美国国家公共电台 NPR--Why the U.S. surgeon general says feeling lonely could lead to an early death

Why the U.S. surgeon general says feeling lonely could lead to an early death

Transcript¹

NPR's A Martínez talks to Eric Liu of Citizen University on solutions for isolation², after a report from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy detailed³ an "epidemic⁴ of loneliness" in America.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

About half of all adults in the U.S have experienced loneliness. That's according to a new report from Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. He claims there's an epidemic of loneliness and isolation and that it's bad for your health. He spoke⁵ on Tuesday to NPR's All Things Considered.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

VIVEK MURTHY: I'm worried about this from a public health perspective because it turns out that being socially disconnected has real consequences for our health. It increases our risk of depression, anxiety and suicide, but it also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, of dementia, stroke and premature⁶ death.

MART?NEZ: For some possible solutions to this, we're turning to Eric Liu, co-founder of Citizen University, a nonprofit that aims to build community and civic⁷ awareness⁸ across America.

Eric, how surprised were you by what the surgeon general said?

ERIC LIU: Well, A, thanks for having me. I was not surprised, unfortunately. I think everything that the surgeon general said about the effects on the body of loneliness are true, as well of the effects on the body politic⁹.

MART?NEZ: I think that surprised me. That part surprised me, Eric, because, like, depression, OK, fine. Anxiety, yes. But dementia, stroke, cardiovascular disease?

LIU: Oh, absolutely. I mean, you think about the ways in which - I mean, a broken heart is a physical diagnosis¹⁰, and it's a social diagnosis.

MART?NEZ: I know.

LIU: When you are alone and disconnected, there's more stress. There's more inflammation. There's more anxiety. And that has effects not only on the body, but on the ways in which we see each other in community and feel connected to one another.

MART?NEZ: What do you think is causing such widespread loneliness?

LIU: Well, I think there's a lot of forces. One, of course, is just we've come out of this pandemic. And even though we want to pretend it's normal, I think there are deep persisting effects of that kind of forced traumatic isolation. But I think much more deeply than that, and this is a problem that's been unfolding over decades, is the grinding inequality, the tectonic crushing of people's sense of solidarity¹¹ and connection to one another. And the ways in which that's unfolded in the United States leaves people more isolated¹², more zero sum in their thinking and more feeling like, you know what, I'm not sure I am with you or you're with me.

MART?NEZ: You know what? I think sometimes, too, the pandemic shoved a lot of people into loneliness, Eric. But when people started coming back out into the world, I don't know if everyone followed. I think everyone assumed that everyone was just dying to get out. But I don't know if everyone followed that.

LIU: Well, I think everybody wants to connect. It's a human yearning¹³. But the reality - I mean, the phrase that came - that stuck out for me in the surgeon general's report was that we are sick, angry and alone when we get this disconnected from one another. And I think the work that we do at Citizen University is so much about just inviting¹⁴ people into reconnecting with one another, into creating human bonds in a way that our culture, our media, our social media do not really incentivize anymore.

MART?NEZ: This isolation, Eric, what does it do to trust or people or people being afraid?

LIU: Well, I mean, I think it - you know, the decline of trust in American life is pretty well documented, and it's both a cause and an effect of this kind of isolation, fragmentation and and loneliness. And when you are disconnected from other people, over time, you will just stop believing that they have your interests in mind, that you can find common cause on anything. And so much of the challenge that we have right now is far upstream of electoral politics and policy. It is a culture problem. That's why I think one of the things that's so important about the surgeon general's report is this idea of we need to create a culture of connection, a civic culture in which we actually see one another's fates as entwined.

MART?NEZ: Eric, I work kind of alone, like, 2,000 miles away from everyone I work with. And I work overnights, too. And I know there's a lot of people just like me. And I think I kind of prefer it, being alone. But for someone like me, is there a loneliness line that maybe I should be careful not to cross?

LIU: Look, I think we all exist on a spectrum¹⁵ of how much we like alone time. But I would distinguish one thing. Solitude¹⁶ is not necessarily loneliness. Solitude can be OK. It's necessary. It's recharging. But the question is, how much do we have social connection? How many bonds of trust and affection can we activate¹⁷ with people when we need them? When do we realize when we do need them? And I think being able to check in with ourselves individually but also with each other in community is the most important thing we can do. And it, you know, one of our programs, Civic Saturday, is a civic analog¹⁸ to a faith gathering¹⁹ that invites people...

MART?NEZ: Yeah.

LIU: ...To just come and meet strangers and actually rekindle²⁰ faith in community.

MART?NEZ: Eric Liu is the co-founder of Citizen University. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Eric, thanks.

LIU: Thanks, A.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

4 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

7 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

8 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

9 politic   

adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政

参考例句：

• He was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage.他很聪明，不会与这么重要的人争吵。
• The politic man tried not to offend people.那个精明的人尽量不得罪人。

10 diagnosis   

n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断

参考例句：

• His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。

11 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

12 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

13 yearning   

a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的

参考例句：

• a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
• He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

14 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

15 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

16 solitude   

n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方

参考例句：

• People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
• They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。

17 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

18 analog   

n.类似物，模拟

参考例句：

• The analog signal contains high-frequency video information,which helps make up the picture.模拟信号包括有助于构成图像的高频视频信息。
• The analog computer measures continuously,without proceeding step by step.模拟计算机不是一步一步地进行，而是连续地进行量度。

19 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

20 rekindle   

v.使再振作；再点火

参考例句：

• Nothing could rekindle her extinct passion.她激情已逝,无从心回意转。
• Is there anything could rekindle his extinct passion?有什么事情可重燃他逝去的热情呢？