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We can learn by exchanging and discussing our own lists of "10 Things I Know to be True."
After listening to Sarah Kay's beautiful speech and poetry, I tried to write my own list of "10 Things I know to be True." I learned one thing immediately: I don't know much. I learned a second thing more slowly: that's okay! I tried to distill my limited understanding of the world into this list, without being overly philosophical nor literal.
One thing I know to be true, but that is not on my list, was that Sarah Kay was right when she said that if you share your list with a group of people you will find that someone has one thing very similar, someone else has something totally contrary, another person has something you've never heard of, and still another has something that makes you think further about something you thought you knew.
So let's share ours, and find out! What do your lists have on them?
Here's mine:
1. Fiction can, at times, feel more real than fact.
2. One person, with a good idea, can change our world.
3. There are things about our universe that we will never understand.
4. #3 is not an excuse to stop trying.
5. Everyone has a story worth hearing.
6. There is always another side to the story they tell.
7. Questions can sometimes teach more than their answers.
8. Children can sometimes teach more than their parents.
9. Everyone should travel.
10. No one's truth is universal.
Filip Životić
-Through challenges and experience we grow as persons
-Now everybody is for that, but that is their choice and you cant force it on them
-"Prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will grow old" (a quote from "use sunscreen" video) -the first two are society determined, the third is universal
- We are automatically afraid of what we want the most because we could loose it (although we are not always aware of it)
-Learn how to enjoy the little things, they fill the wast empty space between your lifes biggest events.
Sam4h6 M
2. Respect always has been and will always be something I value.
3. Whatever the emotion embrace it and learn from it. Its what it means to be human. So, feel it and feel it strongly, because you’ll never have a second first time.
4. I believe in Country like some believe in their God.
5. Technology is to enhance life, not rule or ruin it. We will not die if Facebook stops working.
6. Absolutely and I mean ALWAYS have a plan B.
7. The world is waiting for you in your own backyard. Life is happening every moment we are in existence. Live for lazy Sunday mornings or deep conversations. Excitement is in the bruised blue sky one spots stuck in traffic whilst driving home from work, or accidentally waking up to watch the sun rise. It’s the little things.
8. Everyone Dies. It’s as simple as making the decision to live, and be a force that changes the world. If you believe this, you already have made it through half the battle.
9. There will always and I mean always will be things you should know. There will be things you need to learn. It’s your sole responsibility to learn these things. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and ask them often.
10. If you must dwell…dwell in possibilities.
Michael M 30+
Thank you so much for posting such a great conversation. It has been wonderful to read so many people's comments to this question.
Cleo Abram 500+
Siobhan Watters
Joe Jilly
Denomyar 01
2. It achieved this through first generating complex but invisible patterns and laws.
3. We quest for the source of our self-awareness through study, yet it is clearly 'our self'.
4. The greatest achievement of this universe yet, is the creation of our convincing yet flawed experience of a consciousness that is 'cut off', or separate from everything.
5. This 'gift of separateness', or this 'division', is an essential immoveable belief. No quest for external truths, nor 'problems to overcome', could arise without it.
6. By trying to 'not lose' through using our understanding of patterns and laws, we remain blind to the game at play and blind to seeing what we truly are.
7. This addiction to 'gaining something' amplifies the separateness. Despair emerges in old age as the smartness of the 'intellectual mind' fails to sate.
8. Connection gives warmth as it is pure truth. It requires no words and no thinking, just seeing. This truth is available without respect to intellectual capacity, through letting go, and through restorative humility.
9. Complete separateness was never possible, the experience of it is merely a necessary illusion.
10. Ask outwardly if these things could be true.... If it is so, the can be no distinction, and in turn, no death.
mirella jaber
#1: No religion is truer than other; I hold this to be true by virtue of another universal truth:
#2: Given that this whole Creation is the work of an All-knowledgeable, All-powerful Creator (whoever or whatever this might be) supposedly IT cannot make mistakes - or, at least, whatever it "Knows", knows better than me or you
#3: We commit a fallacy by making assertions such as: "It created some human beings above others"
#4: We commit a bigger one when we say that the Creator, in its limitless wisdom and generosity, bestowed the "right teachings" on some "chosen" ones, while the rest of the mankind have only been left with the "wrong" ones.
#5: Feeling that they are delegated or entitled to amend the rest is an egocentric presumption.
#6: The belief itself that someone might be THE "chosen" one, just by being fortunate enough to get to be born in the "right" religion is another one.
#7: Egocentric presumptions had their place in the medieval concept of an anthropocentric universe, but none in the 21st century view of the universe.
#8: Ego has nothing to do with transcendence, but, if I need to relate to anything "higher" than politics and economy I need to rely on my own, God-given good sense.
