“伟大的哲人本杰明·阿弗莱克说过：要评判我，请看我那些好想法有多好，别看我烂想法有多烂。”6月3日，昔日的“心灵捕手”马特·达蒙回到了片中他饰演的威尔所在的名校麻省理工学院(MIT)，在该校毕业典礼发表演讲，除了秀一下跟他好友本·阿弗莱克的恩爱，达蒙也掏心窝地当起人生导师，演讲十分动情、励志。
马特·达蒙（MattDamon），1970年10月8日出生于美国马萨诸塞州剑桥市，演员、编剧、制片人。1988年，在电影《现代灰姑娘》中首次出镜。1998年，凭借电影《心灵捕手》获得奥斯卡最佳男主角和金球奖最佳男主角奖提名，并与好友本·阿弗莱克共同获得奥斯卡最佳原创剧本和金球奖最佳编剧奖，一跃成为好莱坞金童。同年出演《拯救大兵瑞恩》中片名角色大兵瑞恩。2001年，主演《十一罗汉》。2002年，其主演的《谍影重重》系列第一部《伯恩的身份》上映，并在2004，2007年分别出演了《伯恩的霸权》和《伯恩的最后通牒》。
2007年，被《人物》杂志评选为“全球最性感男人”，并获得柏林电影节银熊奖杰出艺术贡献奖，同年7月，成为第2343位留名好莱坞星光大道的明星。2010年，因出演曼德拉传记电影《成事在人》获得第82届奥斯卡最佳男配角提名。2010年3月27日，获得第24届美国电影艺术奖。2011年1月，北美广播影评人协会颁发乔伊·西格尔人道主义奖。2014年1月22日，冬季达沃斯世界经济论坛授予“水晶奖”。2015年，出演科幻大片《火星救援》。2016年1月，凭《火星救援》获第73届金球奖喜剧类最佳男演员奖和第88届奥斯卡最佳男主角提名，并在时隔9年后，重新回归《谍影重重》系列电影，定档2016年7月29日。
【演讲全文】
MattDamon'sCommencementaddress:"There’smoreatstaketodaythaninanystoryevertold."
Thankyou.
Thankyou,PresidentReif—andthankyou,Classof2016!
It’sanhonortobepartofthisday—anhonortobeherewithyou,withyourfriends,yourprofessors,andyourparents.Butlet’sbehonest—It’sanhonorIdidn’tearn.
Let’sjustputthatoutthere.Imean,I’veseenthelistofpreviouscommencementspeakers:NobelPrizewinners.TheUNSecretaryGeneral.PresidentoftheWorldBank.PresidentoftheUnitedStates.
AndwhodidyougetTheguywhodidthevoiceforacartoonhorse.
Ifyou’rewonderingwhichcartoonhorse:that’s“Spirit:StallionoftheCimarron.”
Definitelyoneofmybestperformances...asacartoonhorse.
Look,Idon’tevenhaveacollegedegree.Asyoumighthaveheard,IwenttoHarvard.Ijustdidn’tgraduatefromHarvard.Igotprettyclose,butIstartedtogetmovierolesanddidn’tfinishallmycourses.Iputonacapandgownandwalkedwithmyclass;myMomandDadwerethereandeverything;Ijustnevergotanactualdegree.
YoucouldsayIkindoffakegraduated.
SoyoucanimaginehowexcitedIwaswhenPresidentReifcalledtoinvitemetospeakattheMITcommencement.ThenyoucanimaginehowsorryIwastolearnthattheMITcommencementspeakerdoesnotgettogohomewithadegree.
Soyes,today,forthesecondtimeinmylife,Iamfakegraduatingfromacollegeinmyhometown.
MyMomandDadarehereagain...
AndthistimeIbroughtmywifeandfourkids.Welcome,kids,toDad’sfakegraduation.Youmustbesoproud.
SoasIsaid,myMomishere.She’saprofessor,sosheknowsthevalueofanMITdegree.
ShealsoknowsthatIcouldn’thavegotteninhere.
