What are your favorite TED Talks?
- Sam Harris: Science Can Answer Moral Questions
- Alain de Botton: Atheism 2.0
- Gary Wilson: The Great Porn Experiment
- Roman Mars: The Worst-Designed Thing You’ve Never Noticed
- Yuval Noah Harari: Why Humans Run the World
- Cameron Russell: Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model.
- Terri Trespicio: Stop Searching For Your Passion
- Joanne Davila: Skills for Healthy Romantic Relationships
- Robert Waldinger: What Makes a Good Life?
- Sir Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity?
- Tracy McMillan: The Person You Really Need to Marry
- Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability
- Mark Henick: Why We Choose Suicide
- Alain de Botton: A Kinder, Gentler Philosophy of Success
- Christopher Ryan: Are We Sexual Omnivores?
- Saisha Srivastava: What Nobody Told You About Happiness
- BJ Miller: What Really Matters at the End of Life
- Jon Ronson: Strange Answers to the Psychopath Test
- David Christian: The History of Our World in 18 Minutes
- Clio Cresswell: Mathematics and Sex
- Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts
- Dan Gilbert: The Surprising Science of Happiness
- Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter …
That Sarah Kay talk OBLITERATED me during finals week of my junior year of college. I was knee deep in a 3 a.m. study session and decided to take a break. I was battling one of the worst bouts of depression in my life and dealing with a bad dating/relationship situation. I was also on my period and very hormonal. My friend Facebook messaged me the link and I took a study break to watch it.
My roommate came in to find me curled up on the floor with chocolate covered raisins strewn about. I don’t remember how the the raisins got there. I just remember I had been keeping it together for a long time, and that poem shattered the delicate wall that had been holding back my flood of emotions.
My roommate rubbed my back a little bit, and I cry-laughed and talked it out with her for another 5 minutes. I got up, feeling different. Empty. Relieved. Strong. I cleaned up the chocolate covered raisins. Went on to do really well on my finals and broke up with the Fuckboy of the Month.
Good times.
I love the chocolate covered raisins part of your story.
Her voice is so fucking beautiful. Before I spoke to anyone about being sexually assaulted, I would go on tearful binges. It’s how I got a lot of faux catharsis before I could actually achieve catharsis.
Youtube playlist for the lazy: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4sE31ciXqV-qUfxBIzse4un80o_3_mGb
M, you da real MVP.
Yessssss thank you!
You should get head from a person you find terrifically attractive at any moment you feel like you need it.
ilu, M.
Thanks, for the fast reply, girl! The power of vulnerability is one of my favs. This will make my mindless admin work go so much quicker.
Omg thanks
Not a TED talk, but this is a great poem by Sarah Kay and her Project VOICE partner Phil Kaye.
WOO! This is amazing. Thank you CQ. I’ve been wasting a lot of time recently watching crap tv since caning You’re the Worst, House of Cards and Love, so this will do nicely.
Yeah, so, the Passion one just changed my life.
Oooooh fuck the vulnerability one.
I need a two-day break from life.
er, * “fuck, the vulnerability one.”
The Atheism 2.0 is for atheists everywhere. Atheism starts out for most people as an act of defiance, rejecting religion (not all, but a whole lot) but at some point it’s got to settle into part of the character of a positive and self-rewarding life. You’ve rejected supernatural explanations, and so you don’t go to church, but ritual is still important. Self-reflection and confession and community are still important.
I would like to recommend Alan deBottons school of life videos.
http://www.theschooloflife.com/london/
Very surprised that Sapolsky and Pinker aren’t in here.
LOVE the sexual omnivores one. Thanks for this!
Thank you for this list, CQ. Going to pace myself on your recommendations – one every night. Can’t wait.
Since you’ve been so generous in sharing your favorites with us, I’m going to go ahead and be that jerk who plugs a couple that have really affected me:
– Chris Milk: How virtual reality can create the ultimate empathy machine -(https://www.ted.com/talks/chris_milk_how_virtual_reality_can_create_the_ultimate_empathy_machine?language=en)
– Bryan Stevenson: We need to talk about an injustice -(https://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_an_injustice?language=en)
Why would it be jerky to contribute relevant content, as long as it’s on topic and not hostile? Seems like it would be a worthwhile addition.
This is mine…
https://www.ted.com/talks/itay_talgam_lead_like_the_great_conductors?language=en
[ if anyone cares ]
I have two daughters and made them watch the Cameron Russell talk several years ago. It may be time to make them watch it again.
Alain de Botton and Brené Brown have made me a much happier person. I was all YAAAAAAASSS when I saw you mention their TED talks.
No Sam Harris? I remember you introducing me to him via his Moral Landscape talk years ago…
Totally forgot that one. Thanks!
I also enjoyed Monica Lewinsky’s Ted talk.
Me too! Was just discussing this talk with a friend! So happy for Monica Lewinsky that she could find strength and purpose after her horrible experience, and that she has become an advocate for others
I really recommend My Stroke of Insight – http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uoWp52mfUjg
Abraham Verghese
Gets very meaningful at 15:00, esp if you know someone affected by AIDS
Mark Henrick’s talk… Holy shit. I cried more or less the whole video. As someone who struggles with suicidal thoughts almost daily, this one was like a nine iron to the gut. His stories are absolutely heartbreaking. The message is powerful and empowering to those with mental illness: we deserve to be heard and understood, that we need to be included in the conversation. And he inspired me to be braver, even just a tiny bit.
The Srivastava talk was killer. I kind of feel like I understand you more after watching that one. Thank you so much for posting these.