Each "Ideas Unbridled" presentation had at least one of two points: how to make current ideas more effective and/or how to overcome resistance when breaking new ground. Here are the 15 most insightful statements (one from each speaker) that I took away from the conference. Bad joke/pun alert: If you're hungry, there's definitely food-for-thought here. (You're welcome!)
Mandy Straight, an interior designer, made a case for why the visual mantra of appreciating your surroundings every day makes a difference in mood and productivity. Even more compelling was her ability to do this without sounding too New Age or like an infomercial for her profession.
14. "Try to learn something you thought was impossible."
Jesse Zhang, a scientist, gave a lot of intriguing data about his recently published studies in atmospheric and oceanic phenomena. It never really spoke to me... until the emcee said that Zhang just graduated from high school. I guess it's never too early to start making a difference!
13. Change the "impossible" into the difficult.
Teju Ravilochan used humorous anecdotes to show that change is only possible through trial and error, and failure is part of the process. His engaging delivery made up for the been-there, done-that nature of his speech, but it was still a nice reminder that everything does eventually have a result.
12. Ethics are not as simple as we think.
Catharyn Baird, a noted researcher on the subject, illustrated ways to be ethically mature individuals who conduct their personal and professional lives with integrity. It comes down to striking a balance between rationality and sensibility (head vs. heart) and autonomy and equality (self vs. others).
11. "Make a comeback by giving back."
Entrepreneur Heidi Ganahl found her path in the business world by dealing with death, divorce, and bad decisions. She realized the only way to truly bounce back from life's hardships is to focus outward before inward, and to channel those setbacks, losses, and rejections into making a difference.
10. How to think is more important than what to think.
Mike Vaughan's presentation, "Rethinking Thinking," laid out values that are missing from the global marketplace. Picking strong questions over safe ones and action over answers would contribute to better collaboration and productivity. Computers may be good at answering, but people are still better at asking!
9. "Please touch the art."
Jen Lewin is an interactive artist who combines art and engineering by experimenting with color, light, and sound. Her public artwork brings people together by transforming the space and letting them share an experience. She makes art that's okay to touch, because art can touch each of us.
8. Social media has more power than we realize.
Chris Hansen uses data analysis to track public sentiment through social media. With 600 million tweets per day, Twitter can be a real-time indicator of factors like purchasing trends and voting habits. Perhaps most significant is the possibility of event detection based on user observations in high-risk locations.
7. "What you can't see CAN hurt you."
Theo Wilson, a poet and social activist, delivered a short but powerful spoken-word piece about the lingering effects of Columbine and the invisible "chemical properties of hate" that ruin our society.
6. Gender roles have no place in music.
Esme Patterson performed three songs from her latest album, a conceptual work where each track is a response to a famous song about a woman that was written by a man. Among her targets: "Lola" by The Kinks and "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson. She admitted to liking the songs musically but, despite their status as classics, also being troubled by their lyrics.
5. "The next Silicon Valley is Suburbia."
Crowd-funding is poised to create the next generation of business owners and revolutionary product ideas from the comfort of our own homes. Speaker Peter Lynch was quick to point out that while no success is truly "overnight," tools like technology and community participation can make it easier.
4. Technology is amoral.
Joel Comm made the excellent point that technology is not immoral (against morals) because it inherently doesn't even have them. With 3 billion Internet users and 1.6 billion social media users worldwide, it's our responsibility to apply morals to the Web by being authentic and honest online.
3. The stigma of discussing mental health issues has to end.
Emmy Betz, a leading injury prevention researcher, explained that suicide causes twice as many deaths as car crashes. Depression affects people in different ways, but it needs to become more acceptable to talk about it. Wording doesn't matter as much as the gesture of asking someone if they're okay!
2. We can remove the systems that keep people in poverty.
Using one of Denver's most low-income neighborhoods as an example, Eric Kornacki talked about how his organization overcame a lack of municipal assistance and grocery store interest to create the largest community agriculture program in the country. They created jobs and kept money in the neighborhood by taking the economy into their own hands!
1. The concept of work-life balance is a myth.
Kris Boesch calculated that we each spend 2,000 hours per year at work, and technology makes it harder to separate home from the office. Because the personal and the professional are so intertwined, Boesch calls for more emotional intimacy and respect in the workplace so that we're not afraid to be ourselves. Plus, anyone who can convince 2,000-plus attendees to do The Wave is fine in my book!
If any or all of these ideas sound promising, the next TEDx event will be held on September 19 at The University of Denver's Newman Center. Pending TED approval, there is also a fall event in Boulder that has yet to be scheduled. In addition to comparing and contrasting the themes and the quality of the sessions, it will be interesting to see if and how any of the upcoming speakers will embrace the challenges imparted by these community and industry leaders.
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