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sandy stone

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A new policy of censorship on TEDx, what happened to open conversations?

Rupert Sheldrake and Graham Hancock's talks were both censored after radical atheist Jerry Coyne started a campaign to have these talks removed. Does TED really believe the public needs to be protected from new ideas? Are we not smart enough to make up our own minds?

BTW, TED's claim that the talks remain (in a secret and difficult to access corner of the web) online, so that doesn't "count" as censorship is completely disengenious. Why not have open debates bewteen Sheldrake and Coyne? Shouldn't the discussion be opened up rather than closed down?

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Closing Statement from sandy stone

I think the strongest points have been made by the many, many internet bloggers who have spoken out against TED on the issue of censorship. I wish TED would have allowed me to continue posting the links, but they are shutting down this conversation early. Thankfully, the conversation continues elsewhere.

I have to say it surprising how little the TED faithful have to say in defense of TED. Even I don't think TED is all bad. I've enjoyed many of the videos posted over the years. I would suggest that anyone who likes a particular video should download it in case it does get censored at some point.

I'll give the final word to the many bloggers out there who refuse to be silenced:

http://weilerpsiblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/the-psi-wars-come-to-ted/
http://www.realitysandwich.com/how_visionary_too_visionary
http://robinwestenra.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-science-delusion.html
http://rockandrollphilosopher.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/teds-censorship-of-rupert-sheldrake-and-graham-hancock/
http://dailygrail.com/Fresh-Science/2013/3/TED-Deletes-Talks-Rupert-Sheldrake-and-Graham-Hancock
http://www.disinfo.com/2013/03/graham-hancock-calls-out-teds-blatant-censorship/
http://beforeitsnews.com/awesome-time-wasters/2013/03/ted-talks-no-longer-sharing-graham-hancock-and-rupert-sheldrakes-talks-2447482.html
http://www.change.org/petitions/ted-stop-the-censoring-of-the-graham-hancock-tedx-talks-video
http://www.disinfo.com/2013/03/graham-hancock-refutes-teds-allegations-defends-reputation/
http://monkeywah.typepad.com/paranormalia/2013/03/rupert-sheldrake-at-ted.html
http://consciouslifenews.com/ted-ideas-worth-censoring-ted-conference-censors-graham-hancock-rupert-sheldrake/1151873/
mbermagnoliahill.tumblr.com/post/45362178943/super-fascinating-watching-the-aftermath-today-of
http://celestial-reflections.blogspot.ca/2013/03/teds-war-on-consciousness.html
https://www.facebook.com/Author.GrahamHancock?v=wall&viewas=0
http://www.sheldrake.org/homepage.html

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  • reine des violettes

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    Mar 17 2013: I regret to say,following recent events, that I find I have now lost interest in TED, and will no longer be contributing time,energy and thought to these conversations.
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      Krisztián Pintér 200+

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      Mar 17 2013: except this last bit i suppose
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        sandy stone 30+

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        Mar 17 2013: Why are you so surprised that people find censorship offensive, Krisztian?

        TED pretends to be about spreading new ideas and having open conversations... but then the dirty truth about TED was revealed and people are angry about it. Not just angry, but sad. Reports surfacing on the internet are suggesting that many topics are off-limits as far as TED is concerned. GMOs is one. Alternative medicine is another taboo subject.

        TED has a dirty underside. People have lost respect for TED.
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          Krisztián Pintér 200+

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          Mar 17 2013: not offensive. disappointing. censorship is so much different, and you people should know it. censorship is not when you can not use someone else's media to promote your ideas. censorship is when you can use no media to promote your ideas, not even your own.

          you probably have never seen censorship. i did. be happy with this state of affairs.
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        sandy stone 30+

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        Mar 17 2013: Krisztian, The reason there is less censorship where I live is because people have fought and died to protect freedom of speech. I served in my country's military because I believe freedom is something precious that has to be protected.

        Freedoms can be easily eroded away, bit by bit. Maybe this is just a tiny issue to you, but if you look the other way, things will only get worse.
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          Krisztián Pintér 200+

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          Mar 17 2013: i suggest you follow up what happened in 1956, and then formulate an opinion who fought and who did not.

          you fight not for freedom, but for your own agenda. freedom includes putting whatever i goddam please on my own website. you still refused to change your opening statement as i requested, and for a good reason: it is your work, and i have no say in that. just like you have no say what is going to the ted website, and what is not. crackpottery is not. and it is good. i mean, i like it. you don't have to.
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        sandy stone 30+

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        Mar 17 2013: Just for the record, I'm not an American, my country doesn't have the same history.

        Canada came up with the idea of Peacekeeping. Not the missiles. People wearing bright blue berets who stand in between two sides of a conflict in the hopes that peace can be fostered with a little attention and care.
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        sandy stone 30+

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        Mar 17 2013: Maybe you should care. You seem to care about preserving the status of the TED organization. Sadly, you aren't really helping the cause by posting abusive comments. Why not take a more active tole in trying to fix TED? TED's reputation has been seriously damaged and if you value the organization then why not get involved and make changes?

        Isn't that better than what you are doing now? Right now you aren't having any effect on making the world a better place. But you can change that. I'm serious.
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          Krisztián Pintér 200+

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          Mar 17 2013: i could not care less about ted. i disagree with a lot of decisions they make. i also don't like the amount of "happiness over truth" content, and occasional leftist political agenda (jennifer granholm). but that is fine. at the same time i find a lot of good stuff, like rosling, ramachandran, dennett, mitra.

          but what bothers me great deal is people trying to impose rules on others. that sort of taliban mindset, declaring what is good what is bad, and fighting to the last drop of blood. mind your own business, and stop waging war on people using their own stuff, just because they use it differently than you see appropriate. bad news: nobody cares about your worldview. if you don't like ted, get the hell out of here.
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        sandy stone 30+

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        Mar 17 2013: So no one who disagrees with you is allowed to post on TED? I was unaware you had that much authority? hehehehe....
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          Krisztián Pintér 200+

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          Mar 17 2013: i understand your post almost entirely. i just don't understand the "so" part of it. "so" seems to imply that you have deduced that from what i have said. but it does not follow in any way.
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      sandy stone 30+

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      Mar 17 2013: Reine, I know a lot of people have moved on, which is to be expected. Once my conversation times out, I'll be moving on as well. But at least I can provide links and information here so that others can see where everyone is going. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Thanks!

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