TED Community » Matt Lantz

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Learning, Giving to Those Who Need, Exercise, Writing, Taking Pictures, Internet, Mobile Stuff, Technology, and true information

An idea worth spreading

An idea worth spreading. One that has been on my mind recently is something a little different. I envision a small campus even just a single building. This place, this building is there for the community. A sort of community university, with one purpose in mind, to expand and explore. Humanity has this amazing capacity to grow and expand and improve, not just physically but mentally. I think that if we had a physical place where family's, or just persons on their own could go and grow. Jungle gyms, and virtual experiences, vast libraries, large rooms with interactive materials. video conference capabilities at every corner, complete challenges with persons across the globe. Bring people, I mean anyone and everyone together, and eventually by giving all of them an equal voice and equal opportunity they will build an amazing world.

Talk to me about

Anything and everything, if I don't know much about it, then I would love to learn

People don't know that I'm good at

Massages, reverse engineering, listening

My TED Story

I found TED after I went for coffee with a gentleman I knew in high school and always regarded as the more intellectual type. He mentioned it to me as we discussed everything under the sun. He said, "I think you should check out ted.com." I was sitting there and I clearly remember thinking, 'ah crap who's blog is this?' I went home that night though and found my way to TED.com. Since then I've watched every TED talk at least once. I signed up for the podcast version. I've been inspired and have written down a multitude of ideas. Thanks TED.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +2.90 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• A comment on Talk: Bruno Maisonnier: Dance, tiny robots!

  Feb 26 2013: What was amazing. I would love to get my hands on one of those little guys. I could only imagine the possibilities provided it has a good API.
• +3

  A comment on Talk: Ellen Jorgensen: Biohacking -- you can do it, too

  Jan 29 2013: The is why the world of open source software is vital to the future of humanity. I'm an avid open source supporter, and I think we all should be.
• +3

  A comment on Talk: James Hansen: Why I must speak out about climate change

  Mar 7 2012: The real issue isn't what can we as people convince governments to do, and change about their many mistakes. The key, the real issue at hand is why we're letting all this crap happen. Losing focus on real issues is easy in our lives but the fact is simple. We have to do something. Whether its is spreading the word, getting a hybrid car, or even composting are all good things. Strive to make a difference people! Join, unite, team up and change the world. That is what TED is for. That is what we need to do. We owe that much to a man as dedicated to helping us as James Hansen.
• +14

  A comment on Talk: Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work

  Feb 5 2012: There are talks that inspire and urge us all to do more, be more, and you watch them once, they do that, and it helps. But then there are talks that you watch, re-watch, and re-watch again, because there is something that is almost euphoric about them. It's not so much of an inspiration but more of a action driver. Inspiration can be a fleeting feeling, whereas driving action, at least to me, causes immediate action. After watching this talk, I feel it, I know it, find happiness in the journey and the end result will be incredible. Happiness is not a goal it's a driving force. Happiness can be the thing that takes us to places we thought we would never go, not actually be the place we thought we could never go. There are times in my own life when I need a reminder of this. Thank you Shawn, you reminded me.
• +1

  A comment on Talk: Christopher "moot" Poole: The case for anonymity online

  Oct 18 2011: I think in many cases anonymity is not any sort of question of good vs evil or anything like that. The matter is simple enough. Allow people to have the option for freedom. After all need I quote Shakespeare regarding names and roses. The fact is this, though there are occurrences of a morally questionable position presented in places like this, however, I will argue that it is the act of seeing this immoral content that often drives us to create content that is morally good. I feel that we would be less likely to continue sharing the good, if we were not occasionally hit with the bad.
  
  What do you think?
• +4

  A comment on Talk: Ben Goldacre: Battling bad science

  Oct 1 2011: I don't want to call out how true it all is, as I'm just an amateur scientist and a simple programmer by occupation. However, I will say this. That bad science is morally wrong, and on that note, bad science is likely to be exactly what destroys what so many people are fighting for.

• A comment on Conversation: Where do you find the inspiration and energy to start and build your own venture?

  Mar 9 2011: I think the main drive behind all private ventures is a distaste with the status quo. In some cases its a desire to be different, in other cases its a need to do something, either way its begins with the fundamental idea that what is shouldn't be, and should be different. Facebook, Google, Apple Inc, Ford, and nearly all other companies started this way. A desire to change. So thats a simple drive right the drive to change the status quo.
  But then looking at the individual those who pioneer things have a complete vision, or at least they see the potential end result and thusly stop at nothing until it is achieved. You could call it an innate ability or call it an acquired taste either way its a necessity, to drive forward a venture that could be a complete failure. But there are also those who get into ventures because there is nothing else to do. Perhaps they were considerably successful at some point and are now looking to do something else.
  I know that for me, its a desire to help others that fuels much of what I do, including the ventures that I help or start. For me its changing the status quo, and seeing what the future brings.

• A comment on Conversation: Should the internet be a fundamental right?

  Mar 6 2011: In an ideal world, the internet is a fundamental right, but I see a couple potential problems in initializing such an action. The internet is not free to access or maintain which changes its nature in my mind. Though in an ideal world it would be perfect if everyone had internet access that was unfiltered or not under surveillance, but it is hard because those who have power and know that they have it wrongly, would be at risk of loosing it. You also have people who would abuse it in a variety of ways, the black market, and potential child pornography. So it becomes a challenge in deciding whether or not it is something that needs to be earned or freely given. Not all companies have the ability to publish information but some do and some of those publish improper information, which in turn is only damaging so how do you decide who has the right to publish and not publish?
  I would support all people having access to the internet and its wealth of information and tools, but I cant help but think there should be a sort of mild monitoring feature, when I think about the fact that we house so many prisoners across the world, in order to keep our physical environment more safe, wouldn't it in a way make sense to do the same in a mental world like the internet? I know I'm suggesting that we set boundaries on the internet which I have never been too fond of, but in the world of investing there is what is called a gentlemen's agreement, which is non-legally binding agreement that both parties are expected to honour.
  It becomes problem when one party defaults on that agreement. I see that as no different than someone spreading hate etc. So should the internet be a fundamental right? I say, follow the rule of innocent until proven guilty, but the guilty deserve a sentence.
• +2

  A comment on Conversation: How would you describe the purpose of life in one sentence?

  Feb 26 2011: The purpose of life as I see it is to grow, to learn, to experience, to share, to dream, to love, to have fun, put whatever energy you can into the greater human machine, and hope for the best.

• A comment on Conversation: Nonlinear codification of information using computers

  Feb 21 2011: I like this idea, Konrad, it would be pretty neat to have an interactive system that displays the connections between TED Talks. Would you want it as images or as headlines that link to the videos? Or something different? Perhaps then within the organic structure each headline/ image would have a series of third party links that relate to the Talk?