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Last post Author Topic: Against TED talks  (Read 41343 times)

wraith808

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #50 on: March 18, 2014, 09:15 PM »
Ever attend a 2-day trade or industry insider conference? Those aren't cheap either. These things go on convention budgets. Depending on the location, the facilities, and the number of days, it can add up fast. I just spent last Saturday night at a small inn about 300 miles from where I live. Cost for the night = $235. The week before I was in NYC at one of the Hiltons since I couldn't find anything else for the days I needed to be there. Price per night $424, I've also worked in a hotel. Back in the 80s when they hosted conferences where I worked, the conferences were getting an average of $800-1200 a day to attend. A now defunct guitar Workshop I used to attend offered a 5-day program that ran in a resort someplace out west. Cost to attend = $5250 to $6000. The normal price for the very same workshop held at a local boarding school in my state during summer recess = $1200 for the classes plus an additional $800 to stay in a school dorm room with four other people.

TED seems to be on the higher midrange of what these things tend to charge.

Indeed I have.  But you know the difference?  The other conferences I've attended are for profit.  The ones that I've attended that have been for non-profits and/or for PR haven't been nearly as expensive.  And they have sponsors.  And I did look on the site before, and never got anything other than their initiatives, and the spiel about being a non-profit and that they don't pay their speakers.

40hz

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #51 on: March 19, 2014, 12:06 AM »
@Wraith - I guess I'm a little colorblind in the "non" profit end of the spectrum. ;D  I have been ever since TV Ministries, hospitals, well-heeled universities and colleges have all had that legal distinction conferred on them. Like so many other charming things of the past (i.e. 'public' broadcasting) I don't really think the designation 'non-profit' means much beyond tax treatment these days. Especially now that political action groups can also be non-profit "educational" organizations.

But I think we're getting a little away from the earlier point made by Renegade who was saying the TED talks are something the world would be better off without.

To clarify my position, what I'm saying is: regardless of the organization behind the talks, or the possible motivation of its sponsors (motivations which I suspect are both numerous and varied) this does not take away from the fact that there is considerable value in continuing to have such a venue. And that a deal of good (intentional or otherwise) comes out of it.

I'll neither attack nor defend the Sapling Foundation, the organization or policies behind the TED conferences, its corporate sponsors, or the issue of what a "real" non-profit organization should or shouldn't be. That stuff is what it is. All I am interested in - and will speak in favor of - are the presentations or talks themselves. I'm only interested in what (some) of the presenters have to say. Because in most cases I would have never heard about them except through TED.

So I'm willing to put up with whatever may or may not be going on in the background. FWIW - if it's "wheeling & dealing" ...well...that's gonna go on regardless of whether or not the venue continues. The real movers, shakers, and makers (along with the takers, and fakers) all know each other, and can (and do) talk to each other even when TED isn’t in town. So it's not like they need some excuse to get together since they could just as easily pick up the phone. Because that's how the tech world works.

The TED Conferences (as opposed to the actual presentations) remind me of this 'foxhunt' around where I live. It's a pretty exclusive country club sort of thing with all that implies.

A few times a year this place opens its grounds to the general public for an event. Usually for some local charity. If you go you'll see the usual invisible dividing line that separates the club members from the rest of the world. It's not an overt thing. But it's there just the same. Because these people know each other. They do business with each other. They speak the same language and generally dress the same. Their kids go to school and play with each other. So the average event visitor stands out like a sore thumb.

Does that mean they're a bunch of elitist snobs? Well...some of them are to be sure. But most are very polite - unless unduly crowded or put upon.

