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Lara Stein

TED Licensing Director,

TEDCRED 200+
TED StaffTED AttendeeAssociate

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How do we capture the collective wisdom and engage the global TEDx communities?

There have been over 1400 TEDx events globally. Each of these TEDx events are nurturing incredible local communities. These communities value education and the power of ideas to change the world. How do we connect these communities and share their collective wisdom?

How do we help these communities take action, both locally and globally?

Topics: TEDxLive idea open-source social media technology tedx
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    M.A. Lucas-Green

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    Apr 11 2011: Since joining TED this winter, I have watched about forty percent of the available talks for applicability to my work. As I have found true in ancient teachers, modern teacher contributions to humankind can also be summed up according to a small number of major ideas. Might we agree on Aristotle's concept of "logos"? Adler's 102 great ideas come to mind as a wonderful start. If we re-tag the existing talks via a set of dedicated volunteers/translators. Most of what has been mentioned here can be achieved with some facility.

    ANGEL, ANIMAL, ARISTOCRACY, ART, ASTRONOMY AND COSMOLOGY, BEAUTY, BEING, CAUSE, CHANCE, CHANGE, CITIZEN, CONSTITUTION, COURAGE, CUSTOM AND CONVENTION, DEFINITION, DEMOCRACY, DESIRE, DIALECTIC, DUTY, EDUCATION, ELEMENT, EMOTION, EQUALITY, ETERNITY, EVOLUTION, EXPERIENCE, FAMILY, FATE, FORM, GOD, GOOD AND EVIL, GOVERNMENT, HABIT, HAPPINESS, HISTORY, HONOR, HYPOTHESIS, IDEA, IMMORTALITY, INDUCTION, INFINITY, JUDGMENT, JUSTICE, KNOWLEDGE, LABOR, LANGUAGE, LAW, LIBERTY, LIFE AND DEATH, LOGIC, LOVE, MAN, MATHEMATICS, MATTER, MECHANICS, MEDICINE, MEMORY AND IMAGINATION, METAPHYSICS, MIND, MONARCHY, NATURE, NECESSITY AND CONTINGENCY, OLIGARCHY, ONE AND MANY, OPINION, OPPOSITION, PHILOSOPHY, PHYSICS, PLEASURE AND PAIN, POETRY, PRINCIPLE, PROGRESS, PROPHECY, PRUDENCE, PUNISHMENT, QUALITY, QUANTITY, REASONING, RELATION, RELIGION, EVOLUTION, RHETORIC, SAME AND OTHER, SCIENCE, SENSE, SIGN AND SYMBOL, SIN, SLAVERY, SOUL, SPACE, STATE, TEMPERANCE, THEOLOGY, TIME, TRUTH, TYRANNY AND DESPOTISM, UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR, VIRTUE AND VICE, WAR AND PEACE, WEALTH, WILL, WISDOM, WORLD
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    Kat Haber 500+

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    TED AttendeeTEDx OrganizerAssociate
    Apr 10 2011: The conversations at Active this year were deeply engaging with a focus on imaginative solutions. Thanks!

    What could social networking do to serve as a reliable warning for aftermath of large natural disasters?
    How could reliability be built into the communications?
    Think of fallout from Japan's nuclear reactors or neighboring states in a flood or perhaps man made disasters in Northern Africa?
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    Aley Martin

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    Apr 5 2011: Collective consciousness of these communities will eventually tip the global collective into a paradigm shift that will effectively make changes in the world. Just look at what is happening from the collective effects of the online social networking groups in Africa and the Middle East. Time is speeding up. All will come to fruition in right time.
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    clay blasdel

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    Apr 2 2011: I'm a part of the TED community, by definition, but not entirely in spirit. Here's why.

    If you were "choosing-up" teams for a game, the TED community would be the last kid picked, because no matter how many smarts he has, he's weak. He's the geeky kid with the good ideas. What he lacks is street smarts and street cred. Many great ideas, sure, but the community at large ignores him because he doesn't know how to grab the community by the collar and make his point loudly and forcefully. TED lacks leadership skills.

