Whether it was in a classroom or on a shared Facebook post of a well-meaning friend, all of us have seen a TED Talks video at some point or another. They give a voice and a platform to countless numbers of people who have incredible things to say and unbelievable experiences to share. Because of this, TED Talks have become deservingly popular and there are now hundreds of them to choose from. So here are some of my favorite TED Talks videos that I think everyone should watch.
1. “If I should have a daughter” — Sarah Kay
This video was my first real introduction to spoken word poetry. While I have always avoided poetry, claiming that it wasn’t for me because I wasn’t creative or talented enough to write it and not quite skilled enough to understand it, this video showed me how much I was missing out on. Sarah Kay’s performance left me in awe and showed me the way that someone says something truly can be just as important as what they are saying. Her story of how she discovered her passion for spoken word poetry will leave you itching to give it a try, even if it's only in your bedroom to an audience full of stuffed animals.
2. “Do schools kill creativity?” — Ken Robinson
Education is something that all of us should be concerned with—student or not. It is education that shapes our future and guides our youth, which is why it is so important to get it right. But Robinson implies that our current system is incredibly outdated; that the world has changed drastically, but our style of education hasn’t done the same. It trains children to the mundane tasks of 100 years ago that simply aren’t an option anymore. Our very flawed belief that children should only focus on things that will guarantee a job is hurting children and killing their creativity.
3. “Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model” — Cameron Russell
Regardless of what we would like to admit, we are all more conscious of how we look than we would like. How we look and how others see us inevitably has effects on our lives, whether they are good or bad. And even though it is far from fair, the truth is that being pretty or light skinned or having other features that society encourages, is absolutely beyond your control and yet they can change your life so drastically. In a world where models are splayed on every magazine, commercial and billboard and seen as having an incredible fun filled glamorous life, Russell challenges these views. She reminds us of the fact that we too often forget, how so much of this is simply an illusion.
“How to make stress your friend” — Kelly McGonigal
Stress is something that all of us deal with on a daily basis, so why do most of us know so little about it? In this TED Talks, McGonigal acknowledges that stress in an inevitable part of our life and instead of providing us with a long list of suggestions to get rid of it, she instead challenges our traditional beliefs about stress and its effect. She suggests that what is harming us is not the stress itself but how we think about and approach it. She shows us the importance of interacting with and making meaningful connections with others in stressful times, and how it just might save your life.