The TED Conferences are a lot like that. Much, in fact, like a major film festival: there's an "in" group - and there's everyone else who's also attending. That doesn't detract from the films being shown - just what private parties you'll be invited to afterwards. If that's the sort of thing that offends you, then you're better off staying home. Because that's pretty much how the world works about 90% of the time. And TED is no different.

allaccess.jpg

I'm happy to skip all that nonsense and just enjoy the actual show.
 :)
« Last Edit: March 19, 2014, 07:57 AM by 40hz »

wraith808

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #52 on: March 19, 2014, 10:43 AM »
The TED Conferences are a lot like that. Much, in fact, like a major film festival: there's an "in" group - and there's everyone else who's also attending. That doesn't detract from the films being shown - just what private parties you'll be invited to afterwards. If that's the sort of thing that offends you, then you're better off staying home. Because that's pretty much how the world works about 90% of the time. And TED is no different.

Oh, I totally agree.  It's just that though it's obvious to *you* and to *others* that they aren't fully altruistic and philanthropic, they present themselves as that way.  And that's one of the few things that I totally and utterly despise.

40hz

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #53 on: March 19, 2014, 10:59 AM »
The TED Conferences are a lot like that. Much, in fact, like a major film festival: there's an "in" group - and there's everyone else who's also attending. That doesn't detract from the films being shown - just what private parties you'll be invited to afterwards. If that's the sort of thing that offends you, then you're better off staying home. Because that's pretty much how the world works about 90% of the time. And TED is no different.

Oh, I totally agree.  It's just that though it's obvious to *you* and to *others* that they aren't fully altruistic and philanthropic, they present themselves as that way.  And that's one of the few things that I totally and utterly despise.

I understand.  :huh: But doesn't that leave a lot of despising to do since so many public entities ("Konigen, Kirchen, und Dumheit") do the same thing. I just want to get pissed off every so often. I don't want it to become my full time job. ;D (kidding...)
« Last Edit: March 19, 2014, 11:24 AM by 40hz »

Renegade

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #54 on: March 20, 2014, 11:42 AM »
But for me, and others I suspect, the problem here is that you explicitly attack this particular video, with no real reason, with no backing for your 'dripping with agenda' claim. And that's how you lauch into the topic.
Meh.

I'm about to start screaming.

SCREAMING


WHAT PART OF THIS WAS UNCLEAR????

Absolutely! There is a lot of good stuff in some TED talks. The thing is you've got to pick the razor blades out of the apples first. Swallowing without knowing what you're ingesting is a really bad idea, and especially so with TED.

TED is sexy.

TED is cool.

TED is fun.

TED is all those things wrapped up in a potpourri filled box with a fancy bow on top.


WHAT PART OF THIS WAS UNCLEAR????

I watched the entire video. And it looks cool, but the agenda there makes me question what's going on. Some people are just pawns...

I am NOT going to get into the agenda. That's Basement material and would very quickly get this thread sent down there. I'm not going to destroy this thread for that. You should know that by now.

I've already pushed the limits there. Any more and it's **poof** for this thread.

If anything you should thank me for that.




If they don't, then why does it cost $6K-8.5K to attend?  Where does that money go?  That's a *lot* of money to think that they only "facilitate public forums on random topics".

Bingo! Follow the money!


I still can't help thinking anything that helps tear down info silos and helps make technology and deeper thinking more accessible to a general audience can't be a bad thing.

Hard core porn wonderful, but it isn't sex education. How is the question framed? TED frames technology inside of an agenda. I have a problem with that.


Not that these guardians are doing anything that interesting or significant on their own to offer TED's audience an alternative. (I've called out a few of the more hipster types and asked why they weren't doing something to replace it. Most of replies were worthy of a 15-year old in both the choice of language and debate tactics employed.)

Knowing what the problem is and having $50 million are different things.


There may be very little in life where I agree with Renegade, but TED is one.

See! I'm not a 100% raving mad lunatic! ;D


@Wraith - I guess I'm a little colorblind in the "non" profit end of the spectrum. ;D  I have been ever since TV Ministries, hospitals, well-heeled universities and colleges have all had that legal distinction conferred on them. Like so many other charming things of the past (i.e. 'public' broadcasting) I don't really think the designation 'non-profit' means much beyond tax treatment these days. Especially now that political action groups can also be non-profit "educational" organizations.

