Top 8 TED Talk Videos You Must Watch During The Lockdown

“You Are Not Alone in Your Loneliness” by Jonny Sun

Loneliness has become a big part of everyday life, especially for those facing the national lockdown by themselves, far away from their parents or people they call friends. Where do they turn then? The internet? Initially, it may feel like a void, but once you start finding comfort in the void, the void will begin speaking back to you. At least that's what Jonny Sun felt. In this video, Jonny Sun shares how he overcame loneliness by opening up to strangers on the Internet. Hope you find comfort in this video.

“The Paranoid Optimist” by Charlie Jane Anders

This intriguing yet whimsical talk by writer and creator Charlie Jane Anders tries to make viewers/listeners imagine a time when science and nature get intertwined, leading to an unusual vision for the future of the planet. What would you do in those times? What happens if someday the world (hypothetically) goes to hell? How do you then shape your thinking towards achievement and progress? That is something you will learn in this video. A very apt topic for current conditions don’t you think?

“How To Make Stress Your friend” by Kelly McGonigal

With b-schools being shut, admissions getting deferred, and jobs getting cancelled, there is a lot of ambiguity. This kind of ambiguity can lead to anxiety, frustration and high levels of stress, making your heart pound, quicken your breath and palpitations. While stress is seen as a public health enemy, research suggests that stress can only be bad if one believes that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal in this TED talk urges her viewers to see stress as something positive and introduces various unusual mechanisms to cope with and reduce stress.

“The Psychology Of Future Self” by Dan Gilbert

How often have you felt that you wanted something so badly, you could almost reach it, but had to give up eventually? Too many times right? Many of us feel that especially now when things are not going according to us, thanks to the COVID-19 induced lockdown. In this TED talk, Dan Gilbert speaks about his research on a phenomenon called ‘end of history illusion’. It’s a phenomenon where people believe that the person that they are today will remain the same forever. People often underestimate their response to change, and the changes they undergo, especially during testing times, and the person they become in response to these changes. If you are sulking over the lockdown, and what it is doing to your plans today, tomorrow this thought might just be a speck of dust. So, the current mindset is not to beat yourself up too much.

‘The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage’ by Susan David

According to the speaker, Susan David, there are two types of worlds: the inner world and the world around us. She believes that everything that is happening in the inner world drives everything that is happening outside. We as humans have complex emotions. But, sometimes binary bifurcation of emotions to good or bad, positive or negative is rigid. “Rigidity in emotions can be toxic”, says Susan David. We need to have emotional agility to thrive and be resilient during the current gloomy conditions. Lockdown is continuing to be an emotional roller coaster for all of us and according to Susan, it’s a good thing. In this video, she teaches us the art of accepting our emotions and going with the flow.

“Where Does Creativity Hide” by Amy Tan

Where does creativity come from? Amy Tan thinks it comes from nature, nurture and our nightmares. Many say, epiphany could trigger creativity, others believe it comes from those existential questions like “who am I” and “where do I come from”? Creativity abounds where we are confined, be it indoors or in our mind. In this video, Amy Tan delves into the topic of creativity, to inspire you to find yours and use it. It is a must-watch TED talk during the lockdown.

“Your Smartphone Is A Civil Right Issue” by Christopher Soghoian

Your smartphone reflects who you are as a person. However, it could also determine how closely you can be tracked. Privacy Expert Christopher Soghoian in this video, explains a significant difference between the encryption used on Apple and Android devices. He also urges people to pay attention to the continuously growing digital security divide. During his speech, he says, "If the only people who can protect themselves from the gaze of the government are the rich and powerful, that's a problem. It's not just a cybersecurity problem - it's a civil rights problem." COVID-19 has pushed the entire world to go digital. Hence, many videos calling software that conducts company meetings and apps that ensure health safety (by you putting up medical data) are currently in the high risk of a security breach and can be used for surveillance by private and government organizations. Information on data security is crucial, now more than ever.

Hope you liked our list! Did any of the talks mentioned above help you in any way, or do you think we should add more to the list? Do you have any suggestions about the talks or videos that you think we should watch? Tell us in the comments below!

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