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- Ideas Worth Spreading - by Roger Gallo |
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In
a world of seemingly declining standards it is refreshing to see a website
that offers ideas worth spreading. The website, called TED, is devoted
to presenting in video format some amazing ideas that have the potential
to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world.
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TED
is not just adults with dry theories, TED presents adults who have done
some innovative thinking, yes; but TED also presents children from around
the world who have accomplished absolutely jaw-dropping things in medicine,
music, and technology. I was brought to a total standstill by the accomplishments
of Jose
Antonio Abreu the charismatic founder of a youth orchestra system [El
Sistema] that has transformed the lives of thousands of kids in Venezuela.
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Gustavo
Dudamel, who is considered one of the best conductors in the world today,
is a product of El Sistema. To give you some indication of the quality
of TED, its ideas, and the recipients of the TED prize for the best ideas,
listen to Gustavo Dudamel lead El Sistema's top youth orchestra. An amazing
performance by young people rescued from the slums of Venezuela by one
man.
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Another
idea which I found interesting was provided by David Cameron a member of
the UK's Conservative Party. Cameron suggests a form of 'people power'
in which through the internet people control their own lives, and provide
their own services, thereby
reducing
the role and size of government as a controller and provider of services.
Randites, libertarians, those who believe in limited government, or in
no government, should listen to his talk.
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I
have watched dozens of videos on TED, and the more I watch, the more I
find of value; whether it is someone discussing solutions to energy problems
or a child virtuoso playing the piano. I now watch something on TED daily.
The website provides a synopsis of new videos on their front page, and
they have a rich archive of videos going back years.
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For
too long we have watched the stick being placed lower and lower in the
world around us; lower standards, lower values, corruption, pollution,
political lunacy, crime. But life is not a game of limbo. We're suppose
to jump over the stick, not go under it. McDonald's, because it is
not food, drives out real food, RAP music, and Rock music, because they
are not music, drive out real music; television since 1950 has reduced
the attention span of the average viewer to less than the attention span
of a dogs. Young people today do not realize that there are no standards,
because they've never seen them displayed, they are brought up in a world
of value grayness.
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Can
good ideas raise the standards? Can ideas teach children the difference
between a mindless cacophony of noise and the sound of real music?
If you took the time to watch the video on this page you already know the
answer to that question. TED does have ideas worth spreading, pass it on.
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