Imean,Harvard,yes.Orasafetyschool—likeYale.
Look,I’mnotrunningforanykindofoffice.Icansay...prettymuchwhateverIwant.
No,Icouldn’thavegotteninhere,butIdidgrowuphere.Grewupintheneighborhood,intheshadowofthisimposingplace.MybrotherKyleandI,andmyfriendBenAffleck—brilliantguy,goodguy,neverreallyamountedtomuch—weallgrewuphere,inCentralSquare,childrenofthissometimesrockymarriagebetweenthiscityanditsgreatinstitutions.
Tous,MITwaskindofTheMan...Thisbig,impressive,impersonalforce...Thatwasourprovincial,knee-jerk,teenagereaction,anyway.
ThenBenandIshotamoviehere.
OneofthescenesinGoodWillHuntingwasbasedonsomethingthatactuallyhappenedtomybrother.KylewasvisitingaphysicistweknewatMIT,andhewaswalkingdowntheInfiniteCorridor.Hesawthoseblackboardsthatlinethehalls.Somybrother,who’sanartist,pickedupsomechalkandwroteanincrediblyelaborate,totallyfake,versionofanequation.
Itwassocoolandsocompletelyinsanethatnooneeraseditformonths.Thisistrue.
Anyway,Kylecamebackandhesaid,youguys,listentothis...They’vegotblackboardsrunningdownthehall!Becausethesekidsaresosmarttheyjustneedto,youknow,dropeverythingandsolveproblems!
Itwasthenweknewforsurewecouldneverhavegottenin.
ButlikeIsaid,welatermadeamoviehere.Whichdidnotgounnoticedoncampus.InfactI’dliketoreadyousomeactuallines,someselectedpassages,fromthereviewofGoodWillHuntingintheMITschoolpaper.
Oh,andifyouhaven’tseenit,Willwasme,andSeanwasplayedbythelateRobinWilliams,amanImissahellofalot.
SoI’mquotinghere:“GoodWillHuntingisveryentertaining;butthenagain,anymoviepartiallysetatMIThastobe.”
There’smore.“Intheend...,”thereviewerwrites,
“theactualcharacterdevelopmentfliesoutthewindow.WillandSeantalk,bond,solveeachother’sproblems,andthencryandhugeachother.Aftersaidcryingandhugging,themovieends...Suchfeel-goodpretentiousnessisdefinitelynotmymugofeggnog.”
Well,thiskindofhurtsmyfeelings.
Butdon’tworry:InowknowbetterthantocryatMIT.
Butlook,I’mhappytobehereanyway.Imightstillbeaknee-jerkteenagerinkeyrespects,butIknowanamazingschoolwhenIseeit.We’reluckytohaveMITinBoston.Andwe’reluckyitdrawsthepeopleitdoes,peoplelikeyou,fromaroundtheworld.
Imean,you’reworkingonsomecrazystuffinthesebuildings.StuffthatwouldfreakmeoutifIactuallyunderstoodit.Theories,models,paradigmshifts.
I’lltellyouonethat’sbeenonmymind:SimulationTheory.
Maybeyou’veheardofit.MaybeyoutookaclasswithMaxTegmark.
Well,fortheuninitiated,there’saphilosophernamedNickBostromatOxford,andhe’spostulatedthatifthere’satrulyadvancedformofintelligenceoutthereintheuniverse,thenit’sprobablyadvancedenoughtorunsimulationsofentireworlds—maybetrillionsofthem—maybeevenourown.
Thebasicidea,asIunderstandit,isthatwecouldbelivinginamassivesimulationrunbyafarsmartercivilization,agiantcomputergame,andwedon’tevenknowit.
Andhere’sthething:alotofphysicists,cosmologists,won’truleitout.IwatchedadiscussionthatwasmoderatedbyNeildeGrasseTyson,oftheHaydenPlanetarium,andbyandlarge,thepanelcouldn’tgiveadefinitiveanswer.Tysonhimselfputtheoddsat50-50.
