TED Community » Josh Walter

More About Me

I'm passionate about

music.

An idea worth spreading

I once had a dream during which deceased Doors vocalist, Jim Morrison, told me the meaning of life. Yes, the meaning of life. Now, I vaguely remember what it was he said to me, but his message sticks with me like white to rice. He said of his latest lyrics, "It means live life knowing that everyone passes." In this concise but poignantly delivered few words, Morrison told me to exist appreciating the existence of all others because regardless of our money or our professions or races or religions or sexualities, we all will face identical fates. I have found over the past however many years that this message brings me to appreciate people for who they are more than anything else has brought me to. If we all existed appreciating people instead of criticizing them for who they are not or for what they don't have, people would peacefully coexist.

Talk to me about

absolutely anything. I don't prefer trying to be told what I am and what I am not, but if you can support your opinions, I invite you to vocalize them.

People don't know that I'm good at

...really anything. I don't normally speak of my talents or abilities or anything for fear of coming off as pompous or self-satisfied or condescending.

Comments

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• +1

  A reply on Conversation: Do you believe in the "Big Bang Theory?" Why or why not?

  Jun 29 2011: I've had a few similar thoughts, Helen. If at the center of a black hole is an inconceivably massive and dense ball, could that ball not tear through the fabric of spacetime into a state of non-existence, only to exist as a separate universe once it began to rapidly expand? That would also support the multiverse theory, as well as the theory of an infinitely expanding universe!

• A reply on Conversation: Do you believe in the "Big Bang Theory?" Why or why not?

  Jun 28 2011: I agree, he's a brilliant theoretical physicist and writer - also check out The Elegant Universe, interesting stuff!

• A reply on Conversation: Should creativity be encouraged or discouraged?

  Jun 24 2011: Thank you, that means a lot to me. And I agree with you - it's terrible to witness a child with a type D mind think that they're useless because the world is strictly A, B, and C. People with positions of power (i.e. parents, teachers, family, friends, etc.) need to start acknowledging this child's uniqueness and creative potential and encouraging him or her to continue to nurture this uniqueness and creativity.

• A reply on Conversation: Should creativity be encouraged or discouraged?

  Jun 24 2011: Absolutely.
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: Should creativity be encouraged or discouraged?

  Jun 24 2011: I agree completely! I think a college-like system - choosing your own courses simply because it interests you - should be employed earlier on, like in elementary or middle school. Children are raised with great assumptions about authority and the importance of certain classes over others (English over drawing, for instance) and I would love to see schools start acknowledging the importance of classes like drawing to children. If teachers begin telling children of the importance of individuality, creativity, and curiosity, instead of implying that these are traits of rebellious underachievers, I think the world could be a happier, more successful place.

• A reply on Conversation: Should creativity be encouraged or discouraged?

  Jun 24 2011: It's not a trick question, and it should definitely be encouraged, but why isn't it? Contrary to claims made by people working within the school system, individuality, creativity, and curiosity are rarely encouraged in schools because children possessing these traits are "harder to handle" and make a teacher's job more challenging. I wrote this conversation to get you to think a little bit deeper about an otherwise simple topic of conversation, to have you respond with intelligent, well thought-out answers, and to bring you to ask, "why?" of things we have been taught to assume are correct!
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: Should creativity be encouraged or discouraged?

  Jun 24 2011: I have slightly changed the premise to leave the topic open to more interpretations, and your answer is still extremely valid. In my opinion, hyperactivity is a diagnosis given by people holding positions of authority to children who can not be controlled by people of average dedication and intelligence. As one of these "hyperactive" children, I have been deemed defective by many of my elementary and middle school teachers, but the entire time I've had a penchant for music, writing, philosophy, and math. I had to figure myself out without very much assistance, which was by no definition a simple task! That being said, I believe that if parents and/or teachers took a moment to solve these immensely creative enigmas that are "hyperactive children," the children would find success far more achievable!