skill set.

Do you like to talk to people?

你喜歡與人交談嗎？

Start a podcast series.

創造一系列播客節目。

Do you write or take photos?

你會寫作或攝影嗎？

Create a book or a calendar

創作一本書或一本日曆，

that chronicles the life and times of your town.

記錄你的小鎮的生活和時代。

Fight to preserve an important building.

出一份力去保存重要的建築物。

Make a musical album or a mural.

製作一張音樂專輯或畫一幅壁畫。

You could collect city memorabilia and use it to decorate your walls

你可以收集城市的紀念品，

用它們來裝飾你的牆面、書架、

and your shelves and your bicycles

and bumpers and computers and phone cases.

腳踏車、保險桿、電腦，和手機殼。

All of these are ways to learn and share the civic story.

所有這些都是了解和分享 公民故事的方式。

So think about your place.

所以，想想你的家鄉地。

Where are you from?

你來自哪裡？

Does it have a past worth remembering?

它有沒有值得記住的往事？

Does it have a future worth hoping for?

它有沒有值得期待的未來？

If so, a story can change a city.

如果有的話，一個故事 就能改變一個城市。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）