故事大全演讲稿栏目为您提供各种优秀的经典的英语演讲稿，快来品读英语演讲稿:TED英语演讲稿：不幸也许是个机会
简介：残奥会短跑冠军aimeemullins天生没有腓骨，从小就要学习靠义肢走路和奔跑。如今，她不仅是短跑选手、演员、模特，还是一位稳健的演讲者。她不喜欢字典中“disabled”这个词，因为负面词汇足以毁掉一个人。但是，坦然面对不幸，你会发现等待你的是更多的机会。
i'dliketosharewithyouadiscoverythatimadeafewmonthsagowhilewritinganarticleforitalianwired.ialwayskeepmythesaurushandywheneveri'mwritinganything,buti'dalreadyfinishededitingthepiece,andirealizedthatihadneveronceinmylifelookeduptheword"disabled"toseewhati'dfind.
letmereadyoutheentry."disabled,adjective:crippled,helpless,useless,wrecked,stalled,maimed,wounded,mangled,lame,mutilated,run-down,worn-out,weakened,impotent,castrated,paralyzed,handicapped,senile,decrepit,laid-up,done-up,done-for,done-incracked-up,counted-out;seealsohurt,uselessandweak.antonyms,healthy,strong,capable."iwasreadingthislistoutloudtoafriendandatfirstwaslaughing,itwassoludicrous,buti'djustgottenpast"mangled,"andmyvoicebroke,andihadtostopandcollectmyselffromtheemotionalshockandimpactthattheassaultfromthesewordsunleashed.
youknow,ofcourse,thisismyraggedyoldthesaurussoi'mthinkingthismustbeanancientprintdate,right?but,infact,theprintdatewastheearly1980s,wheniwouldhavebeenstartingprimaryschoolandforminganunderstandingofmyselfoutsidethefamilyunitandasrelatedtotheotherkidsandtheworldaroundme.and,needlesstosay,thankgodiwasn'tusingathesaurusbackthen.imean,fromthisentry,itwouldseemthatiwasbornintoaworldthatperceivedsomeonelikemetohavenothingpositivewhatsoevergoingforthem,wheninfact,todayi'mcelebratedfortheopportunitiesandadventuresmylifehasprocured.
so,iimmediatelywenttolookuptheXXonlineedition,expectingtofindarevisionworthnoting.here'stheupdatedversionofthisentry.unfortunately,it'snotmuchbetter.ifindthelasttwowordsunder"nearantonyms,"particularlyunsettling:"whole"and"wholesome."
so,it'snotjustaboutthewords.it'swhatwebelieveaboutpeoplewhenwenamethemwiththesewords.it'saboutthevaluesbehindthewords,andhowweconstructthosevalues.ourlanguageaffectsourthinkingandhowweviewtheworldandhowweviewotherpeople.infact,manyancientsocieties,includingthegreeksandtheromans,believedthattoutteracurseverballywassopowerful,becausetosaythethingoutloudbroughtitintoexistence.so,whatrealitydowewanttocallintoexistence:apersonwhoislimited,orapersonwho'sempowered?bycasuallydoingsomethingassimpleasnamingaperson,achild,wemightbeputtinglidsandcastingshadowsontheirpower.wouldn'twewanttoopendoorsfortheminstead?
onesuchpersonwhoopeneddoorsformewasmychildhooddoctoratthea.i.dupontinstituteinwilmington,delaware.hisnamewasdr.pizzutillo,anitalianamerican,whosename,apparently,wastoodifficultformostamericanstopronounce,sohewentbydr.p.anddr.palwaysworereallycolorfulbowtiesandhadtheveryperfectdispositiontoworkwithchildren.
ilovedalmosteverythingaboutmytimespentatthishospital,withtheexceptionofmyphysicaltherapysessions.ihadtodowhatseemedlikeinnumerablerepetitionsofexerciseswiththesethick,elasticbands--differentcolors,youknow--tohelpbuildupmylegmuscles,andihatedthesebandsmorethananything--ihatedthem,hadnamesforthem.ihatedthem.and,youknow,iwasalreadybargaining,asafiveyear-oldchild,withdr.ptotrytogetoutofdoingtheseexercises,unsuccessfully,ofcourse.and,oneday,hecameintomysession--exhaustiveandunforgiving,thesesessions--andhesaidtome,"wow.aimee,youaresuchastrongandpowerfullittlegirl,ithinkyou'regoingtobreakoneofthosebands.whenyoudobreakit,i'mgoingtogiveyouahundredbucks."
