recommendations of great videos on TED.com

June 14, 2009 3:57 PM

What are your favorite videos on TED.com?

I am completely fascinated by these videos. Which ones do you recommend? All subject area/topics are welcome.

Thanks!

posted by dfriedman to computers & internet (27 comments total)

I really enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert's talk on nurturing creativity and what our culture expects from artists.
posted by you're a kitty! at 4:09 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

Jill Bolte Taylor's Stroke of Insight springs immediately to mind without me even having to look at the website to spark memory.

In fact, that's the video I use to turn non-TED watchers into TED watchers. So far, it has a 1.000 batting average.
posted by hippybear at 4:12 PM on June 14 [7 favorites has favorites]

Mark Bittman's What's Wrong with What We Eat;

Steven Levitt on Sudhir Venkatesh's study of crack-house economics;

Bill Strickland's completely amazing slide show on the Manchester Bidwell vocational education project;

Cliff Stoll being Cliff Stoll;

PW Singer on robotics in warfare and other stuff from his book Wired for War;

Gever Tulley on five dangerous things kids should be encouraged to do (I don't even have kids and I fully appreciated this one);

John Maeda on the simple life;

Majora Carter's talk on reclaiming the South Bronx, which is unexpectedly completely heartbreaking.

These are just a few of a bunch I watched at work on render breaks. Really, if you search on something or someone you know you like-- the Long Now, msybe, or you're into James Nachtwey's biological research, or you listen to Regina Spektor-- you'll find something you'll enjoy, and the related links will generally be pretty good too.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 4:16 PM on June 14 [2 favorites has favorites]

Malcolm Gladwell on Spaghetti Sauce is one of my favorites.

Be sure also to watch a mycologist discuss Saving the Earth with Fungi.
posted by prunes at 4:16 PM on June 14 [4 favorites has favorites]

For some reason I really like "Adam Savage's obsessions".
posted by Memo at 4:20 PM on June 14 [3 favorites has favorites]

Kevin Kelly on the next 5000 days of the web for daydreaming about what might be.

Jonathon Haidt on the moral roots of liberals and conservatives for a brilliant discussion.

Joachim de Posada says, Don't eat the marshmallow yet for a quick and funny presentation of a very important idea, complete with charming videos of little kids.
posted by Houstonian at 4:22 PM on June 14 [2 favorites has favorites]

I really like Sir Ken Robinson's talk on how schools kill creativity.
posted by estherbester at 4:44 PM on June 14 [4 favorites has favorites]

Kaki King rocks out to "Pink Noise"
posted by whiskeyspider at 4:46 PM on June 14 [2 favorites has favorites]

I enjoyed The Raspyni Brothers.
posted by DanW at 5:06 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

Mike Rowe on the value of working with your hands
posted by mjcon at 5:41 PM on June 14 [2 favorites has favorites]

Mark Bittman explains how America's relationship with food has gone wrong, and how we can set it right.
posted by Jaltcoh at 6:32 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

Doris Kearns Goodwin on learning from past presidents

Concise, funny, insightful and, like most TED Talks, unintentionally motivational.
posted by tenaciousd at 6:38 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

Benjamin Zander on Music and Passion is phenomenal.
posted by PFL at 6:41 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

Amy Tan's was fantastic.
posted by mewithoutyou at 8:12 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

Amy Smith: Simple designs that could save millions of childrens' lives
Alan Russell: Why can't we grow new body parts?
Chris Bangle: Great cars are Art
Janine Benyus: 12 sustainable design ideas from nature
Seth Godin: Sliced bread and other marketing delights
The Jill and Julia Show
Stew: Black Men Ski
Isabel Allende tells tales of passion
Jennifer Lin improvs piano magic
Julia Sweeney on letting go of God
Jennifer 8. Lee hunts for General Tso
All of Dan Dennett's talks and Dan Ariely's
Jay Walker on the world's English mania
Dan Barber's foie gras parable
Patrick Awuah on educating leaders
posted by nooneyouknow at 8:29 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

John Hodgman was in fine form for his talk.
posted by consummate dilettante at 8:34 PM on June 14 [2 favorites has favorites]

Barry Shwartz on our loss of wisdom. Inspiring.
posted by jeffxl at 9:08 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

Isaac Mizrahi on fashion and creativity also comes to mind.
posted by mewithoutyou at 9:11 PM on June 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

Steven Pinker on the myth of violence
posted by Jenga at 9:22 PM on June 14 [2 favorites has favorites]

Mary Roach and the things you didn't know about orgasms.
posted by ijsbrand at 11:43 PM on June 14 [2 favorites has favorites]

Previously on the blue: Ted Top Ten.
posted by allkindsoftime at 12:45 AM on June 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

Willie Smits restores a rainforest
posted by Elysum at 2:11 AM on June 15 [2 favorites has favorites]

Thanks for all the responses!
posted by dfriedman at 6:46 AM on June 15

Can't be sure of the link, but I was very moved by Aimee Mullens talk on her legs.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 10:28 AM on June 15

Isn't it clear that the more appropriate question is which TED Talks to avoid?

(are there any?)
posted by silsurf at 2:11 PM on June 15

Anna Deavere Smith's searing portrayal of Studs Terkel, a grieving mother and a shopkeeper after the LA riots.
posted by ao4047 at 5:23 PM on June 17

I like Dan Gilbert's talk on "Why are we happy" - not why we intuitively think we are he would argue.
posted by rongorongo at 8:25 AM on July 13