I’mnotsurehowscientificthatis,butithadnumbersinit,soIwasimpressed.
Well,itgotmetothinking:Whatifthis—allofthis—isasimulationImean,it’sacrazyidea,butwhatifitis
Andiftherearemultiplesimulations,howcomewe’reintheonewhereDonaldTrumpbecomestheRepublicannominee
Canwe,like,transfertoadifferentone
ProfessorTegmarkhasanexcellenttakeonallthis.“Myadvice,”hesaidrecently,
“istogooutanddoreallyinterestingthings...sothesimulatorsdon’tshutyoudown.”
Butthenagain:whatifitisn’tasimulationWell,eitherway,myansweristhesame.
Eitherway,whatwedomatters.Whatwedoaffectstheoutcome.
Soeitherway,MIT,you’vegottogooutanddoreallyinterestingthings.Importantthings.Inventivethings.Becausethisworld...realorimagined...thisworldhassomeproblemsweneedyoutodropeverythingandsolve.
Goahead:takeyourpickfromtheworld’sworstbuffet.
Economicinequality,there’saproblem...Orhowabouttherefugeecrisis,massiveglobalinsecurity...climatechangeandpandemics...institutionalracism...apulltonativism,fear-drivenbrainsworkingovertime...hereinAmericaandinplaceslikeAustria,whereafar-rightcandidatenearlywonthepresidentialelectionforthefirsttimesinceWorldWarII.
OrBrexit,forGod’ssakes,thatinsaneideathatthebestpathforBritainistocutloosefromEuropeanddriftouttosea.AddtothatanAmericanpoliticalsystemthat’sfailing...we’vegotcongressmenonatwo-yearelectioncyclewhoareonlyincentivizedtothinkshortterm,andsimplydonotengagewithlong-termproblems.
Addtothatamediathatthrivesonscandalandpeoplewiththeirpantsdown...Anythingtogetyoutotuneinsotheycanhawkyouproductsthatyoudon’tneed.
Andaddtothatabankingsystemthatstealspeople’smoney.
LikeIsaid,I’mneverrunningforoffice!
ButwhileI’monthis,letmesaythistothebankerswhobroughtyouthebiggestheistinhistory:Itwastheftandyouknewit.Itwasfraudandyouknewit.
AndyouknowwhatelseWeknowthatyouknewit.
Andyeah,OK,yousortofgotawaywithit.YougotthathouseintheHamptonsthatotherpeoplepaidfor...astheirownmortgageswentunderwater.
Well,youmighthavetheirmoney,butyoudon’thaveourrespect.
Justsoyouknow,whenwepassyouonthestreetandlookyouintheeye...that’swhatwe’rethinking.
Idon’tknowifjusticeiscomingforyouinthislifeorthenext.Butifjusticedoescomeforyouinthislife...hernameisElizabethWarren.
OK,sobeforemybankingdigression,Irattledoffabunchofbigproblems.
Andanaturalresponseistotuneout,turnaway.
Butbeforeyoustepoutintoourbig,troubledworld,IwanttopassalongapieceofadvicethatBillClintonofferedmealittleoveradecadeago.Well,actually,whenhesaidit,itfeltlesslikeadviceandmorelikeadirectorder.
Whathesaidwas“turntowardtheproblemsyousee.”
Itseemedkindofsimpleatthetime,buttheolderIget,themorewisdomIseeinthis.
Andthat’swhatIwanttourgeyoutodotoday:turntowardtheproblemsyousee.
Anddon’tjustturntowardthem.Engagewiththem.Walkrightuptothem,lookthemintheeye...thenlookyourselfintheeyeanddecidewhatyou’regoingtodoaboutthem.
Inmyexperience,there’sjustnosubstituteforactuallygoingandseeingthings.
Iowethisinsight,likemanyothers,tomyMom.WhenIwasateenager,MomthoughtitwasimportantforustoseetheworldoutsideofBoston.AndIdon’tmeanFramingham.ShetookustoplaceslikeGuatemala,wherewesawextremepovertyupclose.Itchangedmywholeframeofreference.