    Much of the problems in our world stem from evil and corruption. Through the TED lens, evil is viewed as diversity.
    Sometimes you need to call-out the evil doer and the crook. But that's not the TED style.

    TED can't seem to deal with BS. [I'm not sure those two letters will even be printed]. Nevertheless, much of our society spins lies for special interests. EG: "Global warming is hoax", "Obama care has death panels", this 'birther' nonsense, de-regulating industry will increase our standard of living, trickle-down economics is good for the workers, tax-cuts for the rich.....shall I stop??? How many scientist pound their fists on the table to debunk these myths that are crippling us from any kind of progress? Can you name one? That's because our best thinkers - those with the most credibility will not loudly demonstrate for truth. They do it quietly. They'll write another paper. But that's not enough. They must shouted-down by the know-nothings. they must push-back.

    Sometimes you need to holler and make a fuss to get noticed. How many years must we waste before tackling the pressing issues with genuine solutions and not sound bytes. The TED community needs , some grit, some voice, some ca-hones.

  • Samuel Eddy 500+

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    TEDx Organizer
    Apr 1 2011: I think Like Rotary Inyetnational TED should come out with a theme for the year and all TEdxthemes across the world could have themes based on the central theme .This will ensure focus and different ideas based on the central or main idea .We could then cull out Doable ideas which can then be implemented as a community. This will ensure that ideas are not just spread but also done and in small ways help change the world!!
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    Luca Sorgiacomo

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    TED Translator
    Apr 1 2011: We must make the change the conversation and the collaboration paradigm, so that each contribution gradually leads toward a single solutions.

    The problem with forums is that the more contributors they get, the more confusing and hard to follow it is, which I believe is a contradiction, since "collective" implies the "many". And I believe in the power of many.

    But how can we really weight others views and suggestions and build on each other? There are so many comments that it's impossible to read them all and understand where the community is actually going.

    I suggest a different kind of interactivity on this website: instead of qualitative data (comments) only, each contribution should link to all the others that relate to it, in a sort of a surfable 3-dimensional web of contribution. Drill down (even visually, it helps) to see more contributions that address an issue in more detail (replies and direct comments), roll up to see aggregated data.

    Each contribution should be processed so to provide quantitative data also, even if just a simple "yes/no" on a topic, which in aggregated form would help sift through the different solutions provided.

    It's just an option, but I believe the solution is in this direction.
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    Jessie Park 20+

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    TED AttendeeTED Translator
    Mar 29 2011: I think it'll be helpful to put TEDx groups into several categorize and give them spaces to get to know each other. For example, let's make TEDxSouthEastAsia and put TEDxSeoul, TEDxShanghai, and TEDxTokyo. Each groups will have their own network and community, then they will try to bridge themselves to other similar sized groups. TEDxAfrica, TEDxEurope, TEDxAmerica, and so on. In the end, we can expect TEDxEarth.
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    Renessa Bak

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    Mar 25 2011: This then so speaks of the TedTalks having gone to SEEd, in other words, you have had more TedX Events, than you have shared TedTalks so far. It to me so speaks of instead of some one lording over us with the here's the answers. We are being feasted with a smorgasbord of fresh ideas, insights and bringing our unique perspectives to the table. to round out the big picture of just how it all works . . much as each and every cell of our being is programmed from within, so is what we become and sparks our interests. the balance of power has shifted from going by the book to hey folks, we haven't taken this that and the other in consideration. we will collectively be clearing the way for youth's creativity and how would you fix. . or would 90% of our problems be fix by our taking time out and simply celebrate our sense of being for a spell.
    love what is happening, more and more people are passing them on, talking about them with others . and yes, growing local communityes into using our minds.
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    Langston Montierth

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    Mar 21 2011: Infect community college speech and drama departments. Let TED creep into colleges and universities and foster new ideas in new thinkers before they are indoctrinated with old ideas.
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    Stephen Feber 200+

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    TED Attendee
    Mar 20 2011: We need themes. In the work I have been doing on sustainable futures in the UK I've adapted the idea of the Forum of the Future's five capitals and looked at them as assets - social, human, built (made), natural and financial. I'd suggest grouping the TEDx activity under 5 broad headings and then digging down - to look at topics - like cities, food etc.
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    Kristine Sargsyan 500+

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    TED AttendeeTED TranslatorTEDx OrganizerAssociateLanguage Coordinator
    Mar 20 2011: It would be great to have on line webinars on best practices with TEDx hosts who did incredible things and innovations to enrich their events.