now,ofcourse,thiswasasimpleployondr.p'sparttogetmetodotheexercisesididn'twanttodobeforetheprospectofbeingtherichestfive-year-oldinthesecondfloorward,butwhatheeffectivelydidformewasreshapeanawfuldailyoccurrenceintoanewandpromisingexperienceforme.andihavetowondertodaytowhatextenthisvisionandhisdeclarationofmeasastrongandpowerfullittlegirlshapedmyownviewofmyselfasaninherentlystrong,powerfulandathleticpersonwellintothefuture.
thisisanexampleofhowadultsinpositionsofpowercanignitethepowerofachild.but,inthepreviousinstancesofthosethesaurusentries,ourlanguageisn'tallowingustoevolveintotherealitythatwewouldallwant,thepossibilityofanindividualtoseethemselvesascapable.ourlanguagehasn'tcaughtupwiththechangesinoursociety,manyofwhichhavebeenbroughtaboutbytechnology.certainly,fromamedicalstandpoint,mylegs,lasersurgeryforvisionimpairment,titaniumkneesandhipreplacementsforagingbodiesthatareallowingpeopletomorefullyengagewiththeirabilities,andmovebeyondthelimitsthatnaturehasimposedonthem--nottomentionsocialnetworkingplatformsallowpeopletoself-identify,toclaimtheirowndescriptionsofthemselves,sotheycangoalignwithglobalgroupsoftheirownchoosing.so,perhapstechnologyisrevealingmoreclearlytousnowwhathasalwaysbeenatruth:thateveryonehassomethingrareandpowerfultoofferoursociety,andthatthehumanabilitytoadaptisourgreatestasset.
thehumanabilitytoadapt,it'saninterestingthing,becausepeoplehavecontinuallywantedtotalktomeaboutovercomingadversity,andi'mgoingtomakeanadmission:thisphraseneversatrightwithme,andialwaysfeltuneasytryingtoanswerpeople'squestionsaboutit,andithinki'mstartingtofigureoutwhy.implicitinthisphraseof"overcomingadversity"istheideathatsuccess,orhappiness,isaboutemergingontheothersideofachallengingexperienceunscathedorunmarkedbytheexperience,asifmysuccessesinlifehavecomeaboutfromanabilitytosidesteporcircumnavigatethepresumedpitfallsofalifewithprosthetics,orwhatotherpeopleperceiveasmydisability.but,infact,wearechanged.wearemarked,ofcourse,byachallenge,whetherphysically,emotionallyorboth.andi'mgoingtosuggestthatthisisagoodthing.adversityisn'tanobstaclethatweneedtogetaroundinordertoresumelivingourlife.it'spartofourlife.anditendtothinkofitlikemyshadow.sometimesiseealotofit,sometimesthere'sverylittle,butit'salwayswithme.and,certainly,i'mnottryingtodiminishtheimpact,theweight,ofaperson'sstruggle.
thereisadversityandchallengeinlife,andit'sallveryrealandrelativetoeverysingleperson,butthequestionisn'twhetherornotyou'regoingtomeetadversity,buthowyou'regoingtomeetit.so,ourresponsibilityisnotsimplyshieldingthosewecareforfromadversity,butpreparingthemtomeetitwell.andwedoadisservicetoourkidswhenwemakethemfeelthatthey'renotequippedtoadapt.there'sanimportantdifferenceanddistinctionbetweentheobjectivemedicalfactofmybeinganamputeeandthesubjectivesocietalopinionofwhetherornoti'mdisabled.and,truthfully,theonlyrealandconsistentdisabilityi'vehadtoconfrontistheworldeverthinkingthaticouldbedescribedbythosedefinitions.
inourdesiretoprotectthosewecareaboutbygivingthemthecold,hardtruthabouttheirmedicalprognosis,or,indeed,aprognosisontheexpectedqualityoftheirlife,wehavetomakesurethatwedon'tputthefirstbrickinawallthatwillactuallydisablesomeone.perhapstheexistingmodelofonlylookingatwhatisbrokeninyouandhowdowefixit,servestobemoredisablingtotheindividualthanthepathologyitself.
