Wake up. Take a shower. Get dressed. Go to work. Drive home. Eat Dinner. Go back to sleep. Repeat. We, as humans, subconsciously enter a never-ending cycle of life that we are sometimes completely trapped inside of. Whether it be stress at school or work, relationship issues, or lack of sleep, there always seems to be some reason to be distressed about life. TED talks might help alleviate the pain of this dangerous cycle.
If you’ve been living under a rock for the past, oh, ten years, then I’ll fill you in. TED is a platform in which professionals from around the world are called to speak about their passions and inspire others to create a voice in society and speak up about issues that matter to them. TED talks are online recordings of these speeches that are free for the world to access. The topics range from oceanography to politics, and there always seems to be a topic of interest for whatever personality you may be. But, I truly believe that these TED talks, no matter what the topic, help us to unwind and focus on a social issue that matters more than the daily issues we might face. So, to help you start on your binge-watching journey through the thousands of TED talks, here are five of my favorites:
1. Do schools kill creativity? – Ken Robinson
This TED talk has to be one of the greatest speeches of all time. It was given by a man named Sir Ken Robinson and he so perfectly illustrates a picture of the education system of our time through his speech. These 19 minutes are moving, entertaining, and thought-provoking because as the next generation steps up to the plate, we must consider these issues that face our future children.
2. My stroke of insight – Jill Bolte Taylor
In this speech, Taylor effortlessly puts the audience into the mind of a brain scientist and complements her driving passion with her research. After spending so many years studying strokes and their effects on the body, Taylor herself fell victim to one and instead of becoming inhibited by it, she rose up out of her struggles and learned more about a stroke than ever before. Her passion for the subject is so contagious; you can feel her exhilaration through your device screen.
3. How to make stress your friend – Kelly McGonigal
This speech is necessary for those who struggle and cave under large amounts of stress. Many of us firmly believe that the only way to elude stress is to simply get rid of it, but not McGonigal. She argues that stress needs to be seen positively, as more a simple obstacle to jump over instead of a wall to walk through.
4. Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model – Cameron Russell
This TED talk is so important for women of all ages, shapes, sizes, and races to hear. Cameron Russell does a phenomenal job of deconstructing the façade of modeling to what it really is. She asserts that although people think and judge her because of her skinny thighs and shiny hair, she is no more than a mere construction of what her photographers, stylists, producers, and directors build her up to be
5. The power of introverts – Susan Cain
In a world where people are celebrated for being outgoing, loud, and rambunctious, being an introvert can be one of the hardest things for someone to accept. It is difficult, almost shameful, for an introvert to go speak to someone new or give a speech in front of a group of people, but introverts are often looked over because of their timidity. Susan Cain argues that even though you may not be able to hear them, introverts bring extraordinary talents and gifts to the world.
Even if you do not agree with my five favorites, there are so many other options of topics to choose from, it’s almost impossible not to sit down with a bowl of popcorn and a bottle of soda to watch three or four at a time. However, it is important to remember that these TED conferences are more than just a visual entertainment. There is always a major element that the speaker is trying to get across about the world and we, as audience members, should take the argument and apply it to our rigorous, non-stop everyday lives to better the world around us.
