Enlightening topics, engaging speakers and a brilliantly concise format… as the TED talk turns 40, we round up 10 of the best lectures to listen to in less than 30 minutes
We Should All Be Feminists
DURATION: 29 MIN 19 SEC The author of Half Of A Yellow Sun and Americanah’s speech about gender inequity, given at TEDxEuston in London, became so iconic it was later turned into a bestselling book and sampled in Beyoncé’s 2013 track Flawless. On stage, Adichie masterfully crafts an argument from her own experiences and anecdotes, declaring, ‘I am angry… We should all be angry.’ Yet, at the same time, she delivers her impassioned message with a cool, sardonic wit that draws frequent laughs from the crowd.
The Power Of Vulnerability
DURATION: 20 MIN 3 SEC A relative unknown outside academic circles before she gave this celebrated TED Talk, Brown uses her moment in the spotlight to summarise a decade of her research on shame and vulnerability, while referencing her own personal learnings in humorously self-deprecating fashion. Arguing that it’s vital for us to share our weaknesses in order to truly connect with others, she defines how we can live ‘wholeheartedly’ and suggests that, by numbing hard and difficult feelings, we risk numbing joy.
Every Kid Needs A Champion
DURATION: 7 MINS 35 SEC Proving that some of the most successful TED Talks are pleasingly short, Pierson – a teacher for 40 years and a former counsellor – delivers her message about building self-esteem in young people with infectious warmth, using examples from her practice to illustrate why kids simply ‘don’t learn from people they don’t like’. Not only is her speech a call to educators to connect with children on an emotional level, it serves as a reminder that we all need an unwavering cheerleader in life.
How To Speak So That People Want To Listen
DURATION: 9 MIN 45 SEC A practical exercise in making yourself heard by others, the international keynote speaker’s debut TED Talk is the most successful of the five he has given, all of which explore different aspects of sound and communication. In fact, it is one of the most listened-to TED Talks of all time. He starts by covering seven things we shouldn’t do in conversation (from gossiping to exaggeration), before sharing useful tips and tools that can make a significant difference in our interactions with others.
My Year Of Saying Yes To Everything
DURATION: 18 MIN 35 SEC ‘What do you do when the thing you do – the work you love – starts to taste like dust?’ TV producer and screenwriter Rhimes shares a love letter to her career in this beautifully lyrical speech dissecting the ‘hum’ – the internal buzz that drives her to ‘strive for greatness at any cost’. But when the hum stops, Rhimes finds herself confronting burnout, identity crisis and her workparenting bal