IthinkitwasthatsameimpulsethattookmybrotherandmetoZambiain2006,aspartoftheONECampaign—theorganizationthatBonofoundedtofightdesperate,stupidpovertyandpreventablediseaseinthedevelopingworld.Onthattrip,inasmallcommunity,Imetagirlandwalkedwithhertoanearbyborewellwhereshecouldgetcleanwater.
Shehadjustcomefromschool.AndIknewthereasonthatshewasabletogotoschoolatall:cleanwater.Namely,thefactthatcleanwaterwasavailablenearby,soshedidn’thavetowalkmilesbackandforthalldaytogetwaterforherfamily,assomanygirlsandwomendo.
Iaskedherifshewantedtostayinhervillagewhenshegrewup.Shesaid,“No!IwanttogotoLusakaandbecomeanurse!”
Cleanwater—somethingasbasicasthat—hadgiventhischildthechancetodream.
AsIlearnedmoreaboutwaterandsanitation,Iwasflooredbytheextenttowhichitundergirdsalltheseproblemsofextremepoverty.Thefateofentirecommunities,economies,countriesiscaughtupinthatglassofwater,somethingtherestofusgettotakeforgranted.
PeopleatONEtoldmethatwateristheleastsexyaspectoftheefforttofightextremepoverty.Andwatergoeshand-in-handwithsanitation.Ifyouthinkwaterisn’tsexy,youshouldtrytogetintotheshitbusiness.
ButIwasalreadyhooked.Theenormityofit,andthecomplexityoftheissue,hadalreadyhookedme.AndgettingoutintheworldandmeetingpeoplelikethislittlegirliswhatputmeonthepathtostartingWater.org,withabrilliantcivilengineernamedGaryWhite.
ForGaryandmeboth,seeingtheworld...itsproblems,itspossibilities...heightenedourdisbeliefthatsomanypeople,millions,infact,can’tgetasafe,cleandrinkofwaterorasafe,clean,privateplacetogotothebathroom.Anditheightenedourdeterminationtodosomethingaboutit.
Youseesometoughthingsoutthere.Butyoualsoseelife-changingjoy.Anditallchangesyou.
Therewasarefugeecrisisbackin’09thatIreadaboutinanamazingarticleintheNewYorkTimes.PeoplewerestreamingacrosstheborderofZimbabwetoalittletowninnorthernSouthAfricacalledMessina.IwasworkinginSouthAfrica,soIwentuptoMessinatoseeformyselfwhatwasgoingon.
IspentadayspeakingwithwomenwhohadmadethisperilousjourneyacrosstheLimpopoRiver,dodgingbanditsononeside,crocodilesintheriver,andbanditsontheother.EverywomanIspoketothatdayhadbeenraped.Everysingleone.Ononesideoftheriverorboth.
AttheendofmytimethereImetawomanwhowassopositive,sojoyful.ShehadjustbeengivenherpapersandhadbeengivenpoliticalasyluminSouthAfrica.Andinthemidstofthisjoyfulconversation,Imusteredupthecourageandsaid,
“Ma’am,doyoumindmyasking:wereyouassaultedonyourjourneytoSouthAfrica”
Andshereplied,stillsmiling,“Oh,yes,Iwasraped.ButIhavemypapersnow.Andthosebastardsdidn’tgetmydignity.”
Humanbeingswilltakeyourbreathaway.Theywillteachyoualot...butyouhavetoengage.IonlyhadthatexperiencebecauseIwenttheremyself.Itwashorribleinmanyways,itwashardtogetto...butofcoursethat’sthepoint.There’salotoftroubleoutthere,MIT.Butthere’salotofbeauty,too.Ihopeyouseeboth.
Butagain,thepointisnottobecomesomekindofwell-rounded,high-mindedvoyeur.
Thepointistotrytoeliminateyourblindspots—thethingsthatkeepusfromgraspingthebiggerpicture.Andlook,eventhoughIgrewupinthisneighborhood—inthisincredible,multiculturalneighborhoodthatwasalittleroughatthattime—IfindmyselfherebeforeyouasanAmerican,white,malemoviestar.Idon’thaveacluewheremyblindspotsbeginandend.
