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Hello. I'd like to introduce you to someone. This is Jomny.
大家好。我想介绍一个人给你们。这是乔姆尼。
That's "Jonny" but spelled accidentally with an "m," in case you were wondering, because we're not all perfect.
若有人在纳闷，原本是乔尼，不小心拼错了，因为我们都不是完美的。
Jomny is an alien who has been sent to earth with a mission to study humans.
乔姆尼是外星人，被派来地球执行研究人类的任务。
Jomny is feeling lost and alone and far from home, and I think we've all felt this way.
乔姆尼感到失落、孤单、离家很远，我想我们都曾有过这种感受。
Or, at least I have. I wrote this story about this alien at a moment in my life when I was feeling particularly alien.
至少，我有过。我写下这个外星人故事时，是人生中特别感到自己像外星人一样隔隔不入的时候。
I had just moved to Cambridge and started my doctoral program at MIT,
那时我刚搬到剑桥，开始在麻省理工学院读博士班，
and I was feeling intimidated and isolated and very much like I didn't belong.
我感到害怕、孤立，并且好像我不属于那里。
But I had a lifeline of sorts.
但我还有救命仙丹。
See, I was writing jokes for years and years and sharing them on social media,
我写了很多年的笑话，在社交媒体上分享，
and I found that I was turning to doing this more and more.
我发现我开始越写越多。
Now, for many people, the internet can feel like a lonely place.
对很多人来说，网络是个孤单的地方。
It can feel like this, a big, endless, expansive void
大家可能会觉得网络是巨大、无边际、辽阔的虚无，
where you can constantly call out to it but no one's ever listening.
在那里，你可以经常对它大喊，但从来没有人会听。
But I actually found a comfort in speaking out to the void.
但我竟然在对着虚无讲出心声的过程中找到慰藉。
I found, in sharing my feelings with the void, eventually the void started to speak back.
我发现，当我和虚无分享我的感受时，最终，虚无会回话。
And it turns out that the void isn't this endless lonely expanse at all,
最后发现，这虚无其实完全不是无尽、孤单的广阔区域，
but instead it's full of all sorts of other people, also staring out into it and also wanting to be heard.
反之，虚无中有着各式各样的人，也都盯着它看，想要被听见。
Now, there have been many bad things that have come from social media.
过去，有不少鸟事来自于社交媒体。
I'm not trying to dispute that at all.
我完全没有想要争执这一点。
To be online at any given point is to feel so much sadness and anger and violence.
在任何时候上网，都会感受到大量的悲伤、愤怒和暴力。
It can feel like the end of the world. Yet, at the same time, I'm conflicted
感觉可能就像是世界末日。但同时我也很矛盾，
because I can't deny the fact that so many of my closest friends are people that I had met originally online.
因为我无法否认，事实上，我最亲的朋友当中有许多一开始都是我在网络上认识的。
And I think that's partly because there's this confessional nature to social media.
我想，有部分原因是因为社交媒体有种告解的本质。
It can feel like you are writing in this personal, intimate diary that's completely private,
感觉就像是你在写一本亲密的个人日记，完全是私人的，
yet at the same time you want everyone in the world to read it.
同时你又希望全世界的人都能读它。
And I think part of that, the joy of that is
我认为，这当中的喜悦
that we get to experience things from perspectives from people who are completely different from ourselves, and sometimes that's a nice thing.
是来自于我们能够从和我们自己完全不同的人的视角来体验事物，有时，这是件好事。
For example, when I first joined Twitter,
比如，我刚加入推特时，
I found that so many of the people that I was following were talking about mental health and going to therapy in ways
我发现我关注的人当中有许多在谈论心理健康和接受治疗时，
that had none of the stigma that they often do when we talk about these issues in person.
并没有我们面对面谈论这些议题时所带有的负面印象。
Through them, the conversation around mental health was normalized,
透过他们，关于心理健康的谈话变得很正常，
and they helped me realize that going to therapy was something that would help me as well.
他们协助我了解到，去接受治疗是对我有帮助的。
Now, for many people, it sounds like a scary idea to be talking about all these topics so publicly and so openly on the internet.
对许多人来说，在网络上如此公开、开放地谈论这些主题似乎是种很可怕的想法。
I feel like a lot of people think that it is a big, scary thing to be online if you're not already perfectly and fully formed.
我觉得有很多人认为，在你还不是完全成形之前就上网，那是很可怕的大事。
But I think the internet can be actually a great place to not know,
但我认为，网络的未知性反而是很棒的，
and I think we can treat that with excitement,
我认为我们能带着兴奋去看待它，
because to me there's something important about sharing your imperfections and your insecurities and your vulnerabilities with other people.
因为，对我来说，重要的是要将你的不完美、你的缺乏安全感、你的脆弱分享出去分享给其他人。
Now, when someone shares that they feel sad or afraid or alone, for example, it actually makes me feel less alone,
比如，当某个人分享说他很悲伤、害怕，或孤单，其实会让我觉得没有那么孤单了，
not by getting rid of any of my loneliness but by showing me that I am not alone in feeling lonely.
