TED Community » Dan F

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• A comment on Conversation: Does Technology destroy our relationship with Nature?

  May 28 2013: Self awareness has enables us to realize the invaluable gift of life. Our more distant ancestors likely sensed the precious nature of existence more keenly than we do because as beautiful as nature can be, it can also be harsh almost beyond description which resulted in what must have seem to be a fleeting life span by todays standards.
  
  Our consequent ability to communicate and innovate improved the quality and longevity of our lives considerably. It is now possible to live in technological circumstances where the artificial (human made or modified) component of one's environment contrasts so sharply from years past as to appear to be a brave new world to our not so distant ancestors. One thing has not changed we are still bound by our natural origin and history.
  
  The state of technology may diminish our appreciation and respect for the role of the nature in our natural history, but that could be said of religion as well. The added risk expanded technology poses could well be in disrupting our earthly well being as an unintended consequence of ideas and products such as the Hydrogen Bombs, Organically Modified Organisms, etc.
  
  It could be argued that it takes two to tango. Technology has played a key role in health, food advances, etc., yet our natural urge to reproduce babies remains in full steam causing world population numbers to soar because babies seldom die and we all live longer which in turn puts strain and more demands on technology to serve the exploding human population needs, which in turn becomes even more exotic and worrysome because there is a limit.

• A reply on Conversation: Truths and Facts. Does Science prove anything?

  May 26 2013: I rest my case. Salesmen, salesmen everywhere, but not a thought to think.
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  A comment on Conversation: Truths and Facts. Does Science prove anything?

  May 25 2013: There is an uncertainty principle associated with science in terms of the truth and absolute proof of some particular claim(s) due to the nature of science.
  
  Having said that, it is the methodology and reasoning associated with science that lends itself to what I'd like to think of as a more sane view of the world and consequently more civilized human behavior on spaceship earth.
  
  Science reflects what appears to be true about the physical world for a single fundamental reason. Although it may be said that the the individual claims of science is that nothing is above being disproven it is also true that there exist an incredible body of knowledge about reality which has stood the test of time by weathering the intellectual storms as standing knowledge. This standing evidence or factually accepted descriptions or theories about the whats, wheres, hows and whys of the world are seldom independent of one another. The reason that is significant is this interlocking nature of the physical world fits so beautifully with Albert Einstein's observation that the most amazing thing about the real world is its comprehensible nature.
  
  Now for those who question the reality of reality, or that conspiracies are a significant factor in affecting this process, then perhaps the value of science regarding truth and facts begin to melt, but sanity does as well in my view.

• A reply on Conversation: What happens after a TED or TEDx conference?

  May 1 2013: Hi Genevieve,
  
  For what it is worth, I like and relate to your creative restlessness.
  
  There is a real world escapism element to those of us fitting the description of your e-lurker (is this your word?) description. My first personal response was to prefer the reference of an ADVERURESOME smart, well-meaning, introverted e-lurker, just to make you smile (I'd even be will to drop - smart!).

• A comment on Conversation: What happens after a TED or TEDx conference?

  Apr 29 2013: Is TED at the end or beginning? A thought or two.
  
  Incidentally, your 2-cents is often beautifully distilled.
  
  Perhaps the real beauty of TED lies in the unexpected.
  
  TED can be viewed as a refreshing reservoir. These ongoing retrievable talks, and resulting conversations, comments and discussions about our modern state of technology, education and design helps define and explain the modern era. Our connections and circumstances can be better appreciated by better understanding the dynamics of all this ingenuity.
  
  This posting activity tends to be thoughtful and useful. It's easy for me to be sidetracked by a fellow member comments. I personally like the room to fully express thoughts on TED over the more constraining popular texting trends in this arena.
  
  I would not underestimate the developmental capacity of the TED enterprise, nor the influence of members such as yourself.
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  A comment on Talk: Nilofer Merchant: Got a meeting? Take a walk

  Apr 29 2013: Getting out of the chair more doesn't and won't happen without special effort and design. Sitting is the ultimate default position.
  
  Nilofer Merchant personifies her excellent message.
  
  My own personal effort to get out of the chair more involves having my computer on a wall lagged in platform that requires me to stand as I use it. At first I cheated, using a bar stool to sit part time, however I'm standing more than ever and like how it makes me feel. It was not easy at first, but now standing is the norm and the benefits are real. Trust me, being on your feet burns calories!

