Dec

12

(2006)

TED Talks are changing how I think

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I’ve been slowly working through the TED Talks video podcasts – making time to watch several sessions each week. I can’t even begin to describe what an impact they’re having on me. I’m starting to think differently about many issues – some I hadn’t even considered before, others I thought were outside of my reach.

I watched Majora Carter’s presentation this morning. She is the founder of Sustainable South Bronx – a grassroots movement she started in her community to try to bring it back from the brink of ecological (and social and economic) devastation.

I live in a pretty well-off community, in a pretty well-off city, in a pretty well-off country. I hadn’t given much thought to the connection between ecological, social and economic planning and well-being. Hearing about what happened to the South Bronx as a result of wanton exploitation of a marginalized region’s resources (human and environmental) made me wonder what we’re doing here in Alberta, where our entire province feels like it’s sole purpose is to extract oil from the tar sands. I’m wondering what impacts we’ll be seeing in 60 years…

I also watched Sir Ken Robinson’s session on creativity in the education system. Another absolutely amazing and provocative presentation that’s changed how I think about “non academic” education. If we don’t value and reward creativity in our young people, rather than drilling it out of them through an industrialized worker bee factory, we’re wasting the skills and talents we’ll need to remain flexible as a society.

The session list goes on and on. Al Gore on the environment. Jimmy Wales on Wikipedia. Negroponte on the $100 laptop. Aubrey de Grey on extending or preventing senescence (now THAT’s something that will have a HUGE impact – ethical and moral implications on both sides of his argument). Every single session has sparked something for me. I’m positive I’ll be percolating much of it in my head for years to come.

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2 Responses to “TED Talks are changing how I think”

  1. John Martin says:
    December 12, 2006 at 1:54 pm

    I too saw Majora Carter’s presentation and have viewed a couple others and the one thing that all of these folks had in common that spoke most highly to me was their PASSION. Passion for what they do, passion for what they believe and the passion to share it with others. It brings to mind Will Richardson’s post the other day about passion based learning and makes me think that passion based teaching is the other half of the equation. Inspired learners look to/for inspired teachers. TEDtalks seem to help bridge the gap in a virtual way and inspire change.

    Thanks D’Arcy!

    John
    http://edventures.whitemountaintech.net

    Reply
  2. Bill Kempthorne says:
    December 13, 2006 at 9:41 am

    Ditto for me,

    Ken Robinson’s presentation was excellent. As someone who does presentations frequently I really enjoy watching these folks and picking out what makes there presentations compelling.

    One of the bane of my current existence it the concept of technology ‘pilot’ project (see also – I you can’t do it right you can always do it over). So Nicholas Negroponte session on the $100 laptop, I especially liked the ‘days of pilot projects are over … you can go to the back of line’.

    And the best use as tomato sauce as an analogy goes to Malcom Gladwell.

    Last, David Pougue’s sing along is hilarious.

    I have a Mac mini connected to my TV and I have 2 days a week where I don’t watch ‘over the air’ anymore – in favour of podcast and vodcasts.

    Reply

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