TED Community » Franz Calderón

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Literature, cinema, painting, sculpture, theater, science, technology, internet, media, politics...

Comments

• TEDCred score: +0.10 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• A comment on Conversation: Has religion outlived it's usefulness?

  Feb 18 2011: I agree with Chelsea that religion has been a tool for exploration or self discovery. Still, I think we have better tools than religion-based thought for that.
  
  Based on Lauren's comments, I'd say that, yes, religion has provided groups of people with common and meaningful thoughts and/or intentions. But being the object of that belonging to a group, an outer entity (God), it has caused all that exclusion of other groups who don't share those beliefs. I guess that community setting that has been provided by religion should be replaced with one based in an inner quality, the human condition. That same capacity we all have for joy, suffering, brilliance, creativeness, destructiveness, etc.
  
  It's the same for all that is mentioned as "evil". Religious thought tends to treat evil acts as something inspired by an evil persona that inspires people. What I understand as the drive for "evil" acts is a combination of egoism and ignorance that utterly results in destruction. Whoever acts in those ways it's either because they think it's right or because they think they extract some kind of benefit from it. That perspective should make the thinker aware that whenever they do something considered "evil" he's not helping progress, is doing unnecessary harm which doesn't really benefit him and which actually ultimately harms him also.
  
  I'm sure we can and will ultimately find some other, better measures to get the same benefits religion has and still delivers, but without the negative collateral effects. Has it already been around longer than it should have? I sure as hell would say yes. But again, I agree that there's no feasible course of action that would get rid of the effects of religion. It must be a natural process.
  
  I think maybe we'll somewhen all agree on one basic set of values to follow. One that is coherent with respect for life, freedom, equality and that is compatible with scientific thought and progress. But maybe I'm a dreamer.

• A comment on Conversation: A library in every neighborhood to foster a love of reading among Arab children, inspiring future generations to read for pleasure.

  Feb 18 2011: I'd suggest to consider using tablets and digital books alongside paper books. It would facilitate the acquisition of new materials while also allowing people to get used to the new technologies and their use.

• A comment on Conversation: "Humanity Link" Webpage / Personal & Public for every person on Earth.

  Feb 18 2011: Hmmm... I like your idea. I'm not quite sure how possible or effective would be at this point in technology the concept of "gobots", particularly because of the network resources that five hundred million gobots would consume. In any case, it's an idea that probably just facebook or Google could produce effectively. And I don't even want to start on the safety issues. But again, it's a very good idea. Actually, I'm sure something at least very similar or better WILL exist in some near future.
• +2

  A comment on Talk: Let's talk parenting taboos: Rufus Griscom + Alisa Volkman

  Dec 22 2010: Wow... I admire the work of this couple. A happier parenthood means happier children, a happier future, a happier humanity. I can't express how important their work is. How meaningful. Key topic. A great talk and a great, great project. Applause.
• +4

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

  Jun 3 2010: Anonymity lets people say and do things for which there is no consequence. Anonymity is the required status for crimes to be committed. What we today call "trolls" act from anonymity, bashing other people's comments while being aggresive and many times without even having arguments. It's not the fact that you can be judged for what you say that is wrong. Every action has a reaction. All acts have a consequence. The only wrong thing about it is that you can be misjudged, but then again if you worry too much about what people are going to think about what you say, maybe it's because it's not a good thing to say anyway. In any case, anonymity is not the solution. It just makes everything worse.