TED Community » Ben Maudlin

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Healthcare, whether it be nursing or medicine.Anything related to the ocean, swimming or fishing. Technology, I have studied it and working in the IT field. Still I am constantly amazed by what we do.

An idea worth spreading

If everyone in the world did one altruistic thing or helped one person (without selfish motivation) everyday that would be ver 7 billion good acts done in a day, 49 billion a week, 196 billion per month and 2555 billion or 2.555 trillion. See the big picture now? Would make a big difference to everyone including you and me.

Talk to me about

Anything. As a nurse I have been exposed to almost everything. As a traveler I have spoken to many people and shared many ideas. As a person I have an open mind and enjoy people challenging my ideas.

People don't know that I'm good at

Fishing, my dad taught me when I was little, but only in the last few years have I really gotten back into it. I restored my Grandfather's old rods to working order and know go fishing ever other day.

My TED Story

TED was brought to my attention by an international student who I was on a nursing placement with in a psychiatric hospital. I have always been tech savvy so I was surprised when she suggested something to me that I hadn't heard of. I was writing a paper of the taboos associated with suicide and undertaking a suicide prevention program. She suggested I look at JD's talk on suicide. I did and was blown away by what I found. NowI check back as often as I can, am trying to attend a TEDx conference in Sydney and am letting as many people as I know, know about TED.com. It's truly inspirational and definitely an idea worth spreding.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +2.10 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Before I die, I'd like to live in a world where/that _________ ?

  Dec 5 2011: Before I die, I'd like to live in a world where everyone has a chance.

• A reply on Conversation: What are the Top 5 things you can teach/share with a 6 year old?

  Dec 1 2011: Thank you that is a big relief! At 22 it is hard to imaging what it would be like, but if there is a small something already there maybe when the time comes all will be fine!
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: If everyone in the world did one altruistic thing or helped one person everyday, that would be over 7 billion good acts done in a day.

  Dec 1 2011: It is my guess that there are many more people out there that share our goal. The hard part is organising them, but if we all spread the word then anything is possible and it is only a matter of time before it take hold!

• A reply on Conversation: What's one thing you wish you had learned in school?

  Dec 1 2011: Thanks for the suggestion but I am a little south and east of the states in Australia. But if I even do get over there I will have to check it out.

• A reply on Conversation: After 8 years I believe I've cracked the code for Open Source Religion.

  Dec 1 2011: This is something I will have to bring to the dinner table and the workplace because it is an idea that fascinates me. However, there is only one point I would make that a lot of this is true of all religions and has simply been lost through fundamentalism.

• A reply on Conversation: How do we break down the Stigma attached to those people who have mental health or psychiatric issue?

  Dec 1 2011: Thank you and if I do even manage to get a TEDxHealth conference together I will have to organise you to speak about the stigma that those with mental health issues have faced and continue to face.

• A reply on Conversation: How do we break down the Stigma attached to those people who have mental health or psychiatric issue?

  Dec 1 2011: Couldn't agree more, this is something that needs to extend beyond the health profession but I see it as a good place to start. There are so many professionals that I meet on a daily basis who are legitimately scared of people with any kind of mental disorder, regardless of what their condition is or how well treated it is. I'm not saying that the idea shouldn't be spread further but those closest is a great place to start.
  
  Spreading the idea so that it reaches further I agree, teaching children in schools will have a huge impact. I remember in high school my teacher bringing in a man with HIV/AIDs into the class to talk to us about the disease and how it effects your life. Seeing how this man was a perfectly normal person, changed the way I perceived the disease and continues to, to this day. Likewise my parents had friends who were gay or lesbian growing up and I never thought anything of it until I got to school and saw how other people thought homosexuals were "strange" or "unnatural" and I could never get this because to me the people that I had grown up with weren't any different. I believe this would hold true for teaching children about mental health. If we learnt that it is just a disease then we wouldn't be scared. Instead we have been made to believe that it is the person that is "weird" or "strange". Rather than trying to help them we in fact hinder their recovery.
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: If everyone in the world did one altruistic thing or helped one person everyday, that would be over 7 billion good acts done in a day.

  Dec 1 2011: Couldn't agree more. This is exactly what we need to do spread the idea however we can and hope that people see the benefit from doing good things!

• A reply on Conversation: If everyone in the world did one altruistic thing or helped one person everyday, that would be over 7 billion good acts done in a day.

  Dec 1 2011: This is exactly what I commented just before, that it is It is about time that word of mouth marketed something worth spreading rather than rumours and the latest fad. The same goes for internet sensations and viral emails, tweets and videos. Imagine the possibility of doing such a thing. I am looking at the possibility of trying to run a TEDxHealth event looking at the disadvantaged, perhaps after that I we can collaborate and run a TEDxAltruism Event in to countries. Now that would spread the idea quickly! In the meantime I'm telling as many people as I can and will continue to do my altruistic things each day. It doesn't even take any real extra effort, things happen right in front of you that you can help. The example given before of dropping something when your hands are full seems like such a trivial example. But it has happened to all of us and when someone stops and helps you it really does make your day. Imagine doing that for someone whenever you could. Holding a door or an elevator, such incites have been lost in the modern world!
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: If everyone in the world did one altruistic thing or helped one person everyday, that would be over 7 billion good acts done in a day.

  Dec 1 2011: If we all suggest this to one other person imagine the snowball effect this could have. It is about time that word of mouth marketed something worth spreading rather than rumours and the latest fad.