TED Talks

As we head into Thanksgiving, difficult topics are bound to come up around the dinner table.  We hear about a new effort in Nashua called 1000 Conversations, which is aimed at getting people to talk outside of their own cultural groups.  Those involved say this kind of dialogue has wide-ranging benefits.

GUESTS:

Since its inception in 1984, the annual TED conference has grown to attract the likes like Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall and many other big-name speakers . Today, TED talks routinely go viral across social media platforms, and the concept has multiplied into countless international TED Global and regional TEDx events, and even spawned an NPR program, the TED-radio hour.  Despite that undeniable success, our guest Benjamin Bratton spoke at a recent San Diego TEDx event and dared to ask whether the ideas presented at TED really are worth spreading.

TED is the world-wide home for “Ideas Worth Spreading,” and the non-profit organization’s event videos are watched by an eager audience of millions.  People wanted their own local TED experience, and the TEDx phenomenon grew quickly with over 5700 events since starting in 2009.

This Saturday, Virginia will be hosting TEDx Amoskeag Millyard… a satellite TED event at the Millyard in Manchester. The theme is  co-innovation, and the presenters include thought leaders in business, education, and the arts, including our guest, John Herman.  He’s a filmmaker, stage producer, and a finalist candidate for Spaceflight, and last but not least, a full time high school English teacher.