TED Community » Brian Adam

More About Me

I'm passionate about

science, math, technology, society, friends, family, movies, music, and love.

My TED Story

I stumbled upon TED when I was still in high school back in 2008, and it has helped to spark my interest in intellectual, humanitarian, and artistic pursuits. I can say my TED viewership has in part shaped the person I am today.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +9.70 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• +4

  A comment on Talk: Clay Shirky: How the Internet will (one day) transform government

  Sep 26 2012: Clay Shirky is awesome. Absolutely one of my favorite speakers.
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: Should Cannabis be legalized as a medicine?

  May 18 2012: You can patent a plant that can just grow in the wild? Because it does.... Damn. That's America I guess. I know it can be a problem, but I also know it can be used responsibly as alcohol can.
• +2

  A reply on Conversation: Should Cannabis be legalized as a medicine?

  May 18 2012: I just meant a plant. A naturally growing plant that they haven't patented or genetically altered so as to claim ownership. Not plant derived medicines. And I know people can become addicted to marijuana, but I meant to say its less addictive than alcohol and tobacco. I know people personally for whom it is a problem. As far as societal ills go, how much do you think it being illegal prevents people from smoking it? and would individual, legal use cause as many problems as attempting to completely prevent its distribution and trying to punish users and small-time, nonviolent dealers? just as individuals are free to drink alcoholic beverages and smoke tobacco, two substances arguably more dangerous than marijuana, so too should they be allowed to smoke marijuana. It's a squeeze argument: marijuana harm < legal drug harm, therefore marijuana should be legal. I suppose that may not be satisfying, but look at the money wasted trying (unsuccessfully) to police its use.
• +3

  A comment on Conversation: Should Cannabis be legalized as a medicine?

  May 17 2012: Not only should marijuana be available for medicinal purposes, it should be legal as a recreational drug like alcohol or tobacco. It's short term effects are far more mild and less dangerous than alcohol; its long term health effects are less severe than cigarettes and other tobacco products; and of course it has less addictive potential than both. I could mention the crime its illegality causes, and that the reason it was most likely made illegal was the fears of the timber industry losing paper profits, and that the reason it's probably still illegal is pharmaceutical companies' fear of being unable to patent a plant as medicine, but I won't.

• A reply on Conversation: Why is the Nick Hanauer talk not posted?

  May 17 2012: I take a break to get some work done... and this happens?

• A reply on Conversation: Why is the Nick Hanauer talk not posted?

  May 17 2012: The collaborative draft might be the best option. I know I really only have a few days to help as I'm heading out of town and won't have an internet connection where I'm going, but I can help for the time being.

• A reply on Conversation: Why is the Nick Hanauer talk not posted?

  May 17 2012: Ultimately, I agree with you. It's a bad move.
• +2

  A reply on Conversation: Why is the Nick Hanauer talk not posted?

  May 17 2012: I understand that the video is their property, and you're right: it really is their decision not to post it. However I do disagree with the notion that the topic is not important enough to post. Income inequality, as Wilkinson demonstrated, harms societies. Why not allow further discussion? For now I can only voice my disapproval. I would've thought TED to be a little more open to this issue; I've always perceived TED as a haven or beacon for the presentation and discussion of ideas regarding important scientific, political, moral, and social issues. This most recent action though is contrary to that view and tears down what I thought the company stood for. I suppose I'm a bit of a naive idealist when it comes to this.

• A reply on Conversation: Why is the Nick Hanauer talk not posted?

  May 17 2012: I think Krisztian is right that censorship is the wrong word. We may be able to define the act as censorship loosely, but it carries all the wrong connotations: we don't have a right to view this information since it is property of TED, but as an audience and members of the TED community we can certainly voice disapproval and request TED releases the video.

• A reply on Conversation: Why is the Nick Hanauer talk not posted?

  May 17 2012: I definitely think it should be respectful, not demanding, but earnest and sincere at the same time.