bynottreatingthewholenessofaperson,bynotacknowledgingtheirpotency,wearecreatinganotherillontopofwhatevernaturalstruggletheymighthave.weareeffectivelygradingsomeone'sworthtoourcommunity.soweneedtoseethroughthepathologyandintotherangeofhumancapability.and,mostimportantly,there'sapartnershipbetweenthoseperceiveddeficienciesandourgreatestcreativeability.soit'snotaboutdevaluing,ornegating,thesemoretryingtimesassomethingwewanttoavoidorsweepundertherug,butinsteadtofindthoseopportunitieswrappedintheadversity.somaybetheideaiwanttoputoutthereisnotsomuchovercomingadversityasitisopeningourselvesuptoit,embracingit,grapplingwithit,touseawrestlingterm,maybeevendancingwithit.and,perhaps,ifweseeadversityasnatural,consistentanduseful,we'relessburdenedbythepresenceofit.
thisyearwecelebratethe200thbirthdayofcharlesdarwin,anditwas150yearsago,whenwritingaboutevolution,thatdarwinillustrated,ithink,atruthaboutthehumancharacter.toparaphrase:it'snotthestrongestofthespeciesthatsurvives,norisitthemostintelligentthatsurvives;itistheonethatismostadaptabletochange.conflictisthegenesisofcreation.fromdarwin'swork,amongstothers,wecanrecognizethatthehumanabilitytosurviveandflourishisdrivenbythestruggleofthehumanspiritthroughconflictintotransformation.so,again,transformation,adaptation,isourgreatesthumanskill.and,perhaps,untilwe'retested,wedon'tknowwhatwe'remadeof.maybethat'swhatadversitygivesus:asenseofself,asenseofourownpower.so,wecangiveourselvesagift.wecanre-imagineadversityassomethingmorethanjusttoughtimes.maybewecanseeitaschange.adversityisjustchangethatwehaven'tadaptedourselvestoyet.
ithinkthegreatestadversitythatwe'vecreatedforourselvesisthisideaofnormalcy.now,who'snormal?there'snonormal.there'scommon,there'stypical.there'snonormal,andwouldyouwanttomeetthatpoor,beigepersoniftheyexisted?(laughter)idon'tthinkso.ifwecanchangethisparadigmfromoneofachievingnormalcytooneofpossibility--orpotency,tobeevenalittlebitmoredangerous--wecanreleasethepowerofsomanymorechildren,andinvitethemtoengagetheirrareandvaluableabilitieswiththecommunity.
anthropologiststellusthattheonethingweashumanshavealwaysrequiredofourcommunitymembersistobeofuse,tobeabletocontribute.there'sevidencethatneanderthals,60,000yearsago,carriedtheirelderlyandthosewithseriousphysicalinjury,andperhapsit'sbecausethelifeexperienceofsurvivalofthesepeopleprovedofvaluetothecommunity.theydidn'tviewthesepeopleasbrokenanduseless;theywereseenasrareandvaluable.
afewyearsago,iwasinafoodmarketinthetownwhereigrewupinthatredzoneinnortheasternpennsylvania,andiwasstandingoverabusheloftomatoes.itwassummertime:ihadshortson.ihearthisguy,hisvoicebehindmesay,"well,ifitisn'taimeemullins."anditurnaround,andit'sthisolderman.ihavenoideawhoheis.
andisaid,"i'msorry,sir,havewemet?idon'tremembermeetingyou."
hesaid,"well,youwouldn'tremembermeetingme.imean,whenwemetiwasdeliveringyoufromyourmother'swomb."(laughter)oh,thatguy.and,butofcourse,actually,itdidclick.
thismanwasdr.kean,amanthatihadonlyknownaboutthroughmymother'sstoriesofthatday,because,ofcourse,typicalfashion,iarrivedlateformybirthdaybytwoweeks.andsomymother'sprenatalphysicianhadgoneonvacation,sothemanwhodeliveredmewasacompletestrangertomyparents.and,becauseiwasbornwithoutthefibulabones,andhadfeetturnedin,andafewtoesinthisfootandafewtoesinthat,hehadtobethebearer--thisstrangerhadtobethebearerofbadnews.
