What’s Wrong with TED Talks? as an Exercise in Style
Notation
On a TEDx stage in San Diego, in front of a large audience. A middle-aged man stands in a suit, his hands behind his back. He paces back and forth. The man begins a monologue accusing TED Talks of being oversimplified, cynical, and myopic. His voice a monotone meant to be taken seriously. When he pauses, it is for effect.
For eleven minutes he speaks. He concludes TED Talks are another version of right wing media, a harmful, self-aggrandizing affectation.
Titotes
A man was on a stage. He looked serious and spoke about TED Talks for eleven minutes, pacing back and forth. He concluded TED Talks were cynical; an exercise in empty, oversimplified ideas.
Retrograde
TED Talks are a forum for oversimplified ideas that solve nothing, the man concluded. His talk ended after eleven minutes in which he explained the fundamental problem with TED Talks was their lack of depth and engagement with ideas that offer real solutions. He protested against their artifice, calling their content infotainment, words without value or substance. This middle aged man wore a grey suit. His talk took place on a stage during TEDxSan Diego.
Surprises
How serious the middle-aged man! Why was he pacing so? Well, if he wasn’t being so very critical of the very forum that gave him a platform to speak – it is an empty platform! So he claims! And then he gives examples as to why TED Talks are so harmful! They pretend to present world-changing ideas when really they just publish middlebrow drivel! Instead they should do the hard work of investing in ideas that actually solve problems!
Eleven minutes of criticism! The main in the suit! Giving TED Talks a piece of his mind! You’d never believe it!
Bibliography
Queneau, R. and Wright, B. (1998) Exercises in style. London: John Colder.
TEDxSan Diego, 2013. New Perspectives – What’s Wrong with TED Talks? Benjamin Bratton at TEDxSanDiego 2013 – Re:Think. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo5cKRmJaf0 [Accessed 21 November 2021].