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We Are Now at Peak TED

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Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#61

Post by alexashka »

randycupertino wrote: post #52
ryanobjc wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is exactly my thoughts on what's wrong with TED. It's not in the pursuit of the truth. Therefore, it's in the pursuit of status. You can see this among those who wave around TED talks they have seen as some kind of currency. "Oh have you seen the TED talk about Y? It's so amazing!" But also, by their nature, the talks cant dive deep. People are there to be amused and kind of learn, but real education is difficul…

That's why the "Ted Talk about Nothing" is one of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S0FDjFBj8o Their manner of speaking reminds me of American Dad making fun of Ira Glass. Why is pausing??! Doesn't he know what he's going to say next??? AAAAHH. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUvQdoOEDGw

Wow that talk about nothing is really well done :)

Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#62

Post by alexashka »

randycupertino wrote: post #51
alexashka wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps I'm nitpicking but charisma gets people to listen, that's it. It is not related to the quality of the content. The problem with Tony Robbins is he's mister positive and only focused on personal improvement. These are enormous constraints that ignore the bigger picture. Feynman is great at explaining physics because it's not wishy washy - it is also really not that interesting past the cute basics, sooner or l…

My friend paid $5500 to go to a Tony Robbins seminar in Florida last fall- in addition to flights from SF, hotels, food, etc. She walked on coals and got to take some cool selfies with various people. When she came home, she was 7k poorer and I asked her what they talked about. She raved about the "experience" but didn't seem like she'd garnered any real insights other than to be positive and the same old The Secret…

A lot of it is what you get from it, right?

I view Tony Robbins as a mystery - because I just can't quite figure him out.

He's rich so he doesn't have to continue. He seems genuine.

And yet, his overall message seems to largely be 'YEAH, YOU CAN DO IT! WOO!'

Just take massive action baby! Baby steps, start small, build, iterate, you can do it!

I am still not sure what the content is or if his presentation is a massive distraction.

That I can't quite tell what his overall point is worries me, and yet I can't believe that he's full of shit. So he's trying to do a good thing, he is succeeding in terms of money but maybe not so much in terms of actual results...

I don't know, Tony is a mystery remaining to be solved.

Those going to his seminars - I think they're just misguided. The steps to fix your life are not at a seminar, they're in improving your life, one step at a time. It's a life decision to strive for excellence. If you haven't come to that point and you're 30, it is probably too late.

If you have come to that point and you're 30, you don't need Tony's help.

So who's he really helping but the blow-hards who want to be 'inspirational' like him?

Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#63

Post by SpanishArch1 »

jerf wrote: post #47
mcphilip wrote: post #34

The Onion Talks series parodying TED talks has some real gems. My favorite: What is the Biggest Rock? http://youtu.be/aO0TUI9r-So

My favorite has to be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOGJQD0WXkk , "Your Brain-Gun: Turn Off the Safety". Much darker.

Quit Whining And Put On A Goddamn Coat is great too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeqwDLsZJn8

Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#64

Post by noonespecial »

I was watching TED talks about two years ago. My (then) 7 year-old paused in the midst of wandering by and watched for about 30 seconds then asked, "Is that like cartoons for big people?".

Yes. Yes it is.

Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#66

Post by greggman »

alexashka wrote: post #62
randycupertino wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My friend paid $5500 to go to a Tony Robbins seminar in Florida last fall- in addition to flights from SF, hotels, food, etc. She walked on coals and got to take some cool selfies with various people. When she came home, she was 7k poorer and I asked her what they talked about. She raved about the "experience" but didn't seem like she'd garnered any real insights other than to be positive and the same old The Secret…

A lot of it is what you get from it, right? I view Tony Robbins as a mystery - because I just can't quite figure him out. He's rich so he doesn't have to continue. He seems genuine. And yet, his overall message seems to largely be 'YEAH, YOU CAN DO IT! WOO!' Just take massive action baby! Baby steps, start small, build, iterate, you can do it! I am still not sure what the content is or if his presentation is a massiv…

I kind of view him as a coach. I know for me there are many things I could do on my own but I find them much easier with a leader/mentor.

Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#67

Post by c06n »

awl130 wrote: post #19

TED is now a full-blown lifestyle company like GoPro or Whole Foods, except instead of one or two celebrity endorsements, they gain a new implicit endorsement every time they book a new speaker. franchising TEDx was a brilliant move; first, for the casual consumer, TED content (by people like Bill Gates) is confounded with TEDx content from some local idiot. from a valuation point of view this increases your average…

> TED is now a full-blown lifestyle company

Hasn't it always been?

Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#68

Post by Agustus »

randycupertino wrote: post #51
alexashka wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps I'm nitpicking but charisma gets people to listen, that's it. It is not related to the quality of the content. The problem with Tony Robbins is he's mister positive and only focused on personal improvement. These are enormous constraints that ignore the bigger picture. Feynman is great at explaining physics because it's not wishy washy - it is also really not that interesting past the cute basics, sooner or l…

My friend paid $5500 to go to a Tony Robbins seminar in Florida last fall- in addition to flights from SF, hotels, food, etc. She walked on coals and got to take some cool selfies with various people. When she came home, she was 7k poorer and I asked her what they talked about. She raved about the "experience" but didn't seem like she'd garnered any real insights other than to be positive and the same old The Secret…

A friend of mine did the same seminar, the thing that you get is positive belief in yourself to conquer anything. This may wane, but if you are down on yourself, Tony Robbins will turn you around.

Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#69

Post by dredmorbius »

snewk wrote: post #23
vidoc wrote: post #10

TED, or the perfect display of what public speaking is today: that is, getting some kind of Tony Robbins on stage, who wont be shy of using the same tricks they learnt at some toaster club, to inspire and wow a crowd that's actually more here to enjoy their charisma rather than their ideas. TED is the absolute evidence that the powerpointization of ideas is in its terminal stage.

so, i have a speaking engagement at a local TEDx event next weekend. I think my topic is both interesting and educational, and the way its presented will (hopefully) get people thinking about the subject in a new way. what do i do? cancel?

If nothing else, it's practice and exposure for you. If your talk's truly worthwhile, you've raised the value proposition for others. If it fits the mold, well, there's that then.

Re: We Are Now at Peak TED

#70

Post by lsc »

alexashka wrote: post #14
vidoc wrote: post #10

TED, or the perfect display of what public speaking is today: that is, getting some kind of Tony Robbins on stage, who wont be shy of using the same tricks they learnt at some toaster club, to inspire and wow a crowd that's actually more here to enjoy their charisma rather than their ideas. TED is the absolute evidence that the powerpointization of ideas is in its terminal stage.

It is pompous entertainment. But then again, I can't help but think of what else a modern conference can be but that. There's a programming conference in my city, a thousand bucks a ticket. All the videos are going to be put online afterwards. Why would I spend a thousand dollars for the privilege of sitting through them with no ability to fast forward? 'Networking' and all that bullshit right? As if we can't organiz…

>It is pompous entertainment. But then again, I can't help but think of what else a modern conference can be but that.

Huh. now, I've only been to technical conferences, for open source operating systems, but the only 'charismatic speakers' you get stay on the sales floor where they belong. I suspect that there is an inverse relationship between the specialized knowledge of the conference attendees and the 'charisma' required of the speakers.

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