Butlookingattheworldasitis,andengagingwithit,isthefirststeptowardfindingourblindspots.Andthat’swhenwecanreallystarttounderstandourselvesbetter...andbegintosolvesomeproblems.
Withthatasyourgoal,there’safewmorethingsIhopeyou’llkeepinmind.
First,you’regoingtofailsometimes,andthat’sagoodthing.
ForalltheamazingsuccessesI’vebeenluckytosharein,fewthingshaveshapedmemorethantheauditionsthatBenandIusedtodoasyoungactors—wherewewouldgetonabus,showupinNewYork,waitforourturn,cryourheartsoutforascene,andthenbetold,“OK,thanks.”Meaning:gameover.
Weusedtocallit“beingOKthanksed.”
Thoseexperiencesbecameourarmor.
Sonowyou’rethinking,that’sgreat,Matt.Failureisgood.Thanksaton.TellmesomethingIdidn’thearatmyhighschoolgraduation.
TowhichIsay:OK,Iwill!
YouknowtherealdangerforMITgraduatesIt’snotgetting“OKthanksed.”Therealdangerisallthatsmokethat’sbeenblownupyour...graduationgownsabouthowfreakingsmartyouare.
Well,youarethatfreakingsmart!Butdon’tbelievethehypethat’sthrownatyou.Youdon’thavealltheanswers.Andyoushouldn’t.Andthat’sfine.
You’regoingtohaveyourshareofbadideas.
Forme,onewasplayingacharacternamed“EdgarPudwhacker.”
IwishIcouldtellyouI’mmakingthatup.
Butasthegreatphilosopher,BenjaminAffleck,oncesaid:
“Judgemebyhowgoodmygoodideasare,notbyhowbadmybadideasare.”You’vegottosuitupinyourarmor,andgetreadytosoundlikeatotalfool.
Nothavingananswerisn’tembarrassing.It’sanopportunity.Don’tbeafraidtoaskquestions.
IknowsomuchlessthesecondtimeI’mfakegraduatingthanthefirsttime.
ThesecondthingIwanttoleaveyouwithisthatyou’vegottokeeplistening.
Theworldwantstohearyourideas—goodandbad.Buttoday’snotthedayyouswitchfrom“receive”to“transmit.”Onceyoudothat,youreducationisover.Andyoureducationshouldneverbeover.Evenoutsideyourwork,therearewaystokeepchallengingyourself.Listentoonlinelectures.IjustretookaphilosophycourseonlinethatItookatHarvardwhenIwasnineteen.OruseMITOpenCourseWare.GotoWaitButWhy...orTED.com.
I’mtoldthere’sevenaTrumpUniversity.Ihavenoearthlyideawhattheyteachthere.Butwhateveryoudo,justkeeplistening.Eventopeopleyoudon’tagreewithatall.
IlovewhatPresidentObamasaidatHowardUniversity’scommencementlastmonth:hesaid,
“Democracyrequirescompromise,evenwhenyouare100percentright.”
IheardthatandIthought:hereisamanwhohasbeenhappilymarriedforalongtime.
NotthattheFirstLadyhaseverbeenwrongaboutanything.
Justlikemywife.Neverwrong.Notevenwhenshedecidedlastmonththatinafamilywithfourkids,whatwasmissinginourliveswasathirdrescuedog.
Thatwasanoutstandingdecision,honey.AndIloveyou.
ThethirdandlastthoughtIwanttoleaveyouwithisthatnoteveryproblemhasahigh-techsolution.Iguessthisisobvious.But:itisreally
Ifanybodyhasarighttothinkwecanprettymuchtechsupporttheworld’sproblemsintosubmission,it’syou.ThinkoftheinnovationsthatgottheirstartatMITorbyMITalums:theWorldWideWeb.Nuclearfission.Condensedsoup.(Thisistrue!Youshouldbeproud.)Butthetruthis,wecan’tsciencetheshitoutofeveryproblem.
