Ideas worth spreading. The slogan of TED, the talks that encourage thought and creativity. TED allows people, often professors and authors, to share their ideas, concerns, and observations with the world.
Many students have possibly watched a TED Talk in a class or cited one in a paper about the search for humanity’s roots or the joy of lexicography. Nevertheless, TED has probably worked its way into your life in one way or another. Have you ever watched one just for fun?
There are TED Talks from Jane Goodall, Stephen Hawking, and Adam Savage. Talks about the design of the universe, rethinking the way we sit down, and what happened to the baby dinosaurs. There are countless enticing Talks that are all posted online, and that are all free to view.
There are amazing stories of immigrations, being deaf in the military, and a story about how Alabamian Mike deGruy got hooked by an octopus on the coast of Australia. Every talk draws you in, it makes you want to listen. It makes you want to learn. However, most of these Talks average around 15-20 minutes, which can be difficult to find the time for, especially for a college student. There’s homework to be done, finals that are about five weeks away, and of course, there are about 20 Netflix series that need watching. With that said, there are quite a few great Talks that are under eight minutes, but if you can find time to watch any of the Talks, I guarantee it will be worth your time.
If you are unsure of where to start, I recommend a Talk given by Dr. John Francis called “Walk the earth… my 17-year vow of silence.” It is a great story of how Francis decided to stop using motorized vehicles after witnessing an oil spill in San Francisco Bay. He then decided that he wasn’t spending enough time listening, and spend 17 years without saying a word. In that time, he managed to get a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies at the University of Oregon. Then spent two years walking to the University of Montana where he got accepted to graduate school, taught classes without speaking, and eventually earned his Ph.D. On the 20th anniversary of Earth Day in Washington, D.C. in 1990 Francis spoke his first words in 17 years, “Thank you for being here.” Just that one Talk made me consider how much I was listening, and how change is the only constant thing in life.
I encourage everyone who reads this article to try to watch at least one, or two, TED Talks a month. It will allow you to see things in a new way, and most of all, it will make you think. After watching a few, you’ll catch yourself thinking about the ideas and stories that were shared, maybe you’ll even re-watch a few. They are quotable, timeless, and expansive. If you took the time to read this article, then take some time, do yourself a favor, and watch a TED Talk. You won’t regret it.
