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What I learned from 2,000 obituaries

1,843,695 views | Lux Narayan • TEDNYC

Lux Narayan starts his day with scrambled eggs and the question: "Who died today?" Why? By analyzing 2,000 New York Times obituaries over a 20-month period, Narayan gleaned, in just a few words, what achievement looks like over a lifetime. Here he shares what those immortalized in print can teach us about a life well lived.

Lux Narayan starts his day with scrambled eggs and the question: "Who died today?" Why? By analyzing 2,000 New York Times obituaries over a 20-month period, Narayan gleaned, in just a few words, what achievement looks like over a lifetime. Here he shares what those immortalized in print can teach us about a life well lived.

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

Volunteer! In the word clouds created using New York Times obituaries, the most common intersection was "help." In the end, a life worth remembering in death is lived by making a difference and helping others. Start exploring interesting volunteering options on Help Guide!

About the speaker

Lux Narayan

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Lux Narayan is a perpetual learner of various things -- from origami and molecular gastronomy to stand-up and improv comedy.

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

Volunteer! In the word clouds created using New York Times obituaries, the most common intersection was "help." In the end, a life worth remembering in death is lived by making a difference and helping others. Start exploring interesting volunteering options on Help Guide!