TED Community » John Walker

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• A comment on Talk: Ahn Trio: A modern take on piano, violin, cello

  Mar 9 2011: Different and interesting, but not really my cup of tea. The performers them selves seem to play with all their heart, mind and soul which makes it interesting. But for me the first song was just to chaotic, and the second one wanted to be emotional but just didn't make it there for me.
  
  I would love to see The Ahn Trio playing something else.

• A comment on Conversation: Do you think that our children will be left behind economically if they do not learn Chinese?

  Mar 8 2011: I will write of language in general to set a little foundation for discussion and comment based on personal experience.
  
  I believe language is essential, especially in its diversity. The existence of multiple languages provides different structures of thought which I believe are essential for progress and problem resolution. I grew up seamlessly with 2 languages and have found that when I can't toggle a problem re-framing it in another language usually helps me look at it from a different perspective, providing more tools for resolving the problem.
  
  I feel that language skills have become a lost art in English speaking countries, primarily because it has become such a dominant language in commerce and other fields. Living in Cancun, a tourist rich environment, I can see the cultural difference between tourists from English speaking countries and other countries. I notice a higher level of common sense as well as a much stronger integration, acceptance, and cultural grasp of Mexico from visitors of non-english speaking countries. I would like to state clearly that I am generalizing and mean no offense to any culture.
  
  Conclusion: Language diversity is essential. Linguistic diversity in our children is a treasured gift that should not be discarded. Specifically for Chinese, it is what almost 1/5 of the worlds population speaks, and with the country opening up will be a vital skill. I firmly believe everyone should know at least 2 languages though more is entirely optional. And it is upr to parents to care since it is much easier to learn at a young age and it becomes part of our though process.
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  A comment on Talk: Beau Lotto: Optical illusions show how we see

  Oct 15 2009: For me the question is: How many other things do we perceive incorrectly due to context with our senses and thoughts? This also opens up the thought of the vast differences in human perception of the same problem and how that "colors" our actions. That is why we must be conscious of what context we are put in when exposed to new ideas, or the same idea that only "looks" new.
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  A reply on Talk: Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story

  Oct 15 2009: I don't believe there are RIGHT and WRONG people. Just ignorant. Much like she says her self. I live in Cancun Mexico, but was born in the U.S. We receive millions of tourists every year and it surprises me how many have a single story about Mexico.
  We are no where near as far as Nigeria is from the U.S. and Canada, and people are surprised we have cars instead of burros. That we aren't all tequila drinking sombrero wearers who pass away most of the day in a siesta.
  Today Mexico's economic crisis is not so much about the world crisis, but more of a misinformation crisis brought on by news media. Mexico today is seen as a deadly pit of disease and crime, with drug wars that span the country and people dying left and right.
  Nothing could be further from the truth. It is like Adichie says a single story, and today millions of Mexicans are suffering the consequences of such a story.

• A comment on Talk: Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

  Oct 13 2008: This talk is worth its KB in gold. Especially with the way children are being shoehorned in to education that simply isn't cutting it/