TED – Ideas Worth Spreading: innovative creations, thought provoking concepts, mind expanding ideas. And then there is this: “How Our Friendship Survives Our Opposing Politics”. The talk itself is great. The question I have is how did we get here?
When did we become so insular and close-minded that we need a TED Talk devoted to teaching us how to engage with those who think differently from us? Think about this for a bit; it’s mind blowing. The TED Talk platform is predicated on the engagement of individuals who view themselves as naturally open-minded and curious. Yet those very people need a TED Talk to be open-minded and curious.
I commend TED in recognizing this problem. Truthfully, lately several social/political talks that I’ve heard are not as thought provoking as they once were. At times a singular eye opening concept is buried under subjective, emotional and one-sided ideology. A great mind gone to waste as heels are dug in and sides taken and a friendship gets ruined.
The reality is that we are complex. There is no one answer that is the ultimate truth when it comes to humanity, not even in science, perhaps only in basic mathematics. There is a general direction to truth and we find that truth only when we peaceably and respectfully consider and make room for each other.
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