tatiyants.com My Favorite TED Talks

It’s really difficult to choose a small number of favorite talks from TED’s vast collections, but for whatever reason I decided to try.

For those who don’t know, TED is a conference (conferences actually) which gives people a platform to talk about whatever they wish in 20 minutes or less. The only requirement is that the idea they talk about is one “worth spreading”. In other words, it needs to be fascinating, thought provoking, inspiring, and/or all of the above.

So, here’s my list of the TED talks that most fascinated/provoked/inspired me. By the way, most of these are on Hulu Plus, so you can enjoy them on the big screen in all their HD glory!

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning evolution (2010), Schools kill creativity (2006)

Sir Ken Robinson delivered probably one of the most famous TED talks back in 2006 when he so skillfully (and hilariously) dismantled the shaky foundation upon which our education system is built. He followed that up in 2010 with an equally skillful (and again hilarious) explanation of where the education system should head. Robinson’s great insight and dry British wit make these talks a real pleasure to watch.

William Li: Can we eat to starve cancer?

Perhaps it’s just me and everyone else already knows about anti-angiogenesis, but I found this talk to be quite eye opening. William Li does a great job explaining the science behind this cancer fighting discovery as well as its implications for healthy living. Because of this talk, I’ve actually increased my already substantial tomato intake (I really like tomatoes).

Sam Harris: Science can answer moral questions

Sam Harris delivers a very moving and beautifully articulated position on the issue of science and morality. His main argument is that scientific principles can and should serve as a guide to making value judgements. Irrespective of what you think of his atheist motives, Harris’ message should not be ignored.

The LXD: In the Internet age, dance evolves

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Dan Pink: The surprising science of motivation

Dan Pink, the author of Drive, gives a great talk about what really motivates people and how well incentives work (spoiler alert: they have the opposite effect of what you’d expect). Great insights backed by fascinating experiments.

Barry Schwartz: Our loss of wisdom

After I read Barry Schwartz’ Paradox of Choice, I got a bit depressed. I mean, it’s depressing to find out that the major driver of our economy (the desire to give people lots of choices) is also a major contributor to our unhappiness. This talk did little to eliminate the feeling I got from the book. That said, it’s a great talk and I highly recommend it. Sorry.

Benjamin Zander: Music and passion

The words “moving presentation” get thrown around often but the reality rarely lives up to the lofty rhetoric. Benjamin Zander’s passionate talk about classical music is a rare exception. Hearing him play the Chopin piece is truly a moving experience. As an added bonus, Zander’s talk also happens to be quite funny.

JR: Use art to turn the world inside out

JR is a fascinating French artist with a penchant for big art. In this talk, he shows off some of his most impressive and provocative works, done in some of the least expected locations. Although the the scale and quality of his art is impressive, the impact he has on the places he works in is truly remarkable.