Do you know TED? This is the first in our new series, featuring selected videos from TED.com, where thousands of “TED Talks” cover divergent topics in technology, education, art, design, music and more, and are having a profound impact on thought leaders and artists all over the world. These talks change behavior, change thinking, and even change policy. (A lot of them are also a whole lot of fun.) TED Tuesdays have cropped up all over the world in various manifestations, whether live screenings, newsletter bits, or online discussions, each presenter highlighting a selection of talks to suit a particular audience. This is our take — not necessarily weekly, but always on Tuesday.
The videos are available online or via a number of streaming options, e.g. the TED channel available for Roku or Apple TV. If you really like one of the talks, you can even order a special DVD copy for your archives. Start with their website and see what’s right for you. (And let us know if you see a video we should include!)
Ben Cameron: “The Power of the Performing Arts”
A dynamic speaker with a long history in arts administration across multiple genres, Ben Cameron calls himself a “cultural omnivore”, and is currently the Program Director, Arts for the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in New York. In this talk from 2010, Cameron takes on the monumental, global changes in the arts, calling the current shift a “new Reformation” — this time focused on artistic issues, rather than strictly religious. Rather than seeing the current shift toward individual participation as the end of traditional, institutionalized artmaking, he explains that the current paradigm shift is the beginning of a new age, filled with tremendous hope. Watch this one at least twice.
Related:
Makers: The New Industrial Revolution, by Chris Anderson
Cameron quotes influential author and Wired editor Chris Anderson in the talk, and this book has been thoroughly making the rounds of arts, tech and business leaders since its publication in 2012. The image linked at left leads to the audiobook, which we highly recommend. The book is also available for Kindle and several other formats.
The Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain World, by Peter Schwartz
How can you plan when the outlook is one big grey area? This book offers wisdom and practical applications, useful for individuals and leaders, regardless of field or end goal. Using “scenario planning” to manage the unknowns in a given situation, Schwartz’s book can help you build essential planning and decision-making skills that will touch nearly every part of your life.
