Video Antidote to Britney on the VMAs

Katherine Mangu-Ward | September 13, 2007

For those not familiar with the TED talks, they started in 1984 as part of a conference on Technology, Entertainment, and Design. Now about 1,000 people go every year to hear a bazillion talks slated for 18 minutes each, on new big ideas that matter. Some of the best of those talks are posted online, with a couple of new talks going up every week.

So if you're feeling ashamed of yourself for YouTubing Britney's VMA performance, make amends with a couple of these fascinating talks.

Just in the last month: Stephen Pinker on the myth of violence (we're getting less and less violent), Lexicographer Erin McKean on redefining the dictionary (words and paper are not a very good pair--the video embedded above), Segway inventor Dean Kamen on a new prosthetic arm (until recently, all we could give full arm amputees was "a stick and hook").

Comments

Timothy|9.13.07 @ 12:09PM|#

Say it with me kids: ANTIDOTE.

|9.13.07 @ 12:14PM|#

Sir Ken Robinson's spiel about education is definitely worth your time

http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/69

KMW|9.13.07 @ 12:14PM|#

Damn. Fixed.

Drawn Asunder|9.13.07 @ 12:15PM|#

TED talks are great, but sweet boneless Christ you'd think they'd be able to figure out a way to have a single page listing of all their speakers.

Timothy|9.13.07 @ 12:29PM|#

I have always enjoyed ZeFrank's talks at TED, so I'll have to check out some of the others.

|9.13.07 @ 12:29PM|#

Can someone recommend the link for the TED Talk on the topic of TED Talk downloads crashing my browser?

|9.13.07 @ 12:30PM|#

The proper antidote to "Britney at the VMAs" would be the "Hot Britney of a few years ago who could dance adequately."

Timothy|9.13.07 @ 12:33PM|#

Drawn:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers

Drawn Asunder|9.13.07 @ 12:38PM|#

Timothy:

My point exactly - speakers spread over 12 pages... lame

Drawn Asunder|9.13.07 @ 12:40PM|#

too many steves:

somewhere buried deep within their site there is a link for subscribing to podcasts. That'll get you the video files without having to visit their site, if it gives you problems. (and also show you all the speakers available, even if their not well sorted)

|9.13.07 @ 12:53PM|#

Thanks.

VM|9.13.07 @ 12:58PM|#

hier is an even more creepier (sic) vid...

Marina @ Sufficient Thrust|9.13.07 @ 1:18PM|#

Those of you having trouble loading the website can search for TED in iTunes -- it's a free vodcast.

I second the earlier recommendation of Sir Ken Robinson's talk -- brilliance.

I also really enjoyed Andrew Mwenda telling Bono (indirectly) to screw off and stop buying corrupt government officials cars. George Ayittey was also excellent.

What Vik Muniz can do with sugar is nothing short of amazing.

|9.13.07 @ 1:58PM|#

A couple years ago, Steven Levitt gave an interesting lecture at TED entitled [url=http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/29]Why Do Crack Dealers Still Live with Their Moms?[/url]

It's a look at the economics of the black market in drugs, and quite interesting.

|9.13.07 @ 1:59PM|#

Ok, here's the link:

Why Do Crack Dealers Still Live with Their Mom?

Next up:
A lecture on why I fail to use preview when I should.

K.|9.13.07 @ 2:35PM|#

TED's great.

Another great source of interesting vids is MIT:

http://mitworld.mit.edu/video_index.php

Drawn Asunder|9.13.07 @ 4:15PM|#

More good speeches/lectures:

Princeton lectures:
http://www.princeton.edu/WebMedia/lectures/

Slate/Robert Wright's "Meaning of Life TV":
http://meaningoflife.tv/

And here's a more concise list of TED speakers:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/atoz

dhex|9.13.07 @ 4:44PM|#

totally unrelated and NSFW (mildly)

what really happened:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEWIw-a0GJw

i larfed.