Watch a TED Talk

Published: January 31, 2010

Starved for ideas?  Watch a Tedtalk!

 Tedtalks happen at TED Conferences.  It’s marketed as a gathering of the world’s leading thinkers and innovators.  The best part?  Many of the talks are posted online, entirely free, for anyone to view!  You don’t have to pay a fortune (tickets start around $6,000) to attend a conference, all you need is an Internet connection.

With topics ranging from Entertainment to Science to the Arts, you’re bound to find something that interests you.  You may even find new interests within a matter of minutes.  Here’s a small sampling of the inspiring talks available at Tedtalks:

• Seth Godin (entrepreneur, author of Tribes: you need to lead us)

Seth explains how the internet has allowed tribes to flourish.  Tribes not identified by common skin color or language, but tribes where people with common interests can interact with each other.  Whether they live in Tokyo or London, people who have an interest in collecting Batman figurines can now interact.  Godin goes beyond this to show how leading tribes can result in significant changes in the way we live.

• Isaac Mizrahi (designer for Liz Claiborne)

You’ve probably worn a piece of clothing designed by Mizrahi.  Or seen them at Target.  Here Isaac shares his sources of inspiration and design philosophy.  Aside from telling interesting stories, you get a brief glimpse into this creative genius’ thought process.  If you’re interested in anything related to product design, watch this clip.

• Ann Cooper (director of nutrition services for Berkeley Unified School District)

Watch this clip and then forward it to your local school board members. Kids should be receiving the best in terms of education and upbringing, so why are so many schools compromising when it comes to lunches?  Cooper challenges the notion that it’s impossible to provide healthy and tasty food to kids.  More importantly, she shows how to properly educate kids regarding healthy nutrition.