TED Community » Erin Ashley

More About Me

I'm passionate about

music, culture, politics, women's rights issues, traveling

An idea worth spreading

individuality. It seems like so many people in our culture rather follow everyone else and everyone's opinions rather than speak up for what they believe.

Talk to me about

everything.

People don't know that I'm good at

impersonating people, and freestyle rapping.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +0.80 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• A reply on Conversation: In your opinion, what should the purpose of education be?

  Dec 17 2011: thank you, thank you.

• A comment on Conversation: In your opinion, what should the purpose of education be?

  Dec 17 2011: to enlighten the minds of those who are willing and able to take the knowledge. I do think though, a lot of the education we are taught is pointless. I don't remember the last time I used trig, or geometry since high school.
• +1

  A comment on Conversation: If/when same-sex marriage is legalised, should ALL religious bodies be required by law to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies?

  Dec 17 2011: Well, that's a great question. I am pro gay marriage to the core, however, I don't think all religious institutions should have to perform the ceremonies if its something they are definitely against. I think for me, I look at it from the standpoint that your wedding is supposed to be a beautiful thing and the relationship between the two getting married is as important as the pastor who does the service. If he/she is against it I think it would appear like a chore and would really mess up the positive and love feelings of the day. However, religious institutions need to get with the times and realize that by them being so close minded and unaccepting they are definitely contradicting the concept of religion.

• A comment on Conversation: What do young people learn from playing?

  Oct 18 2011: I think it depends on what you mean by playing? I think youth learn a lot from playing. For instance, playing with classmates they are learning how to build relationships. If they are playing capture the flag, they are learning how to develop strategies and working with others. If they are playing on an organized sports team they are learning once again strategies, and team work. If they are playing with an instrument, they learn discipline.
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  A comment on Conversation: Who is your Everyday Hero?

  Oct 5 2011: my mom. I see the stuff she goes through daily with her husband, and work, and she still manages to have a smile on her face and be a provider. I think if it were me on the other hand, I'd have an issue with this, but seeing her she is easily the epitome of who I want to be when I get older.
• +3

  A comment on Conversation: What have you learned from a young person recently?

  Sep 24 2011: Not to be so judgemental. Youth don't let things like race, age, gender and etc, to dictate how they relate to someone-- we do as we get older.

• A comment on Conversation: Do young people have a valid role to play in national and international politics?

  Sep 24 2011: I definitely believe so. I don't feel like your age has anything to do with if you should have input or a say in national and international politics. If you feel a certain way about issues in your homeland or across the sea, why not speak up? Furthermore, I'm just saying, if we are old enough to vote at the age of 18, why can't we say anything until we reach some age? (I'm 22 btw lol)

• A reply on Conversation: Is this the best time in history to be a musician?

  Sep 24 2011: so true.

• A comment on Conversation: Is this the best time in history to be a musician?

  Sep 24 2011: Good question, I don't think it's either a good or bad thing to be a musician at this time because I guess, I can see it both ways. As a freelance music critic for The Examiner, as well as a music blogger on my own site, I see that through blogs a lot of really good artist get exposure. I have got to hear music from artists down the street from me and some overseas which is a really good thing, and at times it seems like music listeners are really eager to get new music. However, on the other side, since music is free no one wants to pay for anything, so if you're doing music for the love and not for the bills it's a great time I guess. Also, with so many artists coming out and essentially doing the same thing as 100 other artist, it could be quite difficult to be an artist if you do not do anything to set yourself out in the crowd.
  
  Also, I don't know if I'm the only one who notices this, but it seems like since there's such an easy access to music these days, a lot of artists find comfort in the digital platform as far as online so they don't excel to do more than that which you can tell in the quality of their music. Sorry, I kind of rambled.

• A comment on Conversation: your imagination creates your reality?

  Aug 26 2011: I think it's a mix of both. I think sometimes we do create our own reality as far as believing what we do, or how we go through life and reality, however, a lot of what we believe was taught to us by someone else. So I guess to me, there lies a contradiction.