Here is a list of our Top 5 favourite TED Talks of all time:
#5 Paul Miller “A year offline, what I have learned”
Paul Miller may not be the most natural speaker and uses cue cards, but he still reached many with a unique story. Our expectation of TED Talks are amazing inspirational speeches, but these speakers usually prepare for months and have professional teams. TEDx events on the other hand are independently organized and speakers have to rely on their own resources. A must watch on what it is like to not use the Internet.
#4 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi “Flow, the secret to happiness”
The flow experience is commonly described in playing Internet Games (challenging yet achieveable rewards). Also, we used flow in our approach to preparing for TEDx Adelaide. Rather than be anxious or worried about doing a great talk, we looked for flow experiences in preparing for the talk. What flow experiences do you experience in your day?
#3 Sherry Turkle “Connected, but alone”
This one is very close to home as it talks about how technology is making us more alone, not connected. A very powerful message on how a better understanding of technology can change our views on the overall effect of technology.
#2 Tony Robbins “Why we do what we do”
Who doesn’t like Tony Robbins? Even if you don’t like his over the top presenting style, this man has changed many lives and knows a lot about human behaviour by learning from the best. His “6 Needs” is a very good guide to life. Are you meeting your 6 Needs? Sometimes, Internet games can “meet” our needs, but is it real? Or is it distracting us away from ways to meet our needs in real life? The most difficult need to meet online is “contribute beyond ourselves”. Sure you can contribute to your team in winning a game, but gaming really is a selfish activity that only really involves those who play the game. It does not really affect those around you or the world around you in a positive way. Is it time to look at more meaningful ways to contribute to the world?
#1 Sir Ken Robinson “Do schools kill creativity?”
Probably one of THE most popular TED Talks of all time, SKR delivers an important message about all children, using stories and humour.