TED Community » Barry Hillman

More About Me

I'm passionate about

The arts, culture, heritage, personal spirituality and photography.

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• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Do we have a self (ego, soul, actor, etc.) that exhibits free will?

  Apr 14 2013: "To thine own self be true"...we have that "inner voice" that guidance system inside us that shows us if we are being true to ourself. If we didn't have a self, nothing in our lives would matter....we would be without direction. Even if you create your own reality, it has to be a reality that feels right to our "self" not one that feels right to someone else. We have to help ourselves before we can help someone else. I' m reminded of this every time I listening to the flight attendant telling us " put on your oxygen mask first before assisting others".
  It's true, mindfulness connects us with self, keeps us on our path and shows us the way home...if we listen and tune into our "inner voice" rather than ignore it or dismiss it. Even not to choose is our choice.

• A reply on Conversation: What if Facebook suddenly disappeared?

  Apr 6 2013: There any examples of Twitter and Facebook social activism. Why not follow these sites?

• A comment on Conversation: What if Facebook suddenly disappeared?

  Apr 6 2013: Facebook is one way to communicate with others, but unfortunately too many think it's the only way. There is a world out there beyond the digital world and there is so much to see and experience that will never be able to be seen and experienced on a computer or cell phone. Technology is simply a tool that will never match our creative minds. We create the tools and yet, too many of the tools are now creating the ways we live our lives. Stop and think. Are the tools of technology controlling your life or are you in charge of the tools?

• A reply on Conversation: What if Facebook suddenly disappeared?

  Apr 6 2013: So why not use FB for social change? If the masses are using FB in silly ways...don't feel you have to follow them, use FB in a way that it's meaningful to you and find others that think like you...be a leader not a follower.
• +2

  A comment on Conversation: Technology versus Culture - who influences whom?

  Apr 6 2013: We have throughout our history viewed technology as them-us situation, whether the technology was the printing press, the telephone, radio, TV or any new technology. Technology always changes the world in ways we can never fully predict and some of this change is certainly as a result of the nature of the technology, but some of the unpredictable change is because people are creative and they find new ways to use every technology. It's not technology versus us, we can choose how we use technology and we can choose when to use it. We have to think more about how and why we do what we do and not feel that we are being force to use technology in inappropriate ways. I find it strange that we need to make laws to prevent people from texting and driving, that should be common sense, but it's not to many people and that's not the fault of the technology...it's the people. And why do we have to remind people to shut off their cell phones before the start of a movie?...again shouldn't that be common sense. My feelings about technology can be summed up in the line from the 1950's Pogo cartoon: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
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  A comment on Conversation: Are governments interested in keeping us 'dumb'?

  Apr 6 2013: What we need are governments that made up of individuals are better educated, creative and innovative thinkers. I think it's in the citizen's best interest to elect politicians that can actually do their jobs and it's up to all of us to insist on transparency.
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  A comment on Conversation: How do you feel about ageism?

  Apr 4 2013: Why does the North American advertizing culture still direct its ads at the younger market even though the baby-boomers are growing in size and have more money to spend? Look at the ads on TV...mostly directed at the young and the ads directed at the older generation have to do with pain relievers, senior homes, declining health issues and funeral planning.
  I think it's sad that we still have this view of "older" people or at least the advertizers are still projecting this outdated view.
  I don't think that young people are disrespectful of those in the advanced years of their lives...but they may tend to not fully appreciate them. This is probably true of every generation, I know there were things I wish I had asked my parents about their lives....but there are probably things I should be asking my children about their hopes, dreams and fears. Maybe it's time for young and old to start talking to one another.

• A comment on Conversation: What if Facebook suddenly disappeared?

  Mar 28 2013: If you like find out it would be like to be without Facebook, just do it....go one week without facebook...just post something on your site like: "on vacation, see you in a week." Social networking is the other world in our lives, we need to balance what we do in the physical world with what we do in the digital world.
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  A comment on Conversation: Should TV be banned on one day of the week?

  Mar 28 2013: I like the idea of not watching TV for one day, but I'd take it a step further and ban the use of the internet, emails, facebook, twitter,texting, computers and cell phones...give your full attention to some activity, for one full day (24 hours) that doesn't involve the use of electronic devices and social networking. Have a entire day when you are "off the grid", no one can reach you...do something for yourself or be with someone else and only with them, no distractions, for one day. Just think about how dependent we have all become on having the use of our phones and computers, on a daily basis....these devices have, for many, replaced their TVs.

• A reply on Conversation: Were you happier in the pre-internet era?

  Mar 25 2013: Good to hear that there are young people that feel the same as older people...i'm not elderly yet...although I have often wondered what it will be like for young people of this generation when they are older, if they are already feeling the pressures and stresses of the internet and social networking when they are in their 20s.