This month our TED Talk Lunch crew from University Systems was joined by a number of staff from the Gustavson School of Business. We really filled out the room! Conversation was fortified by all the different viewpoints and ideas. As a matter of fact, we talked about Monica Lewinsky’s presentation so long that we were unable to get to one of the talks we had scheduled – which is perfectly fine, and in fact why I started this whole TED Talk Lunch series in the first place! Watching a Talk can get me excited, fired up, agitated, or confused…. and I just want to talk to someone about it. So welcome, Gustavson staff! And hey, if you’ve stumbled across this post and you work at UVic, check out our TED Talk Lunch Schedule. You’re welcome to join the fun!
Here’s what we watched:
Monica Lewinsky:The price of shame
Everyone remembers Monica Lewinsky, right? And that’s the problem. What she endured was happening just at the beginning of social media. Online harassment and shaming is a huge issue, with often devastating consequences. There is a responsibility that comes with freedom of speech. Imagine walking a mile in someone else’s headline.
The consensus around the room was that this is a fantastic talk well worth watching and sharing, and that Monica is an excellent speaker. I think we were all surprised, actually, at how good she was. Which sadly speaks to how many of us see her. I definitely have a different view of Monica Lewinsky after watching this.
Monica Araya: A small country with big ideas to get rid of fossil fuels
Another inspiring Monica! Learn how Costa Rica has successfully switched to renewable energy sources for electricity. And their next target? Transportation. Monica Araya is a captivating speaker with enough enthusiasm for her subject to power at least one electric bus! Okay, that’s not their plan: watch the talk to see what they’ve done and how this little country is showing up the rest of us.
Richard St. John: 8 secrets of success
Richard interviewed 500 successful TED people. Learn their secrets in this fun, short video!