第頁2023TED英語演講稿：給陌生人的情書TED英語演講稿：給生疏人的情書

IwasoneoftheonlykidsincollegewhohadareasontogototheP.O.boxattheendoftheday,andthatwasmainlybecausemymotherhasneverbelievedinemail,inFacebook,intextingorcellphonesingeneral.AndsowhileotherkidswereBBM-ingtheirparents,Iwasliterallywaitingbythemailboxtogetaletterfromhometoseehowtheweekendhadgone,whichwasalittlefrustratingwhenGrandmawasinthehospital,butIwasjustlookingforsomesortofscribble,someunkemptcursivefrommymother.

AndsowhenImovedtoNewYorkCityaftercollegeandgotcompletelysucker-punchedinthefacebydepression,IdidtheonlythingIcouldthinkofatthetime.Iwrotethosesamekindsoflettersthatmymotherhadwrittenmeforstrangers,andtuckedthemallthroughoutthecity,dozensanddozensofthem.Ileftthemeverywhere,incafesandinlibraries,attheU.N.,everywhere.Ibloggedaboutthoselettersandthedayswhentheywerenecessary,andIposedakindofcrazypromisetotheInternet:thatifyouaskedmeforahand-writtenletter,Iwouldwriteyouone,noquestionsasked.Overnight,myinboxmorphedintothisharborofheartbreak--asinglemotherinSacramento,agirlbeingbulliedinruralKansas,allaskingme,a22-year-oldgirlwhobarelyevenknewherowncoffeeorder,towritethemaloveletterandgivethemareasontowaitbythemailbox.

Well,todayIfuelaglobalorganizationthatisfueledbythosetripstothemailbox,fueledbythewaysinwhichwecanharnesssocialmedialikeneverbeforetowriteandmailstrangersletterswhentheyneedthemmost,butmostofall,fueledbycratesofmaillikethisone,mytrustymailcrate,filledwiththescriptingsofordinarypeople,strangerswritingletterstootherstrangersnotbecausethey'reevergoingtomeetandlaughoveracupofcoffee,butbecausetheyhavefoundoneanotherbywayofletter-writing.

But,youknow,thethingthatalwaysgetsmeabouttheselettersisthatmostofthemhavebeenwrittenbypeoplethathaveneverknownthemselveslovedonapieceofpaper.Theycouldnottellyouabouttheinkoftheirownloveletters.They'retheonesfrommygeneration,theonesofusthathavegrownupintoaworldwhereeverythingispaperless,andwheresomeofourbestconversationshavehappeneduponascreen.WehavelearnedtodiaryourpainontoFacebook,andwespeakswiftlyin140charactersorless.

Butwhatifit'snotaboutefficiencythistime?Iwasonthesubwayyesterdaywiththismailcrate,whichisaconversationstarter,letmetellyou.Ifyoueverneedone,justcarryoneofthese.(Laughter)Andamanjuststaredatme,andhewaslike,"Well,whydon'tyouusetheInternet?"AndIthought,"Well,sir,Iamnotastrategist,noramIspecialist.Iammerelyastoryteller."AndsoIcouldtellyouaboutawomanwhosehusbandhasjustcomehomefromAfghanistan,andsheishavingahardtimeunearthingthisthingcalledconversation,andsoshetuckslovelettersthroughoutthehouseasawaytosay,"Comebacktome.Findmewhenyoucan."OragirlwhodecidesthatsheisgoingtoleavelovelettersaroundhercampusinDubuque,Iowa,onlytofindhereffortsripple-effectedthenextdaywhenshewalksoutontothequadandfindslovelettershangingfromthetrees,tuckedinthebushesandthebenches.Orthemanwhodecidesthatheisgoingtotakehislife,usesFacebookasawaytosaygoodbyetofriendsandfamily.Well,tonighthesleepssafelywithastackoflettersjustlikethisonetuckedbeneathhispillow,scriptedbystrangerswhowerethereforhimwhen.

Thesearethekindsofstoriesthatconvincedmethatletter-writingwillneveragainneedtoflipbackherhairandtalkaboutefficiency,becausesheisanartformnow,allthepartsofher,thesigning,thescripting,themailing,thedoodlesinthemargins.Themerefactthatsomebodywouldevenjustsitdown,pulloutapieceofpaperandthinkaboutsomeonethewholewaythrough,withanintentionthatissomuchhardertounearthwhenthebrowserisupandtheiPhoneispingingandwe'vegotsixconversationsrollinginatonce,thatisanartformthatdoesnotfalldowntotheGoliathof"getfaster,"nomatterhowmanysocialnetworkswemightjoin.Westillclutchclosetheseletterstoourchest,tothewordsthatspeaklouderthanloud,whenwe