I'm with you there. I will never donate to any charities anymore. Done. There's way too much abuse, and I don't have the time to vet them. It's sad, but that's how it is.


But I think we're getting a little away from the earlier point made by Renegade who was saying the TED talks are something the world would be better off without.

Because it doesn't matter how damn fresh the orange juice is... if it's laced with GHB, you can expect to get raped.


To clarify my position, what I'm saying is: regardless of the organization behind the talks, or the possible motivation of its sponsors (motivations which I suspect are both numerous and varied) this does not take away from the fact that there is considerable value in continuing to have such a venue. And that a deal of good (intentional or otherwise) comes out of it.


They could do all the techy cool stuff without the sappy agenda nonsense. It's like pissing in a perfectly good beer. What kind of asshole does that?


It's just that though it's obvious to *you* and to *others* that they aren't fully altruistic and philanthropic, they present themselves as that wayAnd that's one of the few things that I totally and utterly despise.


Yep. That's another one of those reasons to take TED with a cow-lick of salt...


I'm happy to skip all that nonsense and just enjoy the actual show.
 :)

Y'know one of those things that I really can't stand when watching a show... Stupid f*ck scenes. I hate them. I can't stand idiotic sex onscreen for no reason. If I want to see that, I'll get some porn.

Ketchup is great on a hotdog. It's kind of crappy for spaghetti or ice cream.

TED poisons decent content with sick agendas. THAT is why I loathe TED.
 
Slow Down Music - Where I commit thought crimes...

Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong. - John Diefenbaker

40hz

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #55 on: March 20, 2014, 03:08 PM »
Y'know one of those things that I really can't stand when watching a show... Stupid f*ck scenes. I hate them. I can't stand idiotic sex onscreen for no reason. If I want to see that, I'll get some porn.

Ren, you're utterly hopeless. I don't think this planet is big enough to hold a second brush as broad as the one you paint with.

But we wouldn't have you be any other way. ;D :Thmbsup:

And I still don't think the presentations made at TED are part of some vast AREA-51 level conspiracy like you seem to think they are. Peace! 8)

Target

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #56 on: March 20, 2014, 03:16 PM »
See! I'm not a 100% raving mad lunatic! ;D

that's not a given, there could just be 2 of you now :o

40hz

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #57 on: March 20, 2014, 03:25 PM »
See! I'm not a 100% raving mad lunatic! ;D

that's not a given, there could just be 2 of you now :o

@Target - Brill! :Thmbsup: :Thmbsup:

You also don't have to have 100% correlation in order for something to be considered statistically valid enough to be accepted as fact.

"It's near enough for beer" as the saying goes. ;D

Renegade

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #58 on: March 21, 2014, 12:29 AM »
Y'know one of those things that I really can't stand when watching a show... Stupid f*ck scenes. I hate them. I can't stand idiotic sex onscreen for no reason. If I want to see that, I'll get some porn.

Ren, you're utterly hopeless. I don't think this planet is big enough to hold a second brush as broad as the one you paint with.

But we wouldn't have you be any other way. ;D :Thmbsup:

And I still don't think the presentations made at TED are part of some vast AREA-51 level conspiracy like you seem to think they are. Peace! 8)

Ahem...Why don't we take a quick trip down the "conspiracy" rabbit hole with respect to some TED sponsors?

https://www.google.c...hildren+nigeria+2009

http://www.independe...eriment-1663402.html

From the crowd that had gathered at the Kano Infectious Diseases Hospital, 200 sick children were picked. Half were given doses of the experimental Pfizer drug called Trovan and the others were treated with a proven antibiotic from a rival company.

Eleven of the children died and many more, it is alleged, later suffered serious side-effects ranging from organ failure to brain damage. But with meningitis, cholera and measles still raging and crowds still queueing at the fence of the camp, the Pfizer team packed up after two weeks and left.