#9: We are in this fix because we have delegated a human institution like religion to "relate" us to the things of the Spirit - while it is obvious that all it relates us to is the two very worldly institutions of politics and economy.
#10: "God" is limitlessness and wholeness, where the polarity of good and bad is nullified by the unifying power of love.
mirella jaber
#1, in many instances of our lives we get to say: "if this were fiction no one would believe it", or, in a different perspective, "real life" is just the product of our mind
#2 has been proven incessantly, for the good and for the bad.
#3, alas, hard to accept from the heights of our inflated personalities.
#4, whoever believes it, masters a key to unlock the gates of the unknown
#5, if we believed it, we would never again struggle to be "someone' - we already ARE.
#6, human beings are not "objective" beings, by virtue of their misconception of reality - the mirage of the ego lens
#7, naturally, it is the question that comes before every answer
#8, we need the eye of a child to see the world how really is
#9, work has changed an ape into a Sapiens, travel has changed the tribesman into a citizen of the world
# 10, good to remember, "not even mine!"
Lace Nguyen 100+
1. Done is better than perfect
2. Everybody goes through an identity crisis
3. I'm a left-handed, a hardcore left-handed
4. There's nothing wrong with secretly dreaming of moving to New York
5. How to overcome writer's block: the ass-applied-to-chair method
6. All nighters are overrated
7. The media is portraying women as sex objects
8. Airports are spacious and welcoming. Twenty-something girls feel cosmopolitan missing them.
9. There ARE particles faster than light.
10. The world is about to change.
Michael M 30+
A great list. I like #4, not because of NY, but because of the dream, mine lies somewhere else. I love #5 and have been practicing on it and have finished a story I have had percolating for years! I love #10 and do hope and pray and work for it.
Luke Borden
2. Understanding is compassion, many choose to have pity and look down on others from on high.
3. I'm afraid about aspects of the digital age and what it means for the future of civilization.
4. Nature is beautiful and can provide solace when truly sad.
5. Life is a blip of eternity, just long enough for one good punchline.
6. Excessive Seriousness leads to Excessive Sadness
7. The western world might want to start deconstructing their egos.
8. The Self is an often hindering idea, creating unwanted discomforts and stresses.
9. Egoism creates tyrants and hurtful people, it's best to not separate oneself from everyone else.
10. It's better to embrace love, not hide from it.
Michael M 30+
Bernd Fesel 30+
maybe it is even the case that only art is true ?
Siobhan Watters
Bernd Fesel 30+
what do you mean with "the arts" - is this not implying music? you mean visual art ?
Sherrie von Sternberg
Michael M 30+
I do not think however it is the only truth.
Joel Vincent
2. just because we are free doesn't mean their isn't consequences
3. to make a person laugh is a gift on both parts
4. everyone's got an opinion, and most of the time is gonna share it
5. control your emotions or they will control you
6. TED.com is amazing
7. no one can be perfect, but a lot of us still try
8. taxes SUCK
9. we live, we die
10. relationships are complicated because of our emotions
Michael M 30+
There is a heap of wisdom in your #2. Consequences hurt sometimes.
Sanket Gupta
For me, it would be- every human being is essentially the same, all these boundaries and barriers are superficial.
Cleo Abram 500+
On your interpretation: I think you're absolutely right.
retsam zhang
It's an interactive online document, so you can still add your list to it. ( Please excuse me for missing some of the lists, only got those that began with numbers. )
Together we have made "The 2000+ things we know to be true." :)
Debra Smith 200+
This is great. Did you know that there was a previous discussion just like this one on TED? If you are looking for another afternoon's work and some more insights, just enter the title "Ten things I know to be true" in the search conversations box on the left hand side of the screen and it will take you to the previous discussion. There were great insights there too!
retsam zhang
I didn't know there was a previous discussion like this one. I am new around here even though I have been watching TED talks once in a while. Thank you for guiding.
All the best,
Sam
László Szantor
1. Anything can happen any time anywhere,
2. Existence is a mystery.
3. I am human consciousness.
4. Never stop searching for answers.
5. Learn to live with the unknown.
6. We made gods in our own image.
7. My cat comes to see me every morning.
8. My carnal habits outnumber my spiritual ones.
9. Art is hidden in the female form.
10. Truth is hidden in the mystery of creation.
Michael M 30+
Liu Tang
2. Not too much expectations then less desperation.
3. Keeping try on new things.
4.Travel a lot as you can.
5. Communication is very important,for better to know from each other,and improve yourself.
6. Living at the moment.
7.Take a proper confidence is must.
8.Thinking the things from different points,everything has its reason.
9.Don't blame people who around you that they didnot point out your fault. coz they have their right to keep their opinion.
10.Its easy to make things to be complicated. but its hard to be SIMPLE.
just registered here, and wish to find more sparkling thoughts from TED. TED journey starts from here.new page for me. the above is a little things of what I have experienced and have for currently. looking forward to get more advises from you guys.