    We could discuss best TEDx talks as well with TEDx community, and try to share information with local TED communities on best TEDx talks which still didn’t appear on TED. We even could organize local viewing events for best TEDx talks we learned about….

    Also we could try to develop global programs on best ideas, which streamed from TEDx talks. ..
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    Jannik SCH

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    Mar 14 2011: I feel for this to happen you would have to start by not letting Ted act as mojo for online users but as an actual thinktank with a root-like structure which collects and gathers a consent that can be viewed at all times. There are lots of threads, there is lots of stuff which needn't be here. I feel to really make something out of Tedx and Ted conv and the whole possible universe you have to figure out what you want this to be. The network has huge knowledge but it needs forming, it needs a wiki 3.0. I am pretty sure this will not happen from within Ted but it will happen sooner or later.

    Best wishes
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      Peter Myers

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      Mar 21 2011: "a root-like structure which collects and gathers a consent that can be viewed at all times"

      Building a root-like structure which collects and gathers content (Memes) that can be viewed, judged, manipulated and disseminated at all times by all of man kind.

      yes;-)

      I have been watching from the sidelines for 14 years - It is time I step up and DO!!!!

      Kinda committalingly,

      Peter
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    Alberto Blanco 500+

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    TEDx Organizer
    Mar 11 2011: What a challenge... Sometimes I feel TEDx organizers work hard focusing on their audiences but less in TEDx community. Sharing knowledge and ideas is more than uploading the videos of TEDx event.

    Maybe plattforms like TED Conversations can become a powerful tool to capture collective wisdom from TEDx communities.

    It could be useful to share in TEDx websites information and contents from others TEDx events. This information could be showed as a widget in website to connect another TEDx website contents.

    Also, it could be positive to organize webinars sharing ideas, knowledge and experiences from TEDx community.
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    Amily shaw 10+

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    TED Translator
    Mar 9 2011: how about spread TED cafes everywhere?haha well i thought more about this topic and i find myself start to ask question like "how can we make TED ideas not only ideas?'
    what we need is a palteform and human ideas (not only people who have good ideas bu also people who can turn the good ideas into our life . i am thinking maybe we can try to list things (it could be people ,resources, professions ,more ideas ,money)we need to realising our idea and share with people . so people from TED coummunities can contribute in various ways. because sometime i think human talent and resources can be wasted when people is willing to offer what others need ,being disconnected . basically keep people engaged and everyone can contribute like building a house.

    purely brainstorm

  • Edward DeMarco

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    Mar 8 2011: Engage these audiences in an ``always on'' crowdsourcing platform such as GiG -- the idea market game on Facebook that we have up and running. It creates a virtual economy to trade ideas and then push them out into the real world for change.
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    Jon Yeo 500+

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    TED AttendeeTEDx Organizer
    Mar 7 2011: COLLECTIVE WISDOM
    How about a designated topic expert or champion? Who probably has many of the answers but can also co-ordinate and collaborate a collective "answer" to many of the common problems organisers face? eg logistics, financing, managing volunteers etc

    It would probably need to be further managed into 3 levels of "acceptance" too. eg.
    1. What works
    2. Submitted (and being considered for the final "what works" level)
    3. Not recommended (and why)

    ENGAGE COMMUNITY
    Using above, if we could rate or tag the ideas above, we could identify what makes most sense (and works) for the global community. Kind of like a community "vote" on the collected wisdom. That way the areas with the most feedback could be addressed first.
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    Greg Stevenson

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    Mar 7 2011: Use it as a model, shrink it, then insert it into the internal corporate leadership training system where it may have some teeth.

