TED Community » Shawn Jones

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Making the world a better place through music and by inspiring people.

Talk to me about

Reverse engineering the world's problems. All aspects of music. Existentialism. Oratory. Education. Sustainability. Entrepreneurship.

People don't know that I'm good at

Developing ideas, articulating my thoughts, seeing complicated things in a very simple way.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +0.40 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Is all morality about human rights?

  Nov 9 2012: Morality deals with the distinction between "good" and "bad" behaviour. Human rights are universal and egalitarian where morality is usually defined by a dominant culture.
  
  To really answer your question, one must find the common ground between the two. It is considered immoral behaviour to kill another human in the tenets of all the major religions. The right to live is also the foremost of all human rights. They are both part of the same thing. The distinctions lay in the excess. For universal morality to exist in harmony with human rights, humanity as a whole must amalgamate their differing moral principals to find common ground that adheres to the universal code of human rights.
  
  It is optimistic to believe that this kind of unity can exist on our planet, but I believe that one day it is possible.

• A reply on Conversation: What IS religion?

  Sep 26 2012: My friend, who is finishing a degree in pastoral studies, told me about a part in the Bible where Jesus talked about the Pharisees (a leading religious institution at the time). Jesus claimed that they were hypocrites and was against the idea of organized religion. Another friend, who was involved in this conversation is a follower of Jesus but in very simplistic terms. He told me that Mother Teresa said it best: "[Jesus's teachings are] to love until it hurts, and then love some more". Nothing more than that.
  
  Maybe what's happened to religions is that they have strayed from their basic beliefs. Christianity is perhaps what Jesus intended it to be. This may be true for a number of religions? I'd love to hear what others have to think. I like Ammar's comment on the Prophet Mohammed and those basic beliefs? Who can argue that they are not good ways to live?
  
  Religions propose an answer, Atheism refuses an answer...but the question still persists. I've been learning about Albert Camus and Soren Kierkegaard and what they call The Absurd. It may be a form a logical answer to this question. Check out the wikipedia, it has some very interesting ideas.
  
  Religion can be a very positive and a very negative thing. Maybe this conversation, and many many more can lead to an emphasis on the positive and the removal of the unnecessary negatives!

• A comment on Conversation: What is the relationship between music and emotion?

  Sep 26 2012: I've recently been interested about Carl Jung and his idea of the collective unconscious. Perhaps at a concert, where there is a whole crowd feeling the same emotion, or connecting to the piece of music on some level, then some sort of harmony arises between each person. Like the huge flocks of birds that turn together at moment's notice.

• A reply on Conversation: What is the relationship between music and emotion?

  Sep 26 2012: And a great songwriter, writes songs to be ambiguous enough so that people can relate to certain lines or words in the songs. I saw an interview once with Eminem and he was describing his songwriting process. His life influenced the songs, but he always tried to create a character that had a number of characteristics that people everywhere could empathize with.

• A reply on Conversation: What is the relationship between music and emotion?

  Sep 26 2012: Structure within the chaos of the noise we usually hear?

• A reply on Conversation: What is the relationship between music and emotion?

  Sep 26 2012: Thanks! I'll definitely have a look at that!

• A reply on Conversation: What is the relationship between music and emotion?

  Sep 26 2012: Perhaps to be human is...to be musical! I must agree that those moments of pure silence are beauty. When you can walk out into a field at night and encounter that deafening silence, then you can really connect with the world on a much deeper level.
  
  I read something that said music allows us to change how we experience the world. It allows us to associate certain kinds of music with certain emotions. Like when I run, I like listening to the Prodigy and Porter Robinson. Whenever I hear them now, I get pumped to run!
  
  And as far as cheesy pop songs go, I definitely agree. The formula seems quite simple. Maybe that's why many bands go in different directions after they establish their careers?
• +2

  A comment on Conversation: What IS religion?

  Sep 25 2012: Let me give this a shot.
  
  At the core of the human condition is the need for purpose and understanding. All religions and philosophies seek to answer more or less the same basic set of questions.
  
  (Why do we exist? Is there intelligent design to the universe? What is God? Is there a God? What happens when we die? Is there a soul? How did it all start? What is good? What is evil? etc...)
  
  I argue that religion is a metaphor constructed to respond that basic human need. Each religion and philosophy is a different metaphor to understand the same thing. People need to live with meaning in a way that appeals to them on a personal level. Religions all try answer the same questions in different ways.
  
  On the flip side, religions seek to teach people to live a moral life. Same principles, different explanations.
  
  I think the challenge in the near future is fostering a global community based upon mutual respect and universal values of moral behaviour.
  
  How do you think this can happen? What are the big struggles?