Aug 22 2012: Absolutely beautiful talk! Just in case this book hasn't been mentioned yet (it probably has been), I highly recommend "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. He explains the value of the present moment and teaches you how become one with it as well as how to use your newfound power to radically increase your quality of life (almost completely eliminate stress and anxiety) as well as making you a more vibrant, compassionate person. I don't mean to shove anything in anyones face, but the book has taught me so much and has helped me to have many of the same experiences Jill speaks of, so I almost feel obligated to make it known to anybody interested in the subject. Mental silence is, in my opinion, the most beautiful thing a human can accomplish and I am so glad to see the concept being spread and accepted!
Oct 10 2011: I am 14 and spend many hours on TED a week.
I believe that I am capable of intellectual thought, despite my age. I am fascinated by (almost) every video I watch, and believe that I comprehend, and analyze many of the theories, ideas, propositions, narratives, ect. much like many of the more mature TED frequenters.
When I show a video to one of my friends that I found very interesting, they usually do not seem to tap into the subject matter as intently as I did initially.
I do not believe that this is a result of my brain working any differently, seeing as I am not an exemplary student, nor do I test higher, have the ability to retain more knowledge, or function any differently then your average teenager. Although I do find it slightly curious that it is very hard for some of my friends to comprehend concepts that I find fairly basic.
I admit that this may be a result of them just not having an opinion about the topic at hand, or weather they do not care enough to devout any thought to the subject what so ever.
I also do not know if this issue is a result of my age, and by no means do I consider myself more mature then other people my age. I just seem to be more interested and engaged in many of the deeper topics discussed nowadays.
Because of this observation, I drew to the conclusion that either some people (my age specifically) have a greater ability to comprehend, analyze, and develop an opinion, then others. Or that some people are just more willing to devote time and effort into understanding the subject at hand, only if they care about the subject at hand.
May 11 2011: Personally, the most thought provoking poem I have ever been fortunate enough to read is "the lesson of the moth" by Don Marquis:
i was talking to a moth
the other evening
he was trying to break into
an electric light bulb
and fry himself on the wires
why do you fellows
pull this stunt i asked him
because it is the conventional
thing for moths or why
if that had been an uncovered
candle instead of an electric
light bulb you would
now be a small unsightly cinder
have you no sense
plenty of it he answered
but at times we get tired
of using it
we get bored with the routine
and crave beauty
and excitement
fire is beautiful
and we know that if we get
too close it will kill us
but what does that matter
it is better to be happy
for a moment
and be burned up with beauty
than to live a long time
and be bored all the while
so we wad all our life up
into one little roll
and then we shoot the roll
that is what life is for
it is better to be a part of beauty
for one instant and then cease to
exist than to exist forever
and never be a part of beauty
our attitude toward life
is come easy go easy
we are like human beings
used to be before they became
too civilized to enjoy themselves
and before i could argue him
out of his philosophy
he went and immolated himself
on a patent cigar lighter
i do not agree with him
myself i would rather have
half the happiness and twice
the longevity
but at the same time i wish
there was something i wanted
as badly as he wanted to fry himself
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A comment on Talk: Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke of insight
A comment on Conversation: Is everyone capable of deep intellectual thought?
I believe that I am capable of intellectual thought, despite my age. I am fascinated by (almost) every video I watch, and believe that I comprehend, and analyze many of the theories, ideas, propositions, narratives, ect. much like many of the more mature TED frequenters.
When I show a video to one of my friends that I found very interesting, they usually do not seem to tap into the subject matter as intently as I did initially.
I do not believe that this is a result of my brain working any differently, seeing as I am not an exemplary student, nor do I test higher, have the ability to retain more knowledge, or function any differently then your average teenager. Although I do find it slightly curious that it is very hard for some of my friends to comprehend concepts that I find fairly basic.
I admit that this may be a result of them just not having an opinion about the topic at hand, or weather they do not care enough to devout any thought to the subject what so ever.
I also do not know if this issue is a result of my age, and by no means do I consider myself more mature then other people my age. I just seem to be more interested and engaged in many of the deeper topics discussed nowadays.
Because of this observation, I drew to the conclusion that either some people (my age specifically) have a greater ability to comprehend, analyze, and develop an opinion, then others. Or that some people are just more willing to devote time and effort into understanding the subject at hand, only if they care about the subject at hand.
A comment on Conversation: What poems are most powerful to you?
i was talking to a moth
the other evening
he was trying to break into
an electric light bulb
and fry himself on the wires
why do you fellows
pull this stunt i asked him
because it is the conventional
thing for moths or why
if that had been an uncovered
candle instead of an electric
light bulb you would
now be a small unsightly cinder
have you no sense
plenty of it he answered
but at times we get tired
of using it
we get bored with the routine
and crave beauty
and excitement
fire is beautiful
and we know that if we get
too close it will kill us
but what does that matter
it is better to be happy
for a moment
and be burned up with beauty
than to live a long time
and be bored all the while
so we wad all our life up
into one little roll
and then we shoot the roll
that is what life is for
it is better to be a part of beauty
for one instant and then cease to
exist than to exist forever
and never be a part of beauty
our attitude toward life
is come easy go easy
we are like human beings
used to be before they became
too civilized to enjoy themselves
and before i could argue him
out of his philosophy
he went and immolated himself
on a patent cigar lighter
i do not agree with him
myself i would rather have
half the happiness and twice
the longevity
but at the same time i wish
there was something i wanted
as badly as he wanted to fry himself