  • Gina Rudan 500+

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    TED AttendeeTEDx OrganizerAssociate
    Mar 7 2011: This past week i watched in amazement as over 250 minds and hearts came together to our TEDxMIA Live Cast viewing party in Miami and realized the power behind the TEDx events whether conferences, viewing parties and gathering is the energy created while like yet diverse minds come together. Our evening of genius sharing ignited not only conversations but the passion and interest for collaboration globally. At our event alone we had TEDxers from Brazil, Paris and NYC attend while on business in Miami.

    Cross collaboration across TEDx efforts both nationally, regionally and globally is a huge opportunity which should be harnessed and sometimes the answer is to just allow the communities to organically connect, build and grow. All movements begin this way and i truly believe this movement will continue to grow.
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    Adam Burk 500+

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    TED AttendeeTEDx OrganizerAssociate
    Mar 5 2011: As a TEDx organizer who is trying very hard to cultivate a community to build capacity for coordinated change-making, one significant thing TED could do is help seed TEDPrize-like programs at local levels.

    I spend a lot of time building capacity to put on our annual event and live streams, leaving little time and cash to invest in developing such a program so far. To have some seed money and more interaction with TED and TED prize staff to really understand how to make a prize program fly would be an incredible boon.
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    Gisela McKay 30+

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    Mar 4 2011: Having perused a few similar threads, I think there may be a way to pull other people's suggestions all together for this purpose.

    What if you rolled out sub-domains that either gathered members by region or be sector (e.g. toronto.ted.com or health.ted.com) and enabled a few features into those areas, like the conversations platform (or a modified version) to do specific things:

    - a way to find people interested in speaking at local or thematic events (with their ideas/topics),
    - find people who have project ideas,
    - find people willing to volunteer on projects or at events, etc.

    Then people could participate in the broad community (here) and in their self-selected niches.

    Edit: It also occurs to me that it would be cool to have TED conversations actually function as conversations with the speakers- e.g having a thread where community members could gather and maybe vote on a list of questions to ask specific speakers and then have someone interview that person using the selected questions. It might help to get tangible actionable suggestions on appealing topics.
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    Athena Lam 50+

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    TED Attendee
    Mar 2 2011: I know TEDx organizers in the China or SE Asia region have kind of connected loosely, so I think there's already a desire for this community to grow.

    Platforms could include a forum for TEDx organizers (registered ones that are beyond just the licensee) so that they can exchange ideas/formats/speakers/logistics.

    Perhaps another requirement in the TEDx programme might be that a TEDx organizer has to connect with at least one TEDx organizer or TEDster in their region (say SE Asia, South Asia, or North America), just so there is some dialogue going on.

    A good example is just Hong Kong - in one year we've overnight had this mushrooming of TEDx events. The enthusiasm is great, but on the other hand, it might oversaturate the city, and on top of that, it might stretch resources thin. We had TEDxHong Kong, TEDxYouth Day, TEDxPearl River Delta, TEDxHKSAR, TEDxKowloon off the top of my head - I think there was one more. Many of them weren't advertised, so it doesn't make it too open to the general population - so more coordinated PR would be great.

    If there are regional hubs emerging - it might be a good idea to actually have TED do a collaboration (kind of like TEDWomen or TEDxChange). Maybe one in China, or one in Hong Kong. That might help consolidate it a bit, and make them bigger in scope as well.
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    George Brett 30+

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    Associate
    Mar 1 2011: Sharing the stories and experiences we have learned from real-time TED and online, streaming TED.

    I think structured categorization as well as folksonomy (people tagging) would help folks to find information relevant to them.

    As far as technology goes -- use them all from face-to-face meetings, salons or 2 way video conferences; printed books, graphic comics, eBooks, PDFs, ASCII text; audio tapes and podcasts, VHS tapes - DVDs- and Streaming Video; and how about 3D rendering of objects mentioned in the TED events.

