TEDx Vancouver

The following guest post was written & contributed by Jane Victoria King.

When the credits rolled it felt like a really great movie had ended. I was sad it was over. I walked away processing. What exactly did I just experience at the first TEDx Vancouver?

Later, I found myself asking these questions; who am I and what am I being? And what does the world need the most?

Photo credit: Kris Krug on Flickr

TED is all about Ideas Worth Spreading. When I told friends and family I was selected to attend TEDx Vancouver (only 100 invited attendees, through an application process), I told them I was going to a vast think tank with a bunch of creative and intelligent types. A brain-bashing if you will. I culminated my synopsis with the notion it was going to be a tremendous opportunity to knock heads together for forward thinking insights and ideas. Another wards – inspired thought leadership. I was going to an idea factory.

TED stands for technology, entertainment and design. The x=independently organized TED event. To become fully enlightened on TEDx Talks watch this video.

The day was brought together at the Electronic Arts – Think Tank/Bigger Picture campus in Burnaby. I was in awe as I entered the foyer at 8 a.m. Colourful, eclectic video greeted us. Giant Lego filled some tables. Bright letters of the alphabet on others with containers of play dough interspersed. The theme of the event was Forever Young.

The first question of the day came on our lanyards underneath our names, Ask me about… With a lime green Crayola™ marker I wrote Fresh Thinking.

Here’s where the schmoozing started. I would acknowledge faces and fast-forward to the nametags and the Ask me about…

One of the first people I spoke to was Michael. I was to ask him about energy. He told me he was with a company that was building solar panels in space, and they were planning on broadcasting the energy back down to earth. Clean, green energy and there was lots of it. The company he worked for appropriately named www.SpaceEnergy.com. I immediately felt right at home.

I came to TEDx Vancouver with an open mind, like a sponge, ready to soak it all in. The talks began with an introduction made by the Licensee and Team Leader for TEDx Vancouver, Cyrus Irani.

“We want the world to start listening to what Vancouver has to say,” he said.

No doubt Vancouver once again hit the Global stage, this time with TEDx Vancouver. Although there were some technical interruptions, much of the event went viral through video, tweets and blog rolls.

Three sessions divided the day: Playfully Young, Globally Young and Emotionally Young, with conversation breaks in-between. Speakers were bookmarked with other TED Talk videos or TEDx Vancouver Forever Young teasers produced by the Vancouver Film School. Sessions two and three included live musical introductions with Cellist, Cris Derksen introducing session two and beat boxer, Shamik beginning session three. The two later jammed together for a standing ovation.

It seemed each talk resonated differently amongst those I spoke to. I also uncovered a theme amongst the crowd. When we got past the Ask me about and went to the, what do you really do? Most responded with two answers. Paid work and passion work.

Once again I found myself thinking. This time, does personal progress come from the inspiration in one’s head? I personally listen to my heart and follow what it tells me. If it feels right I do it, if it doesn’t I don’t. I’ve always thought there are three kinds of people: the thinkers, the dreamers and the doers.

One of the TED Talk videos exemplified the following statement; a good leader never doubts what he or she is dreaming.

Later, Guy Dauncey nailed it when he stated negativity kills creativity. There is strength in the word yes.

New insights into life on earth came to me upon viewing Vancouverite and District 9 Director, Neill Blomkamp’s video. Wow was the first word that jumped into my mind. Among other things he mentioned the Principal of Mediocrity and on the other spectrum, the Rare Earth Hypothesis along with the Kardashev scale, which begged the questions, are our social systems determined by technological systems? Will the world one day become one? One government. One economy. Run by one computer?

When Marc Stoiber flipped his slide up, Is social media KILLING the environmental movement? I had to lean back and sigh. What he concluded with struck an all too familiar chord.

“The world will not be saved by typing the mission. The world will be saved by living the mission.”

I came to TEDx Vancouver a sponge. I left soaked in new thoughts and ideas. Most importantly, we can’t change behaviour, but we can inspire it. Have you given any thought lately as to what the world really needs?

Thanks TEDx Vancouver for the Ideas Worth Spreading.

About Jane: Based in Victoria, BC, Jane Victoria King is an award winning TV producer, photojournalist, mariner, mother, and lover of all things cycling. You can follow her on Twitter @Jane_Victoria.