TED: Ideas Worth Spreading
Inspired talks by the world's greatest thinkers and doers
http://www.ted.com/index.phpTED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader.
(including Technology, Entertainment, Design, Business, Science, Arts, and Global Issues.)
The annual conference now brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).
This site makes the best talks and performances from TED available to the public, for free. Almost 150 talks from our archive are now available, with more added each week. These videos are released under a Creative Commons license, so they can be freely shared and reposted.
Our mission: Spreading ideas.
We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we're building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.
TEDTalks began as a simple attempt to share what happens at TED with the world. Under the moniker "ideas worth spreading," talks were released online. They rapidly attracted a global audience in the millions. Indeed, the reaction was so enthusiastic that the entire TED website has been reengineered around TEDTalks, with the goal of giving everyone on-demand access to the world's most inspiring voices.
Today, TED is therefore best thought of as a global community. It's a community welcoming people from every discipline and culture who have just two things in common: they seek a deeper understanding of the world, and they hope to turn that understanding into a better future for us all.
Here is what a few bloggers had to say about TED:
"If you follow only one link from this blog in your life ... this is the one to choose."
— Steven Levitt, freakonomics.com
"If you are looking for something that will expand your mind, open your heart, and possibly rekindle your faith in humankind, a good place to start is listening to the fabulously inspiring presentations made by the best and brightest among us."
— David Sunfellow, nhne.org
"Best website ever, I mean, EVER! I want to use this post to point you to a website where you can hear short lectures from some of the best thinkers around today. It's called TED. Click on the link, go to the TEDTalks page and then tie a bandanna around your forehead because the ideas you'll hear will blow your mind — and I mean that in the best way possible."
— The Lone Tomato, lonetomato.blogspot.com
TED is, in short, an annual rite to the faith that humanity, through intelligence and enlightened interest, can fix any problem if it only applies itself.
-- Economist.com, 3/8/07, "Davos for optimists"
Here is a sampling from the Global Issues Themes and links to a few of the many incredible TEDTalks.
TED Theme: A Greener Future?
http://www.ted.com/themes/view/id/15Traditionally, the environmental debate has been characterized as a choice between economic progress vs. preservation of the planet. Most TED speakers have taken the stance that actually we can have both ... provided we're smart about it. Even Al Gore, the world's leading voice on the climate crisis, argues in his TEDTalk that there are simple steps we can take to avert disaster that would also fuel the economy. Architect William McDonough shows how the power of great design -- working on entire systems -- can create an abundant, sustainable future. Alex Steffen provides numerous exciting examples of such ideas. And Majora Carter tells a moving personal story of her work to bring green space (and with it, ecological and economic benefit) to the South Bronx.
John Doerr sees salvation and profit in greentech
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/128 Al Gore on averting climate crisis
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/1 Majora Carter's tale of urban renewal
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/53 Alex Steffen sees a sustainable future
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/74 E.O. Wilson on saving life on Earth
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/83 Amy Smith shares simple, lifesaving design
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/2 Cameron Sinclair on open-source architecture
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/54Enjoy DUers!
Let go of the fear.
Act for positive change.
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