并不是因为我摆脱了我的任何孤单，而是因为在感到孤单这件事情上，我并不孤单。
And as a writer and as an artist,
身为作家和艺术家，
I care very much about making this comfort of being vulnerable a communal thing, something that we can share with each other.
我非常在乎要把这种坦承脆弱的舒适感变成是一种公共的东西，我们能和彼此分享的东西。
I'm excited about externalizing the internal,
我很兴奋能够把内在的东西外化，
about taking those invisible personal feelings that I don't have words for, holding them to the light, putting words to them,
把那些我无法用言语形容的无形感受带到阳光底下，赋予它们字词，
and then sharing them with other people in the hopes that it might help them find words to find their feelings as well.
再把它们跟其他人分享，希望也能够帮助其他人找到言语来形容他们的感受。
Now, I know that sounds like a big thing,
我知道这听起来像是件大事，
but ultimately I'm interested in putting all these things into small, approachable packages,
但最终，我感兴趣的是把上述所有这些通通放入容易取得的小包装当中，
because when we can hide them into these smaller pieces,
因为如果我们能把它们藏在这些比较小的东西当中，
I think they are easier to approach, I think they're more fun.
就比较容易取得它们，比较好玩。
I think they can more easily help us see our shared humanness.
它们就能更容易协助我们了解我们共有的人性。
Sometimes that takes the form of a short story,
比如，有时用的形式是短篇故事，
sometimes that takes the form of a cute book of illustrations, for example.
有时，用的形式是可爱的图画故事书。
And sometimes that takes the form of a silly joke that I'll throw on the internet.
有时，用的形式是我丢到网络上的愚蠢笑话。
For example, a few months ago, I posted this app idea for a dog-walking service
比如，几个月前，我张贴了一个想法，是一个溜狗服务的应用程序，
where a dog shows up at your door and you have to get out of the house and go for a walk.
当狗出现在你家门口时，你就得要走出门去散散步。
If there are app developers in the audience, please find me after the talk.
如果观众当中有应用程序开发工程师，请在演讲结束后来找我。
Or, I like to share every time I feel anxious about sending an email.
或者，每当我对于寄送电子邮件感到焦虑时，我就会分享。
When I sign my emails "Best," it's short for "I am trying my best,"
我在信末写“祝好”，其实是“我在尽力做好”的简写，
which is short for "Please don't hate me, I promise I'm trying my best!"
也就是“请不要恨我，我保证我在尽力而为！”的简写。
Or my answer to the classic icebreaker, if I could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, I would. I am very lonely.
或者我对于传统破冰方式的响应，如果我能和任何人共进晚餐，不论死活，我都愿意。我非常寂寞。
And I find that when I post things like these online, the reaction is very similar.
我发现，当我在网络上张贴这些东西，得到的反应都很类似。
People come together to share a laugh, to share in that feeling, and then to disburse just as quickly.
大家齐聚一堂，分享欢笑，在那样的感觉中分享，然后就一哄而散。
Yes, leaving me once again alone. But I think sometimes these little gatherings can be quite meaningful.
是的，又再次丢下我一个人。但我认为，有时这些小小相聚是很有意义的。
For example, when I graduated from architecture school and I moved to Cambridge,
比如，当我从建筑学校毕业时，我搬到剑桥，
I posted this question: "How many people in your life have you already had your last conversation with?"
我贴出了这个问题：“你人生中有多少人，你已经结束了和他们最后的交谈？”
And I was thinking about my own friends who had moved away to different cities and different countries, even,
我在想的是我自己过去，那些搬到其他城市、甚至其他国家的朋友，
and how hard it would be for me to keep in touch with them.
以及我和他们保持联络有多困难。
But other people started replying and sharing their own experiences.
但其他人开始响应，分享他们自己的经历。
Somebody talked about a family member they had a falling out with.
有人谈到他们失和的家人。
Someone talked about a loved one who had passed away quickly and unexpectedly.
有人谈到突然未预期就过世的爱人。
Someone else talked about their friends from school who had moved away as well.
也有人谈到学校认识的朋友后来搬家离开。
But then something really nice started happening.
但接着，好事开始发生了。
Instead of just replying to me, people started replying to each other,
大家不只是回复我，也开始回复彼此，
and they started to talk to each other and share their own experiences and comfort each other
开始和彼此交谈，分享他们自己的经历，并安慰彼此，
and encourage each other to reach out to that friend that they hadn't spoken to in a while
鼓励彼此去联络那位他们很久没有交谈的朋友，
or that family member that they had a falling out with.
或者和他们失和的那位家人。
And eventually, we got this little tiny microcommunity.
最终，我们成了小型的微群体。
It felt like this support group formed of all sorts of people coming together.
感觉这个支持团体是由各式各样的人所组成的。
And I think every time we post online, every time we do this,
每当我们在网络上发文，每当我们这么做，
there's a chance that these little microcommunities can form.
就有机会形成这种微群体。
There's a chance that all sorts of different creatures can come together and be drawn together.