An 11% mortality rate...

TED is in bed with criminal organizations. Period. There is no debate there.

Well, unless murdering kids in Nigeria is perfectly ok with you... Then I suppose that there's some wiggle room. ;)

If anyone wants to connect a couple dots... I'll leave you with this. (FAIR WARNING - THAT LINK IS EXTREMELY DISTURBING. Really. It's enough to make you sick or bring you to tears. It is, however, unfortunately factual.)

Here's a bucket of sand if anyone wants to bury their head.

Ahem... about the company you keep? TED? Just maybe perhaps?

The companies that sponsor TED are guilty of doing the exact opposite of what is pushed in TED talks. They don't save lives - they take them. Quod erat demonstrandum.
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Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong. - John Diefenbaker

40hz

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #59 on: March 21, 2014, 01:21 AM »
@Ren - it's starting to sound more than a little insulting. I really hope this thread doesn't end up in the basement because of.  :)

mouser

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #60 on: March 21, 2014, 01:30 AM »
It's not the conspiracy nut stuff per se that gets things moved to the basement -- but when entire threads start to become filled with these posts that it gets exhausting.  If you have an opinion by all means post it, but then take a break and give the rest of the population a chance to express their thoughts (and digest what you've written).

40hz

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #61 on: March 21, 2014, 01:48 AM »
It's certainly generating a lot more heat than light lately.

I think I'll bow out of this discussion.  :)


Target

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #62 on: March 21, 2014, 03:01 AM »
at the risk of poking the snake with a stick, still seems like guilt by association to me.

as far as I can see all you've managed to do so far is paint TED black with someone elses deeds.

I'm not defending any of the parties here, I'm pretty sure we all know that many of the big commercial entities are far from paragons, but I've yet to hear anything that indicates that TED does anything other than provide a forum.

Is there an agenda there?  I have no idea, and given the breadth and depth of both subjects and presenters I'm guessing it would pretty hard to see anyway.

meh...

wraith808

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #63 on: March 21, 2014, 11:28 AM »
at the risk of poking the snake with a stick, still seems like guilt by association to me.

as far as I can see all you've managed to do so far is paint TED black with someone elses deeds.

I'm not defending any of the parties here, I'm pretty sure we all know that many of the big commercial entities are far from paragons, but I've yet to hear anything that indicates that TED does anything other than provide a forum.

Is there an agenda there?  I have no idea, and given the breadth and depth of both subjects and presenters I'm guessing it would pretty hard to see anyway.

meh...

I'm not even going down the guilt by association bit- there's more than enough questions about TED just from looking at the number of sponsors and cost.

mouser

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #64 on: March 26, 2016, 10:55 AM »
How to sound smart while giving your TED talk:

barney

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #65 on: March 30, 2016, 09:49 PM »
How to sound smart while giving your TED talk:
Thank you mouser!
Actually, don't know whether to thank you or curse you  :-\.  Gave up on TED after the 3rd or 4th viewing, when it became evident that the presentations were more political/opinion than truly informational/scientific.  Now I'll have to find the time to go back and review the few that I watched, and watch a few more, with this in mind (hence the possible curse  :P).  In either case, this has been the most educational and informative TED that I've seen or am likely to see (prejudgement?!?)

Funny thing is, I learned [or maybe not?] all this when I was given presentation training.  Just hadn't thought to apply it to TED  :mad: [sigh /].

Stoic Joker

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #66 on: March 31, 2016, 06:48 AM »
Mouser - That was by far the coolest presentation I've ever seen. :Thmbsup:

Mark0

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #67 on: April 27, 2016, 03:57 PM »
I recommend this TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson even just (or especially) for the laughs! :D


Mikky111

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Re: Against TED talks
« Reply #68 on: May 01, 2016, 08:08 AM »
İs that any other video from TED group