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杰夫·贝索斯JeffBezos在普林斯顿大学的演讲稿ThespeechwasgivenbytheAmazonCEO,JeffBezosatPrincetonUniversity.Asakid,IspentmysummerswithmygrandparentsontheirranchinTexas.Ihelpedfixwindmills,vaccinatecattle,anddootherchores.Wealsowatchedsoapoperaseveryafternoon,especially“DaysofourLives.”MygrandparentsbelongedtoaCaravanClub,agroupofAirstreamtrailerownerswhotraveltogetheraroundtheU.S.andCanada.Andeveryfewsummers,we’djointhecaravan.We’dhitchuptheAirstreamtrailertomygrandfather’scar,andoffwe’dgo,inalinewith300otherAirstreamadventurers.IlovedandworshippedmygrandparentsandIreallylookedforwardtothesetrips.Ononeparticulartrip,Iwasabout10yearsold.Iwasrollingaroundinthebigbenchseatinthebackofthecar.Mygrandfatherwasdriving.Andmygrandmotherhadthepassengerseat.Shesmokedthroughoutthesetrips,andIhatedthesmell.Atthatage,I’dtakeanyexcusetomakeestimatesanddominorarithmetic.I’dcalculateourgasmileage—figureoutuselessstatisticsonthingslikegroceryspending.I’dbeenhearinganadcampaignaboutsmoking.Ican’trememberthedetails,butbasicallytheadsaid,everypuffofacigarettetakessomenumberofminutesoffofyourlife:Ithinkitmighthavebeentwominutesperpuff.Atanyrate,Idecidedtodothemathformygrandmother.Iestimatedthenumberofcigarettesperdays,estimatedthenumberofpuffspercigaretteandsoon.WhenIwassatisfiedthatI’dcomeupwithareasonablenumber,Ipokedmyheadintothefrontofthecar,tappedmygrandmotherontheshoulder,andproudlyproclaimed,“Attwominutesperpuff,you’vetakennineyearsoffyourlife!”Ihaveavividmemoryofwhathappened,anditwasnotwhatIexpected.Iexpectedtobeapplaudedformyclevernessandarithmeticskills.“Jeff,you’resosmart.Youhadtohavemadesometrickyestimates,figureoutthenumberofminutesinayearanddosomedivision.”That’snotwhathappened.Instead,mygrandmotherburstintotears.Isatinthebackseatanddidnotknowwhattodo.Whilemygrandmothersatcrying,mygrandfather,whohadbeendrivinginsilence,pulledoverontotheshoulderofthehighway.Hegotoutofthecarandcamearoundandopenedmydoorandwaitedformetofollow.WasIintrouble?Mygrandfatherwasahighlyintelligent,quietman.Hehadneversaidaharshwordtome,andmaybethiswastobethefirsttime?OrmaybehewouldaskthatIgetbackinthecarandapologizetomygrandmother.Ihadnoexperienceinthisrealmwithmygrandparentsandnowaytogaugewhattheconsequencesmightbe.Westoppedbesidethetrailer.Mygrandfatherlookedatme,andafterabitofsilence,hegentlyandcalmlysaid,“Jeff,onedayyou’llunderstandthatit’shardertobekindthanclever.”WhatIwanttotalktoyouabouttodayisthedifferencebetweengiftsandchoices.Clevernessisagift,kindnessisachoice.Giftsareeasy—they’regivenafterall.Choicescanbehard.Youcanseduceyourselfwithyourgiftsifyou’renotcareful,andifyoudo,it’llprobablybetothedetrimentofyourchoices.Thisisagroupwithmanygifts.I’msureoneofyourgiftsisthegiftofasmartandcapablebrain.I’mconfidentthat’sthecasebecauseadmissioniscompetitiveandifthereweren’tsomesignsthatyou’reclever,thedeanofadmissionwouldn’thaveletyouin.Yoursmartswillcomeinhandybecauseyouwilltravelinalandofmarvels.Wehumans,ploddingasweare,willastonishourselves.We’llinventwaystogeneratecleanenergyandalotofit.Atombyatom,we’llassembletinymachinesthatwillentercellwallsandmakerepairs.Thismonthcomestheextraordinarybutalsoinevitablenewsthatwe’vesynthesizedlife.Inthecomingyears,we’llnotonlysynthesizeit,butwe’llengineerittospecifications.Ibelieveyou’llevenseeusunderstandthehumanbrain.JulesVerne,MarkTwain,Galileo,Newton—allthecuriousfromtheageswouldhavewantedtobealivemostofallrightnow.Asacivilization,wewillhavesomanygifts,justasyouasindividualshavesomanyindividualgiftsasyousitbeforeme.Howwillyouusethesegifts?Andwillyoutakeprideinyourgiftsorprideinyourchoices?IgottheideatostartAmazon16yearsago.IcameacrossthefactthatWebusagewasgrowingat2,300percentperyear.I’dneverseenorheardofanythingthatgrewthatfast,andtheideaofbuildinganonlinebookstorewithmillionsoftitles—somethingthatsimplycouldn’texistinthephysicalworld—wasveryexcitingtome.Ihadjustturned30yearsold,andI’dbeenmarriedforayear.ItoldmywifeMacKenziethatIwantedtoquitmyjobandgodothiscrazythingthatprobablywouldn’tworksincemoststartupsdon’t,andIwasn’tsurewhatwouldhappenafterthat.MacKenzie(alsoaPrincetongradandsittinghereinthesecondrow)toldmeIshouldgoforit.Asayoungboy,I’dbeenagarageinventor.I’dinventedanautomaticgatecloseroutofcement-filledtires,asolarcookerthatdidn’tworkverywelloutofanumbrellaandtinfoil,baking-panalarmstoentrapmysiblings.I’dalwayswantedtobeaninventor,andshewantedmetofollowmypassion.IwasworkingatafinancialfirminNewYorkCitywithabunchofverysmartpeople,andIhadabrilliantbossthatImuchadmired.IwenttomybossandtoldhimIwantedtostartacompanysellingbooksontheInternet.HetookmeonalongwalkinCentralPark,listenedcarefullytome,andfinallysaid,“Thatsoundslikeareallygoodidea,butitwouldbeanevenbetterideaforsomeonewhodidn’talreadyhaveagoodjob.”Thatlogicmadesomesensetome,andheconvincedmetothinkaboutitfor48hoursbeforemakingafinaldecision.Seeninthatlight,itreallywasadifficultchoice,butultimately,IdecidedIhadtogiveitashot.Ididn’tthinkI’dregrettryingandfailing.AndIsuspectedIwouldalwaysbehauntedbyadecisiontonottryatall.Aftermuchconsideration,Itookthelesssafep