有可能各式各样的不同生物会聚在一起，被吸引在一起。
And sometimes, through the muck of the internet, you get to find a kindred spirit.
有时，通过网络的淤泥，你会找到一个志同道合的人。
Sometimes that's in the reading the replies and the comments sections
有时，是在阅读别人的回应以及留言区，
and finding a reply that is particularly kind or insightful or funny.
找到特别亲切、有洞见，或有趣的回复。
Sometimes that's in going to follow someone and seeing that they already follow you back.
有时，是去关注某人，接着发现他们也同样在关注你。
And sometimes that's in looking at someone that you know in real life
有时，是看着真实人生中你认识的人，
and seeing the things that you write and the things that they write
看着你写的东西及他们写的东西，
and realizing that you share so many of the same interests as they do, and that brings them closer together to you.
发现你和他们有这么多共同兴趣，缩短了他们与你之间的距离。
Sometimes, if you're lucky, you get to meet another alien.
有时，如果你很幸运，你会遇见另一位外星人。
But I am worried, too, because as we all know, the internet for the most part doesn't feel like this.
但我也会担心，因为我们都知道，大多数的情况下，网络感觉并不是这样子的。
We all know that for the most part, the internet feels like a place where we misunderstand each other,
我们都知道，大多数的情况下，网络感觉是一个让我们误解彼此的地方，
where we come into conflict with each other,
在那里，我们和彼此产生冲突，
where there's all sorts of confusion and screaming and yelling and shouting,
在那里有各种困惑、尖叫、吶喊、吼叫，
and it feels like there's too much of everything.
并且感觉起来什么都太多了。
It feels like chaos, and I don't know how to square away the bad parts with the good,
感觉很混乱，我不知道要如何用好的部分来处理坏的部分，
because as we know and as we've seen, the bad parts can really, really hurt us.
因为，如我们所知、所见，坏的部分真的真的能够伤害我们。
It feels to me that the platforms that we use to inhabit these online spaces
我觉得，我们用来经营这些网络空间的平台，
have been designed either ignorantly or willfully to allow for harassment and abuse,
不论是有意或无意，都是被设计来允许骚扰和辱骂、
to propagate misinformation, to enable hatred and hate speech and the violence that comes from it,
传播错误信息、让怨恨和仇恨言论以及它们所造成的暴力都成为可能，
and it feels like none of our current platforms are doing enough to address and to fix that.
感觉好像目前所有的平台都不够努力去处理、修复这些。
But still, and maybe probably unfortunately, I'm still drawn to these online spaces, as many others are,
也许这是很不幸的事，但我仍然和许多人一样会被这些网络空间所吸引，
because sometimes it just feels like that's where all the people are.
因为有时感觉好像所有的人都在那里。
And I feel silly and stupid sometimes for valuing these small moments of human connection in times like these.
有时我会觉得自己很愚蠢、很愚笨，因为我很珍惜这种小小的人类连结时刻。
But I've always operated under this idea that these little moments of humanness are not superfluous.
但我在做的时候，都不忘一个想法，这些人性的小小时刻并非多余的。
They're not retreats from the world at all, but instead they're the reasons why we come to these spaces.
它们完全不是在躲避世界，反而是我们来到这些空间的理由。
They are important and vital and they affirm and they give us life.
它们很重要、至关重要，它们肯定、给了我们人生。
And they are these tiny, temporary sanctuaries that show us that we are not as alone as we think we are.
它们是小小的临时避难所，让我们知道，我们并没有自己所想的那么孤单。
And so yes, even though life is bad and everyone's sad and one day we're all going to die...
所以，是的，虽然人生很糟，并且人人都很悲伤，并且有我们迟早都会死去...
I think the inflatable metaphorical bouncy castle in this case is really our relationships and our connections to other people.
我认为，在这个例子中，充气城堡的比喻其实就是我们的关系，我们和他人的连结。
And so one night, when I was feeling particularly sad and hopeless about the world,
有一天晚上，我感到特别悲伤，对世界绝望，
I shouted out to the void, to the lonely darkness.
我对着虚无、孤单的黑暗大叫。
I said, "At this point, logging on to social media feels like holding someone's hand at the end of the world."
我说：“在这个时点登入社交媒体感觉就像是在世界的尽头握住某个人的手。”
And this time, instead of the void responding, it was people who showed up,
这次，响应的并不是虚无，而是在那里出现的人，
who started replying to me and then who started talking to each other, and slowly this little tiny community formed.
他们开始响应我，接着开始和彼此交谈，慢慢地，这个微群体就形成了。
Everybody came together to hold hands.
大家都来了，手牵着手。
And in these dangerous and unsure times, in the midst of it all,
在这危险、不确定的时代，在所有的事物当中，
I think the thing that we have to hold on to is other people.
我认为我们要抓住不放的，是其他人。
And I know that is a small thing made up of small moments,
我知道这是由小时刻所形成的小东西，
but I think it is one tiny, tiny sliver of light in all the darkness. Thank you. Thank you.
但我认为它是在所有的黑暗中一丝小小的银光。谢谢。谢谢。
