Anya Kamenetz of Fast Company writes about the TED phenomenon: “By combining the principles of ‘radical openness’ and of ‘leveraging the power of ideas to change the world,’ TED is in the process of creating something brand new. I would go so far as to argue that it’s creating a new Harvard — the first new top-prestige education brand in more than 100 years.” One college professor and TED-lecturer, Barry Schwartz, thinks TED is better than his university environment. “Well, people who come to TED are open to being changed by their interactions and conversations,” says Schwartz. “They’re in an environment where they’re going to learn something new every five minutes. You could create something like that on a college campus, but generally that doesn’t happen.” [%comments]
The Magic That Is TED
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IF we could leverage educational programming for a recognizable degree. IF I watched 1000 hours of Oscar winning and nominated films, I would have a better understanding to critic or even make my own homemade cinema. If you watched an excellent teaching chef earnestly for a 100 hours, it would make you a better cook. Same with auto repair, plumbing and gardening. You could watch a 1000 hours of TED, the Learning Channel or the History Channel, get tested and earn credit.
There is a lot of junk on TV. But maybe 1% is really innovative and educational that combines multimedia, music and even sound effects for a memorable and teachable experience. Imagine how a really great film penetrates your psyche and leaves a searing memory and values like Forrest Gump or the power of Saving Private Ryan. I gotta go tune into Fox News now.
The best thing about TED though? White people like it.
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2010/09/08/134-the-ted-conference/
If any readers of this blog want to sample TED.com try:
Jill Bolte Taylor’s stroke of insight…they tale of a brain scientist having a stroke. Amazing!
I love the educational nature of Wheeler Dealer, where one too-tall mechanic and one car salesman buy cars, show you how to fix them up and sell them. Oddly addictive fare.
Yes, but to what or whom does it “connect the idea-hungry elite”? And why do I get a mental image of the Syracusan elite working Archimedes like a slave to generate ideas that will enable them to fight off the Romans and stay elite?
As for new education brands – I’ll wager that although the Open University was less prestigious, it did a lot more good.
TED is horrifyingly elitist and shallow; it isn’t interested remotely in answers to real questions, but rather to esoterica that does not apply to material-world problems. It is masturbatory elitism at its very worst…
I agree with Doodles..There is something really boring about TED – reminds me of Mensa – when people mention TED, I feel like it is a sign they are half-educated but over-ego-ed, so to speak..
i don’t even know what ‘TED’ is.
Comparing TED to a university is a bit of a stretch. It’s more similar to a cocktail party.
But while there is definitely a pie-in-the-sky aspect to TED, they get some great people to talk about a lot of well-thought research. Sometimes I think they recruit for star quality a bit more than intellectual punch, but it’s definitely a thoughtful conference.