Thereisnotalwaysafreakingappforthat.
Takewateragainasanexample.Peoplearealwayslookingforsomescientificquickfixfortheproblemofdirtyanddisease-riddenwater.A“pillyouputintheglass,”afilter,orsomethinglikethat.Butthere’snomagicbullet.Theproblem’stoocomplex.
Yes,thereisdefinitely,absolutelyaroleforscience.There’sincredibleadvancesbeingmadeincleanwatertechnology.Companiesanduniversitiesaregettinginonthegame.I’mgladtoknowthatprofessorslikeSusanMercottatD-Labarefocusingonwaterandsanitation.
ButasI’msureshe’dagree,sciencealonecan’tsolvethisproblem.Weneedtobejustasinnovativeinpublicpolicy,justasinnovativeinourfinancialmodels.That’stheideabehindanapproachwehaveatWater.orgcalledWaterCredit.
WaterCreditisbasedonGaryWhite’sinsightthatpoorpeoplewerealreadypayingfortheirwaterandthey,nolessthantherestofus,wanttoparticipateintheirownsolutions.SoWaterCredithelpsconnectthepoorwithmicrofinanceorganizations,whichenablesthemtobuildwaterconnectionsandtoiletsintheirhomesandcommunities.Theapproachisworking—helping4millionpeoplesofar—andthisisonlythestart.
Ourloansarepayingbackatover99percent.WhichisahellofabetterdealthanthosebankersIwastalkingaboutearlier.
Iagreeit’sstillnotsexy...butitiswithoutadoubtthecoolestthingI’veeverbeenapartof.
So,graduates,letmeaskyouthisinclosing:WhatdoyouwanttobeapartofWhat’stheproblemyou’lltrytosolveWhateveryouranswer,it’snotgoingtobeeasy.Sometimesyourworkwillhitadead-end.Sometimesyourworkwillbemeasuredinhalf-steps.
AndsometimesyourworkwillmakeyouwearawhitesequinedmilitaryuniformandmakelovetoMichaelDouglas.
Well,maybethat’sjustmywork.
Butforallofyouhere,yourworkstartstoday.
Andseriously,howluckyareyou
Imean,whataretheoddsthatyou’retheoneswhoareheretoday
IntheEarth’s4.5billionyearrun,with100billionpeoplewhohavelivedanddied,andwith7billionofusherenow...Hereyouare.Yes,hereyouare...aliveatatimeofpotentialextinction-levelevents...atimewhenfewerandfewerpeoplecancausemoreandmoredamage...atimewhenscienceandtechnologymaynotholdalltheanswers,butareindispensabletoanysolution.
Whataretheoddsthatyougettobeyou,rightnow,TheMITclassof2016,withsomuchontheline
Therearepotentiallytrillionsofhumanbeingswhowillsomedayexistwhosefate,inlargepart,dependsonthechoicesyoumake...onyourideas...onyourgritandpersistenceandwillingnesstoengage.
IfthiswereamovieIweretryingtopitchI’dbelaughedoutofeveryofficeinHollywood.
JosephCampbellhimself—heofthe“monomyth,”theultimatehero’sjourney—evenhewouldn’tevengothisfar.Campbellwouldtellmetothrottlethisdown...lowerthestakes.
ButIcan’t.Becausethisisfact,notfiction.Thisimprobablethingisactuallyhappening.There’smoreatstaketodaythaninanystoryevertold.Andhowluckyyouare—andhowluckyweare—thatyou’rehere,andyou’reyou.
SoIhopeyou’llturntowardtheproblemofyourchoosing...Becauseyoumust.
Ihopeyou’lldropeverything...BecauseyoumustAndIhopeyou’llsolveit.Becauseyoumust.
Thisisyourlife,Classof2016.Thisisyourmoment,andit’salldowntoyou.
Readyplayerone.Yourgamebegins:now.Congratulationsandthanksverymuch!