TED演讲 自杀者的生死之桥(1)
I recently retired from the California Highway Patrol after 23 years of service.
我最近刚退休，离开了加利福尼亚公路巡警局，我工作了23年的地方。
The majority of those 23 years was spent patrolling the southern end of Marin County,which includes the Golden Gate Bridge.
这23年里的大多数时间，我都是在马林县的南部巡逻，我都是在马林县的南部巡逻，其中包括金门大桥，
The bridge is an iconic structure,known worldwide for its beautiful views of San Francisco,the Pacific Ocean, and its inspiring architecture.
这座桥是一个标志性建筑，世界闻名，因为从桥上可以观赏旧金山与太平洋的美景，还有它予人灵感的建筑风格。
Unfortunately, it is also a magnet for suicide,being one of the most utilized sites in the world.
不幸的是，这座桥也吸引了自杀者，成为了全球自杀事件最多的地点之一。
The Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937.
金门大桥开通于1937年，
Joseph Strauss, chief engineer in charge of building the bridge,was quoted as saying,the bridge is practically suicide-proof.
约瑟夫·施特劳斯是负责建造这座桥的总工程师，我引用他一句话，这座桥实际上有防自杀设计，
Suicide from the bridge is neither practical nor probable.
在这座桥上自杀既难以成功也不太可能发生。
But since its opening,over 1,600 people have leapt to their death from that bridge.
但自从这座桥开放后，超过1,600人从桥上纵身投入了死亡。
Some believe that traveling between the two towers will lead you to another dimension this bridge has been romanticized as such a that the fall from that frees you from all your worries and grief,and the waters below will cleanse your soul.
某些人相信经过这两座塔间会带你去另一个世界—这座桥已经被浪漫成这样了,就是说从桥上坠落会让你免除所有的烦恼与悲痛，而下面的水会净化你的灵魂。
But let me tell you what actually occurs when the bridge is used as a means of suicide.
但是，让我来告诉你,假如你尝试从金门大桥跳河自杀结果实际上是怎样的。
After a free fall of four to five seconds,the body strikes the water at about 75 miles an hour.
在四到五秒的自由落体后，人的身体击中水面，速度大约75英里（120公里）每小时。
That impact shatters bones,some of which then puncture vital organs.
这个冲击力能使骨头粉碎，一些碎片之后会刺穿重要器官。
Most die on impact.
大多数人当场死亡。
Those that don't generally flail in the water helplessly,and then drown.
如果没有死，一般是在水中无助地扑腾，然后淹死。
I don't think that those who contemplate this method of suicide realize how grisly a death that they will face.
我认为那些考虑这种自杀方式的人并未意识到他们的死法将会多么可怕。
This is the cord.
这是钢索。
Except for around the two towers,there is 32 inches of steel paralleling the bridge.
除了在两座塔周围，桥边有32英寸（80厘米）的钢索，平行于桥。
This is where most folks stand before taking their lives.
大多数自杀者在自杀前就站在这里。
I can tell you from experience that once the person is on that cord,and at their darkest time,it is very difficult to bring them back.
根据我的经验，我可以告诉你，一旦有人站在了钢索上，在他人生最黑暗的时刻，再让他回来是极为困难的。
I took this photo last year as this young woman spoke to an officer contemplating her life.
我在去年拍了这张照片，当时这位年轻女子正和一位警官说话，思索她的人生。
I want to tell you very happily that we were successful that day in getting her back over the rail.
我要很高兴地告诉大家，那天我们很成功地把她从护栏那边拉了回来。
When I first began working on the bridge,we had no formal training.
当我刚开始在这座桥上工作时，我们没有受过正式的训练，
You struggled to funnel your way through these calls.
我在这些呼叫中挣扎前进，
This was not only a disservice to those contemplating suicide,but to the officers as well.
这是帮倒忙，不仅是对那些想自杀的人，对警察也是伤害。
We've come a long, long way since then.
从那以后，我们走过了漫漫长路。
Now, veteran officers and psychologists train new officers.
如今，经验丰富的老警官和心理学家们对新警察进行训练。
This is Jason Garber.
这位是杰森·加博。
I met Jason on July 22 of last year when I get received a call of a possible suicidal subject sitting on the cord near midspan.
我遇到杰森是在去年6月22日，那时我接到一个电话，说可能是一个人要自杀，正坐在桥中段附近的钢索上。
I responded, and when I arrived,I observed Jason speaking to a Golden Gate Bridge officer.
我回应了，而当我到达时，我看到了杰森，他正和一位金门大桥的警官对话。
Jason was just 32 years old and had flown out here from New Jersey.
杰森年仅32岁，是从新泽西州乘飞机来的。
As a matter of fact,he had flown out here on two other occasions from New Jersey to attempt suicide on this bridge.
事实上，他另外还来过两次，从新泽西飞来，想在这座桥上自杀。
After about an hour of speaking with Jason,he asked us if we knew the story of Pandora's box.
在与杰森交谈了大约一个小时后，他问我们是否知道潘多拉之盒的故事。
Recalling your Greek mythology,Zeus created Pandora,and sent her down to Earth with a box,and told her, Never, ever open that box.
想一想希腊神话，宙斯创造了潘多拉，然后将她降于人间，还有一个盒子，并告诉她：永远不要打开这个盒子。
凯文·布里格斯警官从事多年的工作黑暗、不寻常，而且有时会有奇怪的收获：他巡逻的地段是旧金山金门大桥的南端，金门大桥是个热门的自杀地点。在他令人沉思又直指人心的演讲中，布里格斯讲述了站在人生悬崖边的自杀者的故事，他与之有过交谈并且倾听过他们的故事。对于有所爱之人可能在考虑自杀的人们，他给出了一条有力的建议。
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