• A comment on Conversation: What is your definition of 'freedom'?

  Apr 28 2013: My view of freedom stems from the concept of individual liberty.
  
  We don't grow up in a vacuum, but rather learn a whole range of givens and circumstances that help define who we are and how we respond to our siblings, parents, and others which in turn results in feedback that helps satisfy our basic cares, wants and needs.
  
  As a result, many of us, as we become adults continue the traditions of our family including religious beliefs and adopt these cultural influences including politics, way of life, etc., automatically.
  
  Freedom can become a factor in our lives when knowledge and a greater exposure to life affects changes in our views. The value of freedom stems from the concept of liberty. The idea that an individual is entitled to their own pursuit of happiness and therefore entitled to choices in terms of belief systems, politics, lifestyle, etc., as an individual right - to me is the crux of what the idea of freedom is all about.
  
  Political freedom is what keeps authority from imposing the will of the majority on everyone. It is what the Bill of Right is all about in the US Constitution.
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  A comment on Talk: Robert Gordon: The death of innovation, the end of growth

  Apr 27 2013: Robert Gordon is reflecting on our economic cultural evolution. Innovation has to do with opportunity and the conditions that enable and promote such business activity. He claims the current evolved reality is precluding innovation, using data, and headwinds that affect these economics to anchor his deductions. It appears to me his intellect is framework sound, despite the fact social science can be argued ad nauseam.
  
  Perhaps it's time material wealth is re-ranked. Most of us are incredibly lucky to be living now as opposed to years ago, even with less money than we would like. A change in lifestyle may be the key to the pursuit of individual happiness. These goals for many are likely more allusive than money, for example, being physically fit, eating smarter and healthier, dropping bad habits and addictions, expanding one's knowledge base, being a more proactive individual in what we do and how we think, etc. All this stuff is at our fingertips with little costs or even with significant financial savings.
  
  I've been working at this for some time. My material stuff and investments fits me better. I try to stand as much as I sit (in fact, I stand while using my computer!). I grow my own vegetables. I have learned to sip fine wine, etc., yet have many miles to go, and promises to keep, but feel to be in a better place for my own personal lifestyle makeover in progress.
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  A comment on Talk: John McWhorter: Txtng is killing language. JK!!!

  Apr 25 2013: An interesting perspective on the dynamics of how past written communications are being blended by the high tech age of texting evolving around us in real time. It does make sense as employment demands and social contacts involve texting as a key means of communicating via abbreviations and info markers, etc., enable quicker, easier and effective contact tags with one another.
  
  It seems to me the more formalize written word will hold its own, but it does seem likely texting will evolved and develop as a separate identity due to this growing popular trend in how we communicate with one another, both superficially and via the disciplines of various lines of work, or other responsibilities.
  
  The reason traditional writing will remain strong is because its the anchor that allows us to wander, at least in my mind. Certain disciplines of study and knowledge demand the advantages of a more diverse vocabulary (at least in term of longer, richer words), sentence structure, plot, or theory expansion, etc.
  
  Anyway, interesting talk and topic about a new trend that is occurring and influencing our behavior before our eyes.

• A comment on Conversation: Has anti-discrimination gone too far?

  Apr 20 2013: Yes that could be argued to be the case.
  
  Blacks were unjustly discriminated against by Whites in our not so distant past history. An egregious fact involving separate public drinking fountains to considerably worse institutionalize and personal abuses. Politics legally impose a more civil behavior in the way we treat one another regardless race. The USA government did the right thing by acting to eliminate this unjust discriminatory behavior.
  
  That responsible political act did not end there. It went politically proactive and expanded pushing for the need for citizens to be more tolerant and accommodating to all kinds of individual differences that were considered worthy of special attention and treatment.
  
  Tolerance and accommodation in society can be pushed at the expense of the good aspects of intelligent judgement and the common sense discrimination about differences with those we should feel comfortable rejecting as an individual right without anti-discrimation concerns. Crude behavior or profane speech, or shocking appearance, or loud or pushy political views and belief systems, etc., can be legitimately offensive as a matter of good taste, appropriate behavior, truth, etc. Does not seeking unconditional toleration in these attitudes and behaviors promote the exact opposite of the original intent and aims of unjust discrimination or bullying? - Not to mention hinder justified critical thinking out of the fear of being called names and/or facing legal action?
  
  PS: later modified to reflex more what I originally meant to say.
  
  Thought provoking question.