TED演讲 大人能从小孩身上学到什么(1)

 Now, I want to start with a question: When was the last time you were called "childish"? 首先我要问大家一个问题：上一回别人说你幼稚是什么时候？

For kids like me, being called childish can be a frequent occurrence. 像我这样的小孩，可能经常会被人说成是幼稚。

Every time we make irrational¹ demands, exhibit irresponsible behavior, or display any other signs of being normal American citizens, we are called childish. 每一次我们提出不合理的要求，做出不负责任的行为，或者展现出有别于普通美国公民的惯常行为之时，我们就被说成是幼稚。

Which really bothers me. After all, take a look at these events: Imperialism² and colonization³, world wars, George W. Bush. Ask yourself, who's responsible? Adults. 这让我很不服气。首先，让我们来回顾下这些事件：帝国主义和殖民主义，世界大战，小布什。请你们扪心自问下：这些该归咎于谁？是大人。

Now, what have kids done? Well, Anne Frank touched millions with her powerful account of the Holocaust⁴. 而小孩呢，做了些什么？安妮·弗兰克(Anne Frank)对大屠杀强有力的叙述打动了数百万人的心。

Ruby⁵ Bridges helped to end segregation⁶ in the United States. And, most recently, Charlie Simpson helped to raise 120,000 pounds for Haiti, on his little bike. 鲁比·布里奇斯为美国种族隔离的终结作出了贡献。另外，最近还有一个例子，查理·辛普森（Charlie Simpson）骑自行车为海地募得12万英镑。

So as you can see evidenced by such examples, age has absolutely nothing to do with it. 所以，这些例子证明了年龄与行为完全没有关系。

The traits the word "childish" addresses are seen so often in adults, that we should abolish this age-discriminatory word, "幼稚"这个词所对应的特点是常常可以从大人身上看到，

when it comes to criticizing behavior associated with irresponsibility and irrational thinking. 由此我们在批评不负责和非理性的相关行为时，应停止使用这个年龄歧视的词。

 

1 irrational   

adj.无理性的，失去理性的

参考例句：

• After taking the drug she became completely irrational.她在吸毒后变得完全失去了理性。
• There are also signs of irrational exuberance among some investors.在某些投资者中是存在非理性繁荣的征象的。

2 imperialism   

n.帝国主义，帝国主义政策

参考例句：

• They held the imperialism in contempt.他们鄙视帝国主义。
• Imperialism has not been able to subjugate China.帝国主义不能征服中国。

3 colonization   

殖民地的开拓，殖民，殖民地化； 移殖

参考例句：

• Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
• These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。

4 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

5 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

6 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。