Ideas worth spreading

Should you live for your résumé ... or your eulogy?

2,981,594 views |

David Brooks |

TED2014

• March 2014

Within each of us are two selves, suggests David Brooks in this meditative short talk: the self who craves success, who builds a résumé, and the self who seeks connection, community, love -- the values that make for a great eulogy. (Joseph Soloveitchik has called these selves "Adam I" and "Adam II.") Brooks asks: Can we balance these two selves?

Within each of us are two selves, suggests David Brooks in this meditative short talk: the self who craves success, who builds a résumé, and the self who seeks connection, community, love -- the values that make for a great eulogy. (Joseph Soloveitchik has called these selves "Adam I" and "Adam II.") Brooks asks: Can we balance these two selves?

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

About the speaker

David Brooks

Op-ed columnist, author

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Writer and thinker David Brooks has covered business, crime and politics over a long career in journalism.

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