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But as social scientists, we continue to ask
但作为社会学家，我们继续问
about possible alternatives.
是否有其他可能
We've said, well maybe older people
也许老年人
report more positive emotions
报告更多的积极感受
because they're cognitively impaired.
是因为他们认知机能受损
We've said, could it be
会不会
that positive emotions are simply easier to process than negative emotions,
积极情绪比消极情绪更易处理
and so you switch to the positive emotions?
所以他们更倾向于积极情绪？
Maybe our neural centers in our brain
也许我们脑内的神经系统
are degraded such
退化了
that we're unable to process negative emotions anymore.
以致无法处理消极情绪
But that's not the case.
但事实并非如此
The most mentally sharp older adults
老年组里思维最敏捷的
are the ones who show this positivity effect the most.
恰恰是最积极的
And under conditions where it really matters,
在关键时刻
older people do process the negative information
老年人处理消极情绪
just as well as the positive information.
和处理积极情绪的能力是一样的
So how can this be?
这是为什么呢？
Well in our research,
在我们的研究里
we've found that these changes
我们发现这些改变
are grounded fundamentally
在最基本上植根于
in the uniquely human ability to monitor time --
人类监控时间的独特能力
not just clock time and calendar time,
不光是时钟的时间和日历的时间
but lifetime.
更是生命的时间
And if there's a paradox of aging,
如果说老龄化悖论成立
it's that recognizing that we won't live forever
那也是因为我们认识到生命易逝
changes our perspective on life
而使我们把人生观
in positive ways.
变得更积极
When time horizons are long and nebulous,
人生的终点遥远又朦胧
as they typically are in youth,
年轻时通常都这么想
people are constantly preparing,
人们就会一直跃跃欲试
trying to soak up all the information they possibly can,
试图尽可能地去吸收信息
taking risks, exploring.
承担风险、探索未知
We might spend time with people we don't even like
我们可能会跟不喜欢的人共度时光
because it's somehow interesting.
因为感觉这挺有趣
We might learn something unexpected.
我们也许不经意间学到一些不该学的东西
We go on blind dates.
我们去相亲
You know, after all,
毕竟
if it doesn't work out, there's always tomorrow.
就算失败了，也还有明天
People over 50
超过50岁的人
don't go on blind dates.
就不会去相亲了
As we age,
当我们逐渐变老
our time horizons grow shorter
跟人生终点的距离不断缩短
and our goals change.
我们的人生目标从而改变
When we recognize that we don't have all the time in the world,
当我们意识到时间不再多的可以尽情挥霍
we see our priorities most clearly.
就能清楚地看到事情的轻重缓急
We take less notice of trivial matters.
我们变得不在意琐碎之事了
We savor life.
我们享受人生
We're more appreciative,
我们更懂感恩
more open to reconciliation.
更向往和谐
We invest in more emotionally important parts of life,
我们更致力于精神层面上重要的东西
and life gets better,
生活变得更好
so we're happier day-to-day.
所以日益快乐
But that same shift in perspective
但是这种观念的改变
leads us to have less tolerance than ever
也降低了
for injustice.
对不公的容忍
By 2015,
到2015年
there will be more people in the United States
美国人口中
over the age of 60
60岁以上的人口
than under 15.
将会超过不满15岁的人口
What will happen to societies
社会老龄化之后
that are top-heavy with older people?
会有什么改变？
The numbers won't determine
数量并不能
the outcome.
左右结果
Culture will.
文化才会
If we invest in science and technology
如果我们投入科学和技术
and find solutions for the real problems
为老龄化问题
that older people face
找出解决之道
and we capitalize
我们充分发挥
on the very real strengths
老年人的
of older people,
真正优势
then added years of life
那么，寿命的增加
can dramatically improve quality of life
将会戏剧性地改善人们的生活质量
at all ages.
无论是哪个年龄段
Societies with millions
社会上有上百万的
of talented, emotionally stable citizens
有才能而且情绪稳定的市民
who are healthier and better educated
他们更健康，受过更高的教育
than any generations before them,
与他们之前的任何一代人比
armed with knowledge
用知识武装自己
about the practical matters of life
了解人生的各种状况
and motivated
积极主动地
to solve the big issues
去解决重大问题
can be better societies
社会将变得更加美好
than we have ever known.
比我们已知的更好
My father, who is 92,
我父亲已经92岁了
likes to say,
他喜欢说
"Let's stop talking only about
“让我们不要再说
how to save the old folks
解救老年人这种话了
and start talking about
我们要开始谈谈
how to get them to save us all."
如何让老年人解救所有人。”
Thank you.
谢谢
