TED Community » Alex Dijk

More About Me

I'm passionate about

writing.

An idea worth spreading

It's where we place both end and beginning,
by which we fix what's in between.

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My TED Story

A very important person entered my life in March, 2009. A 'Free Radical' that I was shocked to recognise as such, on account of my similarity to her. We met, danced, sung, talked and exchanged ideas. There was no shame, no restriction, no competition, only freedom. Through talking to each other in such a way we got to talk to ourselves and I think we both were incredibly thrilled about the exiting things we had to say. You know how when these encounters happen the whole world seems to adapt to your experience? How everything fits in so meaningfully that it seems highly unlikely that chance is beyond your control? TED was just another part of that world falling into place. Masha showed me Sir Ken Robinson's criticism on education as being counter-productive of creativity, and we both discovered Emily Levine's theory of everything. This is how TED came to be an integral part of the renewed state of constant amazement and enthusiasm I'm rediscovering myself in.

Comments

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• +1

  A comment on Talk: Karen Armstrong: Let's revive the Golden Rule

  Nov 12 2009: The melting away of differences, voiced as an ideal, can also be voiced by the 'incompasionate', to use Karen Armstrongs terminology. From any given religious perspective 'spreading the gospel' and assimilating as many as possible, is another way of letting differences melt away. It is the enthusiasm with which some people approach me, that makes it hard for me to relate to them, especially when they turn defensive whenever I try to explain that on any key issue I fully agree with them. I just have found no need to choose a specific deleneation of my belief in compassion.
  I agree wholeheartedly with what Amstrong has said in this brief video, and think that we should actively try to 'lift people up' over there zelotism, but find myself eager to avoid zealots, even though it is so clear that to further the recognition of the 'golden rule', the zealots are the first that should be thaught to think differently. Perhaps accepting our differences would be the best place to start.
• +2

  A comment on Talk: Richard Dawkins: Militant atheism

  May 21 2009: Richard Dawkins has dared to speak and should be applauded for it. Placing any God above its creation, not only stipulates a limit to that creation in the sense that an 'above' is necessary, it shoots the whole idea of both Creationism and Intelligent Design in the foot - as Dawkins put it. If God is thought to be Love, or the Alpha and Omega, how can he exist ABOVE those who love, or BEYOND eternity? I think Spinoza got the idea - and suffered for it. That is not to say that the bible has no aesthetic value. Like any other book that covers such grand themes, it has a wonderful inspiring capability. If you focus on that, there's no need to focus on the question if its real. One of my favourite stories is that of Adam and Eve, who spoiled their paradise by gaining knowledge of Good and Bad: remember where the apple came from? From that I learned that preaching Good and Bad, Heaven and Hell and Right and Wrong is probably what's in the way of enjoying the world as it presents itself.

• A comment on Talk: Isabel Allende: Tales of passion

  Apr 17 2009: Although I am very open and appreciative to her call for feminine energy and passion, I have a small problem with Allende's remarks concerning philanthropy: what makes something a 'male project' and something else a 'female project'? It seems to me that gender does not necessarily have to be an issue here. If I am mistaken, than please help me understand this point better! Thank you.