TED Community » Maximilian Thomas

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Community. That is the name of the game for me. I believe that everyone, though I focus my energies in the United States, can benefit from community.

Talk to me about

Anything! Knowledge is one of the greatest tools you can have in the fight for survival.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +3.70 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Are reality television shows helping people or exploiting people?

  Aug 8 2012: Lets first take a look at why reality T.V is here in the first place; to make money for the T.V station. With the exclusion of a few select channels, this is the purpose of all stations.
  
  With that said, the stations want to entertain to convince people to watch their shows and thus creating more revenue for the channel. So what we have is a medium that wants to entertain to make money.
  
  So, reality television is created to make the viewer feel like it is real life. But, the problem is these reality television shows are competing against shows that could be real, but are incredibly action and drama oriented. This means that a persons everyday life becomes a boring subject on T.V.
  
  So, what do the producers do? They try to add the most drama as the possibly can. They purposely seek out certain "characteristics" and shoot as much as they can and then show the viewer a pinhole view of the entire situation.
  
  So, to answer your questions, no, it is not exactly real life, but I would not exactly go so far as to say people are being exploited.

• A comment on Conversation: What would you do for the world with $1 million?

  Aug 7 2012: Invest into wealth to help the greater population.
• +2

  A comment on Conversation: Why is it so hard to change tradition?

  Jul 30 2012: People love being in control. Traditions represent something that they are use to, that they can predict. When you begin to change that tradition, people begin to fear losing control of the situation.
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  A comment on Conversation: How do we get students to adopt specific classroom procedures without the use of negative consequences (punishment) or rewards?

  Jul 30 2012: The only problem I see with this is the fact that most students learn through different capacities and thus would study and organize themselves differently. Do you feel like creating a uniform system restrict some of your students?
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  A reply on Conversation: How do we get students to adopt specific classroom procedures without the use of negative consequences (punishment) or rewards?

  Jul 30 2012: James you have come up with a brilliant idea! It seems to resembles how the actual work place works. Now do the students individually work on their own part of the project, say for example one student works on the art and the logical part and then at the end bring it together with the other students to create the final project?

• A comment on Conversation: NO MORE GUNS, LET THE CHILDREN GROW UP.

  Jul 29 2012: The problem with guns is not the guns themselves. Millions of people have proven that guns can be used in a safe contructive way. Completly banning arms would be a ludicrious way of trying to solve the problem.
  
  I think if we really wanted to make a change we would look at how people get the guns. Make the people acquiring guns do a series of tests. Have better education in place to teach people how to operate their gun in a safer way. There are several solutions that can be found without immediately jumping to te conclusion that we should ban all arms.

• A reply on Conversation: The Pros and Cons of Gun Rights

  Jul 29 2012: Debra,
  
  In all reality that is what, in my guess, what will happen. I think the legislation around guns is tricky because even if they are passed and enforced, they are likely to cause more problems then they solve. The medium is already there, so if you try and take a part of the medium away people will still want it, and thus having to break the laws to get it.
  
  I agree with your second point, the entire process of criminilization could be reformed to help the criminals with the problems that got them there in the first place.
  
  Thanks for another great contribution Debra!

• A reply on Conversation: The Pros and Cons of Gun Rights

  Jul 29 2012: There are many benefits, but I think they are often hidden behind this issue. Many people, especially in the rural and farming communties use them for hunting. Hunting is not only a huge recreational sport, it is also a source for food, clothing and various other materials.
  
  There are other hobbies in which guns are included, but in terms of thier actual use, I think this is pretty good picture of the scenario.
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  A comment on Conversation: A liaison service that sends suggestions from the general public to creative problem solvers who can directly provide effective solutions.

  Jul 29 2012: Wow, this is a great idea! This has address a large problem, the fact that scientist do not work together any more because everything has been privitized, and created an effective solution.
  
  I myself am working on a project that would find peoples' passion through good, reliable knowledge and in turn stirring that passion into constructive action. Maybe we could collaborate. Please if you are intereste, do not hesitate to contact me through my ted profile!

• A comment on Conversation: Using prize money to spur small town growth

  Jul 29 2012: Brilliant idea! Not only does it bring the community together to make a decision, is also brings the business back into it. I believe that in a small town this would spark something quite larger than the initial goal. Once the prize was given out once or twice I am sure that you would find people who would volunteerily come in and start local businesses.
  
  I have only one question for you:
  Why don't you try it in your small town?