Photo: TEDx Somerville
First up: We need to talk about TED - Sunday Extra, RN
"Are TED talks truly 'ideas worth spreading'? Or just indoctrination from an American Idol-style infotainment cult?"
I wanted to hear this story as soon as I heard the promo. Like most people, I've watched the odd TED talk, I've even been to a TEDx gathering in Canberra fairly recently. But I've never been a die-hard fan, which may sound silly but I know people who believe in the concept so strongly that they've given up their spare time to volunteer on extravagant local events that are months in the making. In Sydney, you can't just buy a ticket either, you have to put in an application.
The guest in this segment argues that TED talks have fostered an unrealistically optimistic view of some of the world's biggest issues, and has started to impact grants for research projects.
I definitely left the TEDx event I attended a little confused. It was a pretty feel good, uplifting affair with great food in the breaks and a live band to keep people energised as they came back into the auditorium. People were excited and so encouraging of the presenters, it was almost like they were geared up to love it from the start so it was great to hear a critical perspective on the ever-growing TED.
And: Longform podcast #88 - Sam Biddle
This was a recommendation from Lee Tran Lam, and at first glance, not something I would have sought out myself. Sam Biddle is a tech reporter who started out at Gizmodo, where he wrote about new products and says he got caught up in the hype that surrounds the industry. Now he works for Valleywag, which he describes as a tabloid tech website where he'll report on the personal lives of Silicon Valley's execs. I was quickly sucked into this interview, and the idea of a tabloid website with a (kind of) noble cause.
I caught this when it went to air. I was wondering when the TED backlash would begin. Right about the same time the Alain De Botton backlash has begun as it turns out. I don't think it's TEDs fault. TED is just trying to do one simple thing well - offer a platform for the succinct expression of ideas. It's the audience that is the issue. What's with the bizarre evangelical hysteria of these TED audiences? It's quite unhinged, and definitely a social phenomenon worth investigating. My theory is it ties in with fear of the future - so hearing positive ideas for the future is almost creating a euphoric rush in people, a temporary overcoming of the fear. By the way, I also don't mind Alain De Botton, I think it's his critics that have the issue. It's good to hear philosophy in words that make sense. He's not dumbing down philosophy, because philosophy is often about incredibly basic concepts, but expressed with convoluted rhetoric. Alain is just removing the convolution.
ReplyDeleteI do think TED has some inherent faults - there's definitely pressure for the presenter to be charismatic, engaging and articulate for it to work on a stage. I also think there's an emphasis on ideas being bold and new. I like the Pecha Kucha model, where there isn't an overarching message, just a lo-fi, short presentation on what your'e working on at the moment, with in-built opportunities for goofiness with the slide changing automatically every 20 seconds. I'm in favour of smaller, local events where you can listen to the idea but also become more aware of someone in your immediate community who is doing something interesting but not necessarily earth-shattering.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about Alain de Botton! Part of me wants him to have a conversation with David Sedaris on stage :)
I think the Alain de Botton backlash started as soon as he became famous - highbrow types will always shoot down someone whose job title starts with 'pop' and ends with 'ologist', or in Alain's case 'osopher'.
ReplyDeleteSonya, Alain came up in a conversation I had with Sean where I was recommending his Richard Fidler Conversation about the news. A very funny, well thought out, well performed rant, it perfectly articulates my own misgivings about the news. I love how at the end Alain thanks Richard for giving him an hour to deliver his message. Recommended listening:
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/04/01/3975872.htm
On the topic of TED, I too heard this interview live, and thought it was very interesting that TED could be influencing what research gets funded. Big burden on scientists to be good communicators these days, but I'm not sure if that's a bad thing. I'm totally ambivalent about TED, but I think if you regard it as light entertainment it's quite enlightening. I reckon Alain de Botton would think it's a great mass media alternative to the news.