"Happiness is an inside job" - William Arthur Ward
I chose to share this Ted Talk for two reasons. First, Ted Talks are apparently a thing these days, who knew. Being as behind as I normally am when it comes to new digital media trends, you probably won't share my excitement over this Talk, which is fine, but just know that it will change your life. Do people say this about Ted Talks in general. Yes. Yes they do. Which brings me to my second point, this video will completely change your view on happiness and how you approach the world. Huge, right?
The science of happiness otherwise known as positive psychology is in a broad sense the study of what keeps us going. It's the drive within ourselves, pushing us to lead meaningful lives, create what is best within ourselves and heighten our daily experiences. As is a common theme in the study of culture and communications, we view our world through different lenses. As Shawn Achor says in the talk "it's not necessarily the reality that shapes us, but the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality. And if we can change the lens, not only can we change your happiness..." This video received over 11 million views. It's worth a look.
Ted Talks are a huge phenomenon and for good reason. Each is unique, and teaches the viewer something in an average time frame of twenty minutes and under. They draw out cultural ideologies, ways in which we communication and critically analyze them.
Have you watched your Ted Talk of the day?
Very interesting subject, I enjoyed watching the video and found it inspiring. What interested me most about the video is the fact that you can actually train your mind to be positive. I always thought that positivity is part of your personality and cannot be gained. The video portrays training your mind to be more positive as a simple task. However, I think it is hard to stay focused and always find the positive in things. Nevertheless, it is something that I will definitely try to do more often.
ReplyDeleteI saw this this video in one of my classes and I think it's a great video. I agree, Ted Talks did come out of nowhere but it has taken digital media by storm. Not only are videos from Ted Talks found on Youtube, but even Netflix has a season/series on majority of the talks. It's a great way to gain a new perspective on whatever topic it may be within a 20 minute segment.
ReplyDeleteJumping to the video, I feel the message behind it is a strong message and one that I believe in. I understand what Sara is saying that it can be tough to stay focused and positive on everything but establishing that mentality already guides you into the right direction. If something unfortunate were to occur, trying to remain positive about it will help ease it. Shawn Achor's analogy of changing 'your lens' is something I've been trying to do since watching the video, it can be challenging but it definitely is worth it.
I really enjoyed watching this video, I have never seen it before. I found the video to be encouraging and inspiring as it motivates me to change my point of view on certain negative things in order to bring positivity to my life. I think the message behind the video is a strong one and I do agree with Sara that often it is hard to constantly stay positive about everything that comes your way. By training your mind and changing your mindset to a positive outlook it makes it a lot easier to see the best in things. I think this topic was perfect for a Ted Talk and a good way to get the message across. After all, some things are only as good as you make them!
ReplyDeleteHere is an interesting critical take on the whole TED Talk phenomenon: http://www.salon.com/2013/10/13/ted_talks_are_lying_to_you/
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