TED is a cultural phenomenon, and if you don’t know about it already, you should.
Since 1990, TED (short for Technology, Entertainment and Design) has been the premier venue for thinkers, creators and researchers to come together and share ideas at conferences. The resulting talks, covering all sorts of wide ranging topics, are captured on video, and as the site’s tagline says, are “ideas worth spreading.”
Since TED began posting many of their talks online for free, as well as allowing independent producers across the planet to producer their own TED talks, the website has become one of the most visited places for people seeking a healthy dose of inspiration and creativity. TED’s YouTube page has over 133 million views; traffic is even higher on the company website.
Having DJ’d the live TED 2012 conference in Long Beach, I can say from experience that the vibe at TED is incredible. Some of the biggest players in technology and science gather to discuss and hone groundbreaking products and ideas. The most watched TED videos, however, usually have to do with inspiration and improvement, looking at reality from a fresh perspective. Below are some that have inspired me the most. I hope they do the same for you.
Brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor knew all about what happens inside your head when a stroke occurs, which is why she knew what was going on when she suffered her own. This remarkable talk about the unleashing of creativity that occurred after her stroke and the insights it offered despite the pain and confusion that went along with it will leave you feeling a new sense of empathy and empowerment in your own life.
Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love and the inspiration behind the movie Coyote Ugly, discusses how we all have genius potential within us. Her humorous tale of the struggle as a writer and the demons she faces in the process, not to mention the humility involved in following her personal bliss, is a fascinating look inside the mind of someone who stops at nothing to do what she loves. It’s a motivational tour de force.
A Journey to The Center of Your Mind
V.S. Ramachandran, author of the highly influential The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Quest For What Makes Us Human, reveals the overarching concept of his book in this concise talk where he tries to answer the question: Where does creativity come from?
Rob Legato has created the visual illusions for movies like Hugo, Titanic and Apollo 13. His talk discusses the importance of fantasy and what role such awe plays in our lives.
