Ideas worth spreading

New ways to understand life in a pandemic

237,344 views |

Aaron Maniam |

TED2020

• June 2020

Poet and policymaker Aaron Maniam describes how the language we use to explain COVID-19 shapes the way we think about it -- whether it's as a "war," a "journey" or, as he suggests, an "ecology." He encourages us to explore a range of imaginative, interlocking metaphors to gain a deeper understanding of the pandemic -- and shows how this can help us to envision a better, more inclusive future. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED's head of curation Helen Walters and arts and design curator Chee Pearlman, was recorded June 10, 2020.)

Poet and policymaker Aaron Maniam describes how the language we use to explain COVID-19 shapes the way we think about it -- whether it's as a "war," a "journey" or, as he suggests, an "ecology." He encourages us to explore a range of imaginative, interlocking metaphors to gain a deeper understanding of the pandemic -- and shows how this can help us to envision a better, more inclusive future. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED's head of curation Helen Walters and arts and design curator Chee Pearlman, was recorded June 10, 2020.)

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speakers

Aaron Maniam

Poet and policymaker

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Aaron Maniam is a policy planner, poet and youth activist enthusiast interested in the intersection between government and technology.

Helen Walters

Head of curation at TED

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Helen Walters is the head of curation at TED, where she has the privilege of overseeing the work of an absurdly talented group of specialist curators and deep thinkers to bring the very sharpest minds and ideas to the TED stage.

Chee Pearlman

TED design curator

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Chee Pearlman creates conversations among designers -- think of her as as the host of a worldwide, perpetual salon.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.