Liu
Debra Smith 200+
Michael M 30+
retsam zhang
1. Life is a continuous self-learning process, which is always about balance and unconditional love.
2. It doesn't matter what happens to you, it does matter how you respond to it.
3. Fear can make the smartest person do the stupidest thing.
4. Parents are not always right. So, as children we are supposed to watch, learn, forgive and stand up for ourselves when it's needed.
5. Like attracts like.
6. Everything happens for a reason.
7. It's your life, no need to rush, take your time to make the most of it.
8. To heal the pain, don't run away from it. Instead, feel it and magnify it.
9. Your energy turns into thoughts, feeling, words and actions which in turn create your life experiences.
10. To be positive or negative, happy or unhappy, is just a choice to make. It is the choices we make that makes who we are.
Love and Light,
Sam
Khabir Salahadyn
Marianna Vardumyan
2)everything is relative
3)people are different 4)but everybody lies
5)life is wonderful
6)you can't turn back the time
7)more speak,more do)))
8)the truth is usually hidden
9)when people love everything seems much better
10)if there is a problam,there must be solution
Ilyas Hasshim
Jaime Lubin 10+
Phillip Beaver 10+
1. When you miss someone, try to contact them.
2. Admit, “I don’t know,” while doing the work for understanding.
3. Never, never, never give up (Winston Churchill).
4. Forgiveness heals, regardless of apology.
5. Expect change and adapt quickly.
6. Problems prompt solutions.
7. A closing door informs the next knock.
8. Open-mindedness requires not “believing.”
9. Beware self-contradiction.
10. Worse things happened to better people.
Phil
Michael M 30+
I really like # 7. I am sure that is how things work.
Phillip Beaver 10+
Thanks, Michael
Phil
Sherrie von Sternberg
Smart doesn't have to be complicated
I love that.
Have a great day
Sherrie von Sternberg
2.give credit where credit is due
3.chocolate is good for you
4.there is nothing like waking up to the smell of breakfast cooking
5.sometimes we have to state the obvious
6.more is just...more
7.human beings are resilient, we will survive
8.where ever there is a vacuum, SOMETHING will come to fill it
9.Love really is the answer
10.Life is precious
Michael M 30+
I so agree with you on #4. There is something about that smell that is good and true.
Sherrie von Sternberg
Juliette Zahn 50+
What I love the most is : #9 " Love really is the answer " - again and again - yes.
Debra Smith 200+
Sherrie von Sternberg
Charlotte Preston
2. No one on earth is qualified to predict another human's exact time of death
3. Mid life is a beautiful time to reflect and be grateful for the time received.
4. Youth is the time to explore all the possibilites and to gain as much wisdom as possible along the way.
5. Life is a test filled with multiple choices we should listen to the wise and learn from their voices.
6. We should slow down and enjoy our food with a grateful heart.
7. Being kind will come back to reward you everytime.
8. A long good marriage is a blessing!
9. When you have a child after having infertility issues you will love that child like a cherished gift indeed!
10. I have lived a good life and I am so grateful!
Andrew Che
2. Inevitability is not an excuse for acceptance
3. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take (Thanks Wayne Gretzky)
4. Ideas are like cancers
5. Structure usually means function
6. You live and let learn
7. You have not failed, you've just found 10 000 ways that don't work ((Thomas Edison)
8. Destruction is easy, creation is hard but its more rewarding
9. Brick walls are not there to stop you, they're there to show you how badly you want something (Randy Pausch, RIP)
10. Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself (Eleanor Roosevelt) [and this is why I am re-quoting others but I've found most of them to be true in my life experiences]
Michael M 30+
Kevin Goodwin
2. Never trust anyone who is getting paid to have your best interests at heart.
3. The way to get ahead is to do what others won't and develop positive relationships along the way.
4. Debt is a small price to pay for a lifetime of happiness
5. Debt is a huge price to pay for a moment of happiness
6. You can't get what I have unless you're willing to do what I do (and have done).
7. Knowledge is in everyone and everything, experts are just magnifying glasses on one area.
8. If you aren't having fun, you're not doing it right.
9. Family can be the greatest gift and greatest curse you ever experience.
10. What's around you and what's in front of you are not as important as what's within you.
Daniel Pennington
2. One of the best things in life is to find meaningful work and to work hard at it
3. Take care of your health, few people are happy when they are sick
4 Marry carefully if at all. Few choices have such extreme consequences
5. Avoid debt at all costs.
6. Live consciously at all times. Work to be awake and aware even during the difficult times
7. Listen to others, learn to hear their stories
8. Take good care of your primary relationships
9. Simple things like saying thank you and please and you look nice matter more than wealth
10. Learn to focus on others, not yourself. Few people who are self-absorbed are happy
Tiago Landman