TED Community » Colton Youngren

More About Me

I'm passionate about

I'm passionate about; Design, Natural science, Food, Education, Physics, Cognitive sciences, Ecology, Anthropology, Practical Knowledge, Sustainability, and Philosophy

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• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Traveling - what is that all about?

  Oct 31 2011: Traveling for me has been a way of life for the past two years. After a restaurant i was managing went under I decided to hitchhike out of Florida. In one years time i made it throughout the Untied states apart from the Pacific North West. For me this was on the surface about myself (hero's quest if you will) however it turned out it was for everyone else. The people I met forever changed my world the love and compassion I received on the road confirmed people are good. I put myself in a position to help asking for nothing and receiving everything. Now I maintaine those connections even to the point I am living and working an organic farm in Ga for the most beautiful family. I have even moved my mother in the area and are working on my own plot. The human connections are what make life worth living.
  
  Where I most would like to go is the old world. I have plans in the works to get into Europe where the biggest leg of my journey will lay and by the end of one life maybe my foot prints will be across the world.
  
  In all of my travels so far the beauty of the land coupled with the down home hospitality of the people has to be the Appalachian mountains.

• A comment on Conversation: What is the first thing you tell yourself when you wake up to give yourself energy or courage?

  Oct 31 2011: Well when I first wake I think on my dreams and recount what i can. Then I clear my mind and focus on breathing. I keep a clear mind for as long as i can or until i am engaged in conversation.
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: What is your vision for a (nearly) perfect society.

  Oct 25 2011: I am responding to;
  "Have I really been in it? Hmmmm ... let's see: Born in Canada, lived in America, Kenya, China, traveled to most of the rest of the world; been in two countries when war broke out. Seen suffering you cannot even imagine unless you've seen it yourself (and not on TV), crashed a plane, had a son kidnapped ... etcetera.
  
  And you?
  
  But, and this is probably the difference, I do not watch the news or read newspapers ... I'll bet you do."
  
  I have to say the Media and ignorant dogmas are what is making people see "evil" in the world. For me I have been around for a short time. However for the last three years I have lived as hitchhiker. I have only been Throughout the continental US and Norway (random journey my life has taken me on.) What i have experienced well; love, compassion, generosity, and acceptance. Now who have i experienced this from? Everyone all races all economic backgrounds countless generations of people. Have I seen suffering? Yes and I have suffered but there is more good in this world and i have experienced it.

• A reply on Conversation: We can learn by exchanging and discussing our own lists of "10 Things I Know to be True."

  Oct 25 2011: Well I am speaking from a literal sense.
  1 Hope;the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best: to give up hope.
  2 Faith;belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
  3 Ignorance; the state or fact of being ignorant; lack of knowledge, learning, information, etc.
  
  Where i see the misconception is the human ability to infer I mean nothing beyond my statement. Also i cross a bridge knowing the structure and the materials and of the law of gravity. I seek to know and understand including within myself. I look into my self with the same approach. I ask what do i know of myself? What do i not know? Within what i see as the "laws cause and effect." So I do not believe in anything. I understand or do not. I have no Faith in that I would not cross a bridge without knowing what it is.
  
  I will tell a short story.
  Growing up in Orlando, Fl i ran with a "rough" crowd and one day at a house party the topic of faith came up and a guy pulled a revolver out removed all but one round spun and said "I have faith." Needless to say he is in a wheelchair and is missing 30% of his jaw. Hypothetically If i where to do the same thing i would look in the chamber before pulling the trigger. Knowing it would not fire.
  
  Also for myself I do not have Faith in God or believe in God. I seek to experience God.

• A comment on Conversation: What is your vision for a (nearly) perfect society.

  Oct 24 2011: My perfect society. For me this means I have to think of "what I want in the future that I don't already have?" Then I ask my self "what is it that everyone else wants and does not have?" Since I view motivation and wants as a purely conditioned on the current state of mind (I.E a starving person envisions a world with food.) That is to say in our current state as a species what would be the ideal future?
  Now this is where my philosophical stance plays a huge role. I Could easily see The Venus Project as being a good example of a "Utopian" society where; resources are shared, technology is implemented to improve life, preserve nature, and where we are given necessities of life to allow us to reach our full potential.
  That is a good look however in my opinion we are already in the perfect society. What i mean is, our current state is in an evolutionary process. In our short experiment with civilization not a one has lasted. Our first attempt at a global civilization will fall. I also see the change occurring and the growth persisting. I know the earth can bounce back from our impacts and life will survive. The question is "Will we survive the consequences of our actions?" Also ultimately "Can we mature as a species and step into a role of steward and not of conquer of this world?

• A reply on Conversation: We can learn by exchanging and discussing our own lists of "10 Things I Know to be True."

  Oct 23 2011: I am a quarter way through it. I just keep picking up to many books i am reading three right now including "Elegant Universe."

• A reply on Conversation: We can learn by exchanging and discussing our own lists of "10 Things I Know to be True."

  Oct 23 2011: I would have to agree.
• +7

  A comment on Conversation: We can learn by exchanging and discussing our own lists of "10 Things I Know to be True."

  Oct 23 2011: 1. The only constant is change.
  2. What you see in the world is dependent on how you feel.
  3. Afflictive emotions beget afflictive results.
  4. You only get what you put into something and always expect more.
  5. Intentions good or bad are irrelevant to actions.
  6. Belief and Faith are founded in ignorance
  7. Definites cannot work in the infinite. The concept of dualism is false.
  8. Given enough time any individual can surprise you.
  9. The past and future are illusions of what may be the present is where we are.
  10. I am wrong and strive to learn more.

• A comment on Conversation: Whose responsibility is it to educate our young people on healthy eating, physical activity, and positive self esteem?

  Oct 23 2011: "Whose responsibility is it to make educating children about comprehensive wellness a priority?" This is a matter of opinion not being a father I can easily pass the buck to the parents of the children. However it is in the peers where the problem resides. The advertising giants and food manufacturers sell a bad product and have the wealth to put it in your kids face. A move for educating has to start in the home and in the early years of school. What i see as a solution is a move away from the mono-cropping and factory farms of today and focus on growth of food on a local small scale where diversity not conformity is the goal. Then with markets providing better food and providing better accessibility than the processed market then we could see some change.

• A comment on Conversation: TED as a resource for free global education.

  Oct 23 2011: I agree, It is annoying and I feel the power needs to shift from those with wealth to the hands of the common person. This is why I feel through education people can elevate there positions.
  
  I would more than love to discuss this further. How would you see the site to work.