This 10-minute TED talk is a wonder of wisdom and humor.
Ash Beckham is a lesbian. But even if you think you’re totally tired of hearing about people’s sexual identity, this is different. Her message is universal — and delightful. It just might be helpful for anybody who feels stuck in an emotional closet or has something difficult to say and can’t figure out how.
I have to actively stay away from the TED talks… I watch one, the next thing I know, its 5 AM and I have to be ready for work in 5 hours. Good thing tonite is my Friday, so I can sleep late 😎
Good talk. Reminds me of the day my daughter told me she votes democrat and joined the Catholic church.
That was really very good. I stay away from TED talks because Taleb hit the nail on the head – “a monstrosity that turns scientists and thinkers into low-level entertainers, like circus performers.”
But this was not a scientist, and while the thoughts were deep, this speaker’s message came through beautifully.
Thanks for sharing.
Matt — Talk about coming out of the closet!
-s — I’m glad you made an exception and found it worthwhile. I haven’t paid enough attention to TED talks to have formed that much of an opinion. At the same time, I don’t think Einstein or Richard Feynmann would have minded that format a bit. And Carl Sagan would have reveled in it, but then he was always as much entertainer as scientist.
After viewing this, in combination with a previous thread concerning the total lack of internet privacy, I had the thought that maybe all us libertarian, freedom loving outlaws, should maybe just come out of the closet all at once.
I mean, they already know who we are and every keystroke we have ever said. Why not just hoist the flag of truth and post our names and numbers? Come out of the closet. Grow, share and remove their threat of exposure. Just thinking.
I love TED talks and yes, they are addicting. Haven’t seen this one, since I mostly absorb all the biz related ones. But this authenticity thing is also one of the current “fads” (for lack of a better word) at the moment. And in this case, this is part one – yes, coming out of any issue closet is healthier. What’s missing is part two – that you will be spending the rest of your time battling those issues out in the open. The thought that one will feel so much better open and authentic ignores the fact that it’s also the beginning of having it discussed continuously. Having to deal with repercussions that drone on and on. I don’t have Ash’s issue, but as she pointed out, hard is hard. It may be hard to speak your truth out loud to begin with, but it’s just as hard to have to continuously deal with it once it’s known. Unfortunately things like this talk fail to point that part two out, most of the time. It’s a trade of one type of stress for another just as draining one.
[What’s missing is part two – that you will be spending the rest of your time battling those issues out in the open.]
Uh, maybe I’m missing something, but why would this be so? Simply disassociate yourself from those who don’t accept you. Unless you like having those conversations.
This was a good TED talk; thanks for the link, Claire. I’ve seen other good ones; my favorite was Salman Khan’s. But for some reason I don’t have a problem staying up til 5AM watching them.
You’re a Feynmann fan too, Claire? Amazing man. I’ve even got his 3-volume set of books, the Feynmann lectures. He certainly had a gift for explaining things. I also have a collection of stamps from Tannu Tuva that my wife was nice enough to get for me after one of my Feynmann binges. Tuva or bust!
Paul, if you were to use some of her examples ie spouses or family, close friends (maybe even coworkers) – makes it kind of hard to disassociate.