6.5 Recommended Resources
Online Resources
Space and housing across cultures
Diébédo Francis Kéré: How to build with clay… and community
TED description: “Diébédo Francis Kéré knew exactly what he wanted to do when he got his degree in architecture… He wanted to go home to Gando in Burkina Faso, to help his neighbors reap the benefit of his education. In this charming talk, Kéré shows off some of the beautiful structures he’s helped to build in his small village in the years since then, including an award-winning primary school made from clay by the entire community.”
Elora Hardy: Magical houses, made of bamboo
TED description: “You’ve never seen buildings like this. The stunning bamboo homes built by Elora Hardy and her team in Bali twist, curve and surprise at every turn. They defy convention because the bamboo itself is so enigmatic. No two poles of bamboo are alike, so every home, bridge and bathroom is exquisitely unique. In this beautiful, immersive talk, she shares the potential of bamboo, as both a sustainable resource and a spark for the imagination. ‘We have had to invent our own rules,’ she says.”
Dan Phillips: Creative houses from reclaimed stuff
TED description: “In this funny and insightful talk, builder Dan Phillips tours us through a dozen homes he’s built in Texas using recycled and reclaimed materials in wildly creative ways. Brilliant, low-tech design details will refresh your own creative drive.”
Perceptions of time
Philip Zimbardo: The psychology of time
TED description: “Psychologist Philip Zimbardo says happiness and success are rooted in a trait most of us disregard: the way we orient toward the past, present and future. He suggests we calibrate our outlook on time as a first step to improving our lives.”
Carl Honoré: In praise of slowness
TED description: “Journalist Carl Honore believes the Western world’s emphasis on speed erodes health, productivity and quality of life. But there’s a backlash brewing, as everyday people start putting the brakes on their all-too-modern lives.”
Privacy and online selves
Jennifer Golbeck: The curly fry conundrum: Why social media “likes” say more than you might think
TED description: “Do you like curly fries? Have you Liked them on Facebook? Watch this talk to find out the surprising things Facebook (and others) can guess about you from your random Likes and Shares. Computer scientist Jennifer Golbeck explains how this came about, how some applications of the technology are not so cute — and why she thinks we should return the control of information to its rightful owners.”
Juan Enriquez: Your online life, permanent as a tattoo
TED description: “What if Andy Warhol had it wrong, and instead of being famous for 15 minutes, we’re only anonymous for that long? In this short talk, Juan Enriquez looks at the surprisingly permanent effects of digital sharing on our personal privacy. He shares insight from the ancient Greeks to help us deal with our new ‘digital tattoos.’
Translating and interpreting
More than words | Laura Burian, Miguel Garcia & Barry Olsen
TED description: “Can you distinguish language translation from language interpretation? In what may be the first ever tri-lingual TEDx talk, Laura Burian, Barry Olsen, and Miguel Garcia demonstrate the power of human cognition as they explain the subtle but important differences between professional translators and interpreters”
Corporate culture and business etiquette
Margaret Heffernan: Why it’s time to forget the pecking order at work
TED description: “Organizations are often run according to “the superchicken model,” where the value is placed on star employees who outperform others. And yet, this isn’t what drives the most high-achieving teams. Business leader Margaret Heffernan observes that it is social cohesion — built every coffee break, every time one team member asks another for help — that leads over time to great results. It’s a radical rethink of what drives us to do our best work, and what it means to be a leader. Because as Heffernan points out: ‘Companies don’t have ideas. Only people do.'”
Ricardo Semler: How to run a company with (almost) no rules
TED description: “What if your job didnâ™t control your life? Brazilian CEO Ricardo Semler practices a radical form of corporate democracy, rethinking everything from board meetings to how workers report their vacation days (they donâ™t have to). Itâ™s a vision that rewards the wisdom of workers, promotes work-life balance â” and leads to some deep insight on what work, and life, is really all about.”
Ernesto Sirolli: Want to help someone? Shut up and listen!
TED description: “When most well-intentioned aid workers hear of a problem they think they can fix, they go to work. This, Ernesto Sirolli suggests, is naïve. In this funny and impassioned talk, he proposes that the first step is to listen to the people you’re trying to help, and tap into their own entrepreneurial spirit. His advice on what works will help any entrepreneur.”
International Business Etiquette, Manners, & Culture From cyborlink.com