    Like Mail Art in the past, chain mail letters & email -- use media channels to pass it on. Informally -- to friends, colleagues and family. Formally -- donate to schools, libraries, hospitals, government officials, and prisons.

    Sharing is the key.

    Cheers,
    geORge brett
    @ghbrett

  • Zdenek Smith 100+

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    HostAssociate
    Feb 27 2011: I just came across a website that tries to capture ideas, engage people and allow basic planning of a concrete action:

    http://openideo.com/

    Perhaps TED can create a similar platform?
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    Gina Clifford 500+

    • +1
    TED AttendeeTEDx Organizer
    Feb 26 2011: I have a few ideas that I'd very much like to initiate:
    1. Encourage regional TEDx associations (collaboration among licensees in the same region) to connect more TEDxers together. We'd gain a larger critical mass of local thinkers and doers.

    2. TEDx organizers should proactively reach out (via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, TED portal, etc.) with other TEDx organizers in other parts of the world. Find TEDx organizers who are innovative, address similar themes, or have dome something really cool. Start a conversation, share ideas, partner on a shared initiative.

    Let us not wait for someone to tell us what to do, let's collaborate and DO IT.

  • Donald Thompson

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    Feb 25 2011: There isn't a whole lot of collective wisdom to capture frankly. Admittedly I've been on this site for a short time but I haven't seen much evidence of anything except a lot of similiar people ,who think alike, speak alike,and have a lot of the same ideas. I'm talking of the rank and file TED people encountered in the TED conversations,for instance,not those in the conferences,although many in the conferences are plodding conformists as well. I have nothing against a bunch of people getting together and making themselves feel good at meetings of one sort or another, but the real substantial advances and leaps in human knowledge are not carried forth by people under the intoxicating influence of collectivist efforts, however well-intentioned. The forefront of human knowledge is advanced by brilliant individuals who have been nurtured by no-nonsense educations,by social settings that have encouraged individualism and discipline and responsibility,and by the example of those who have gone before. Many of the individuals I have encountered on TED,and their stated ideas,have not emerged from the background I have described. They have come to maturity in an age of experimentation and social and political activism. A mixture of Baby Boomers and GenXers. Their warrens have been all the ad hoc counter-culture whims of the last 40 years,mixed with all the on-going intellectual fads and fashions surrounding the internet and the most recent technologies.
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    Lee Wilkinson 20+

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    Feb 24 2011: Surely and I apologies if this has already been said we need to find a way to bring together not just the wisdom of TED people but the actually bodies who will then take a project to it's fruition. I can only imagine the amount of things that could be achieved with a group of people with this amount of knowledge and skill. Hell, we might actually get things done instead of just talking about it at government level for six years and then dropping it due to lack of resources.
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    Woongshik Choi 500+

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    TED AttendeeTEDx OrganizerAssociate
    Feb 24 2011: - Match making system in accordance to needs from TEDx events or TEDx organizers in the world
    - Increase the communication efficiency ( Especially the speed of the communication )
    - The language is still a big barrier to communicate.
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    ARUNRAJ SUBBARAJ 500+

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    TED FellowTED AttendeeTED TranslatorTEDx OrganizerAssociate
    Feb 18 2011: In my opinion we should encourage more of TEDx organizer gathering in different regions By doing this organizers can understand each one ideas ,wisdom and experience.

    This will add a much close loop to already existing online collaborative and sharing platform for resources.
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    Antonella Broglia 500+

    • +6
    TED AttendeeTEDx OrganizerAssociate
    Feb 17 2011: IBM has a technology that they use ,with incredible results. They are able to create a 3-days brainstorming with maybe 150.000 people from 100 countries. It is called InnovationJam. It is a collaborative platform and I believe they could give it pro bono to TED to start an experiment of planetary creation.

    In term of taking action, I believe action comes from emotion, and emotion and involvement happen when something is close to you. Maybe TEDx should only be a GREAT LISTENER, someone who offers a platfrom to give more energy and visibility to issues which are already there, in the community, so maybe the question is AS TEDX organizers , HOW TO BE A GREAT LISTENER.
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