TED Community » Justin Elkin

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Revealing the greater truth in myself and others in a non-antagonistic fashion.

An idea worth spreading

THE VENUS PROJECT

Talk to me about

Anything religious, futuristic, optimistic, bridging the gap.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +5.70 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• A comment on Conversation: If you have NEVER been to Africa, when someone mentions "Africa" or you hear "Africa", what is the FIRST thing that comes into your mind?

  Apr 7 2013: The Serengeti
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  A comment on Conversation: Are reality shows good for society?

  Feb 24 2013: I remember Paris Hilton had a show called the simple life which was garbage. They would live with people and do blue-collar jobs. It was a good show to learn what not to do.
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  A comment on Conversation: What is the most important thing you've learned on your own?

  Feb 24 2013: I've learned to play the bass guitar with printouts from the internet and cd's. I have no formal education on the matter and have and am still grooming my own style.
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  A comment on Conversation: Is there any way to prevent religious debates from turning into a big fight?

  Feb 21 2013: I generally agree with Arkady," Beliefs are closely related to our identity. When our beliefs are challenged, we take it as a personal challenge." What I've noticed are logic blocks, so to speak, where understandings reach a point and go no farther. It's up to each individual to expand their own understandings themselves. Arguments are counterproductive to understanding and when one ensues I feel, the topic should be left alone.

• A comment on Conversation: Can you tell us your life story in one sentence?

  Feb 12 2013: I, an individual of, for lack of a better term, God, living through the gauntlet of 21st century life on Earth, have made mistakes, witnessed mistakes, am attempting to forgive and learn from them, wish to spread well-being like those who have not known me from Adam have shown me through different stages of my life, and die with a smile on my face.
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  A comment on Talk: Erik Schlangen: A "self-healing" asphalt

  Feb 12 2013: This is much more realistic than the solar panel roads I have read about.

• A reply on Conversation: Is "the state" our enemy?

  Feb 12 2013: Right on. Shyam Sankar has an interesting talk on human-computer cooperation, citing that intelligence augmentation is greater than artificial intelligence. What I'm getting at is if someone is unsure of the right decision, then they will have like a super tablet linked into a super internet, whether it is to be used as a tool or weapon is always a possibility, they could use to make the most informed decision, hopefully the right one. Implants wouldn't be necessary because those who don't use it would no longer be fit and get left behind. Humanity, I feel, is not set to collapse but there is always a split in the path.

• A reply on Conversation: Is "the state" our enemy?

  Feb 11 2013: What is best for society as a whole? I would say term limits for all elected officials, not just time but performance limits, and to take the monetary upperhand incumbents seem to have and replace it with a mentor program or something of the like for future officials. All while a database of rational consensus and precedents act as an augmentation to intelligence and a firm foundation new ideas can branch off of.

• A comment on Conversation: For our nation to issue its own currency and cease using the federal reserve or central bank model.

  Feb 11 2013: Have ya'll ever seen Pay it Forward? It has Haley-Joel Osment, child actor, and the message comes through a child's point of view, Where society would be much better if goods and services were paid forward rather than "paid back".

• A comment on Conversation: Is "the state" our enemy?

  Feb 11 2013: I do not believe the state is our enemy, however, there is a distinction between society and government that should be observed. To quote Thomas Paine," Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices." Can a state efficiently utilize available resources? At this time I would think not, but, 20/20 hindsight almost always conveys wisdom. People learn better, and forgive themselves and eachother. Forgive the past, use what is available now.