hesaidtome,"ihadtogivethisprognosistoyourparentsthatyouwouldneverwalk,andyouwouldneverhavethekindofmobilitythatotherkidshaveoranykindoflifeofindependence,andyou'vebeenmakingliaroutofmeeversince."(laughter)(applause)
theextraordinarythingisthathesaidhehadsavednewspaperclippingsthroughoutmywholechildhood,whetherwinningasecondgradespellingbee,marchingwiththegirlscouts,youknow,thehalloweenparade,winningmycollegescholarship,oranyofmysportsvictories,andhewasusingit,andintegratingitintoteachingresidentstudents,medstudentsfromhahnemannmedicalschoolandhersheymedicalschool.andhecalledthispartofthecoursethexfactor,thepotentialofthehumanwill.noprognosiscanaccountforhowpowerfulthiscouldbeasadeterminantinthequalityofsomeone'slife.anddr.keanwentontotellme,hesaid,"inmyexperience,unlessrepeatedlytoldotherwise,andevenifgivenamodicumofsupport,iflefttotheirowndevices,achildwillachieve."
see,dr.keanmadethatshiftinthinking.heunderstoodthatthere'sadifferencebetweenthemedicalconditionandwhatsomeonemightdowithit.andthere'sbeenashiftinmythinkingovertime,inthat,ifyouhadaskedmeat15yearsold,ifiwouldhavetradedprostheticsforflesh-and-bonelegs,iwouldn'thavehesitatedforasecond.iaspiredtothatkindofnormalcybackthen.butifyouaskmetoday,i'mnotsosure.andit'sbecauseoftheexperiencesi'vehadwiththem,notinspiteoftheexperiencesi'vehadwiththem.andperhapsthisshiftinmehashappenedbecausei'vebeenexposedtomorepeoplewhohaveopeneddoorsformethanthosewhohaveputlidsandcastshadowsonme.
see,allyoureallyneedisonepersontoshowyoutheepiphanyofyourownpower,andyou'reoff.ifyoucanhandsomebodythekeytotheirownpower--thehumanspiritissoreceptive--ifyoucandothatandopenadoorforsomeoneatacrucialmoment,youareeducatingtheminthebestsense.you'reteachingthemtoopendoorsforthemselves.infact,theexactmeaningoftheword"educate"comesfromtherootword"educe."itmeans"tobringforthwhatiswithin,tobringoutpotential."soagain,whichpotentialdowewanttobringout?
therewasacasestudydonein1960sbritain,whentheyweremovingfromgrammarschoolstocomprehensiveschools.it'scalledthestreamingtrials.wecallit"tracking"hereinthestates.it'sseparatingstudentsfroma,b,c,dandsoon.andthe"astudents"getthetoughercurriculum,thebestteachers,etc.well,theytook,overathree-monthperiod,d-levelstudents,gavethema's,toldthemtheywere"a's,"toldthemtheywerebright,andattheendofthisthree-monthperiod,theywereperformingata-level.
and,ofcourse,theheartbreaking,flipsideofthisstudy,isthattheytookthe"astudents"andtoldthemtheywere"d's."andthat'swhathappenedattheendofthatthree-monthperiod.thosewhowerestillaroundinschool,besidesthepeoplewhohaddroppedout.acrucialpartofthiscasestudywasthattheteachersweredupedtoo.theteachersdidn'tknowaswitchhadbeenmade.theyweresimplytold,"thesearethe'a-students,'thesearethe'd-students.'"andthat'showtheywentaboutteachingthemandtreatingthem.
so,ithinkthattheonlytruedisabilityisacrushedspirit,aspiritthat'sbeencrusheddoesn'thavehope,itdoesn'tseebeauty,itnolongerhasournatural,childlikecuriosityandourinnateabilitytoimagine.ifinstead,wecanbolsterahumanspirittokeephope,toseebeautyinthemselvesandothers,tobecuriousandimaginative,thenwearetrulyusingourpowerwell.whenaspirithasthosequalities,weareabletocreatenewrealitiesandnewwaysofbeing.
i'dliketoleaveyouwithapoembyafourteenth-centurypersianpoetnamedhafizthatmyfriend,jacquesdemboistoldmeabout,andthepoemiscalled"thegodwhoonlyknowsfourwords":"everychildhasknowngod,notthegodofnames,notthegodofdon'ts,butthegodwhoonlyknowsfourwordsandkeepsrepeatingthem,saying,'comedancewithme.come,dancewithme.come,dancewithme.'"
thankyou.(applause)
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