It should not surprise that a community about ideas would laud the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Conference and for that same reason, there’s no need to explain what TED is. Not only are you likely responsible for at least 1 of the 100 million times a TED video has been viewed but many have already defined and described the TED phenomenon. Plus, to truly align with the TED spirit, your own curiosity is your best guide.

Instead, we ask, what is your idea worth sharing?

The challenge to answering this is no doubt a product of several factors (e.g. what’s already been done, the high bar that’s been set, etc.) but none more important than identifying an idea that you are comfortable enough to speak on and yet not comfortable enough with that you know it’s potentially  profoundly different.  The not-so-funny joke today is that everyone is (or can be) an expert on something, but this question might humble many into realizing how devalued the term ‘expert’ has become.

This observation stems from personal experience, having been recently encouraged to do a TED style talk in celebration and support of the inaugural TEDxTO event (see below for supplementary resources).  The “independently organized TED event”, is in itself, a great idea to further proliferate idea sharing while physically connecting the curious. This alone should merit attention in this ambitious city.  From a macro perspective, however, we can view TEDxTO as one of the more obvious signs of an education revolution.

So often, we have attributed education as key to ‘saving’ the underdeveloped world and yet our own system requires just as much fixing. Whether it is because private costs too much; public is chronically underfunded; or because both kill creativity, education is in need of change and TED has emerged as a leader of a great new model.

When considering my idea worth spreading, grassroots experience on the education movement would certainly align itself with the “what’s next?’ theme but indicative that there is a movement, this topic is being covered well at TEDxTO. I have another idea, regarding how sharing a narrative is changing, but it’s largely underdeveloped at this point and given the time constraints and my evangelical expectations, the idea might live and die at the table at tonight’s Creative Club.

Or not.  After all, this is exactly what TED is about. Ideas are meant to be shared.

Not only to educate, but to grow bigger.

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Additional Resources

The TEDxTO Website, which includes details on how to still attend (via auction), the satellite streaming locations, the open after party and the full list of speakers

The TEDx website, explaining the whole ‘X’ program including a short introductory video by TED curator Chris Anderson

“I love their greed for hope, their confidence in ingenuity, their organized but goofy ways of talking and thinking.”  Lifted from “Confessions of a TED Addict”, written by V. Heffernan @ the NYT Magazine

Picture of the TED Commandments stone tablet which provides the speaker guidelines sent to each speaker prior to their talk